Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristy Swenby and Michelle Schlipp.
Hi, Kristy and Michelle; thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
Our story starts over 30 years ago as neighborhood friends. We went to school together and have been forever friends. We grew up in Minnesota, so hockey has always been a part of our lives. Kristy played hockey in the first-ever girls’ high school hockey team. At that time, there were fewer opportunities for girls’ hockey, and it showed. Our team could have been better and got the last pic of ice time. Fast forward, we are now both hockey moms with girls who play. We recognized that as the sport has grown, there was limited brand support for girls’ hockey, and we wanted to change that. In 2022, we started POWR Hockey for Her with a passion for creating hockey equipment for girls. Our first product is a hockey stick designed for girls. It is lightweight and easy to use with a color that POPs on the ice.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We find so much fulfillment when we partner with our local and online communities to do good for women’s hockey and grow the game. As hockey moms, our biggest challenge is time, and we know the commitment. Finding the time to chauffer our little ones to practices, give back to the community, and manage the business has been a challenging balance.
Thanks for sharing that. Please tell us more about your business.
POWR Hockey is a women-owned, MN-based company founded by two hockey moms to empower girls on and off the ice. We want to create hockey products and equipment designed for girls. We launched our first product in 2022, a hockey stick for her. As hockey moms and former hockey players, we knew what we wanted in a stick. The design process took some time and iterations, but we are proud of where we are today. We are thankful for the raving support we’ve received from our customers. What sets us apart from other brands is that we put girls’ hockey first. We design our products with girls in mind and give back to the girl’s hockey community. We want girls to have the same opportunities in hockey. We want our story to inspire girls to follow their dreams on the ice and beyond.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
People are often surprised that we’ve been friends for over three decades. Since we’ve been friends for so long, we complement each other in skillset and are fortunate to be able to do this together. It has been fun to link our passions, give, give back, and make a more significant impact in the girls’ hockey community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://powrhockey.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powrhockey?igsh=MzJzaDgyYmdqMzAz&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/powrhockey?mibextid=LQQJ4d
