Shannon Haley-Funcke lives in a rural location outside of Jefferson, Iowa, and is the mother of four children. With a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from William Penn University, Shannon is not a first-time entrepreneur; she started and owned an agriculture chemical fertilizer business for 11 years. She also helped two independent insurance agents start up their firm. In spite of these successful business experiences, Shannon found that working outside of her home was a challenge when trying to keep up with her children’s schedules. She wanted to work at home, but doing something that fulfilled her own wants and needs.

Shannon decided to create her company, Treasured Threads, because quilting was a passion of hers and finding great patterns and unique designs was a challenge. Her online business sells Australian quilting patterns, books, and magazines; she also has a wholesale division through several of the designers that she carries.

Shannon did not have the time or money to create a website when she first started her business; instead, she started her business by posting a blog. Like-minded quilters soon found her blog and were able to order patterns and products directly through her blog, which receives around 300-400 hits daily. She then worked on getting her website established. It took Shannon only three months to go from selling five patterns to over 100. Orders for her products are sent to her e-mail address or taken via phone calls.

Currently Shannon’s business is 100 percent focused on the Australian quilt market but she would like to eventually break into the needle and arts market. She receives orders from all over the world and is working on advertising in Australian magazines so she can outsell her competitors. Her advertising budget has been minimal not by necessity but by choice, because she has been extremely busy just from her blog, the website, and via word of mouth.

Shannon started getting more requests for quilting patterns and her business was growing rapidly, so her next step was to expand her business by displaying her patterns at major quilt shows throughout the country. To do this she needed financial assistance from the bank. With this in mind, Shannon sought assistance from the North Central Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Shannon worked with the SBDC counselors on her business plan, putting together figures for cost estimates and anticipated profits for her first trade show. The main challenges that she faced were inventory control and inventory required for the shows, in order to fulfill orders as they came in at the booth. It was determined that her financial request should be split into two separate loans at the bank. Since the trade show costs would be recouped by the end of the show, that section of the financing was requested as a line of credit; the other financing portion would be set up as a term note.

With help from the SBDC, Shannon applied for and received the necessary financing from People’s Trust and Savings Bank in Jefferson. She received a $10,000 operating line of credit and a $12,000 term note to be used for supplies. Shannon says, “The Small Business Development Center helped Treasured Threads with business planning, projections, and general business management.”

Shannon currently employs two part-time workers who help her for a few weeks before, during, and immediately following quilt shows that she exhibits at; but her main business is still conducted online.

If quilting is a passion of yours, we suggest you check out Shannon’s website at www.treasuredthreadsonline.com.