At the end of February, I saw a post in a local Facebook group about a mobile hat bar pop up where you could design a custom hat. I texted one of my best friends to sign up, and we set a date for our girls night out! We arrived the day of at the Junkyard Jewel Boutique to find the Hat Trick Hat Bar setup in the back!
They had SO many hat colors, ribbon options, hat pins, playing cards, feathers and more! It was almost overwhelming the number of options they had to offer. I planned out exactly what I had in mind, meanwhile, I watched a few other ladies go ahead of me and wondered how theirs would turn out. There was even one or two that I (naively) thought to myself "there is no way that will look good... but lo and behold, there was not a single hat that didn't turn out looking coordinated and cute.
Once it was my turn, the ladies behind the table took all the accessories I selected and worked their magic putting my hat together! They worked with me every step of the way to ensure I loved it, and even branded it and burned the edges of the playing card I chose--these small touches make all the difference and really help make it more custom and personalized!
I was beyond impressed with the whole idea and knew I had to get to know more about how she got started, and of course bring my camera along to help showcase the awesome service that she provides! I caught up with her at one of her next events at the Country Spring Vineyard and Wine Garden in Lorena for another fun night, and to get a few more hats to add to my personal collection!
So, I would like to introduce you to Jamee, the face behind and the founder of Hat Trick Hat Bar! She was inspired to start her business after attending a hat party locally, which was hosted by a company who travelled all the way from Port Aransas. She hit the ground running and had her first party in December 2022!
As someone who personally struggled in the beginning with having the confidence to take the leap of faith to start my own business, I asked her if she ever doubted herself, and what her biggest hurdles have been so far. Jamee shared that not knowing what she was doing was the biggest hurdle, and that like anyone starting something new, she sometimes struggles with self-doubt. Fortunately in these moments, she reminds herself that "doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will", and continues to push forward! Since starting just last year, she has learned about purchasing wholesale merchandise and sourcing accessories, and has learned how hard it can be to market a blossoming small business.
When asked what the favorite part of her business was, she told me, "Hands down, the people. I am a people person who loves to hear stories and connect with others. I love when someone truly loves their hat; it makes my day. The creativity each person shows is so much fun to watch."
As for what comes next in her journey, she wants to branch out to include men's and children's hats, along with expanding on custom hats! How cool is that? She also offers private parties which are great activity for a girls night out, bridal parties, reading clubs, church groups and so much more! She has even booked her first children's birthday party for a 4 year old, and is excited about what opportunities she will have next.
I have so enjoyed getting to hear her story so far, and look forward to seeing what she will do next! If you want to follow along on her journey and stay up to date on her upcoming events, you can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
Finally, I want to leave y'all with her advice for anyone deciding if they should take the leap of faith and follow their dream:
"Do. It. Don’t wait to have everything figured out or you will never start. Don’t be afraid to fail, and fail again. Learn with every mistake, but don’t quit. Also, pivot when you need to. Learn the difference between quitting and figuring out a different way to achieve your goal, your why."
'Til next time!
XOXO, Delaney