Conversations with Caty Winyard

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caty Winyard.

Hi Caty, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2017, I was flying with my husband and our three tiny humans when I lost my driver’s license in the Denver airport. To this day, I have no clue where or how I lost it! That unfortunate situation got me thinking… “What if I had something on my wrist to hold my essential cards? Not a dangly purse thing, but a wallet that snaps onto my wrist with the 3-5 cards I use the most?” I started sketching out a few designs, then passed the paper to my husband and said, “This is it! This is going to be my new business!” I launched The Wearable Wallet six weeks later.

I absolutely love sharing The Wearable Wallet with everyone I meet. The reactions go from, “Hey, cool bracelet,” to “Whoa! That’s a wallet?!” Hundreds of people have told me how much easier their lives have become with The Wearable Wallet. And after 5 years of hand-sewing every single wallet, I bought my first industrial sewing machine this year!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s definitely been a twisty, bumpy road. Some of the biggest struggles have included time management, learning everything else that goes into running a business, and simply believing in myself.

When you work for someone else, they tell you what you need to do to be successful. As a solo entrepreneur, I have to be the one making every single decision in my business without the certainty of success. It’s a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks while also knowing that what sticks right now might not work in 6 months. I think COVID taught a lot of people, including myself, that flexibility is essential to business success.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As someone who didn’t grow up around leatherwork or design, I’ve had to learn through a lot of trial, error and YouTube. I’ve gone through probably four different iterations before settling down on the design I use today. Every element has been thoughtfully planned out or added at a customer’s request. For example, the copper snaps are nickel-free for anyone who has a metal sensitivity. Every laser engraving design was in collaboration with a customer. Many dye and thread colors were inspired by or specifically requested.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I think some of my favorite childhood memories come from when I did musical theater. Starting at age 9, I was in productions of The Wizard of Oz (the first CD I ever bought was the soundtrack to the movie), Scrooge, Oliver, and Fiddler on the Roof. The camaraderie, rehearsals, learning the songs and dances, the performances – I loved every single moment!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.TheWearableWallet.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/thewearablewallet
• Facebook: Facebook.com/thewearablewallet