Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Bullock.
Hi Whitney, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I opened a cat grooming salon in Mount Pleasant in 2020, the first in the Lowcountry. Since then -our Instagram and TikTok videos showing all the cats getting groomed each day have taken off. People were interested in everything we were doing, from what grooming tools we used to what kind of aprons we wore, and an idea was born. We had been wearing a clear style apron from Amazon- just a very generic design, but we were spicing them up with our own guitar/camera straps to add some pizazz. Followers online who also wore protective aprons at work (mainly hairstylists and groomers) started to ask us where our apron straps were from. We would tell them they were homemade and could easily do the same, but most people didn’t want to avoid making them themselves; they just wanted to click a link and buy one just like ours. That’s when we started getting serious about the idea.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Designing and launching an unrelated business while you are already neck-deep in another business is a challenge! Finding an excellent manufacturing team with the same quality expectations was the most difficult task. I already had the marketing bit down pat, but manufacturing is another ball of wax!
Thanks for sharing that. So, next, you can tell us more about your business.
Strapped is a fashion-forward apron company for professionals who wear durable, protective aprons at work but still want to show their style underneath! We are known for our unique, interchangeable straps that, when paired with our clear aprons, allow those of us who are professional stylists, groomers, etc., to show our outfits while still protecting them from water, bleach, and other chemicals. This is a novel idea- to produce minimalistic and fashionable aprons. The go-to black is still commonplace, but many people, especially women, are beginning to realize that they spend a lot of money on clothes and want to wear those clothes to work without covering themselves with a black smock. And don’t even get me started talking about grooming aprons- the ones tabled as “fashionable” have designs of paw prints and cat heads all over them, which is not exactly what I want to wear all day. I’m incredibly proud that these aprons are so versatile and look great on absolutely everyone- and their style gets to shine through!
Who else deserves credit for your story?
I have a fantastic team that has helped in every aspect of the aprons! Shannon was integral in the initial inspiration of the idea (she was the first of us to start using her camera straps), and she also does a lot of the social media for us. Michell is the shipping manager and keeps everyone around here organized. I also have a team in Arizona that helps with everything from Meta ads to Website building. It takes a village!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://strappedapron.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strapped_aprons/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556031729715
- Other: instagram.com/whitneybullockcfmg/
