Our Story
I'm Becky Haskins – wife, dog mom, friend and owner of be kind designs, LLC.
Born and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia. I currently reside in Forest, with my handsome guys – my husband, Bill and our only child, Yeti.
Our Beginning
In 2018 a co-worker and dear friend received the heart-wrenching diagnosis of ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Friends and family rallied to raise money to assist with the purchase of medical equipment and other expenses. To assist in fundraising, I ordered silicone bracelets in her favorite color (purple) and started making and selling jewelry. I found that making jewelry not only helped raise money for the cause, but also provided everyone a visible and tangible symbol of love and support.
My dear friend passed away in May 2019 following a courageous battle, and I miss her every day – our work days, talks, road trips, nights out, funny stories, embarrassing moments, shopping trips (oh, hey Hobby Lobby!) and laughs. She will forever be remembered as a talented artist, a crafty and creative soul, and the type of friend we all need in our lives.
In one of our last text conversations, I shared with her that I was starting a small business to keep making jewelry and giving back. I also shared the name I'd come up with and how I envisioned my logo. She approved.
Our Business Name
I picked the name be kind designs for two reasons:
- My maiden name is Becky England – the “be” of be kind designs. I share these initials with my dad, Bill and my older brother, Billy.
- My mother, Peggy had the biggest heart, and she taught us early the importance of being kind – both through her words and her example. In grade school for holidays, we took gifts for our teachers, AND all the other teachers, AND the principle, AND the secretary, AND the nurse, AND the bus drivers, AND the janitors. Her kindness wasn’t reserved for a select few – it was for everyone.
While my parents and brother have passed away, I think they would agree that “be kind” is more than just a name – it’s a motto and a lifestyle.
Our Logo
Our logo was created by my talented nephew, Brian Johnson. I am so thankful for his ability to make my vision come to life.
While I've had the honor of having five dogs throughout my adult life, the boxer breed wiggled it's way right into my heart. The handsome guy pictured in our logo is our boy, Yeti. If we've had the pleasure of meeting you and the subject of dogs came up, you've probably heard a fun story or two about him. We rescued him in 2016 and he's definitely kept us on our toes ever since.
Our Business
What started as a fundraiser, turned into a passion. That passion turned into a side hustle. And that side hustle turned into a full-time business! I’m so grateful for all the love and support from family and friends near and far and am so excited to see what’s next for be kind designs!