Pink Moon Goods will support your low-waste lifestyle
September 28, 2021
By Katie Aldridge
Kathleen Hotmer advocates for a low-waste lifestyle — and she launched her business, Pink Moon Goods, to help. Pink Moon Goods offers beautiful, practical, sustainable & ethically-manufactured home goods.
Kathleen is a recent graduate of the Downtown Dayton Retail Lab, a business-building program powered by Launch Dayton partner Downtown Dayton Partnership. We caught up with her to learn more about her experience and her entrepreneurial journey.
Launch Dayton: How did your company start?
Kathleen: It started out of personal passion. My husband and I are very fortunate; we get to travel quite a lot. One of the things I like to do when traveling is shop for paper goods, ceramics, and pretty things for home. I felt like, on a very basic level, the type of store I liked to go to didn’t exist in Dayton.
Over the years, I have learned to become a better consumer and find power in where I spend my money. Finding small-batch goods, goods that serve a practical purpose but add beauty to the home, is really important to me. I wanted to provide that for our city.
Why this idea?
We all have to start being more intentional about how we’re living our lives, the resources we’re using, and the economies we’re supporting. I think people are craving that. They’re yearning for ways to live more ethically at home. It feels like the right time and like I can inspire people to live better, and I want to do that.
Did you always want to be an entrepreneur?
In a way, I’ve always wondered if I would be. I am a maker; I work in theater as a costume designer. I make a lot of stuff but when I come home at the end of the day, I don’t usually want to sew. It’s common for people who sew to sell what they sew. I’d considered it but I never thought I would. My first inclination to start this business was when I made my cutlery wraps.
Prior to that, my husband started a business. That was my first venture into being an entrepreneur because, even though it’s his business, I was there every step of the way. That is really what gave me the courage to do it, because I saw him do it and I did it with him. It made it seem more accessible for me.
What identities do you bring to entrepreneurship that helped prepare you for this lifestyle?
I’m a woman, I’m middle-aged. I see a lot of women my age sort of making a second career or starting something. I feel like I am representing a group of women who are wanting to try something different with their lives. I am the second person in my family to be college-educated, so that demographic is important for me and my identity. I had to work hard to get there. No one was pushing me to do it; I just wanted to do it on my own.
Why do you love what do you?
My favorite thing is connecting with people. When I have my pop-up sales and people come and want to talk about the products or different things they’re trying at home, I feel really inspired by that. It helps me see that what I’m doing is making a difference. I like when someone can come to my store and find something that they’re excited about and want to have in their home but will also help them reduce waste in their home. It gives me a little more hope.
How was your experience with the Retail Lab?
In some ways, it was really affirming because a lot of what I learned was stuff I witnessed my husband doing as a business owner. It gave me a lot of confidence to move forward with my business.
How can the Launch Dayton community support you?
Come see my store and see if there is anything that speaks to you. Tell people about it! My store is for the community. I want to sell things, but I want to be a resource for the community on how to be better consumers. The more people that know about me, not only the more customers I’ll have, but the more people will change their lifestyles.
Shop Pink Moon Goods online & connect with Kathleen on Instagram here.
Wonder if the Retail Lab might be a fit for you? Learn more here.
