This is the eighth post in a new weekly series called “10 Questions with” that will feature creative entrepreneurs and small business owners who have incredible stories and advice to share. It’s the perfect series to follow for budding entrepreneurs and creative people who want to know more about other people’s creative processes. Check back here every Wednesday to see who will be profiled next.. The interview is below the images.

One of my favorite things about the “10 Questions with” series is learning about the humans behind some of the brands I love, and that’s why this week’s profile is so cool. Rah is the founder of Wire & Honey, an offbeat, urban brand of kidswear for kids and parents who are looking for something a little bit different, and I feel like she’s just someone I’d want to be friends with.

I love her passion, and that she stands for some important things (whether you agree with them or not). Her line is hip and edgy, featuring cool graphic tees with slogans like “Happy Festivus for the Rest of Us” and “Throw Parties, Not Tantrums.” But most notably, her shop is home to the original “Vaccines Save, Bro” Tee, which, unless you live under a rock, can be a pretty polarizing statement. Regardless of your stance on vaccines, I loved getting to know Rah and I know you will too. Make sure you read her advice for someone interested in starting a small business of her own for some real inspiration.

Glad to chat with you! First, tell us where we can find you online.

Hi! I’m Rah and I am the mama behind @wireandhoney. We can be found at wireandhoney.com and on FB, IG, Twitter, Pinterest, and Steller as @wireandhoney.

What inspired you to start your own business?

Prior to having our son, Brady, I was a middle school teacher. I loved teaching but ultimately had to quit when Brady was a few months old because I was battling severe Post Partum Depression and Post Partum Anxiety. Although I loved staying home with our son I missed the creative outlet that teaching provided me. On top of that, we noticed that the clothing options, particularly for toddler boys, were limited. We live in the city, we are an urban family, and most of the apparel that can be found at the major retailers just didn’t fit our offbeat style. So, here we are, embarking on this crazy journey of creating rad apparel for urban littles.

What inspires your work and what sets you apart from everyone else?

We live in Baltimore and have a deep love for our city. It’s gritty, it’s quirky, and it has it’s share of issues but we see all of the good that is done here as well. The clothing we create represents the heart and soul of our beloved city. We draw inspiration from music, culture, and local flair while endorsing and promoting love, tolerance, and global health awareness.

Some of our tees are controversial and we are okay with that. We use our line as a way to address social issues like vaccine awareness, mental health awareness, and issues relating to diversity and equality and make them kid friendly. We pride ourselves in being a brand with a message and we are passionate about raising awareness and giving back to our community. We have one tee, our Believe in Music tee, for which we donate 100% of proceeds to a Baltimore charity that helps keep urban youth off the streets through music education. On top of that, we pick a new charity each month, either one that is important to us or one nominated by our followers and donate a portion of sales to our charities of the month as well.

What is your background and how did you develop the skills to start your business?

As I said earlier, my background is in teaching. Teaching middle school history, specifically. So, I had no idea what I was doing when we embarked on this adventure. We have been learning as we go and have made a ton of mistakes along the way. On the upside, my husband is unbelievably supportive and incredibly involved in the business. He is web developer by trade and he buit our website by scratch. He is also brilliant with numbers and helps a ton with inventory and the accounting side of things. As for me, I’ve read a ton of blogs and articles. I’ve listened to podcasts. I’ve joined forums and made friends and mentors within the small shop community–this alone has been invaluable. And to be honest, I still don’t know what I’m doing most days! It’s been quite the roller coaster but I’m loving learning new things and navigating my way through it.

What has been your biggest success to date?

I think our biggest success so far was being backed by the National Meningitis Association. To be supported and encouraged by such a respected organization was such an incredible honor and helped remind us that we are making a difference.

What has been your biggest challenge?

For me, the most difficult part has been the work/family balance. It’s something I struggle with every single day. Some days I feel as if I don’t carve out enough time for work. Other days I feel like I don’t leave enough time for Brady. There are times when I am answering emails or updating social media and my son will literally hit the phone out of my hands because he wants me to pay attention to him. Most nights the “quality” time I get with my husband is packaging orders together or sitting side by side as we both work on our laptops. I feel like I can never be as present as I need to be in both situations and that is something that really wears on me.

Describe your typical work day.

There is no typical work day! I work at home with my two-year-old so he largely controls my schedule. During the day I generally try to answer emails and post/answer questions on social media. I don’t get much work done until after our son is asleep. Unfortunately, he is total night owl so he doesn’t go down until around 11 most nights. I generally print orders and write notes (we include a handwritten note in each package) at night while my husband is giving him a bath. Then, my husband starts packaging while I am rocking Brady to sleep. After that we work together to tackle whatever else is on the to-do list for that day like printing our shirts, ordering more inventory, website maintenence, answering more emails, and any other random thing that has popped up and needs our attention.

Which small businesses are you inspired by?

The three businesses that most inspire me the most are Little Wonderland Clothing, City Moccs, and The Blue Envelope.

I love Little Wonderland Clothing because she is so true to her brand. She is the definition of authentic. She doesn’t worry about what is trendy or what appeals to the masses. She makes what she loves and you can almost feel her passion just by looking at her feed or chatting with her about her clothing. Her confidence in her brand is truly inspiring.

I am just in awe of City Moccs. Her creativity and the concepts she comes up with are so inspiring. Her shoes are quite literally a work of art and she is always thinking and planning on how to make them better. I keep hoping that some of her creativity will wear off on me! She’s such an amazing friend and constant supporter that she inspires me to be better each day.

The Blue Envelope has been an inspiration to me because we started at about the same time. We’ve become close over the year and I’ve watched her handle all of her ups and downs with grace and professionalism. She works harder than almost anyone I know all while staying home with her twins. Her positivity, work ethic, and wicked sense of humor help to keep me going when I feel like giving up. She also somehow manages to always hit the perfect sweet spot for design where it seems as if everyone who sees her tees has to have them..

If you could go back to the beginning knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?

Honestly, I’m not sure what I could have done differently. I fell into this and have been learning as I go. The uncertainty is scary sometimes but I don’t think there is much I could have done to prevent that other than going back to college and changing my career path. I’ve made a ton of mistakes but I’ve learned from them. I’ve been badly burned but I’ve also made some of my best friends. I just hope that as we grow as a business that I continue to grow as a person and never fall into complacency. I’d like to take some graphic design courses and learn how to sew. Wire and Honey and I are both growing together. .

What’s your best advice for someone who wants to start her own creative business?

Don’t be afraid to follow your passions even if it makes you controversial. Your passions are what are going to make you stand out from the crowd. Stay true and authentic to your beliefs and your vision for your brand.