We bonded over volunteering for an animal rescue group eight years ago, she gave me our go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I’ve followed her journey from interning at Disney to starting her own business. We’re so excited to introduce you to Danielle Kerr of 1327 and Co. She has tons of creative designs available in her Etsy shop and coming soon to the Boonton Farmers Market, and can also create something personal for whatever you need (she designed awesome tumblers for a giveaway we did recently with Yelp and The Pasta Shop). Read on and get to know her and all about her business.

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What is your business?

Hi! My name is Danielle and my business is 1327. We sell funny, sarcastic drinkware and gifts that typically include some profanity. 

What was the inspiration behind starting your business? How did you become an entrepreneur?

I actually started 1327 back in 2018 while still in college full time. I started it as a way to have some income during the semester while still doing what I loved – graphic design. I graduated college in May of 2020, right in the beginning of the pandemic. Once I realized that getting a job straight out of college was not really going to be an option, I decided to invest everything I had (plus some, thank goodness for credit cards) into really expanding 1327 as my full time business.

What do you do on a daily basis to grow your business?

On a daily basis, I try to have a presence on social media. While I don’t necessarily post on Instagram everyday, I may share to our story or engage with other posts as often as possible. One of my goals for this year is to share posts on Instagram more frequently. I’m also constantly looking for new items to try and bring in to our business and expand our inventory.

What are your success habits?

My success habits include a lot of hard work balanced with self care. It’s really easy to get burned out when you’re running a business on your own, so I try to make sure I put aside time for myself as well.

What has been your biggest failure in business and what did it teach you?

The biggest failure that comes to mind is when I ordered a huge shipment of blank water bottles, only to receive them and realize they didn’t actually fit in my mug press…needless to say, it was a lot of wasted money. It taught me that while mistakes can happen, you can’t get overly upset with yourself if it does happen. I now order samples if I know I’m going to eventually order in bulk. Lesson = learned.

What drives you on the most challenging days?

Some days are definitely harder than others, especially when you feel you’ve hit a wall with engagement, sales, or views. When this happens, what drives me the most is sitting down to go through my list of goals for the month + year. 

How do you define success?

I define success as happiness, empowering others, and giving back to the community. If I didn’t truly love what I did and it didn’t bring me happiness, I would not be successful with 1327. It brings such a smile to my face when I have people tag me in photos on Instagram of a product they purchased. It makes me feel like I’ve been extremely fortunate if someone likes something I created so much that they’re willing to post about it. I’m a huge believer in empowering other women and although I’m not always the more sentimental type, I’ll definitely always be there cheering you on and telling you to keep that ish up while doing anything I can to help. One of my favorite designs that I offer is actually “one strong b****”; I love when women support other women in their business endeavors, it’s such a powerful feeling to help others with success. I also feel that being successful means being able to be more involved within your community and being able to give back to that community. So many people in Boonton have rallied their support behind small and local businesses, especially this past year, and I’m incredibly grateful to have received some of that support.

What is next for your business?

This year, I’m hoping to expand 1327’s merchandise! Toward the end of last year, we ordered insulated koozies for hard seltzers. We have more of those coming in, but we also have regular sized koozies that just arrived. So now you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite can of soda – or beer –  in a koozie with a funny, sarcastic design that will keep your drink cold for up to 12 hours! We also have some UV changing skinny tumblers coming in… that I actually haven’t announced yet – so now you all know! I’m really excited for those because they’re perfect for the summer. Who doesn’t think that a white tumbler changing to a different color once it’s in sunlight is cool!?

What is one piece of advice you’d give someone considering starting their own business?

I’d say that if you feel it’s something you really, honestly want to do – take the leap. It may not be easy, but if you don’t give up when it gets hard, it can be soooo incredibly rewarding.

What do you struggle with most as an entrepreneur?

I struggle a lot with motivation when I seem to hit a creative wall + trying to keep up with trends. These days, trends change so quickly and it can be hard to learn and continue to evolve your social media presence according to those trends. When you hit a creative block at the same time, it can be so frustrating and feel like the end-all be-all. 

What is your most memorable experience as an entrepreneur?

Honestly, my most memorable moment was my first Etsy order. I remember that I was sitting on the couch working on some new designs, and I heard the “cha-ching” sound that the app makes. I was so taken aback that some random woman in Florida would place an order for two flamingo water bottles when I had absolutely no reviews. She had faith in a brand new shop with zero sales, and it gave me so much hope for what 1327 could be. 

What is the single most important reason for your success?

The single most important reason for my success is the support of others. I would not have gotten anywhere without people sharing my products with their friends, whether that be through word of mouth or on social media.

How can people find you?

• Instagram: @1327_co
• Facebook: @1327co
• Our website: 1327co.com
• Etsy: 1327andco.etsy.com
• We will also be at the Boonton Farmers Market this summer!