January Small Business Feature: NotYourAvgDoormat
Location: Fairfield, CT
How did you get started?
My name is Evie Johnston and I started NotYourAvgDoormat in April of 2020 after being furloughed from my marketing job due to Covid-19. At the height of quarantine, everyone was stuck and home and I noticed more and more people putting extra time and effort into making their homes welcoming and special since we were all spending so much time in them! I thought, what better way to decorate your home then custom doormats with fun and quirky sayings. I started with a few designs like "Hope You Like Dogs" (my most popular mat for sure) and then expanded to many more custom sayings from my very creative customers. My favorite part of doing this has been seeing what people want their doormats to say. From "Welcome To the Shitshow" to "Hope You Brought White Claws" - every mat brings some sass and personality to someone's doorstep and a smile to their face every time they get home!
How has the pandemic affected your business?
Surprisingly, the pandemic has actually helped my business. I've had more downtime to devote to NotYourAvgDoormat and since everyone is stuck at home more and more people are putting time into their homes and looking to sup
port small businesses. The only major downfall of the pandemic for me has been the missed opportunity in meeting customers in person and getting to sell at markets.
What are your favorite products that you currently sell?
I love love love doormats for the holidays! Fall / Halloween was my favorite with the Pumpkin mats. It's so fun helping people decorate their homes for new seasons. Right now I am prepping for Valentine's day with some cute heart mats!
What are a few fun facts about your business?
I've made over 250 doormats! I'm a JMU alum and majored in Creative Advertising. I work full time as a graphic designer while balancing NotYourAvgDoormat My most popular mat is "Hope You Like Dogs"
What advice do you have for someone in the beginning stages of owning a business?
Go for it! I was so nervous to start out with fear of no one liking my products or designs. Never sell yourself short. I've learned that if you're passionate and excited about your products - other people will see that and be enthusiastic as well. At least give it a shot!
How can the community support NotYourAvgDoormat and other small businesses?
There are so many ways to support small businesses for free! Like and share their content on social media, tag the small business in photos if you buy their products, and leave reviews! Even the smallest gestures mean & help small businesses so much!
Interested in learning more about NotYourAvgDoormat or purchasing their products?
Instagram: @notyouravgdoormat
Website: NotYourAvgDoormat
