Pixel by Pixel - How an Engineer Grew Her Quilting Business with Brooke Stambersky

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What if the best marketing strategy for your pattern business had nothing to do with Instagram? Brooke Stambersky of Brooke's Bitchin' Stitches started her entire quilting business the old-fashioned way - walking into quilt shops, showing up in person, and letting her passion do the talking. Just relationships, discipline, and a really good pixelated Michigan quilt.

In this episode, Tori sits down with Brooke Stambersky of Brooke's Bitichin' Stitches to hear how a doodle on grid paper became a five-year, 50-state pattern series — and what it actually takes to see a project that big all the way through. They talk about how Brooke pitched quilt shops on her very first pattern with zero sales experience, why her Jeep-themed pattern Duck Duck Beep became her bestseller, and how she kept her business running smoothly through a cross-country move from North Carolina to Michigan.

Brooke is a mechanical engineer and project manager by trade, and it shows. She breaks down how she plans her months, balances a full-time career with a side business, and built systems that let her show up for customers even when life got chaotic. If you've ever wondered whether you need to master social media before you can grow a real pattern business, Brooke's answer might surprise you.

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Chapters

00:00 The Journey Begins: Discovering Quilting
10:06 From Hobby to Business: The Transition
18:10 Building a Brand: The Michigan Quilt and Beyond
27:53 Marketing Strategies: Grassroots and Personal Connections
34:58 The Power of Visibility in Pattern Design
40:02 Navigating the Quilt Shop Landscape
41:04 Balancing a Full-Time Job and a Side Business
45:32 Managing a Business During a Major Move
52:44 Engaging Customers Through Open Communication
55:55 Exciting Future Plans and Events

Connect with Brooke:

Brooke's Bitchin' Stitches Website

Brooke on Instagram 

Brooke on Facebook

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Co-Hosts:

Tori McElwain @heytori.tech & https://www.heytori.tech/

Andi Stanfield @truebluequilts & https://truebluequilts.com/ 

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