“Her goal was to educate professionals and the younger generation about crafting and sewing, and show them that this is something that people of all ages can do."
In this episode of the Apparel Academy podcast, Henry invited special guest Jennifer Moore, to share experience of going from being a CNN news reports to running a full-time Youtube channel, called the Sewing Report!
This podcast dives into how Jennifer got involved with the embroidery business and the success that she’s experienced thus far.
You’ll learn…
- The perception most people have about sewing in general
- Why beginners can use an embroidery machine too
- How switching her video strategy expanded her audience reach
To hear everything she has to say, make sure you watch the video or follow this podcast using the audio version below.
How it all started
As we mentioned above, Jennifer Moore had a career as a news reporter for CNN! When she moved to Atlanta, she decided that she wanted to take up a hobby. That hobby ended up being sewing!
Jennifer purchased a vintage sewing machine, which she didn’t even touch for 6 months! But when she finally did, she fell in love.
One of the first perceptions about sewing that she received from others is that it’s their “grandma’s hobby.” This is one of the main reasons she wanted to start her YouTube channel.
She noticed that there was an uncapped market of working professionals and the younger generation. Jennifer also started the channel because she couldn’t find any current YouTubers that she could relate to.
Her goal was to educate professionals and the younger generation about crafting and sewing, and show them that this is something that people of all ages can do.
Beginners can do it too
One of the things that Jennifer liked about the embroidery machine is that anyone can get started with it. You don’t need to have any prior training or basic skill set in sewing.
She stated that embroidery machines are great for beginners because it does all of the work for you. The most you need to know is how to thread the needle and change out the bobbin.
When her husband needed to get his work shirts embroidered and she saw the great features of the latest embroidery machines, she easily made her decision to purchase one.
The ease of the machine allowed her to embroider her husband’s shirts on her own, rather than having to outsource it! Now, she uses the machine all the time!
Jennifer’s Video Strategy
On YouTube, you will most likely find an array of tutorials and How-To videos on how to embroider or sew. These seem to be the go-to style for many YouTubers, as they try to share their own tips and tricks in the industry.
However, Jennifer quickly realized that the videos that performed the best on her channel were those where she just documented the progress of her project!
Rather than meticulously documenting every step of the project, she wanted to go for a more informal approach. She noticed that her audience was more interested in watching people make really cool things than go and actually make it themselves.
Jennifer also shared that this strategy also helped her reach a non-sewing audience, who may just want to watch something entertaining!
Bottom Line
Two crucial pieces of advice that Jennifer had to share before the end of the call are:
- Take the time to learn from the older generation, who has had more life experience
- Don’t base your decisions off the opinions of people who may not even be qualified to give one
At the end of the day, this is your business and you have to be able to make decisions for yourself. Don’t let the opinions of others affect the decisions you make.
Also, it is so important to take the time to learn from those who have had more life experiences. Appreciate the time you have with them and the value that their advice can bring to your life.
If you enjoyed learning about Jennifer’s story, click here to visit her YouTube channel and comment below if you would like to see more videos like this!
Don't forget to take advantage of the resources available to you in this industry! Watch embroidery YouTube videos, join embroidery Facebook support groups, and ask questions whenever possible!
For additional help, feel free to join our free Facebook group, Embroidery and Custom Apparel Mastery.
In it, over 10,000 members share their thoughts about embroidery, give insight on various embroidery related issues and provide connections to wholesale items and even jobs!
