07/13/2022
To Hawki Stitching Customers & Supporters,
I cannot thank you all enough for the support that you have provided to my entrepreneurship adventure for the last four years! Your support and encouragement taught me a lot that I did not think I was capable of learning and doing. I started this small side hustle to help Airmen and other service members that were struggling to find local, cost appropriate, embroidered emblems and name tags. The intent was to allow this business to be a Plan B in the event I was unable to acquire or earn full time status within the Air National Guard. Once I received that full time status, I continued with the intent of keeping the business small. I have learned that this is much easier said than done. I am forever grateful for the continuous love and support of those that were understanding of EVERYTHING I do on and off duty. Your patience and excitement of this business is what kept me going day to day.
Despite all of the positives that comes with entrepreneurship and small business ownership, I am at the mercy of all of the things that pull at my attention and time. Significant increase in responsibilities for the Air National Guard, hot Summer temperatures creating severe mechanical issues with all of my embroidery equipment in the shop which has created work stoppages, single mom operations and lack of quality time, trying to maintain a home, and avoiding raising my prices for as long as possible despite inflation and the cost of US made raw materials have forced me to make a very tough decision.
Out of the many things that are going on, I will be giving up something that I did the most for myself and my creative outlet. I will be ceasing Hawki Stitching operations as normal effective immediately, and I will be working on a very extreme case-by-case basis until everything else slows down or terminates. This decision is one of the toughest I’ve had to make. I will still work military uniform item requests for the Wing that I work in for the time being, but again will be on an extreme case-by-case basis.
I am actively finishing up on orders that have been made and paid for as quickly as possible. For those that are still waiting, if you would like a refund, I’m happy to offer that to you at the loss of fees at my expense. I appreciate the patience you have given me to work to get caught up on orders and attempt to balance all of the things. I will continue to sell items that I have in my inventory until all are sold. These are not new projects, but rather, those that can easily get dropped into the mail. I’m doing the best that I can with the time that I have in hopes of making people happy as much as possible. I have recognized that I have been dropping the ball time and time again, and I am unable to do all things my heart desires at this time. I apologize from the bottom of my heart for the inconveniences that this may cause to some, and I appreciate your patience and understanding. You’ll hear it from me first if Hawki Stitching is able to make a comeback.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Barrer
Hawki Stitching Owner & Operator
