Meet Heather DeVal of SunshineSoulMD

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather DeVal.

Hi Heather, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My name is Heather and I am the CEO, designer, and maker of all things Sunshine Soul MD. My mother is also an avid crafter so crafting has been bringing me sunshine for years. Growing up, we would take weekend crafting trips and participate in craft shows every December. At that age, I never thought it would be something more than just a hobby for me but what started as a coping mechanism has turned into a business where I can pursue my love for crafting while sharing beautiful, unique items!

In April 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had taken over and the world was in full-on crisis mode. At the time, I was working part-time as a software engineer and going to school full-time for my bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Due to the quarantine, I got sent home early and had to finish my last semester of college at UMBC remotely.

Shortly after being sent home, the mask panic hit and everyone was trying to get their hands on whatever they could to make facial coverings. With my crafting and sewing experience, I spent my free time (or even while listening to lectures) making as many masks as I could for the company I was working for and anyone else who may need one. I winded up making over 250 masks which supplied the entire company and even had some leftovers.

The leftover masks (about 150 of them) were donated to St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, where my boyfriend works as a Medical Scribe. In May 2020, there was no end in sight and things were just getting worse. I was sent home from my job until further notice due to it being unsafe and graduation was canceled. At this point, quarantine was in full force and we were all directed to stay at home unless necessary.

As an extrovert, it was very hard for me to stay home all day and watch the panic spread across the world on the news. My anxiety and depression started to flare up and what used to coping mechanisms for me (spending time with family, going out with friends, etc) were no longer possible. I started to fall back into the darkness and was struggling to find a way to the light. Every day things seemed to be getting worse and my friends and family could see I was struggling.

By the time my birthday came around in June, I was at my worst. I was too anxious to celebrate with others, and couldn’t seem to get out of my funk. Then, my best friend dropped off my birthday present on the porch – and much to my surprise, it was a DIY String Art kit from Etsy. This was the first thing to bring me excitement in months. I winded up completing it that same day and then spent the evening looking online at other string art pieces that I could make.

As the days went by, I used scrap wood and nails from my grandfather’s old stash to make various string art designs. I couldn’t possibly keep them all – so I started sending them to friends and giving them as gifts. That is when the realization hit – creating, designing, and seeing the joy on the recipient’s faces were what was bringing me light. It was how I was able to cope and find joy in such a sad, anxious time in the world.

So, in August 2020, I leaped and decided to turn my creative outlet into more than just a hobby. I bought the business license, completed all the legal paperwork, and opened my Etsy. I had no idea if it would be successful, but I knew in my heart I had to try. Little did I know….. what started as a coping strategy during the pandemic became such a big part of my life.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For the first two years, I sold solely on Etsy. It was easy, not as time-consuming and Etsy was bringing in over 80% of my traffic. My first holiday season was great, Etsy pushed out my shop, I had a bestseller, Custom Song Plaques, and I sold over 1000 of them in just a few months! After that, things started to slow down. I noticed I was getting lost in the shuffle on Etsy. As I expanded my brand, I added clothing and fell in love with the process of designing. But – selling apparel on Etsy was harder than I thought, I felt like I wasn’t being seen.

At that time, I wasn’t ready to take the leap of handling any marketing and frankly, I was too embarrassed to put myself and my business out there. But as the sales plummeted and the year continued, I knew I needed to make a change. This past year, 2022, is when I started to embrace being a small business owner and CEO. I decided to launch my website, grow my social media, and focus on connecting with other souls full of Sunshine. But it wasn’t a smooth transition at first… social media has its challenges and I knew that.

What I wasn’t prepared for were the mental challenges I would run into with putting myself and my brand out there for the world to see. At first, I let my anxiety take over and never wanted to post on social media. If I did, I felt like it had to be perfect, and I couldn’t be myself. It started with the worries of what people from my past would think, what my college friends would think, that the business would fail, etc.

But then grew worried about my image to the world, at the beginning of starting the business my depression was still very bad and I had no confidence in my abilities or physical appearance. Posting became a chore, and I felt like I had to hide my face and body because I wouldn’t be accepted by society, but in reality, I wasn’t accepting myself.

This realization hit me like a slap in the face. I started asking myself:
– How can I expect them to support me when I am not confident in myself?
– How can I expect all different types of people to order from me when I am too embarrassed to model my products?
– How can I expect people to love me when I don’t even love myself?

..and I didn’t like the answers. I knew it was time to take a step back and work on myself. I took a break from social media, spent a few weeks journaling, telling myself I was beautiful, and understanding the good parts of me.

Even now, I have to remind myself that I can be myself, and those who love me will love me for who I am and those who don’t – well – I don’t want their support anyway then. Once I found confidence in myself and my business, the sunshine started to shine through. I started connecting with more and more people across the world, and I realized how rewarding it was. The more I did it, the easier it became and the more fun it was!

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about SunshineSoulMD?
Sunshine Soul is a brand that specializes in size-inclusive, minimalistic apparel, trendy accessories, and handmade decor. Since day one, my goal for Sunshine Soul has been to spread happiness, sunshine, and light to others, especially during such dark and uncertain times.

As a clothing brand, my top priority for my products is size inclusivity. I am a plus-size woman myself, I know it can be difficult to find trendy, comfy, and affordable plus-size clothing. I want everyone to be able to find something at Sunshine Soul that they can wear, at no extra cost. Sunshine Soul was built around spreading sunshine, and everyone deserves clothing that makes their soul shine.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sunshinesoulmd.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/sunshinesoulmd
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/sunshinesoulmd
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sunshinesoulmd
• Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@sunshinesoulmd

Image Credits
Hallie Jamieson