By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

When Leah Clavette’s job at an ice cream shop ended two summers ago, she had a problem.

“I needed to make some money,” she recalled. “It’s hard to find a winter job around here, and then I have lacrosse season. By the time I start getting into the job, lacrosse comes around. I needed to figure something out.”

A friend gave her an idea.

“One of my best friends ran her own business, making jewelry,” Leah said. “She told me to just try it. But then, I thought, what can I make? I was wearing this scrunchie, and I wondered how easy it would be to make one? So, I tried it.”

Entering her junior year at Lake Region High School, Leah decided to take the plunge into the world of small business.

The Maine Scrunch was born.

She headed to a fabric store, and later discovered finding the right material and creating a scrunchie that met her standard was hardly easy tasks.

“I took me forever,” she said. “I posted pictures on social media. People started messaging me to buy them. Wow! I didn’t expect it. I couldn’t believe it.”

Leah likes to be creative, both in choosing colorful fabric as well as grouping various options on her website (“I like the photography part of it,” she says), which she designed and operates. Initially, she followed a simple idea — “What kind of scrunchie would I like?” She picked certain colors that complement each other or catch her eye. She will also put up a poll on Instagram, asking friends “what should I do next?”

“I like the creative part of it, picking out different types of fabric. During holidays, I check out styles and colors people will want,” she said. “I also like the photography part — taking pictures of scrunchies and arrangements and posting them on the website.”

One issue she had to tackle was her time management.

“How to make them all properly yet not take so long doing it? I figured out that if I cut up all the strips when I get the fabric, that’s one step out of the way and not have to pull out the cutter every time I want to make a scrunchie,” she said. “The first time I made them, I would sew the ends together by hand. I’d get so many orders that I realized I couldn’t do them all by hand, so I figured out a way to sew them with the (sewing) machine.”

When she was little, Leah’s mother taught her how to sew and use a sewing machine “the proper way.”

“I never seriously made any kind of pillow or blanket,” she recalled. “It was just for fun.”

And, there was juggling a business while being a teenager, whose friends either wanted to talk on the phone or go out.

“Instead of being on the phone or watching Netflix, I put that time toward making scrunchies. In the winter, I don’t play a sport anymore (I just play lacrosse, and will do some indoor things during the winter), so I have more free time,” Leah said.

 “There are times I wonder what I’ve gotten myself into, but it gives me something to do in my free time so I’m not bored. Yes, there are times I’d rather hang out with my friends than get some orders out on time,” she said. “I’ll show up late because I have to get some things done. To succeed, you have to be self-driven. I’ve never had any complaints about taking too long to deliver them.”

Initially, The Maine Scrunch was located at the kitchen table, but Leah’s mom moved the operation to a small table with a sewing machine and spools of thread. The work area expanded to two folding tables, set up in an L-formation, upstairs near Leah’s bedroom.

She upgraded her sewing machine when a family friend “donated” it to the cause.

“She said she would rather see me using it than it just sitting there,” Leah said. “I’ve had to buy new color thread to match my colors and new cutters.”

What ultimately sells? Leah says the business is dictated somewhat by the seasons. Summer is a great time of year for scrunchies because of the vibrant colors and designs like flowers. Winter, not so much because it’s somewhat limited. “A lot of plaids,” she said. “Halloween and the holidays are big hits. I posted a pumpkin one last year, and had a big response.”

Sports teams (including a volleyball and basketball squads from Texas) have also reached out, as have wedding parties.

“They’ll tell me the colors they want and I will sew on ‘bridesmaid’ or ‘maid of honor’ on it,” she said. “I get orders from random places, and I wonder how they found out about me?”

Marketing her scrunchies has been the easy part.

“I started off by doing giveaways. If a person posted a picture of the scrunchies or my page on your story, they would be entered in a random give-away. So, those people posted to follow this account, and their followers posted and were entered in the give-away. I did that a lot and got a lot of followers,” she said. “I probably would not have been able to do this without social media.”

While scrunchies are the main product line, Leah has also dipped into sidelines like key fobs, reversible headbands and pet bandanas (sporting bright orange and reflective material, as well as camouflage). This month, a certain percentage of bandana sales will be donated to Harvest Hills Animal Shelter.

“I started a couple of months ago posting dog bandanas and matching scrunchies so you can match with your dog. I thought it would be cool to donate some money to Harvest Hills because I really like animals (I have dogs),” she said.

It’s craft fair season, so Leah will be out and about peddling her products.

“People really like that they are homemade,” Leah said. “And, they like to support local businesses.”

While she created her own job and income, Leah says The Maine Scrunch has taught her valuable lessons — time management and being organized — that will help her down the road.

Upon graduation this June from LRHS, Leah has committed to play lacrosse at Thomas College in Waterville, where she major in business.

Leah plans to keep The Maine Scrunch going while in college. She knows of others that have brought sewing machines to college, and will try to find a way to keep her company up and running.

“I have an interest in business, so we’ll see where it takes me,” she said.

Leah is off to a good start.