Introducing Sarah Herrick-Smisek of DLH

MARCH IS WOMEN'S MONTH AND WE ARE FEATURING WOMEN DOING INCREDIBLE WORK IN MINNESOTA. THIS WEEK WE ARE THRILLED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SARAH HERRICK-SMISEK.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Sarah Herrick-Smisek. I was born and raised in Duluth, MN and am so happy that it continues to be my home. My husband Mike and I have two children, Piper who is 5.5 and Isaac who will be 3 in April. We also own and operate two businesses together, DLH Clothing and Šek Design Studio. My main focus is DLH and offer behind the scenes support for Šek. I drink black spice tea every morning, love getting lost in a good book, find so much peace and balance by practicing yoga, and have a deep connection to Lake Superior.

*Fun fact, Šek Design Studio created our logo!

Can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

Mike and I had been talking about starting a side business together and the idea of DLH Clothing came very naturally to us - a brand that didn’t focus on designs for tourists, but a brand that could celebrate the area we live, the way that locals live it.

Mike started drawing us logo designs and what we landed on is not far off from one of his original sketches. We charged full steam ahead by building a website, starting social media pages, and all the administrative pieces to start a business. We knew we had something when Electric Fetus placed an order before we even had a physical product to show. Our first run was only 20 shirts for our friends in late fall of 2014 and then we did our first pop-up during the holidays. We had so much immediate support from our local businesses, which really helped us in the beginning.
We spent our first year and half running the business out of our small apartment, shipping online orders, doing pop-ups and meeting local customers around town to save them shipping costs. We moved into a small space about Electric Fetus in 2016, while I was 7 months pregnant with our daughter. We continued to run both of our businesses in a bigger space above Electric Fetus until 2019, when we moved DLH to the Lincoln Park Craft District.

I always feel it’s important to mention more than just the original start because each move, every transition, has felt a bit like a new start.

What aspect of your business are you most proud of? Jazzed about?

I’m jazzed every time I see a DLH decal on the back of a car - we’re 7.5 years into this business and it never gets old seeing that. What I’m most proud of though are the relationships we’ve been able to build with other local businesses and the way that we have been able to give back to our community that we celebrate (more about that below).

Can you tell us about some obstacles you've had to overcome?

Oof, this is a loaded question when thinking about the past 2 years. We have dealt with mandated closures, forcing me to lay off all of my staff and running the business solo, while both kids were both at home. We’ve experienced supply chain issues time and time again (it’s still a very serious issue for those feeling like the pandemic is over). Like many others, we’ve been short staffed and for a long time, I felt short staffed both at work and home due to the fact that we have only had minimal daycare for our son.

I’ve spent many days feeling like a bad parent having to turn on Bluey or Paw Patrol so I could get some work done and I’ve also felt like a bad business owner when it’s taken me days to respond to emails. Beyond the pandemic, one of the hardest things to deal with was when we moved to our Lincoln Park location. Our son was only a few weeks old and in my arms when we signed the lease. I frequently was breastfeeding and on my phone trying to line up contractors, internet, interviews, etc at the same time. It felt like we were starting a new business again at the same time I was supposed to be on maternity leave and it was really hard. We couldn’t pass up on the space so I never regret that decision, just wish the timing could have been a little different.

You do a lot of work in the community in Duluth. Can you speak a bit about some of your favorite, or most impactful, ways you and DLH have been able to give back to the community?

I’ve had a give back mentality for as long as I can remember and as our business grew, I knew I wanted to find ways to give back to our community. It started with donating product for fundraising events and then expanded to sponsorships, collaborations with other businesses, and the most exciting has been creating designs that directly give back to local organizations. Some of the organizations that we’ve had the greatest success with are Safe Haven and Together for Youth.

Outside of DLH, I serve on the Board of the Directors for YWCA Duluth. I chair the Fundraising & Communications Committee and have greatly enjoyed working on events and reimagining them to be more inclusive. YWCA’s mission is to eliminate racism and empower women and I feel deeply honored to have a tiny part in this extremely important work.

We love having you at retreats! Is there any advice you'd give someone considering attending a retreat?

Thank you - I absolutely love attending retreats. I look back and think about the first time I attended a retreat and how incredibly nervous I was. I was fairly new to yoga and the schedule felt really overwhelming, but what I’ve learned is that that retreats are really a “build your own adventure.” Sign up with a friend or by yourself and take what you need from the retreat and leave behind what you do not. As typing that I can hear both Bryanna and Joella’s voices saying “you do you” and Amanda’s saying “don’t should all over yourself.” These retreats are for you, for whatever you need, and there are no expectations or requirements.

How can we support you (and purchase your products?!)

Whether you have a connection to Duluth or not, our little shop carries a number of local makers from jewelry to coffee to self care products and of course, where it all started, our DLH designed and branded items.

If you’re in Duluth, you can visit us in the Lincoln Park Craft District or pop on our website at dlhclothing.com.

If you like giveaways, sunrises or Lake Superior, we suggest you come follow us on Instagram (lots of paddle boarding content coming this summer).

Summer Retreats Update

This summer we’re headed back to Madden’s Resort June 3-5th for another Luxurious Lake Life Retreat Experience, complete with a full spa, catered meals, a pontoon cruise, and of course- a smorgasborg of yoga options!

Learn more about that retreat here.

There are only a handful of rooms remaining, scoop yours up! We also have 7 remaining openings for yogis interested in bringing their beloved pooch with them! Email us after purchasing your ticket so we can get you in the dog-friendly cabins.

Our Adventure Awaits Retreat is sold out with waitlists available.

More info on fall retreats will be coming in April. <3