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Theresa Drazba has found her niche in the realm of fashion design and marketing. She has turned her unique sewing talents, her understanding of the “modest clothing” market and her eye for spotting fashion trends into a business that is already reaching out to customers worldwide.
Raised on Hannibal’s South Side and steeped into the fundamentals of practicality that only a mother of 10 could comprehend, Theresa had a vision. Several years ago, following a particularly difficult period in her life, she retreated to her sewing room at home, and skillfully transformed a used pair of jeans into a skirt. She wore this skirt to her church, where she received rave reviews.
Drazba, of the Pentecostal faith, wears modest clothing herself, and understands the fashion standards of her religion in addition to the fashion trends that compliment those standards.
Matthew Johnson, formerly of Hannibal and now the director of promotion, youth division, for United Pentecostal Church International, encouraged Theresa to start marketing her creations on Facebook. As her fan base grew, she was struggling to keep up with production.
After much prayer, and in response to Matthew’s continuing encouragement, she decided to expand her home-based internet business into a store-front operation.
A little more than a year ago, she contacted SCORE, a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. She was put in touch with a mentor, a retired banker from Quincy, Ill. “He loved what I was doing,” Theresa said. “SCORE helped me look at the financial line of business.”
After working on the business plan for six months, including extensive research and much prayer, she was ready to submit her business plan to a financial institution. Her SCORE mentor helped her make contacts. “The bank said I had a thorough and complete business plan,” she said proudly.
“Everything I did, I projected long term,” she said. “I’m an all or nothing person.”
A week ago, she sold 200 skirts at the United Pentecostal Church International Conference in Louisville, Ky., and has orders for 40 more.
Her business, “Love My Jean Skirt,” opened at 116 North Third Street late this summer. She hired Cindy Sharp as store manager, and there are two part-time seamstresses. In addition, her mother rips the leg seams of used jeans in preparation for reprocessing. Theresa’s hope is that she can have her staff sew the basic skirts, while she works on the design elements that make the skirts uniquely hers.
She completed two college classes a year ago, and each has contributed to her business philosophy in a unique way.
“American History reminded me of what made us so great: Quality products. Conservation Biology is about taking what we have and making something new.”
Used jeans are a reusable resource, “Used jeans are everywhere,” she said.
“I believe the American dream is real,” she said.
Theresa Drazba has found her niche in the realm of fashion design and marketing. She has turned her unique sewing talents, her understanding of the “modest clothing” market and her eye for spotting fashion trends into a business that is already reaching out to customers worldwide.
Raised on Hannibal’s South Side and steeped into the fundamentals of practicality that only a mother of 10 could comprehend, Theresa had a vision. Several years ago, following a particularly difficult period in her life, she retreated to her sewing room at home, and skillfully transformed a used pair of jeans into a skirt. She wore this skirt to her church, where she received rave reviews.
Drazba, of the Pentecostal faith, wears modest clothing herself, and understands the fashion standards of her religion in addition to the fashion trends that compliment those standards.
Matthew Johnson, formerly of Hannibal and now the director of promotion, youth division, for United Pentecostal Church International, encouraged Theresa to start marketing her creations on Facebook. As her fan base grew, she was struggling to keep up with production.
After much prayer, and in response to Matthew’s continuing encouragement, she decided to expand her home-based internet business into a store-front operation.
A little more than a year ago, she contacted SCORE, a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. She was put in touch with a mentor, a retired banker from Quincy, Ill. “He loved what I was doing,” Theresa said. “SCORE helped me look at the financial line of business.”
After working on the business plan for six months, including extensive research and much prayer, she was ready to submit her business plan to a financial institution. Her SCORE mentor helped her make contacts. “The bank said I had a thorough and complete business plan,” she said proudly.
“Everything I did, I projected long term,” she said. “I’m an all or nothing person.”
A week ago, she sold 200 skirts at the United Pentecostal Church International Conference in Louisville, Ky., and has orders for 40 more.
Her business, “Love My Jean Skirt,” opened at 116 North Third Street late this summer. She hired Cindy Sharp as store manager, and there are two part-time seamstresses. In addition, her mother rips the leg seams of used jeans in preparation for reprocessing. Theresa’s hope is that she can have her staff sew the basic skirts, while she works on the design elements that make the skirts uniquely hers.
She completed two college classes a year ago, and each has contributed to her business philosophy in a unique way.
“American History reminded me of what made us so great: Quality products. Conservation Biology is about taking what we have and making something new.”
Used jeans are a reusable resource, “Used jeans are everywhere,” she said.
“I believe the American dream is real,” she said.
