Goodin Time Designs

For the 105th week of "7 QUESTION SUNDAY" we shine the spotlight on another influential individual from the PNW. Ashley Goodin is the owner and operator of Goodin Time Designs and a PNW mom!

4EVRGRN: Hey, AG! Tell us a little about yourselves.

AG: My name is Ashley, I am the Mom Boss behind Goodin Time Designs.

A little backstory for you….My daughter was born in 2017, after a few months of staying h/ome with her, my husband and I decided that I would not go back to work and instead would continue staying home with our children.  Those of you who have been or are currently SAHM’s, know the isolation can become very real, very quickly.  I struggled big time with postpartum anxiety, depression and adjusting to life with two kids.  After a few months, my husband suggested that I should look into a new hobby or creative outlet, something that was just for me. 

I started looking into different crafting projects and finally settled into making apparel and accessories.   Friends and family jumped at the opportunity to have custom shirts, onesies and accessories made for them.  As I fine tuned what I enjoyed creating, word of mouth spread and things grew, and grew, until I finally realized, this wasn’t just a hobby anymore, but rather a small business, thus Goodin Time Designs was born. 

I cannot wait to continue this journey with you all.  There is still so much to learn and expand in my small business.  I am truly thankful to each and every one of you for your support on this journey.  Without you, none of this would be possible.

Questions Updated 9/7/22 to reflect new branding of Goodin Time Designs.

Why is advocating for mental health so important to you?

GTD: I was diagnosed this year with Bipolar 2 and instantly felt so ashamed. After a lot of deliberation, I made the brave choice to rebrand my business in hopes it would not only give me the courage to speak up, but others as well.  The amount of feedback I received was more than I ever could have imagined.  Providing a safe space for those who needed it was really important to me. Mental health is so stigmatized in our country.  It's something that's "shameful" and taboo to talk about, however more than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime.  It's time to change the narrative and end the stigma.

What inspired you to release collections tackling different experiences each time?

GTD: Mental health as a whole is really important, but there are so many different disorders that fall under that umbrella.  I feel like it's so important to highlight those individually and remind people that they aren't alone in their disorder.  Each launch I look for volunteers who struggle with the disorder I'm representing to participate in a photoshoot and share their story.  I think it's been very therapeutic for them and those reading the stories as well.

What PNW activity do you recommend helping de-stress?

GTD: The ocean is usually my go to happy place, but this summer I spent more time hiking and going on nature walks.  To be honest, those provided more peace and serenity than the ocean has.  I made sure to be very present and cognizant of all of my senses.  What was I hearing, seeing, smelling, and just feeling in general.  One hike in particular I remember just saying, "I just feel so happy right now".  Being able to look back and think about those different senses helps me when I am feeling anxious or frustrated.

What is something you do every day for self-care to balance running a small business and being a mom?

GTD: I wish I could say there was something I do every day, but honestly, I am awful at self-care.  It's so easy to preach it to others, but as a mama and a business owner it's easy to let myself take the back burner.  This is something I'm working on and trying to be more purposeful about.

What advice do you have for other moms working on their mental health?

GTD: Asking for help is not a sign of weakness.  Everyone needs a little extra help sometimes.  If it was a broken bone you wouldn't hesitate to seek help to heal, so why should your mental health be any different?  Reach out to a friend, therapist, write in a journal, whatever you have to do to help get those intrusive thoughts out of your head.  Fight through those thoughts and remember that you do have people in your life who love you and want to help.

Favorite family friendly activity?

GTD: We love playing Disney Scene It. Well, at least I do, Mama wins every time. LOL! We also enjoy a good movie night, with popcorn and treats of course!

Favorite local product?

GTD: The first thing that came to mind was the "frosting cookie" (as my daughter calls it) from Only Oatmeal down at the Waterfront Market.  There are so many great things to choose from, I couldn't possibly name them all. 

Give Goodin Time Designs a follow on Facebook and IG @goodintimedesigns and be sure to order one of their fun boxes!