TAELER NICKERSON

by Brittany Archibald

Taeler

Nickerson, founder and CEO of Zipease, creates clothes for babies and toddlers with an accessible twist: her rompers feature an ankle-to-ankle zipper that makes diaper changes a breeze. But the real MVP of her design lineup is her G-Tube Zipease romper, a romper with an invisible abdomen zipper, giving her g-tube-using clients easy access for feedings, and keeping little hands from fiddling with their ports.

A lot of love has gone into Zipease. “A local customer requested a custom Zipease with g-tube (gastronomy tube) access for her daughter,” Taeler says. “Through trial and error, I landed on the design I currently offer. The g-tube community has latched on to this design and shared it everywhere. G-Tube Zipease are now my top product per unit sold. I love to serve the ‘tubie community’ and bring some measure of ease to their day-today lives; those parents and their ability to see the good in just about everything inspire me so much.”

Taeler didn’t set out to make a living out of sewing — she was in nursing school and waiting tables when she inherited her late grandmother’s 1965 New Home sewing machine. “My daughter was just four months old when I started making clothes for her,” she remembers. “Soon my friends wanted clothing for their children. I attended a few pop-ups, and my customer base grew quickly. Soon I was shipping all over the U.S. and Canada. I was about six months into sewing when I started sewing the zipper design I still make today. I perfected the patterns, scaled my sizing, and in November, 2017, the Zipease website launched! It was a constant battle to keep up with demand — what a great problem for me to have though, right?!”

Since then, Taeler has upgraded from a home sewing machine to three industrial ones. Her home studio is well organized and full of beautiful photos of her clients in their Zipease rompers. She is bright and warm and loves her customers: “The Zipease community is the kind that every business strives for,” Taeler says. “They keep me going. They brag about my brand. They support one another. They are so loyal! They really do it all, and I cannot thank them enough.”

While her business has grown at lightning speed, fast does not always equal smooth. “I am proud of myself for not giving up even when times got hard and money was tight,” Taeler reflects. “My first six-figure year was in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. At the time, I couldn’t believe I pulled that off, but looking back now, I freaking did that!!”

Taeler was even invited to pitch to the Sharks on Shark Tank, a popular television show where real-life entrepreneurs present business plans to investors with the hope of gaining funding. It was “a dream I had on my vision board for years,” Taeler remembers. She flew to Los Angeles in September, 2022, and presented Zipease, but in March, 2023, the producers called to tell her that her segment wouldn’t air because of technical issues. “It was a blow,” Taeler admits. “But once the defeat settled, I laid out a plan of action and kicked some major ass!”

Taeler cares deeply about the people around her. She’s donated thousands of dollars in cash and inventory to families in need. She routinely donates her g-tube rompers to children as they adjust to their new tubies. “Taeler's passion and desire to provide all children with comfort, and their parents with peace of mind, set her apart from anyone else. Taeler has changed lives. She has the sweetest soul and incredible heart. She is kind and would give a person the shirt off her back,” says Kelsey Hoyem in her Favorite Female Founder nomination.