Warner Named Entrepreneur Of Year

    From team gear representing the local high schools and cute boutique clothing to business promotional items, HH Design in Britton serves the area in many ways. To get to that point, the owner of the business, Hillarey Warner, has worked hard for years, something she recently has been recognized for in a big way. 
    Warner was selected to be the U.S. Small Business Administration’s South Dakota 2024 Young Entrepreneur of the Year. She was nominated for the honor by the non-profit organization GROW South Dakota.   
     Warner’s Britton roots run deep. After graduating from Northern State University with a BA in Advertising Design, she decided to return home and support the small community where she grew up. She began her business in 2014 in her home, but quickly realized she would need a much larger space to work in. She began leasing a small space on Main Street and eventually outgrew that as well. 
    With her business growing quickly, she realized that she needed to expand her operations. In August 2016, with the help of a GROW SD loan, Warner purchased a building and moved her business. In 2018, she purchased an even larger building in downtown Britton, expanding further. After remodeling the larger building, HH Design moved into its new bigger space and offered more in-house services. HH Design received additional loans from GROW South Dakota to help with the purchase of equipment in her new building. Warner’s has become a staple business in Britton providing screen-printing, embroidery, direct-to-garment printing, and graphic design, among many other services. 
    For her part, the owner recognizes how far she’s come. “If you would have told me back in 2014 where we would be today, I would have thought you were crazy,” she said. “Back then, I had people ask me if I’d ever buy my own embroidery machine and I told them no. Now we have two. It’s all because of people who choose to support ‘small.’”
    Warner is not only an essential part of Britton because of her business, but she is also looked to when the community is in need. In late 2019, her business produced over 1,000 “Trevor Strong” t-shirts to support Trevor Zuehlke and his family following his injury. All of the profits from the shirts were donated to the family. Then, during the COVID pandemic, HH Design began a fundraising campaign for local businesses called “Here for Good in Britton.” The business also donates winter hats for the coat drive sponsored by the local food pantry and extra or ‘misprint’ items to those in need. 
     As GROW SD noted in their nomination of Warner, she continues to make positive impacts at the individual, local, and national levels. “Being an entrepreneur is anything but easy,” the organization emphasized. “Yet Hillarey continues to balance giving back while uplifting other community causes, small businesses, and succeeding with her own business. Without Hillarey’s work ethic, spirit, leadership, and volunteering initiatives, her family, community, and state would not be the same.”
    For getting to the point where she could be awarded, Warner thinks with gratitude on her community and customers. “We have some people come in with an idea they could have purchased online or had done elsewhere but they would rather keep their business local. It also means a lot when we have new customers contact us because someone referred them to us. HH Design wouldn’t be where it is today without the great support of our small community and surrounding area.”
    Warner was presented with her award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year last week at the Women in Business Conference in Aberdeen.