When I got married in 2013, we knew we wanted to start a vintage rental company, so when we were shopping for the wedding, we were also shopping for what would become our rental inventory. We love antiques and the “hunt” for amazing pieces, and we work really well together, so we knew we wanted to have a business together and one that involved antiques. We loved the idea of vintage rentals because it gives our clients access to the beautiful pieces we have without the cost of purchasing them themselves. We genuinely are sad when we see pieces that just sit in antique shops waiting to be sold, and no one is enjoying their beauty and value, so renting pieces people otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford or don’t have the need for long-term gets them out of antique stores and helps create beautiful weddings and events! The vintage rentals expanded into event design and styling, and that led to wedding planning and coordination. It has been so fun to see our business grow and to be challenged with new opportunities!
What does an average day look like for you? What things/responsibilities are you juggling?
My average day is a balance between my roles as a mom and as a small business owner. In between feeding, playing with, and reading to my son and the millions of things that need to get done around the house, I use every spare minute to work on business tasks. I spend a lot of the day on the computer, answering and sending emails, connecting with other vendors, updating our inventory on our website, working on wedding details, or searching Pinterest or Etsy for inspiration. I love when I get to get out of the house to meet with couples or meet with another vendor to talk weddings or just catch up.
What has been a struggle for you as a creative small business owner?
Whew—where do I start? Haha! Owning your own business is definitely rewarding and worth all of the struggles, but it is hard. I have struggled with self-confidence and my tendency to compare myself to other people in the industry who I assume are doing better than I am. I have to remind myself that everyone in the creative industry has to work their butts off to stay relevant and attract business. I also have to remind myself to stay focused on what I love about event planning and vintage rentals and to stay true to my style and my goals and not worry so much about what other people are doing. When I do that, I am a much happier person, and good things happen for my business!
