nohmii

The path that brought me here was born out of the love of figuring out how I could make clothing in the U.S. that’s sustainable. And my frustration with not staying warm enough when climbing the mountains to watch my children ski race helped too.

Nohmii is about knowing. It’s about knowing where your clothing comes from, who is making it, and whether it’s being sourced and manufactured sustainably.

It’s important to me that we're connected in some way. It’s much easier for me to come down to Everett and to really connect with the people making the skirts. When I was preparing for the Massachusetts Women's Conference, I realized that there were 6 different women making this skirt. Employing women in this region, giving them opportunities in a field they love, sharing their talents with the world, that’s why hiring local is so important.

To me, success is the connection with my customers and my relationship with the vendors. That’s important to me. I’m creating things that I believe in and love. I’m trying to problem-solve. When I reach out to my customers, they tell me they love the product and how they’re using the Outskert, it brings me joy.

It does because I’m also problem-solving. Only 2% of clothing worn in America is actually made here. I’m really working on changing that, and I’d like to be a part of making a difference. People are becoming more mindful of where their clothing is coming from, so there is an element of consumer education that is in all of my marketing and planning.

I think my belief system has to do with my grandfather. Years and years ago, he was a tannery foreman in Peabody. He would always share with me the importance of quality and durability, and always brought home swatches of leather. We would have leather hides all over the place, and he was always talking about the quality of the leather itself.

Going back to school shopping for new shoes with him always stuck out to me. He'd always ask us to take off our shoes so he could look at and examine them. He knew his leather and where it was made and would acknowledge that there were people behind the shoe. So it’s in my DNA.

I often think the biggest risk, was starting. It was truly starting. But every risk I have taken has led me to my next phase. I’m now taking multiple risks and just being open and putting myself out there because I trust that it’s going to lead me somewhere.

I wanted to be a vendor at the Massachusetts Conference for Women, in December of 2017. However, I only had one black skirt to show when I was filling out my application. So I went for it. I put everything on the line and pitched the company, telling them that they needed to have me at the conference. That experience made it real: 13,000 women getting to look at the skirt and my company.

When my first production of skirts was delivered, the UPS truck pulled up at my house and unloaded boxes and boxes of skirts. I’m like now what? I did a happy dance, but then I did a nervous dance. Then I said: “Okay, showtime, I have to sell them.” I packed up my bags and hit the mountains.

Never give up and don't always take ‘no’ as the final answer. Really trust yourself and why you want to be someplace. Just keep working at it. And believe in yourself. Even if you’re receiving no’s. Just keep on showing up.

Awesome.

Heart. I think it’s from the many years of working as a nonprofit leader. I think that heart-set more than mindset is what’s leading the nohmii company. It’s all heart. It’s what makes the most sense to me.