Emerson phone cases

Sixth Grade Entrepreneur Dials in Winning Combination

Emerson Darr ‘27 has turned her passion for making things into a business by selling her phone cases in the Spirit Store.
Emerson explains how she got started, “I was looking for a phone case for myself but couldn’t find one I was sold on. They were all very expensive and just not my style.” Her research eventually led her to figure out how to make her own using the sublimation process. With some birthday money and a loan from a family member, she bought the supplies and got to work.

“It was trial and error for about eight months in the beginning,” she remembers. “The heat press didn’t heat up properly, and I had to order a new one. I also got the wrong type of printer, paper, and ink. I was very frustrated but kept on trying. One by one, I fixed all the problems and finally made my very first phone case. I was jumping up and down with excitement!”

Her first few were just for family, then she branched out, selling cases to friends at school for the affordable price of $14. After setting up her Etsy shop, she started shipping her cases to places like Ohio, Florida, South Carolina, Illinois, and California.

Her father requested a custom Ensworth design since he wasn’t able to find one in a store. “Once I made his case,” she explains. “I thought of the Ensworth Spirit Store. Mrs. Whitson, who runs the Ensworth Spirit Store, agreed to meet with me to discuss a possible partnership. She loved the two Ensworth designs I brought, and we decided to sell them on both campuses. I am super excited and grateful for this opportunity!”

To see more of Emerson’s designs, visit her Instagram account, Etsy shop, or visit the Spirit Store on either campus. Check the most current E-News for hours.
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