Spikberg Quilting: Stitching a Second Act
When Mark Spikberg of Tecumseh left his job in the automotive industry, he was looking to keep busy, not start a business. But opportunity knocked, and Michigan Women Forward helped him open the door.
It all started with a quilting class he took at his church. He was the only man among the church ladies learning about binding, batting, and blocks – and he was hooked. “I just really loved the process – cutting all of the shapes. You have to be very exact,” Mark says.
Mark would get a quilt done and immediately want to make another. Luckily, some folks at his local Big Boy gave him some orders. He also made quilts for hospices and veterans. But then someone suggested he try to sell his custom quilts beyond Tecumseh. In order to do that, he needed a website, an Etsy shop, an inventory of fabric, and a budget for some social media advertising. “We’re on a very fixed income, so there was no money to do that,” Mark says.
And that’s where Michigan Women Forward stepped in. With the funds he received from his Michigan Women Forward small business loan, he was able to convert his quilting hobby to a solid side hustle. In his first year, he made more than 200 custom quilts – from the classic Hexagon to novelty designs like Detroit Lions and Paw Patrol.
“I got orders from as far away as South Carolina, and it’s just been great,” Mark says. “It’s keeping me busy and it’s making us some extra money. I love it!”
