Sew Much More
Abby Glassenberg is the co-founder and president of , the trade association for the crafts industry. The organization has over 2,000 members in all different sectors. She’s also a sewing pattern designer, teacher, and journalist. Abby lives in Wellesley, Massachusetts with her husband, three children, and a rescue dog named Steve. You can reach Abby at Abby is on
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Whitney Kaufman is the owner of Whitney Kaufman Designs in Grand Rapids, MI. Whitney is a busy wife and mother of four teenagers. As a teacher turned stay-at-home-mom she began sewing shortly after her oldest daughter was born, and for years she enjoyed sewing Halloween costumes for her brood. Over the years she tried her hand at making both Roman shades and quilts. At the suggestion of some friends, she began looking into ways to turn her passion for sewing and decorating into a career. In December 2020 she opened Whitney Kaufman Designs. Whitney quickly jumped on the opportunity to...
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Hollie Rich is the president and founder of , a concierge service for people decorating without the help of a professional interior designer. Hollie believes good design is for everyone, so her mission is to break down barriers design enthusiasts face when decorating on their own. She provides expert guidance, and helps them procure to-the-trade products that will make their homes feel special. Hollie is on and Resources and Links; The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;
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With over two decades of experience as a workroom owner, Hope Arbery understands the reality of running a custom workroom - the long hours, the pricing uncertainty, and the pressure to get everything right. She founded , a software built for workrooms that streamlines and automates quoting, work orders, and project management all in one place so workroom owners can stop carrying around details in their heads, and finally work with clarity instead of chaos. Hope's focus is equipping workrooms to not just survive, but thrive in today's modern business world with confidence, professionalism, and...
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Ann Mautz is the owner of Madison Avenue Designs and lives in Chillicothe, Ohio, approximately 45 miles south of Columbus. She has been in business since 1984 and holds an Associate degree in Interior Design. Ann has built her career working primarily from her home, offering retail services that include hard goods, custom window treatments, and bedding. In 1994, she expanded her business to include upholstery, and today her workroom is located in a dedicated space attached to her garage. Her business is predominantly retail-focused, and she specializes in in-home consultations, allowing her to...
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Will Hanke has two passions: supporting our US veterans and helping window treatment and awning businesses tell their story online – providing them with increased exposure, more customers, and higher revenues. For over twenty-seven years he has helped mom & pops, startups, and multi-million dollar companies with their digital marketing strategies. Will hosts monthly online training events and has spoken at conferences across the US on a wide variety of topics from analytics to lead generation through his company, Window Treatment Marketing Pros. Will teaches and helps these business...
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Riana LeJeune is an award-winning upholsterer, entrepreneur, and founder of , a nationally recognized workroom known for preserving craftsmanship while pushing the industry forward. With over a decade in the skilled trades, Riana has built one of the country’s first registered upholstery apprenticeship programs and is passionate about elevating artisan work through education, sustainability, and fair pricing. She’s also the founder of Renewabl, a tech platform helping furniture professionals visualize design, close sales with confidence, and build more profitable businesses. Riana...
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Thank you so much for being on this journey with me! Links and Resources;
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What a fun podcast this was to record! Thanks to the Jersey Girls for taking time to chat with me! Irene Hurley Designs Instagram: @irenehurleydesigns Interior Couture for Cottage and Castle Irene Hurley Designs is a boutique design and sewing studio offering custom window coverings, interior accessories, and artisan quilts. Sue Berry - Designer and fabricator in business for 13 years Sew Stylish Designs Llc Diana Nolan Diana Nolan Custom windows LLC Instagram @dianadnolan Diana is a drapery workroom both retail and to the trade for 25 years in southern New Jersey....
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Links and Resources; (Some of the links I provide, specifically to Amazon and a few others, require me to let you know that if you use those links and make a purchase, I will make some money. I won't make a million dollars, but I might be able to get a cup of coffee, so thank you!) If the Sew Much More Podcast has played a role in your journey in any way, I hope you’ll consider participating. Here are the three questions: What changed for you after listening to, or being on, the Sew Much More Podcast? That change might have been practical—or it might...
info_outlineIn 1999 Jes and Wes were on a quest to work for themselves and have more control over their own time. That's when they created Crown Upholstery. After 25 years they have definitely worked, but they have yet to gain much control over their time. Jesica is the 5th generation in her family to be enticed by the upholstery lifestyle. Growing up in her grandparents shop, in Glendale Arizona, she witnessed first hand the freedoms upholstery had to offer as well as the hard work one has to put in to be successful in this craft. Wes was raised in Maryland and had never known upholstery to be anything other than something you did to the interiors of cars. The sirens of upholstery began to sing to him on a visit to Jesica's grandparents house. He saw their home based shop and the countless processes that go into this craft and quickly fell in love. Having a background in auto mechanics he was already primed for the problem solving journey that upholstery provides. He took a few classes taught by Jesica's grandfather, Frank, and then began his apprenticeship with him after Frank saw the enthusiasm and attention to detail Wes had. Within a few years of walking into an upholstery shop for the first time, Wes was starting his own. It began in a tiny one car garage that shared space with laundry machines, holiday decorations and lawn equipment but it did the job. Jesica had experience in accounting and she's much better at organization and management of things so that made the decision of who would be boss really easy. They moved across country a couple of times searching for a place to settle down and eventually landed in east Tennessee. In the 17 years living and working in Knoxville they have established a reputation for quality upholstery and excellent customer service. For the majority of their upholstery career they have been a home based business. In 2018 they purchased their first commercial space. A 1920's grocery store with an apartment above. They were officially a business based home. Within a few years, and after hiring another upholsterer Crown Upholstery was ready for more growth. Jesica found and purchased another building in the same neighborhood. This allowed them to bring on another full-time upholsterer. Jesica was now coordinating the schedules of 3 upholsterers along with everything else that goes into running a business. They still live above the old upholstery shop but it is now a Hair salon that Jesica manages as well. There's a reason she won Knoxville's Women owned business of the year 2024. Even when they aren't working together they still enjoy spending time together. Whether it's camping, sifting through junks shops or riding bikes. They are rarely seen very far apart.