Brylee Tracey has what some may consider a peculiar passion, but it’s also one which has seen a significant level of success since she began trading five months ago.
Brylee’s Crib Tins were born of a goal, “to provide healthy and realistic lunches for my two daughters for school and for myself for work without having to shop at multiple locations”.
“I felt there was a market for silicone bento and snack containers both locally and online and after initially getting and building a presence on Instagram in the business’s infancy, interest has really grown,” says Brylee.
Brylee’s Crib Tins is exclusively online, and offers a variety of silicone bento and snack containers for both adults and kids.
Keeping sales exclusively online is something Brylee wants to maintain, because like many businesses she has seen the shift in the last decade away from brick-and-mortar businesses and towards online businesses, largely due to the role of social media and increased workplace flexibility.
“But while these factors have drastically changed business,” she says, “many factors have stayed the same, such as the underlying principles to run a successful business, the importance of community engagement, and offering a high level of customer service.”
Each type of container Brylee uses has been personally sourced to ensure they are freezer, dishwasher, and microwave safe, all while ensuring the reusability of the containers meet her goals of achieving sustainable practices.
After the first five months in business, Brylee says, “some of the benefits I have experienced so far in my journey has been my personal growth in understanding small business, the connections I have made with other online small businesses, and the pride I have felt in my products.”
As with every venture, Brylee’s challenges include juggling time management, maintaining employment while running a small business, as well as the demands of a constant online presence in an oftentimes saturated marketplace.
“My advice to aspiring business owners would be to do your research and reach out to people you know with small business experience to support your understanding of everything you need to begin your journey.”
Finding a strong support network to help with ideas and discussions, and maintaining a strong level of self-belief and self-determination, are other pointers Brylee provides for new business owners.
Brylee’s website is www.Bryleescribtins.com and she is also on Instagram @brylees.cribtins and on Facebook under the same name. Welcome to the small business community, Brylee!
