My professional background started in corporate graphic design. I loved that work, but dreamed of something even more creative. After a break to raise my three children, I took an entrepreneurial leap into a furniture painting business, which eventually led to painted glassware. In 2005, I joined up with two friends to produce a collection of hand-painted, hand-blown stemware with unique details that functioned as a wine charm, helping people tell their bevvies apart from their friends’. That business taught me a ton about partnership, rapid growth, and the power of making everyday experiences more vibrant and fun.

 

After that adventure, I was eager to flex my entrepreneurial muscles again. So in 2013, when a friend asked me if I could figure out how to create a healing pack for her UPS delivery man’s aching back, I put together a prototype immediately. I experimented with plainer designs at first, but my artistic tendencies led me to try something more playful—which led to the idea of FishBellies. If you’re already sore, why not add some colorful patterns to the healing process? My friend loved those first few FishBellies so much that she started carrying them in her store, and demand exploded so quickly that I decided to really invest in my design as a business. We grew at 50% for several years, so I brought in a group of seamstress friends in New York and Maine to help me create the FishBellies. 

 

I’m proud of our products, which are made from 100% cotton fabric and all-natural kernel corn—and made here in Maine, where I now live with my husband. My parents were both born in this beautiful state, and we always spent our summer vacations here. It’s truly a dream to be here now, sharing my creativity and enjoying the Kennebec River views. My hope is that FishBellies provide you and your loved ones with a cheerful splash of color and a hearty dose of healing!