#StandWithSmall Stories from Small Business Owning Moms

This article contains affiliate links and is part of Etsy's #standwithsmall campaign. All thoughts, opinions, etc. are honest and my own.

Life has changed in such a big way for so many of us, and one of the industries that really has been effected by the coronavirus is small businesses. In this article I interviewed three moms who own small businesses and Etsy shops, and they shared what these changes have meant for their families, their businesses, and how we as a community can come together to #standwithsmall during this time.

1.Your products are beautiful! Would you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about how you are doing these days?

Adoramus Te Studio: I am Jessica Grosheim the artist behind Adoramus Te Studio. I am a homeschooling mother of three and love to use my talents to glorify God and to help inspire others on their faith journey. I have been a stay at home mom for almost two years now.

I used to work as a nurse and lactation consultant at a major pediatric hospital. Back then my art was mostly given as gifts to my loved ones or used to promote breastfeeding in the hospital setting. I have loved being home and starting my small business.

I really feel like this is where God has called me to be. The pandemic has shaken me a lot though. It has been difficult to be on the sidelines when my friends and former co-workers are essentially going into battle. I have debated about the moral ramifications of not going back to work. I currently have a breastfeeding baby that I would not be able to isolate from so I am doing what I can from home. I have been sewing masks to sell and donate and offering a lot of prayers!



Spring Spiritual Bouquet Resin Casting from Adoramus Te Studio, $15

Gratia Design Co:
 My name is Stephanie Roberts. I am the owner of Gratia Design Co. where I create and sell Catholic prints, cards, stickers and accessories in my Etsy shop. I also do commissioned art and freelance design and illustration.

I run my business from my home studio which has been such a blessing, especially these days with the stay at home order due to the pandemic. These days haven’t looked too different for me other than not being able to leave the house a few times a week to go work at my favorite local coffee shops and bakeries for a change of scenery! Besides that, I’ve found that having so much extra time has allowed me to work on creating a lot of new designs and products, which has been really wonderful.

Do Small Things with Great Love print by Gratia Design Co. $10

The Little Rose Shop:  I’m Raquel! A momma to 5, 3 on earth and 2 in heaven. I am a school counselor by day and maker for The Little Rose Shop by night so my business is very much part time. We have been taking it slow because my youngest was just born right before the craziness started back in February.

It’s been nice to be home with all my kiddos but very difficult to try to work as a school counselor remotely AND be a mom AND help my daughter with her school at home AND keep up with The Little Rose Shop. I’m feeling pulled in a million directions but am trying to remind myself to slow down and enjoy my family and not try to “do it all”

Created To Create Short Sleeve Shirt by The Little Rose Shop $23+

2. What effect has the pandemic and economical changes meant for your business plans and your family?

Adoramus Te Studio: We were already homeschooling so our day-to-day life hasn't changed as much as many others. My husband has an essential job and I am still home. We miss our friends and family though! For the studio the pandemic and economical changes have created a unique environment to have a business in for sure!

I feel like more people are engaging on social media and that traffic has picked up a lot but the actual sales are really low on art products. It has changed my business plans by effecting what I can offer based on what supplies I can obtain. Also, I never expected to be sewing masks!



Washable Adult or Child Face Mask in Patterns by Adoramus Te Studio $12+


Gratia Design Co: Because I run an online business and work from home I am so grateful to be able to say that my business has not seen a significant negative impact from the pandemic. The support of all my customers has been incredible and I am so thankful for them. Every single purchase means so much to me and allows me to keep creating and doing what I love. My husband is in the military and is currently in school so we are so grateful that his income has not been affected by the pandemic either, we know that this is not the case for so many out there.

St Francis of Assisi quote print by Gratia Design Co. $10
The Little Rose Shop: I have surprisingly not been drastically affected by the pandemic, I have actually been doing better with the Easter season because my items are perfect Easter gifts and it seems like there’s been a beautiful effort to support small business in the midst of everything going on. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few weeks because I anticipate my sales starting to decline.

I Thirst Mug by The Little Rose Shop $21


3. What kind of community support would you like to see for small business owners?

Adoramus Te Studio: I would love to see people trying to support small businesses. I know it is difficult to pay more for something that you can obtain for less money at a big box store, especially when most people are struggling financially. 

I think we are at a point that we need to make do with less but really think about what we bring into our homes and how we can be intentional with our purchases. I know many selling sites are trying to support small businesses in many ways but minimizing fees would be great! It is difficult to have much of a profit margin on some products due to fees and shipping costs.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Resin Casting by Adoramus Te Studio $25

Gratia Design Co: I’ve been so humbled and inspired by the community support on social media for small businesses. People have been tagging their favorite shops and small businesses in their stories and telling others about them and it all means so much. Every single purchase that is made allows us to keep our businesses going. If it wasn’t for you all we wouldn’t be able to do what we do and I am so grateful!

Veni Sancte Spiritus sticker by Gratia Design Co. $4.50
The Little Rose Shop: I would love to see people rally behind small businesses right now, whether it’s just following their profiles or sharing their content to purchasing their products when they can. Every bit helps. I bet people are online and on social media a lot more than normal these days so simply following and liking small businesses makes a bigger difference than people realize.
Spiritual Bouquet Printable by The Little Rose Shop $2

Thank you so much to these wonderful creators for sharing their unique perspectives and point of view. If you have something to add, a small business you love, or want to share about your own business, put a link in the comments.

To see more beautiful Etsy items picked by their team of editors, check out the #standwithsmall editor's picks page!

Wishing you all the best,
Michelle