Meet Sabrina Suppe | Small Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sabrina Suppe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sabrina, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting my own embroidery business, specializing in creating embroidered apparel based on books, was driven by a combination of passion for books and unexpected viral success. Throughout my life, I have always been an avid reader. Pursuing a degree in business and marketing in college provided me with the necessary skills to effectively promote my products. Additionally, having an embroidery machine at home due to my mother-in-law’s previous embroidery business gave me a head start in terms of equipment and knowledge.

However, it was an unexpected moment after reading the book “Verity” that truly sparked my entrepreneurial journey. After creating a sweatshirt inspired by the book and sharing it on TikTok, the video unexpectedly went viral. The overwhelming response and flood of ideas that followed made me realize the potential of turning this passion into a thriving business. I recognized the opportunity to connect with authors and provide subtle merchandise for their readers to wear, allowing them to express their love for books in a unique way. Overall, starting my business happened rather quickly and unexpectedly, but some of the best things happen that way. Even two years later, I am still learning as I go and as my business continues to grow.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Threaded By Sabrina, my embroidery business, is all about making embroidered apparel inspired by books. We take the essence of your favorite books and turn them into embroidered sweatshirts with subtle references. It’s a way for book lovers out there to show off their literary obsessions without being too flashy.

What I believe really sets us apart is the awesome collaboration we do with authors. We work closely with them to capture the heart and soul of their books and bring them to life through embroidery. It’s an honor to collaborate with these talented authors and create exclusive merchandise that’s packed with meaning.

I’m always in awe at the incredible support we’ve received from the author and reader communities. It’s been such a positive experience seeing readers wearing our designs and proudly displaying their bookish love.
It hasn’t been easy getting to where I am today. Being the owner and only employee, I have to wear many hats to keep this business running. Building brand awareness and finding customers was the first challenge. But I got busy on social media, especially TikTok. Sharing my creations, connecting with potential customers, and building a community around my brand really helped spread the word.

Through all the ups and downs, I’ve learned some important lessons. One of the big ones is that persistence pays off. Even when things got tough, I kept pushing forward, staying true to my vision. Another key lesson is that listening to customers is everything. I actively sought out their feedback, made improvements, and introduced new designs based on what they wanted. It’s all about keeping them happy and delivering what they love.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of my favorite small businesses to visit in Miami is Sweet Haven Bookstore. It is a super cute local bookstore that has so many books to choose from! I would take my friend for a coffee at Neverland Coffee Shop, take a stop at sweet haven bookstore, then spend the rest of the day at the beach!
I could write an essay on all the fun things to do in Miami but those are just a few of my favorite spots if you’re looking for a chill day in Miami 🙂

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout to Dawn, whose prior experience in the embroidery industry laid the foundation for my entrepreneurial journey. Her knowledge, guidance, and unwavering support have been instrumental every step of the way. Furthermore, I am immensely grateful for the support of my family and friends. Their belief in my abilities, encouragement have been invaluable sources of motivation and strength. Lastly, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the book community, both on instagram and tiktok, for embracing my initial creations. Their enthusiasm, feedback, and engagement have played an integral role in shaping my embroidery business. Everyday I am thankful to be a part of the book community!

Website: www.threadedbysabrinaco@gmail.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/threadedbysabrina

Other: Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@threadedbysabrina