Kristin Schweain on Owning Her Own Business - Apronique
Part II

Friday, April 24th, 2009 at 12:00 AM by Ruth Tynes / Online Editor / InTheTimes.com

ITT: Tell the InTheTimes.com girls a bit about your business partner Marilyn Brown ! How did you two meet, what is her role with Apronique, how is she a mentor and inspiration to you, etc.

Kristin: Marilyn's daughter and I were in the same graduating class in high school. As Marilyn was brainstorming her idea for this business, she decided she needed someone to act as 'the face' of it and help with marketing and possibly designing.

She knew of my involvement with ZOEgirl and that my husband and I had recently moved back home to Missouri to be closer to family. Marilyn felt led to approach me and see if I would even be interested. I was immediately interested, and so excited at the opportunity for another creative outlet.

Marilyn has been an incredible partner in business, but also a wonderful friend. Her creativity, motivation, and talent are really inspiring. She really knows how to see a vision through ! Her motto is "We gotta just keep on praying!" We do, and God continues to open doors and provide opportunities for us to explore.

ITT: In a microwave and fast-food culture, Apronique obviously promotes spending time in the kitchen creating culinary memories with family and friends. Share with the InTheTimes.com girls a special memory that you have had in the kitchen, perhaps during the holidays, as a child, as a wife, etc.?

Kristin: We do promote kitchen memories and feel that hospitality and fellowship can also occur in the most casual takeout setting or even with a little help from the microwave! It doesn't matter if you're hosting a formal dinner party or just waiting on the pizza man with a few friends, Apronique aprons still make a fashion statement for the hostess.

As for myself, I have so many wonderful memories surrounding time spent in the kitchen with family. Since I was a little girl, my mom has made her traditional Christmas butter cookies, and I remember how exciting it was for me when I was finally old enough to not only help, but for her to teach me how to make them. A great deal of care goes into baking and decorating and for a long time it's been a yearly Christmas tradition for us.

My husband Ryan and I love an evening spent at home preparing a meal and listening to music. Our specialty is lasagna and it's been a special time for us to just enjoy each other and time together.

Also, both my grandmothers were great cooks, and I always loved being around the kitchen watching them prepare meals. They would give me small jobs to help, I was always the table setter, the potato peeler, the flour sifter or the stirrer. Now, I'm learning more about cooking myself although I certainly wouldn't consider myself a great cook or accomplished hostess yet, but I'm sure having fun wearing my apron !

ITT: Are there any culinary traditions, etc. that you would like to pass down to your daughter Stella?

Kristin: Definitely! There are several dishes that I will no doubt pass along to Stella, like the Christmas cookie recipes, as well as some other family favorites--my grandmother's chicken rice soup, my grandma's sweet rolls (they're the best!) and pies, my mom's meatloaf and pot roast.

Also, my mom always made the holidays so special with all the different goodies she'd have, and we have a huge Christmas dinner that is many days in the making. My mom plans way ahead and even sets the table days in advance. I hope to come up with some of my own as well, and now that I'm a part of Apronique, we will definitely be including aprons into our experiences and memory making!

ITT: Any advice for InTheTimes.com girls who want to start their own business one day? How does your faith in God motivate you to excellence, quality of products, creativity, customer service, etc. in business?

Kristin: I've learned it takes great patience and dedication to start a business. It's certainly not easy, but can be really fulfilling in even the smallest ways. As things begin to happen, you celebrate small victories and continue to pray for bigger things to help you to reach your goals.

We've had many opportunities to incorporate our faith in what we do. The idea of hospitality is a Christian idea and one of our slogans "Come and Dine” was taken from the words of Jesus in John 21:12.

ITT: Is there any way that InTheTimes.com girls can help you get Apronique designs carried in their local retail stores?

Kristin: If you would like to see our products in a local shop, please have them contact us through our web site. Once the aprons appear in the shop, as a thank you, we will send a free autographed apron to the girl who began the process for us!

tags: tween pre-teen teen young adult girl magazine web site blog e-zine christian faith-based biblically-based, kristin swinford schweain zoegirl zoe girl colman blue colmanblue, interview, celebrity, apronique, designer couture decorative fancy modern unique boutique upscale aprons, behind the scenes

>>> CLICK HERE TO READ MORE




Web Site Designed and Maintained by In the Times Public Relations / Copyright 2009 In the Times Public Relations. All rights reserved.