07/ 25/ 2006
Sewing is a lot more than a needle pulling thread at Megan Duckett's Sew What Inc. Technology plays a starring role at this Los Angeles-based small business that specializes in theatrical drapery and custom sewing jobs for the theater, cinema and special events industries.
"The funny thing is that the industry we're in is not very technologically advanced—we're sewing manufacturers," says Duckett, who is the winner of the Dell/NFIB Small-Business Excellence in Customer Experience Award. "But our willingness to embrace new technology has helped our growth tremendously."
Fourteen years ago, Duckett didn't know how to sew. But after landing a job helping a local theme park make Halloween decorations, she discovered she really enjoyed it. Five years and several odd jobs later, she decided to start her own business. With one sewing machine in a small warehouse, Sew What opened to rave reviews. In just 11 years, Duckett and her husband, who joined her a few years ago, have grown their start-up into a 33-employee, $3 million business.
Special programming
The technology used in regular sewing shops doesn't make the cut for Duckett's employees, whose large-scale projects include enormous curtains that measure 60 feet wide by 30 feet high for a Grecian theater house. "None of the equipment for regular-sized sewing houses works for us because we work with such giant stuff," she says.
With the help of a local programmer, Duckett created a computer program that creates a pattern and instructions for each project. After entering a job's specifications, the program generates a shrunken pattern with sewing instructions on measurements, fabric type and what equipment to use. It even translates the instructions to Spanish, since many of her sewers only speak English as a second language.
Not only has the software helped employees, it also has improved customer service. Now if a customer wants to duplicate a previous project, Duckett's sales staff simply pulls up the original plans. "No more digging for handwritten instructions that weren't legible," says Duckett. "The program has paid for itself twice over and then some in efficiency."
Duckett also recently redesigned her Web site and invested in search engine optimization so that Sew What is one of the first results that appears when Internet users search for certain keywords. "Our Web site is the best salesperson we have," she says. "About 80 percent of our business comes from our site now."
Sneak preview
For the program development and site redesign, Duckett hired help—but not before educating herself as much as possible. "Before we hire outside vendors, we educate ourselves so that we know what we're talking about," she says.
She also recommends prioritizing needs for your small business. "I sit down and work up a business plan for each scenario before I make big technology investments," she says.
The Ducketts' accomplishments earned them the spotlight recently when they were recognized at the 2006 NFIB National Small-Business Summit as the winners of this year's award. In addition to a lifetime NFIB membership, the Ducketts will also receive $30,000 in Dell equipment and services and the chance to visit Dell's Round Rock, Texas, headquarters and meet Michael Dell himself.
The Ducketts have already started planning how they'll spend their prize. "We're going to utilize this award to advance our systems even further—amazing stuff is going to happen," she says.
