The West Bend Current

By Shiloh Peters, Current Staff

Opening a new business is always hard, especially when you have to finish your homework first.

Two new area business owners are also students at the West Bend High Schools. East sophomore Hailey Moore opened Moore Yarns last summer, and West senior Hailey Boone is set to open Dammann Designs in January. Both of them have realized their dream of operating a business, but they have had to jump quite a few hurdles along the way.

Dammann Designs offers fashion-related items along with products for babies. Boone’s business was inspired by historical clothing and a friend’s child.

“I recently made really close friends with someone through a job that has a baby and that little girl inspired me,” Boone said.

The business was a dream in the making since Boone was a child, the decision being made the moment she created her first skirt. Along her journey, she found a liking towards costume making in order to give her more creative freedom and differing products.

“To me, the small differences matter,” Boone said. “I wanted my work to inspire that. With everything being handmade, it allows me to apply the small differences in each product.”

Moore Yarns has an expanding inventory, starting off with pillows and beanies. Moore found crocheting as her passion after being taught by her grandmother and a running dream of owning her own business.

“Crochet is my passion and my dream was to open a small business, even just while I’m in high school,” she said.

No business is truly a one man show. Boone’s best friend is a 5% partner of Dammann Designs as she helps Boone create designs and products. Boone also found help in her significant other for support and her mother along with her mother’s boyfriend for color advice. Another close friend of Boone acts as a model for products.

Moore got assistance with finances, understanding that crochet businesses often compete with hobby crocheters.

“Going into it, I had no idea how to price things in a way that I wasn’t losing money meanwhile not making things too unreasonable in the product market,” she said.

Both businesses have advice for new or aspiring business owners, no matter what product is sold. They emphasized to follow your dream and keep your head up.

“If you have a dream, go for it,” Boone said. “Don’t let anything or anyone hold you back and go through life full of regrets. If my past almost 18 years have taught me anything, it’s that you never know when your time in this life is over. So, live it the way that makes you happy.”

Moore has a similar message: Keep your head high and follow your dreams no matter how much money you make off of it.

“I would say, go for it,” Moore said. “It can get tough at times, especially when it comes to balancing life and the business but it is not impossible. If it is your dream, follow it. You might not make millions, in fact you might only make $50, but as long as you’re doing what you feel passionate about, that’s all that matters.”

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(Top image: Products from Moore Yarns. Photo courtesy of Hailey Moore.)