AOW Insider | Interview: Retail Insight + Tips from Kelsie Kunkle of Driftless Style
This month, I'm delighted to present an interview with Kelsie of Driftless Style. I've had the pleasure to work with Kelsie over the months as one of my mentorees, and I've been so impressed with her drive, and quick ability to learn the tricky in's and outs of running an artisan-focused retail shop.
That said, Kelsie has been kind enough to share her lessons learned running a retail shop, as well as revealing what has been working best for her, and other best practices when buying from overseas artisan groups. She also speaks about how to juggle working directly vs when to simply buy wholesalers from retailers based in the US. She touches upon tips, how to overcome specific challenges, worthwhile business investments, and more.
To start, can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to open an artisan brick-and-mortar shop?
For an Iowa-based entrepreneur, my upbringing was far from typical. I grew up traveling often, as it was my parent’s wish for their daughters to gain a ‘global perspective.’ Many of my travels were to developing nations on medical missions with my dad, who was a surgeon. It was also at a young age that my family welcomed two sisters into our home who had fled Rwanda after the genocide there in 1994. The summer after high school, while living in Kenya, I realized I wanted (and potentially needed) to pursue a way of life that was connected to different cultures and people groups in an empowering way.
After returning to Iowa, I went to nursing school and became a labor and delivery nurse for about 4 years. From my experiences growing up, I knew this was one way I could help others – particularly women – during a critical time in their lives. I loved it, but after my husband, Tyler and I had our second daughter, I wanted to switch lanes to be at home more with our girls. I found a nearly perfect fit when I got connected to a fair-trade jewelry and accessories company based out of Austin, Texas. For seven years, I worked at creating and engaging a local community of women to learn about artisan-made, ethically sourced products, how important a role this plays in global job creation, and its direct connection to the artisans we partnered with. During this time, I was also able to further my connections in the artisan craft sector through trips to Guatemala, Peru, Uganda, and Vietnam.
My husband and I are both entrepreneurial and have found the ability to blend our passions into our work endeavors. We both have founded startups and our family is along for the ride! We are almost always dreaming about how to turn our interests into business opportunities. This leads to both of us wearing many hats at one time! About 4 years ago, we bought a cabin in Wisconsin that we remodeled into a modern and rustic retreat. It acts as a vacation rental when we are not there as a family. While remodeling the cabin, I started recognizing the drastic need for ethically sourced home decor options in the Midwest. I could order online from a larger company (which I still do), but I am such a tactile and experiential shopper that e-commerce is not my preferred shopping method. This seemed to be an opportunity that aligned so well with my passions and experiences! After extensive research and “going all in” with my first order (a whole shipping container from Morocco), Driftless Style, my brick-and-mortar shop of curated goods with a positive social impact was born in July of 2019!
What was the ‘aha’ moment when you decided to open a shop. And did you have any experience working with artists or sourcing beforehand?
Prior to attending one of my very first trade shows (New York Now), I was planning on starting Driftless Style as solely an e-commerce platform. However, at the show I experienced the artisan connection through feeling and touching all these amazing products, and I was reminded that that is how I love to shop. I couldn’t really expect my customers to shop in a way that doesn’t even appeal to me. Therefore, the vision changed, and the brick-and-mortar dream was created!
What tips do you have for entrepreneurs looking to open up a shop which might save them some headaches?
1. Connect with the right business mentors for you. I’m not sure how I would have gotten through the early days without brainstorming and troubleshooting with other store owners and my business mentors!
2. Find the right Point of Sale system for your needs and invest time in figuring out an inventory control system on the back end. This will save you loads of time in the long run, as will having an accountant for taxes!
3. As entrepreneurs, we often have the big dream or vision in our heads and hearts. However, that will take time to build. Allow the process of the daily grind to work! Begin with the end in mind but be adaptable along the way and stay curious in the journey!
What have been the biggest challenges for you while juggling this business?
1. As a startup, you do it all. From product sourcing, curating, merchandising, inventory management, social media, to cleaning the shop floors (and more)! These are not all a natural part of my skillset, so learning what I need and who I need to bring on the team first has been and will continue to be crucial to the success and longevity of Driftless Style.
2. The ordering process for an artisan/handmade shop is very different from other types of brick-and-mortar shops. I am investing in products and new collections up to 6 months before ever receiving the inventory. So, as a new business, figuring out the cash flow to make large orders happen, with multiple artisan groups, can feel like a monumental task. Understanding that any money coming into the business, whenever possible, needs to be reinvested back into the business is a helpful tip to use!
What are some of your strongest selling products which you just can't seem to keep on the shelves?
For us, our plants and artisan-made pots are a best-seller (prices start at $40 for smaller varieties). Another great seller for us is handblown glassware from Mexico ($14-$18).
How has COVID affected your business? What shifts have you made which have been positive, which you will maintain?
One of the blessings in disguise of being a new business in the time of COVID was that we were still really agile and primed to adjust where needed! We had to shut our doors for over three months after only being open for about seven months before that. But being so new, we were already in the mentality of “whatever it takes” to make this work. This helped us hit the ground running. Creating a webshop was always one of our goals, but that was accelerated when COVID hit. This was the first task we worked tirelessly on: photographing (and measuring) our shop full of goods to create a webshop complete with all the content that goes along with that. Looking back, I don’t know how we did it all in three weeks! But we did and this allowed us to stay afloat, processing orders for shipping or curbside pickup! We are now in the process of revamping our webshop with all we have learned in the past year but remembering presence over perfection was (and still is) crucial as a new startup!
What investments have you made in your business which really proved to be worthwhile?
I believe there are a few investments in our business that have really proved to be worthwhile. One of them is ordering larger quantities (shipping containers) to distribute shipping costs. This will even become more advantageous when we are able to move from 20-foot to 40-foot containers because it usually costs the same to move either size, but there’s obviously more product in the larger one. Also, investing in the right people to bring on to our team has been one of the best moves for Driftless Style. We are a small but mighty team that has diverse skills to make it all happen (or at least we are willing to learn)!
What are three things you wish you knew when you first started?
1. I thought I understood what ‘the grind’ was going to look like for a startup, but I had no clue. When people talk about burnout for starting a business, I can totally see how and why! Protect your time, even in the beginning. Put systems in place that allow you to rest and get rejuvenated because this is for the long haul.
2. I wish I would have known from the beginning how frequently I was going to be asked for donations from my business (financial and product-based). Establishing a system or protocol early on will help to know where and how to allocate.
3. Collaborate and network with other businesses from the get-go. This will help create a strong community bond, especially if you are setting up shop in an established shopping district.
What does a day in the life of Kelsie look like?
My days are usually very different from each other, but I always start with a cup of coffee and a family breakfast before Tyler and I head off to work and get the girls to school. Before the shop opens at 11am, I spend time answering emails, attending to business calls, and tending general artisan relations. I also use this time to get the errands done or other personal household tasks. We recently returned home from a month in Colombia where we brought our two children home through the process of international adoption, so our days are looking a lot more family-focused & at home."