Original text

Published July 09, 2019

According to a recent American Psychological Association study, nearly 70% of Americans experience physical and mental symptoms of stress, but only 37% think they are doing very well at managing stress. Amy Stirk of Green Bay knows how debilitating stress can be, and she has put a positive spin on her experiences by creating a business.

In telling her story, she says: "Life deals out stress. My son Henry was born with a congenital heart defect, and we knew he would need a valve replacement. That happened two years ago. Two weeks later, the operation had failed and I found myself needing something that would help me handle the situation."

At the hospital’s gift shop, she looked for something to help pass the time. Stirk wanted something that was mindless and stresses relieving.

"I really wanted something to do — coloring would have been good. Or putty, a stress ball — something to help me pass the time," she said.

After not finding anything that would help, she started carrying a bag to use on future visits. She filled it with items that helped her and called it her stress management bag. When the crisis passed and her son was doing well, Stirk began to consider the items that helped her might also help others in stressful situations.

Her business, Handle it with Care (www.handleitwithcare.net), was the result.

"I designed a kit and think it will help others deal with stress," Stirk said. "I think there are strategies that people haven’t tried, but if they try them, they might find that they are of great benefit."

As she moves forward with her new business, she is going slowly to make sure that everything is done right. She works full-time as an occupational therapist and has applied that experience to offer a kit that is multisensory.

"My product addresses all of your senses. Most of my competitors focus on one area — in one genre — and I considered everything," she said.

The product comes in a specially designed bag that carries her logo and includes a stress ball, liquid motion bubbler, coloring book and colored pencils, journal with pockets, essential oil roller, putty, worry stone, and dark chocolate. Pricing is based on the cost of goods, and it is an area that she hopes to improve by buying larger quantities.

Recently, she sold bags at the Farmers Market on Broadway in Green Bay and came away with two insights. The cost of the bags might be a little too high and could be reduced by purchasing items in bulk. Also, there is a demand for allowing customers to create a bag a la carte and select items.

These ideas will be incorporated into her business plan. She has worked with a Green Bay SCORE mentor, taken classes at Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College, and followed a business podcaster who specializes in helping women in business. The advice she’s gotten has helped her fine-tune the business.

"I have gotten straightforward advice," Stirk said. "One thing that hits home is that you should do things that are scary. You need to start somewhere."

Her somewhere was developing the product, purchasing goods, creating a website and social media platforms, obtaining input throughout the process, and filling her first large order. Financially, the business has been self-funded, and although she hasn’t turned a profit, the testimonials she’s received have been encouraging.

With this overwhelmingly positive response, Stirk has big plans for the future. Her strength is her creativity and drive and says that becoming an entrepreneur has been part of her healing. Within the next several years, she would like to have a retail presence as well as a growing eCommerce business. She wants to expand her product line, and one day, work at the business full time.

Beyond that, she has other personal goals.

"One of my dreams is to help others through blogging and social media posts," Stirk said. "Helping others is what makes me feel good, and I don’t think that will ever change."

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.