Name: Julie Sinden

Location: Toronto, ON

Business: Julie Sinden of Handmade and The Love of Colour

What does your business offer? 

Julie Sinden Handmade is a line of handmade boiled wool winter hats, scarves, mittens and slippers. The Love of Colour is a line of beginner natural dye kits

What seasonal products/services are you introducing this holiday season? 

Our winter gear is always seasonal!

For more seasonal products from Julie Sinden Handmade check out the QuickBooks Holiday Gift Guide

What are some of the challenges you face during the holiday season that you have overcome or are working to overcome?  

The increasing popularity of Black Friday and Cyber Monday are tricky for us, since people are expecting sales. For us, it’s the beginning of our retail season with the line of wool hats, and it’s impossible to be offering huge discounts when the season has just begun.

What do you think is the most important thing a business owner needs to do to prepare for the holiday season?  

The holiday season is by far the busiest for us. We exhibit at the One of a Kind show, and also have a thriving online business for both of our lines. Since all our products are made in-house, by hand, it’s important that we are well-stocked for the season. Once things get busy, there is no longer any time for making. So, time management for the rest of the year is essential to us. It can be easy to get behind on the production of wool hats when it’s hot and sunny, but as soon as the snow flies, the sales start rolling in, and it’s too late to catch up!

How do you keep sane during the holiday season?

Since all our products are made by hand, I make sure to get regular massages, to keep my ‘tools’ in shape.

What advice can you offer to up-and-coming small business owners during the holiday season? 

Be prepared early! Many people get started on their holiday planning and buying much earlier than you might think, some folks as early as September.

What holiday traditions do you and your family take part in?   

My daughter and I always do some kind of craft advent calendar. This year we are building a Santa’s Village, where one piece of the village will be unveiled and built each day. We are not big gift givers in our family, so the most important part of the holidays is spending time together and cooking and sharing special meals together.

What are three things you feel have contributed to your success during the holiday season as a business owner?  

My product is seasonal, so people are looking for winter accessories, right at that moment, which is very helpful. My price point is competitive and fair. I’m selling something that is not only beautiful and handmade, but functional. Living in Canada, everyone needs properly warm winter accessories.

How do you see QuickBooks helping you during the holiday rush? 

I sell wholesale as well as retail, with much of my wholesale going out in early fall, which means that payments are coming in during the busy retail season for me. QuickBooks helps me manage my invoices so that when I receive a payment from a wholesale customer, even if I’m in a booth in the middle of the One of a Kind show, I can quickly pull up the app and mark it as paid, in moments.

What is your favourite Christmas song and why? 

Last Christmas by Wham! I’m a child of the 80s.....

How do you decompress after the holiday rush? 

Getting together with friends and family for home-cooked meals. Skating and sledding with my daughter.

To learn more about Julie Sinden Handmade and The Love of Colour and support their business, visit their website or check them out on Instagram.