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Many companies have started to realize the power of online shopping in the past few years. For Lindsay Hagerman and Jan Hartman, they knew it was time to head online with their new venture,RainCaper.
Today Lindsay sat down with us to share more about her business which she owns alongside her mother, Jan Hartman.
What is RainCaper?RainCaper offers artfully designed, gorgeous gifts for home and travel. Their products range from a stylish rain cape for your carry-on luggage to a set of tea towels for your kitchen. You’ll find they offer many beautiful gifts that would be ideal for anyone in your life, including luxurious journals and pen sets. Lindsay owns the business alongside her mother, Jan Hartman. Jan previously ran a popular store called Flag Lady Gifts for 24 years. As Lindsay grew up working in the store and then became a partner in her adult years, she had a good idea about what customers expect from this type of business. Their skills both complement each other, and so their new ventureRainCaper was launched.
When you set up your new Shopify store, you need to start thinking like a business owner. No one ever really feels like they’ve fully accomplished their goals, or they wouldn’t be an entrepreneur. Lindsay and Jan get a lot of pleasure from watching their business grow. With so many milestones that they’ve passed and keep aiming for, there’s always something new to keep them motivated on this journey. Lindsay says that when you are starting a new business, it’s critical that you take the time to do some market analysis. Fortunately, their previous business was similar to the primary B2B customers they receive online. RainCaper offers both retail and wholesale options, and by researching both of these markets extensively, they’ve been able to find great success online.
Working as a Mother-Daughter TeamLindsay knows that for so many people, working as a mother-daughter partnership would be an absolute nightmare. However, for them, it’s been a great asset and a reason for their success. Jan is an amazing designer who has incredible attention to detail. They both have different skills which work hand-in-hand together, which means they know where their strengths lie. When choosing a business partner, this is something to keep in mind regardless of whether they are a family member or not. You’ll find that by partnering with someone who has a different range of skills than you, you’ll have the greatest chance of success.
For the team at RainCaper, the recent pandemic was a huge challenge. Most businesses in the world were hit in some way by COVID-19, and 2020 was a hard year for RainCaper. The following year saw freight costs spiraling out of control, going from three to five to ten times the cost they used to be. Delays with shipping and staffing challenges were another huge concern, but they’ve continued to push on every day and do their best to survive this difficult time.
Top Tips for New Business OwnersFor new e-commerce store owners, Lindsay recommends trying to find your people as soon as possible. Try to connect with similar e-commerce store owners and local small business owners. You could join a mastermind group or a peer-to-peer mentorship group. Other business owners can help you with some of the greatest struggles you’ll face, so don’t just treat them like your competition. As far as the rewards of owning a Shopify store, Lindsay and Jan love hearing back from pleased customers. When they remark about the quality of their pieces and artwork, it puts a huge smile on their face each and every time.
A huge thank you to Lindsay for sitting down with us today to share her and Jan’s story. Find out more about RainCaper by visiting theironline store. We hope that 2022 will be a better year for RainCaper and all other e-commerce stores as we start to recover from the difficult times we’ve all experienced recently. There’s no time like the present to launch a new Shopify store, and we hope their words of wisdom will give you the encouragement you need to do just that this year.
Autumn 2021 - Tredyffrin Roots Festival Sponsor, RainCaper is proud to sponsor the new rain garden at Tredyffrin Library.
Winter 2021 - inStore magazine, the definitive resource for independent lifestyle retailers in Canada, mentioned the van Gogh Starry Night Scarf - Wrap - Shawl, a gorgeous new product from RainCaper.
Spring 2020 - Gift Shop magazine selects RainCaper Hassam Avenue in the Rain Reverse (inside-out) Umbrella as an essential accessory.
Spring 2020 - Seaside Retailer magazine has RainCaper on their radar. Make a splash in the Ocean Seashells Rain & Travel Cape. 
Spring 2020 - Museums & MORE magazine Editor's Picks include Caillebotte Paris Street; Rainy Day Folding Travel Umbrella - sweet!
February 2020 - Delighted to see RainCaper Van Gogh Sunflowers travel cape & inverted umbrella featured in Editors' Picks for Colorful Fashion in Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine.
Winter 2020 - Thrilled our Dressy Midnight Blue/Velvet Swirls RainCaper is highlighted in Museums & MORE magazine. Look for us at NY NOW Booth # 8760!
Fall 2019 - Pleased to make our Canadian debut with Edenborough Ltd. Edenborough partners with great US based lines to offer Canadian retail customers a vast selection of products. Read about it in the Fall issue of inStore magazine!
October 2019- Woo-hoo! Delighted to be part of Real Simple magazine's Simply Shopping selection. Check out van Gogh Starry Night RainCaper in the October issue!
August 2019- Thankful to be selected for the first ever Fashion Runway at NY NOW - curated by Farai Simoyi, the global leader of international fashion and celebrity fashion house consultant. Model Cleone Hopland rocks the William Morris Strawberry Thief RainCaper & Owner/Co-Founder Lindsay is looking good in the William Morris Hyacinth RainCaper travel cape.
August 2019- Read Monet for a Rainy Day in WAG, a magazine focused on life in Westchester & Fairfield counties. Wonderful article on RainCaper.
Summer 2019 - Gift Shop magazine Summer Show Preview highlights the Tiffany ClematisWarmCaper by RainCaper as a NY NOW must see
Summer 2019- Museums & More showcases the William Morris Strawberry Thief RainCaper travel cape as great for Gifts & Souvenirs
May/June 2019 - Smart Retailer New & Noteworthy features a Fine Art RainCaper - wearable works of art that are perfect for sightseeing
May 2019 - Gifts & Decorative Accessories highlights RainCaper in Top Outdoor Picks, Come Rain or Shine...featuring the lovely Black & Peacock RainCaper: https://www.giftsanddec.com/trending-gifts/giftables/come-rain-or-shine/
May 2019 - FIFTY5+ magazine discovers RainCaper ...see the May/June issue
May 2019 - Big news! van Gogh "Irises," a fabulous Fine Art RainCaper, was selected as a Mother's Day "must have" by Star + OK! + Life & Style magazines. Check out the May 13th issues!
April 2019 - RainCaper Fine Art Collection makes news: As seen in the Spring 2019 edition of PRESENT magazine, Monet "Water Lilies" women's rain coat alternative inspires desire.
March 2019 - RainCaper was selected as a finalist for the annual Recognition Awards at the annual Museum Store Association conference. We are honored to have been nominated for recognition in the Product Development category for our custom collaboration with Eastern National to create our beautiful "Garfield" print RainCaper. This restful blue design is a faithful replication of the wallpaper that our former First Lady Mrs. Garfield enjoyed in the Garfield family home.
Check out the official news here.
