A conversation with Just Ducky owner Sallie Broach

Q: How did the company begin?

SB: I started the company back in 1980 and have been working here actively ever since. I guess you can call me a true entrepreneur because I am not trained in business. I never felt restricted by rules of 'well, don't try that because the business model says that won't work'. I found quickly that our strength was more working one-on-one with the customers and being able to give them what they wanted.

Q: What makes Just Ducky so special?

SB: Actually, everything about Just Ducky is special. The unique range of customization, the quality construction of the garments, the excitement of successful home parties and the friendly personal process.

Just Ducky began in 1980 out of a vision for truly custom classic children's fashions. Each season, we create a collection with a mix of true classics and updated designs.

Q: What's special about the Just Ducky manufacturing process?

SB: I think it was in about 1990, we bought a small factory out in kind-of the country of Buncombe County, which is near Asheville. All of the custom garments begin at our factory and end at our factory, but in the middle they go out to many women who sew in their homes and because this is kind-of a rural community, it's hard for some of these women to find work. And so they can take these garments home, put them together, bring them back in and get paid, and they don't have to worry about going further into the city for other work.

Q: What is a Just Ducky Home Show?

SB: Twice a year, our hostesses receive a sample trunk of garments containing a vast selection of styles, fabrics and sizes. Shows for our Spring/Summer collection begin in early January and run through late March. The Fall/Winter shows begin in mid-July and run through mid-October. Just Ducky hostesses sell an average of $3000 at their shows and typically receive a 15-19% cash commission and a 35-40% discount on their purchases. We provide invitations and all other sales materials.

Our home show customers select any one of nearly 30 garment styles in any of approximately 25 seasonal fabrics and add any one of our current embroideries or monograms.

New hostesses receive a training manual that provides a step-by-step reference guide for holding their own show. We work closely with our hostesses supplying pertinent product information, show materials and scheduling show dates.

Q: Who are the Just Ducky Hostesses?

SB: Just Ducky hostesses are a distinctive group of women. They are energetic, connected to their communities and interested in an opportunity that allows them flexibility and family time. Just Ducky customers are women who desire high-quality children's clothing designed to their specifications. Our market now stretches from shore to shore and we continue to look for bright committed women to host our shows. We will continue to focus on custom-made clothing that reflects a mother's taste and a child's whimsy and we hope that women will be inspired by our line of clothing and want to share it with their friends and family.

I think our hostesses get a lot of pride out of representing a high-quality line that you can't just find anywhere. They appreciate customizing the clothing and they really work with their customers to design great garments, and to make families coordinate and match each other. We are very lucky when we find someone who wants to be a Just Ducky hostess, because we know that it takes a special woman who has a certain knack for appreciating just the product we offer. We love our Hostesses!