It all started with a gift. Kelly Lealos's husband Clint presented her with a set of glass knitting needles (their dog was constantly chewing up her bamboo pairs). Undeniably beautiful and surprisingly practical, the needles became the catalyst for Namaste, a collection of functional, beautiful tools for knitters. Armed with a few samples, Clint and Kelly started visiting local yarn shops and found the owners eager to stock "something different." That experience gave the couple the confidence to get serious about starting a business. "It really opened our eyes to the idea that there is a need for innovative new products- and that we could make them," says Kelly. Realizing that their ideas were, as Kelly puts it, "too big for just the two of us," they enlisted the help of Clint's sister, Dawn Butler. "Her skills are different from ours," says Kelly. "She balances us out." Clint and Dawn's mother, Toni Lealos, is also part of business as are the four family dogs that come to work with them each day. While an office full of in-laws might seem set up for squabble, at Namaste there's plenty of respect for alternative viewpoints and creative collaboration: The name of the company, which roughly translates from Sanskrit as "the divine in me bows to the divine in you," is also its philosophy. "We treat our customers, both wholesale and retail, the way we would like to be treated ourselves," explains Kelly. "And we commit ourselves to making beautiful products that encourage the continuation of the craft. That's what builds our customers' businesses and our own." Even with such built-in good karma, the family is amazed by Namaste's success. "Five years ago we thought we had a good idea, but we never dreamed it would take off like this," says Kelly. Beyond their own need to knit, Namaste's founders had no experience with the yarn industry-or manufacturing, for that matter. Clint was (and still is) a freelance cameraman (he's also the staff photographer), Dawn sold pharmaceuticals and Kelly worked as an occupational therapist. While being new to the industry brought up some challenges, it freed them from any preconceived notions about what a knitting product should be. "Our goal was simply to create the kinds of products we'd want to own and offer them at prices we'd be willing to pay," says Dawn. Both women admit to being a little nervous when they hit their first TNNA show. "We were sitting in Columbus with a fuchsia knitting bag, starting to second-guess whether any of this was really such a great idea," recalls Dawn. "What we had looked like nothing else in the booths around us. But that turned out to be a good thing." The ideas for the pieces in the accessories line- which includes the clever clamshell needles cases and fashionable, functional totes and bags- are based on the details that Dawn and Kelly admire in non-knitting products. "We'll see a really cool clasp or buckle or pocket and think, 'How could we use something like that in a new and exciting way?' "explains Dawn. "We modeled our clamshell needle cases on an eyeglass case, and our Vintage tote was inspired by an old-style knitting bag Kelly found in a thrift shop." If brainstorming comes effortlessly, perfecting the line is anything but. "I think what surprised us most was how long it took to get from concept to final product," says Dawn. "We'd come up with the idea so fast, but a year and half later we'd still be working out the production glitches." Adds Kelly, "It's not enough to have a sample. We need to know that the products are going to stand up to real life. I take them home with me and carry them around to see how the fabric performs, how the closures stay put, how useful the item really is." They refuse to compromise on design and quality and thus spend a lot of time seeking out the right suppliers. "We want our pieces to hold up and be affordable," says Dawn. "It takes a lot of research." A Namaste product is by definition fashionable and functional, but Dawn and Kelly insist that they're not catering to the hipster crowd. "We make products for all knitters," says Kelly. They're also committed to looking ahead. "We don't like to hang onto a product for too long," explains Kelly. "You can't let the market get stale. People are looking for new things. If you give them those products and ideas, it feeds the whole creative process- it's all a big circle." Lessons Learned Owning your own business is a 24/7 commitment. "We'd heard from others that you end up working more than ever if you are working for yourself, but until you actually start doing it, you don't comprehend just how all-consuming it is," says Dawn Butler. Every day brings something new. "We started off thinking, 'We have so much to learn,' but now we look back and are amazed at how much we've learned already. There are just so many new ideas and new opportunities." Change is good. "Some shop owners get upset when we discontinue items that sold well, but we feel it's important to keep things fresh." There's no better industry to be in. "Our customers are amazing. It's not just that they're talented knitters; they're great people, too. It's fabulous to be in a business in which people are so passionate about what they do." Company Snapshot Namaste Inc. 9025 Eton Avenue, Suite B Canoga Park, CA 91304 818-717-9134 namasteneedles@yahoo.com www.namasteinc.com Years in business: 3 Staff: 5 Products: Cases, bags, candles, and other accessories (sorry, the glass needles are gone!)