GoThread
Year 1 (2025-26)
by Devyn Chenault
Handcrafted crochet designed to bring a little extra joy to everyday life. Crafted with Care, Made to Share.
About This Idea
GoThread is a handmade crochet brand that turns creative craftsmanship into a structured, growing retail business. I design and sell crochet plushies, accessories, and giftable items online and at local markets. What sets GoThread apart is the balance between creativity and real business systems, including pricing strategy, cost tracking, inventory planning, and intentional brand development.
Many handmade businesses begin with passion and creativity, but growth can be challenging without a clear structure behind the scenes. GoThread approaches handmade retail with both artistry and intentional strategy. Instead of relying solely on one-time sales, I build repeatable product lines, track margins carefully, and plan for sustainable expansion.
The innovation lies in the foundation of the business itself. By pairing artistry with financial strategy and long-term planning, GoThread turns handmade products into a scalable retail brand.
Where Did This Idea Spark at WMU?
GoThread truly took shape through my involvement in Starting Gate at Western Michigan University. What began as a personal creative hobby grew into a structured business as I received mentorship, feedback, and encouragement to treat it like a real venture.
Through Starting Gate workshops, conversations with mentors, and exposure to other student founders, I began applying business strategy to my crochet work. I shifted from casually selling handmade items to building repeatable product lines, tracking margins, and thinking intentionally about growth.
Starting Gate gave me the confidence and support to build GoThread with structure, purpose, and long-term vision instead of keeping it as just a side project.
Impact in Kalamazoo
If GoThread continues to grow in Kalamazoo, it directly supports the local small business and vendor community. I regularly sell at local craft shows, markets, and pop-up events, contributing vendor fees, attracting customers, and helping create energy in those spaces.
In-person markets are a major part of GoThread’s growth. Expanding locally means increasing participation in Kalamazoo craft fairs, farmers markets, and community events, which strengthens the creative economy and supports event organizers and fellow vendors.
By building a recognizable in-person brand presence, GoThread contributes to a more active and connected small business scene in the city.
How Investment Helps
Funding would help GoThread grow into a stronger and more recognizable retail brand at Kalamazoo markets. With investment, I would focus on building a more professional and visually engaging booth presence, including improved display design, signage, and branded materials. This would help attract more customers, create a consistent brand identity, and increase overall performance at events.
The funding would also support refining and expanding product collections so I can present a more cohesive and polished selection at each market. The first local milestone would be establishing a high-quality booth setup that consistently appears at major Kalamazoo craft shows and community events. This investment would accelerate growth and help GoThread stand out in competitive in-person markets.
What I'll Do With the Money
Approximately 40% of the funding would go toward branding and packaging to strengthen GoThread’s retail presentation and create a more polished, memorable customer experience. This includes upgraded signage, booth displays, branded packaging materials, and cohesive visual elements that improve recognition at Kalamazoo markets.
About 30% would support advertising and marketing efforts, including social media promotion, local event advertising, and targeted campaigns to drive traffic to in-person markets and expand brand awareness within Kalamazoo.
Another 20% would be allocated to market and vendor fees to increase participation in local craft shows and community events, allowing for a more consistent and visible presence throughout the year.
The remaining 10% would support product development and design improvements to ensure each collection feels cohesive, high quality, and aligned with the brand.
About the Founder
I’m Devyn Chenault, a senior at WMU studying Entrepreneurship and Leadership & Business Strategy, and the founder of GoThread. I’m passionate about transforming creative ideas into real opportunities and building a brand that brings joy to customers while growing with intention and purpose. What began as a creative outlet has become a meaningful pursuit of turning handmade artistry into a sustainable and thoughtfully built business.