13-year-old turns sewing hobby into profitable ‘Em Bands’ — and shares $1 of each sale with local nonprofits
By Natalie Simms
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St. Mary’s Catholic School eighth grader Emily Jarvis has taken her love of sewing and turned it into a money-making business. Pretty Little Em Things has taken off over the last year, selling nearly 2,000 of Emily’s unique headband designs.
“I started out because I wanted to make a cheaper headband than the ones I would see at local races. I thought, I could make the exact same (non-slip) headband that runners wear and make it cheaper,” says Emily, who just turned 13 this summer.
Two years ago, Emily took a sewing class that quickly sparked her interest. She began sewing pillow cases, stuffed dogs and the now-famous Em Bands. Her special headband is lined with velvet so it doesn’t slip down during high activity like during exercise or running.
“They really can be worn anytime, I wear them to school … it’s just something you can wear with anything,” she says.
Emily first made some headbands to sell at local 5K races in town but as interest peaked, she just wanted to keep growing.
“She wanted to say that she was a business owner at age 12,” says her mother and business partner, Beth Jarvis. “Of course, we just officially got our sales tax ID number and set up a wholesale account … got all set up to be official this summer after she turned 13.”
Emily has quickly built her inventory of Em Bands in more than 140 different, including collegiate patterns, chevron prints, athletic patterns and even special breast cancer awareness designs. She even takes custom orders.
“We set up our booth at local events including all the R.A.C.E. Rome events, the Spring and Winter Art Markets, the St. Mary’s School Fall Bazaar and we’ll be at Chiaha this weekend,” says Beth.
Emily has an Etsy Store set up for online orders.
She also has partnered with a number of local retailers to carry her Em Bands, including Shasta Daisies Boutique, Bella Luna, GoGo Running, Eleven Gifts, Mel & Mimi, Last Stop Gift Shop, Perfect Home and Living and Giving.
“Through our Etsy store, we’ve made orders for a boutique in St. Simons and for a Dance Store in Pennsylvania,” says Beth. “We’re excited about the upcoming holiday season and think we will sell a good many like we did last year.”
The average cost of her Em Bands is about $10-$15 depending on the style. She makes two sizes for youth/adults and a smaller one for ages 7 and under.
“We would like to see it grow outside of Rome,” says Beth. “We are approaching some of the schools and colleges about carrying our product in their bookstores and maybe at some stores out of town like at the beach.”
So what does a teen-ager do with all her profits? Emily has been very diligent about donating at least $1 for every headband sold to local causes such as Cancer Navigators, The Exchange Club Family Resource Center, Harbor House and $350 to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in honor of a fellow student who was undergoing cancer treatment. She donated a total of $700 last year.
“With my profits, I divide in thirds. I keep one third to spend, give my mom a third back for materials and I put one third into a stock fund for college,” says Emily. “I have really learned about responsibility and how to treat customers.”
Adds Beth: “There are not a lot of kids that understand how to run a business, what wholesale price means, how to market your product and using social media.”
As for the future, Emily says she just wants to keep growing.
“I just plan to continue the business at least through college and then continue if it’s doing well … I just want to get as big as I can,” she says.
