Small businesses are the lifeblood of their community. In this Spotlight on Small Business, AMP sits down with Amy Hughes, the owner of The Humble Thread in Cabot.
Hughes is a military wife and was a stay-at-home mom of a three-year-old and one-year-old when the idea of The Humble Thread was first conceived. While she was at home and looking for feasible things to do with an already busy schedule, she started making hand-stamped jewelry in her garage and selling it on Etsy.
“My dream was to sell jewelry in a boutique. I realized we’d be staying long-term in Arkansas, and once we learned we were staying here, I decided I wanted to open the boutique I’d always dreamed of,” Hughes said. “Our 10-year anniversary is this year. My business is focused on handmade local items and ladies’ boutique items. It has shifted to more small batch-made companies, locally owned, and I’ve grown my ladies’ clothing, accessories and shoe line.”
Hughes shared what her day-to-day schedule looks like.
“I’ve got a pretty set schedule. It’s important to know that I’m a foster and adoptive mother and have a lot of children. That’s a big part of how I can do it. I take my oldest child to school, then take my toddler to school, then go to the gym every morning. The manager opens the store, and I do custom items like vinyl embroidery and jewelry and social media customer relations,” Hughes said.
Hughes shared some of the challenges that she has faced in owning a small business.
“It’s always tough to learn when to shift with changing styles — not just fashion but how people want to shop. People used to want to exclusively come in. Now a good portion of my sales are online. We’re learning the shift, and that’s why we upgraded the website in January 2020,” Hughes said. “I really feel like being honorable with my transactions and dealings with customers is rewarding. I’ve always been learning relationships because I’m a social worker by trade. I’ve learned to establish relationships with people as they keep coming back. It’s what I have to work the hardest at to make sure I’m nurturing it.”
Fortunately, Hughes has had plenty of successes in her decade of owning a small business.
“One of my greatest successes was establishing myself as a part of the community. I’d joined the local Chamber of Commerce, I was in Junior Achievement and was the president, I served on several boards and supported local fundraisers and nonprofits. People saw me as someone who belonged here and not an outsider. People know what I stand for and what my business is,” Hughes said.
Hughes offered a word of advice to individuals hoping to own their own small businesses one day.
“I would really encourage on-the-job experience. I wish I had some business classes under my belt or related training. Having a better understanding of how business works and keeping track of the dollar side of things is also super important for aspiring business owners. It’s a lot of math and work and sweat and blood and tears,” Hughes said. “No one else does my job or shows up for me when I’m sick. It would have been smoother for me in the beginning if I had a better understanding of the business side of things when I started. I founded a community online, which definitely helped. Do what you do best and hire out the rest. I’m fortunate to have a really great team, so I’m not just doing this on my own,” Hughes said.
Hughes shared some of the life lessons that she has learned as a small business owner.
“I’ve learned to be gracious with how I speak about my own body. A lot of women come in, and I hear every day their insecurities when I think they’re all gorgeous,” Hughes said. “As a woman in our culture, being more gracious with our self-image and how we think of ourselves is key for us and those around us. Fashion is just for fun. Learn to love yourself the way that you are. Fashion is a fun accessory and not what defines us.”
