We had the good fortune of connecting with Connor Nannen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Connor, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Bella and I have always believed in doing something we love, and helping people in any way that we can. With both those things in mind, we created SAND Custom Designs. At SAND, we create custom canvas tote bags with various phrases, cities, states and logos. Our bag is your canvas! We want every customer to be able to bring their ideas to life! Along with creating the custom bags, we donate a portion of every sale to help empower women through education in India.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
As a company, we believe that doing small things in the world can make a big difference. As we discussed different things we could do, we decided that we wanted to help women in India. Through much research, we learned that there is a very large shortage of doctors and nurses in India, so many people can not receive the proper care needed. The cost of a 2 year nursing program is about 72,000 rupees which equates to 1,000 US dollars. Our goal in the first year is to send 5 women through a two year nursing program. We are taking a portion of every sale to accomplish this goal. I would say that starting a business has not been easy. Both Isabella and I have had many obstacles to overcome, but it was a very satisfying feeling when we come to a conclusion. I think that the most important thing in business is learning from your mistakes and finding new ways to accomplish things.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We would like to give a shout-out to all of our friends and family. We have been blessed with so many positive role models in our lives that have helped get us to where we are today. Thank you for all of your love and support!

Website: www.sandcustomdesigns.com

Instagram: sandcustomdesigns

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