5 QUESTIONS with Sugar & Spice

and noticed a hole in it. Totally bummed, she asked if we could fix it. It was in that moment turned into something special for us!

We pulled out a sewing machine that Heather had received as a Christmas gift (still in the box!) and gave MaKenna her first sewing lesson. From there, the idea to start making her own scrunchies was born — She started sewing scrunchies for all of her friends!

What began as a simple fix, grew into a shared passion and eventually, a small business we’re proud to have and build together.

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES YOU’VE FACED?

One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced has been finding the time to do it all! MaKenna is a junior in high school and a dedicated student-athlete, so balancing school, sports, and business responsibilities can be tricky. There are days when it feels like there just aren’t enough hours. But we’ve learned to make it work by staying flexible, communicating openly, and making the most of the time we do have together. It’s become something we truly enjoy — even the late nights and weekend work sessions — because it’s time spent creating and growing together.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE A MILESTONE THAT STANDS PUT AS PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL FOR SUGAR & SPICE?

A major milestone for us has been moving into the Painted Tree in Lincoln. We moved in - In July 2025! Space # D30!

It’s been such an exciting step that’s allowed us to share our products with more people and connect with an amazing community of local makers. MaKenna’s dream is to open her own brick-and-mortar shop after graduating high school, and this experience has been the perfect first step toward that goal. We’re beyond grateful for the incredible support we’ve received so far!

HOW DO YOU TWO ENVISION THE FUTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS?

We see our business as a fun and creative venture between the two of us, where we get to design fresh apparel and expand our women’s clothing line both in-store and online. Right now, our main focus is on building brand awareness and connecting with our community. We are out in the community - attending local pop-up markets to continue to expand our customer base!

We’ve had the privilege of partnering with several local schools—designing custom gear all while supporting their Booster Clubs with a % of sales that goes back to the school. We believe that by continuing to collaborate and deliver quality products, new opportunities and referrals will naturally follow!

We would love to see that grow over the next few years, and help more schools! We'd love to hire a team to help process and fulfill orders, work a store front, ship out online orders, etc!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO OTHER MOTHER/DAUGHTER DUOS CONSIDERING GOING INTO BUSINESS TOGETHER?

Just go for it! Working together has been such a special experience and has given us the chance to do something we both love, side by side. There have been times where we don’t see eye to eye, but have always come together and worked through it. Heather and her husband have owned a business in Lincoln for 23 years, so the entrepreneur lifestyle was always something that intrigued MaKenna. She has learned lots of valuable lessons in business and in life - from this adventure!

MaKenna brings a fresh perspective from the younger generation, keeping us in touch with what high schoolers are looking for, while Heather focuses on creating cozy yet stylish women’s apparel for busy moms.

Creating content together is always filled with laughter (and plenty of “retakes” during social media content days!), but that’s what makes it so fun. These past years have been an absolute blast — we wouldn’t change anything!