Meet Laura Zander

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laura Zander. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Laura, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?

Growing up as a latchkey kid in Raleigh, North Carolina, I learned early that if I wanted something, I had to make it happen myself! One of my first big motivations? Ice cream cones from McDonald’s. At just 26 cents, they felt within reach—but finding a full quarter was a challenge!

One day, a neighbor asked if I could help carry her groceries. When I finished, she handed me a quarter, and in that moment, something clicked—I could earn what I needed. That small realization sparked a bigger mindset shift, and soon I was knocking on doors, offering to help with anything I could. I heard “no” more times than I could count, but every so often, someone said “yes,” and that was enough to keep me going.

That early experience shaped how I approach business and risk-taking today. Success, whether in entrepreneurship, leadership, or life, is about persistence. You have to be willing to put yourself out there, embrace rejection, and keep asking. The more you ask, the more opportunities you create. Taking risks isn’t about being fearless—it’s about being resilient enough to chase the next “yes.”

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m Laura Zander—aka Jimmy—and together with my husband, Doug, we started Jimmy Beans Wool in 2002. Our journey began as two Silicon Valley engineers who traded coding for creativity, opening a tiny yarn shop in Truckee, California. Back then, we sold coffee alongside yarn (hence the Beans in our name!), but it didn’t take long for the yarn to take over. In 2004, we moved to Reno, Nevada, where our once-small shop has grown into a 22,000-square-foot retail and warehouse space, serving fiber enthusiasts worldwide.

At Jimmy Beans Wool, we’re all about innovation, exceptional customer service, and getting yarn into your hands fast! We ship at lightning speed, offer exclusive products you won’t find anywhere else (Just at Jimmy’s!), and create tools that make crafting easier—like our patented SmartStix. Over the years, we’ve expanded our family of brands, bringing iconic names like della Q, Madelinetosh, Dream in Color, Yarn Citizen, Simply Shetland, and Shibui Knits under our wing.

We’re also passionate about making fiber arts accessible to everyone, no matter where they are! That’s why we now offer virtual classes online, so makers around the world can learn new skills, connect with fellow crafters, and get expert guidance from the comfort of home.

And if you’re looking for an in-person adventure, we’re hosting an exciting yarn crawl this fall, along with surrounding Reno/Tahoe yarn shops! Fiber lovers can explore amazing yarns, meet fellow makers, and experience the best of Jimmy Beans Wool and beyond.

In 2024, we launched The Maddytosh Group, a distribution powerhouse for our wholesale brands. And in 2025, we introduced our very own yarn line, Beanstalk Worsted! This is just the beginning—our mission is to continue inspiring creativity while making high-quality yarn accessible to everyone.

At the heart of it all, Jimmy Beans Wool is more than just a yarn shop—it’s a community. Whether you’re knitting, crocheting, or just love squishing a good skein, we’re here to fuel your fiber obsession. So, if you’re looking for premium yarn, innovative tools, and a whole lot of knitting inspiration, welcome to Jimmy Beans Wool—we can’t wait to stitch with you!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back on my journey, I’d say three qualities have been the most impactful: flexibility, using every situation as a marketing tool, and being scrappy.

Flexibility has been key because business—especially retail—is unpredictable. You can have the best-laid plans, but things will inevitably change, and you have to be able to pivot quickly. A perfect example was in 2017 when we found out our entire warehouse was suddenly in a flood zone (and it was pouring!). Instead of panicking, we launched a #SaveTheYarn campaign, turning what could have been a disaster into a marketing moment. Our customers rallied, and not only did we save the yarn—we strengthened our brand’s connection with our community.

Leveraging every situation as a marketing tool has also been crucial. From the beginning, I’ve believed that everything—good or bad—can be an opportunity to tell a story. When we launched Jimmy’s SmartStix, our patented measuring needle and hook line, we didn’t just roll out a product. We shared the story of how the idea came to life on a trip to India with our general manager. That personal connection made all the difference in how people embraced it!

And then there’s being scrappy—arguably the most important. When Doug and I started Jimmy Beans Wool, we didn’t have outside funding, so we had to find creative ways to grow. That scrappiness still fuels us today. We don’t always have the biggest budgets, but we do have the ability to think outside the box—whether it’s through grassroots marketing, innovative product launches, or stretching our resources in ways that make the biggest impact.

For anyone just starting out, my best advice is to embrace the unknown, think creatively about every challenge, and never be afraid to ask for what you want. Business is a rollercoaster, but the more adaptable and resourceful you are, the more you’ll find success—sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Absolutely! We’re always looking to collaborate with fellow creatives, brands, and makers throughout the fiber arts community. Whether it’s a pattern release, yarn support, affiliate partnerships, podcast features, or something completely unique—we’re all about finding ways to support and uplift each other!

At Jimmy Beans Wool, we believe creativity thrives when we work together, and we’d love to explore how a partnership could be mutually beneficial. If you’re interested in collaborating, you can reach us at @JimmyBeansWool on all social media platforms or shoot us an email at Support@JimmyBeansWool.com.

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