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On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a business in fashion sewing with my guest Mimi Goodwin, whom you might know as MimiG.

Mimi is a mother, businesswoman, and award-winning, trend expert and Editor-in-Chief of the popular fashion, lifestyle, and DIY blog, MimiGStyle.com. What started off as a hobby in her Los Angeles home in 2012, has blossomed into an international brand with daily engagement of more than 1.M followers.

regal maxi skirt by mimig

Mimi in the Regal Maxi Skirt, the pattern that launched her career as a blogger and designer.

I met Mimi at Sew Pro this fall and I was so struck by how dynamic she was and by her confidence in herself and her business. In our podcast conversation, Mimi traces the winding path that led her to begin blogging about fashion and DIY projects. She had some rough patches and false starts along the way until she eventually figured out what worked and what she enjoyed. When she posted a picture of a skirt she’d made and there was instant demand for the pattern she suddenly realized she might have a started a business.

Since then Mimi has partnered with Simplicity Creative Group to create, produce and market pattern designs with the Mimi G Style for Simplicity Pattern Collection. The collection features over 15 patterns for the modern and curvy woman and is accompanied with a video tutorial from Mimi.

mimig in a velvet jacket

Mimi showing off a velvet coat she purchased and styled.

She’s also collaborated with brands such as Target, Google, Macy’s, ULTA, The Home Depot, The Recording Academy, Coca-Cola, Verizon, Kellog, Revlon, Steve Madden and more. She has been featured on Essence.com, InStyle Magazine, Vanity Fair, Rolling Out Magazine, and was awarded “Best Latina Blogger” by Hispanicize 2015. More recently, Mimi was featured on Lifetime TV’s Project Runway Junior as a mentor and design consultant for the young designers.

We talk about :

  • What works on YouTube
  • Sponsored posts
  • Body image
  • How to build readership for your blog and grow your Instagram following
  • Controlling the tone of your online community
  • Becoming a sewing pattern designer
  • Launching a membership site

MimiG for Simplicity

Mimi showing a modification of her Simplicity #8221 pattern.

One of my favorite quotes from Mimi during this podcast is, “People don’t follow blogs. People follow people.” So true.

Of course, I ask Mimi to recommend great stuff she’s enjoying right now. Mimi recommends:

Keep up with Mimi on her blog, MimiGStyle.com or on Instagram.

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Today’s show is sponsored by Spoonflower. If you’re a creative person who loves to design, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of seeing your art printed onto fabric, or better yet — seeing someone across the globe purchase it and make something amazing.

Spoonflower is the first company to make it possible to digitally print custom fabric, wallpaper and gift wrap with no minimums, and no limitation of colors. Shop from thousands of indie designs, or sell your own designs and earn up to 15% commission on every sale. The best part? As an independent seller, you always keep the rights to your work. While She Naps podcast listeners can get 15% off your next Spoonflower fabric order. Go to try.spoonflower.com/abby and enter your email address to receive your coupon code.

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You can listen to the show by clicking on the arrow below, or subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher so you never miss an episode. If you enjoy the show, tell a friend about it. Thank you so much.

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