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Laura Matson - Laura Matson Designs

Laura Matson tells the story of Laura Matson Designs by beginning with her brother's story. Laura's brother was the longest surviving kidney-dialysis patient in the U.S. Because his health had understandably declined over the years, it had become more and more important to Laura to be able to spend as much time with him as possible.

When she was laid off in October 2001, Laura thought about going back to work and putting her brother in a long-term healthcare facility. But as an artist with a skill for creating beautiful hand-pleated silk scarves, the opportunity to sell her artistic creations from home and care for her brother was far too compelling.

"I always wanted to own my own business," says Laura, "and I've always done work with fabric." With her brother's input, Laura carefully developed a product she knew people would want to buy. She experimented with different colors and textures and began selling her handcrafted scarves at the Pike Place Market.

At the end of 2002, with a year of business under her belt, Laura realized that she hadn't turned a profit. She says, "I was in a panic about what to do next. Here I'd put tons of thought into the product, but nothing into marketing or bookkeeping - and I hadn't made any money."

Enter Washington CASH. Laura read about our business training and microloan program in the December 2002 Seattle Times article about our holiday showcase and long-time client Teresa Tullio.

Initially, Laura was focused on the loan money. She decided to take the January 2003 business training course in order to graduate into the group loan program and access a $500 loan. However, after only a few weeks, the course taught Laura why she didn't make a profit in her first year of business. As she says, "sparks were flying!"

Laura also appreciated the support of her fellow classmates. "Being an artist is so isolating, so to have that connection to my class is great. There's so much camaraderie here." With the help of the course, Laura focused less of her time on creating scarves and more of her time on planning, marketing, and bookkeeping. "It's a much leaner machine," she admits.

Since Laura graduated from the course, she has secured wholesale accounts and national art show placements. Her scarves can be found at Tria Moda in Edmonds and Kirkland, at the NW Museum of Art in LaConner, and in high-end juried art shows throughout the year.

What's next for Laura? As a dynamic member of one of our business groups, Laura has now taken out several loans and put them towards building her business. In January, 2005, she hired a professional photographer and conducted a product photo shoot at the Washington CASH office. She explains, "Everything is all laid out. I have a great product, I know my target market, and I have the capital to help with marketing it." Such a compassionate, talented woman, we know she will succeed.

For more information about Laura Matson Designs, please email her at ljmatson@sprynet.com.