Today we’d like to introduce you to Hilarie Lally DeNoon.
Hilarie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Our story began as a very painful and sudden, ending. On January 24th, 2013, my Father woke up early in the morning, told my Mother he did not feel well and by 4 pm that day, we found him dead in his bed, he was 62.
I was neither prepared, nor ready to live life without him. I became disinterested in life. I became withdrawn and shut down completely. I struggled to find a way to be happy again. I am not sure what brought me to this place, but one day I decided I could not do this to my children. I stopped watching the news and started to key into every positive story, affirmation, book, anything I could get my hands on. I was desperate to find my smile and, more importantly, my happiness. On most occasions, thinking of my father ended with me in tears.
However, I remembered a phone call my dad would make during the summers their friends would come to Chappaquiddick, a small island off of Martha’s Vineyard, where my parents lived year-round. Their friends would invite them over for a lobster bake. My dad was notoriously frugal and rarely treated himself to lobster dinners. He would call up and, with a smile that you felt through the phone, say, “Hil, I wait all summer to get happy on Chappy!” It was the first time since his death that I smiled. Chappy Happy was born.
Today, we are creating a lifestyle brand focused on that special feeling you get when you see water, walk the beach, enjoy dinner with friends and family, belly laughs with your children, whatever that moment is for you. We are a brand to help people live in the moment, and enjoy life right where you are.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth or easy road. I remind myself daily that failing means I am trying, and that it is a marathon, not a sprint. As a woman, a Mom, a wife, a daughter, you are constantly feeling pulled in many directions. Starting a brand in my 40’s was not exactly “in the plan” but I refused to let my grief get the best of me and continue to channel the pain and grief into my business. I would say, persistence is key. You hear a lot of no’s or you will send a package hoping you will be on Oprah’s Must-have list or a gift guide to a magazine and hear nothing. Many days, I am juggling my children’s schedule, and working late hours. There have been tears, there have been times I’ve wanted to quit, but I remind myself, my children are watching, therefore I wear a necklace my Mom bought me that reads, Never Give Up as a reminder that quitting is not an option and to stay the course, even if I am crawling along.
what should we know about Chappy Happy? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As part of our brand, our goal is to help and remind people to live in the moment. Our products support our mission. I like to say we are more than a shirt or a hat. When you wear a Chappy Happy hat we hope you’re thinking of a loved one who passed or reminded to persevere, to be present and not get too ahead of yourself. We are human, it’s easy to get caught up in life. Our brand is focused on helping all of us keep it in the day and stay grateful for this exact moment.
We have had several moments that we have been proud of. The first being the official hat of Coastal Living Magazine’s 20th Anniversary cruise. It was a dream of mine when we started to be in Coastal Living so to see our hat on Instagram was surreal. I was also given the opportunity to write my story for Option B, the organization Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook started after the sudden death of her husband. Our Coastal Beach Cruisers were also featured by Sarah Vickers and Kiel James Patrick, who have a brand in their own right, and are masters of Instagram.
As far as what sets us apart, I believe there is room for all of us. I am a huge proponent of collaboration. I think we are all unique. Our goal is to stay true to ourselves and our values during this entire process.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
This is a complex question but I am encouraged by all the strong woman out there blazing a trail. The person I would most like to emulate is Sara Blakely, inventor of Spanx. She is smart, tenacious, persistent, funny, laughs at herself, a loving wife and Mom. While I don’t know her personally, via her Instagram account you’re able to see she has strong values and is helping women everywhere propel further. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, also someone I admire. She had to be tough in a male-dominated world. I believe as women we are getting stronger, we have a voice and we are using it. In life there will always be barriers, I believe it’s how we overcome these challenges that teach us what we are made of, and hopefully, we are breaking these barriers together as women. I also hope women continue to support other women, it’s a critical component for our daughters future.
Contact Info:
- Address: 29 Winter Street, Edgartown, MA 02529
- Website: www.chappyhappy.com
- Email: info@chappyhappy.com
- Instagram: chappyhappy
- Facebook: chappyhappy
- Twitter: chappyhappy
Image Credit:
Erin Covey, Claudia Tolay
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