Taeler Horak: Founder and Creator of Zipease
Taeler Horak is a single mom of two and a self-taught seamstress. She found her true love of sewing when she inherited her great-grandmother’s old sewing machine in 2016.
After Taeler’s first daughter was born with congenital anomal, she began working as a waitress and decided to start making baby clothes to save money. Taeler soon found a gap in the market for convenient and high-quality baby rompers. From there, Zipease was born!
Zipease brings all of the convenience and none of the hassles during diaper changes. Those troublesome snaps are a thing of the past. With comfort, style, and durability front of mind, Zipease will simplify your parenting journey when it comes to diaper changes, packing the diaper bag, traveling, and more! The brand also offers ultra-accommodating invisible G-Tube zipper, so you can say goodbye to cutting holes in your child’s clothing.
Our Interview with Taeler Horak, CEO and Creator of Zipease
Tell us about your professional journey. What lead you to founding Zipease?
When my daughter was born, I quickly learned that snaps were not my cup of tea. Matching them up on a squirmy baby who just wanted to be snuggled was near impossible. And those middle of the night diaper changes? Yikes. If you’re a parent, you understand the struggle there. I went on the hunt to find an easier romper, but the only ones I found with a zipper were those that I had to completely open up all the way to the neck. So my daughter was cold and mad while I am also trying to change her diaper as quickly as possible. No thanks to those too. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I made it!
What was your biggest challenge when launching Zipease?
Believing in myself. I had a huge fear of rejection starting out but as my skill set grew, so did my confidence! Positive reviews from customers helped a lot too. I can count on one hand how many returns I’ve had since I started, which says a lot about my business as a whole; this is what I am meant to do!
Why are you passionate about Zipease?
Zipease delivers on its promises. From the products to customer service to resale value, you can depend on me and my company to give you what you need when it comes to comfortable clothes and easy diaper changes.
Tell us about your product development and how you design your clothes.
In my bias but totally honest opinion, my customers are hands down the most amazing people. They influence most of my designs. They ask, and I deliver. I leave a lot of decisions up to them to vote on. I love including them. I get to bond and connect with them on a level that most other business owners don’t have the opportunity to do.
How has the COVID-19 climate affected Zipease – and how have you had to pivot during this time?
My business has never been busier! April 2020 was my biggest month ever! I fully anticipated having to slow down once COVID-19 hit, but instead, I’ve been working around the clock to keep up. I love my people!!
What does your day-to-day look like – and what do you love most about what you do?
One challenge of being an entrepreneur with kids is finding time to work, but we have figured out a schedule that works well for us. I may be a little sleep deprived, but hey, it is working! I love providing parents with a product that they will love, whether they are a new customer or an existing one. I also love going live in my Facebook group. My customers get to see the human side of me rather than just my product if that makes sense.
What does success mean to you?
Every time an existing customer reorders, that’s success to me. They are coming back for more because they found a product that delivers on its promises, and that’s what I stand for! My returning customer rate averages at about 77% – it blows my mind each time I run the numbers!
How do you balance being a mother and running a business– while also taking care of yourself?
I squeeze in work time, literally where ever I can! I try not to overwhelm myself with too much. I try to keep my open orders to a minimum so you can always count on fast shipping. Let’s be real, self care is a struggle for many moms out, there including myself. I often (unintentionally) skip meals, and by the time dinner rolls around, I’m hangry and tired. One thing that has helped me so much with this is a dependable food delivery service. I love HomeChef and Daily Harvest!
If you could go back and give yourself three pieces of advice when you first started Zipease– what would you tell yourself?
- As much as you try to, you can’t please everyone.
- People will write hateful comments on your ads, don’t let them get to you. Let someone else manage the comments.
- CHARGE WHAT YOU ARE WORTH SIS!
Is there a quote or song that you most identify with?
“To be successful, you only have to be right once.” – Mark Cuban
What’s next for you and Zipease?
You can look forward to seeing Zipease on Amazon this summer!
Follow Zipease online at the following:
Website: https://www.zipeaserompers.com/
Facebook: @ZipeaseRompers
Instagram: @zipease
Emily Sprinkle, also known as Emma Loggins, is a designer, marketer, blogger, and speaker. She is the Editor-In-Chief for Women's Business Daily where she pulls from her experience as the CEO and Director of Strategy for Excite Creative Studios, where she specializes in web development, UI/UX design, social media marketing, and overall strategy for her clients.
Emily has also written for CNN, Autotrader, The Guardian, and is also the Editor-In-Chief for the geek lifestyle site FanBolt.com
Responses