Today we’d like to introduce you to Meyli Markward.
Hi Meyli, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Zoey was the perfect baby, and everything was going swimmingly until we heard the news no parent should ever hear in May 2019. What started as a routine 4-month wellness check with her pediatrician ended the day being admitted into the pediatric oncology unit at Johns Hopkins. Our baby has cancer.
She had surgery to collect samples from her liver and bone marrow, and a PICC line was inserted into her arm. The next few weeks were a blur as we awaited test result after test result to determine when Zoey would start chemo and ultimately lose her beautiful head of hair. I began buying bows and wraps from small shops so that she could still be cute, even if bald. But we were given an enormous blessing (as far as blessings to cancer babies go) of a Stage 4S Neuroblastoma diagnosis. Essentially, cancer will go away – all on its own – without treatment.
Over the next two years, Zoey had periodic scans, labs, and monitoring at Hopkins, and it seemed like the cancer WAS truly going away. Even though she didn’t lose her hair, the bow session continued. She became notorious among our friends and family for always rocking’ big bows. Her collection continued to grow, and with it, my need to pay it forward by gifting bows to other little girls with cancer or other illnesses whose diagnoses were nowhere near as fortunate as ours.
I bought some fabric in November 2019 and started messing around… and so, Zoey’s Boweys was born in December 2019. I have continued gifting bows (my own, this time) to other tiny warriors, and a key pillar in my business is that 10% of the profits are donated quarterly to pediatric cancer research (with over $25,000 donated so far). I hoped to raise awareness and keep the good karma going for Zoey so that her cancer continued to dissipate.
In June 2021, we went for a routine clinic visit to celebrate the LAST scan! Her oncologists said they’d likely see her yearly from there on out – and only for urinalysis. The next day, we got a call. Her CT scan confirmed the tumors had gotten larger. And spread. The cancer was back. Our hearts were shattered.
After two years of solely monitoring and not needing ANY treatment, Zoey was now diagnosed with Stage 4 High-Risk Neuroblastoma and under the most aggressive treatment protocol. She started her first round of chemo in July 2021 and completed her 6th (and hopefully final) round before Christmas. Radiation and immunotherapy are the next steps for her in the protocol.
Zoey may have lost her hair, but she hasn’t lost her contagious smile and strength to fight this terrible disease. We’ve got a long road ahead of us, but she’s kicking cancer’s butt – and continuing to rock her boweys through all of it! Now, more than ever, the ability to continue making these donations to pediatric cancer research is crucial. I don’t have nearly as much time as before to focus on the boweys, but running the small shop has been a welcome distraction in our chaotic lives.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I first started the shop, I had an immediate burst of sales from friends/family/word of mouth in December 2019. This slowed significantly after 2 weeks and was incredibly discouraging.
But I genuinely enjoyed tying bows so just kept at it. I got my first round of brand reps, started the website, and the rest is history. I went from having 3 customers with maybe 10-12 bows sold per week… to sold-out drops each week at 300-400 bows. In January 2021, I hired an assistant to help cut fabric and tie bows as I could no longer keep up with the volume on my own.
Facebook changed its algorithm in the spring of 2021 which caused business to slow as our posts were no longer being seen by as many people, but we kept on trucking. And our business has continued to improve.
When Zoey got the devastating news of her new diagnosis in June 2021, the shop had to shut down for a few weeks so we could focus on her treatments. I’ve been able to bring orders to the hospital to tie, and am grateful for our loyal customers who have stuck by us through intermittent drops and extended turnaround times.
As you know, we’re big fans of Zoey’s Boweys. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Zoey’s Boweys is a small shop that offers hand-tied bows for little girls. Not only do our bows stand up (literally), but they also stand for an important cause as a percentage of each purchase is donated toward pediatric cancer research.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Darren Markward – My husband, and my former CFO (chief fabric officer). As the business was slowly taking off, he helped me stay motivated and organized, and even cut my fabric and stuffed orders for me. It was something that brought us even closer together, and I’m eternally grateful for such a supportive partner – in bows, and in life.
Isabella Eckert – My assistant and savior to my sanity! She started as a passionate customer, buying bows for her niece, and ended up applying and getting hired to work for Zoey’s Boweys! She is reliable and willing to help in any way she can – whether it’s cutting fabric, tying bows, stuffing orders, mailing packages, hanging out with Zoey or even helping decorate my house for Zoey’s birthday party.
All of the Zoey’s Boweys brand reps – past and present! They share my passion for the cause and are a huge reason why the business has been so successful!
Pricing:
- Big Bows – $6.50
- Little Bows – $5.50
- Pigtail Bows – $7.00-$8.00
- Headwraps – $11.00
Contact Info:
- Email: info@zoeysboweys.com
- Website: www.ZoeysBoweys.com
- Instagram: @zoeys_boweys
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/zoeysboweys
