Thryfter Thursday 05.25
Hey, y’all!
We are back once again for another Thryfter Thursday! We had to take a short break due to life events like final exams, graduations, and killing it at pitch competitions! We are now back in business and ready to highlight our wonderful small business owners again!
Today we have the amazing Bailee Gauld, the founder of @b.b.thrift. Bailee’s online store focuses on vintage and urban clothing. Keep reading to find out more about Bailee and her business.
Bailee, can you walk us through your origin story and how your business came about?
“I’ve always been an avid thrifter. But around the time I had my second baby, I discovered some thrifting pages, and I fell in love with the idea of the business. I was shortly going to become a SAHM and thought I could use my thrifting hobby to make some money for myself since I wouldn’t be working anymore. So I started my page in December of 2021 and have been doing it ever since!”
That’s so amazing that you took a chance on yourself and pursued your business so that you can have more flexibility with your schedule to balance being a working mom.
Next up, when you start a new business, getting your initial customers and raising that brand awareness can take time and effort. Let us know what you did to market your business when you started.
“I asked for help from lots of other thrifting businesses. I asked for advice or whatever tips or tricks they could give me. Another is that whenever I saw an opportunity to join a giveaway, I took it. There are so many people who join giveaways who may never have seen your account otherwise. And lastly, if I saw another page post a piece that I just fell in love with, I would share it on my own page. Being supportive of other pages is such a great way to make friends, and quite often, they will return the favor!”
We love that you mentioned asking for help; it is super important to be able to rely on your community or even strangers sometimes. Speaking of asking others for help, is there any advice you’d give fellow business owners or people looking to start their own business?
“Be patient and consistent. I got down on myself way too much when I first started this business, and I still do. I wouldn’t have the following that I do now or any of the friends I made if I had given up. Posting consistently, whether it just be a ‘good morning’ post or your recent thrift finds, keeps your followers engaged and also just keeps the algorithm in your favor. Don’t ever be afraid to reach out to other businesses similar to yours and ask for help. This is such a loving and supportive community, and we love to help each other.”
You mentioned being patient and consistent, which is very important when you are a business owner (whether new or old) because things sometimes go differently than planned. Keeping this in mind, we’d like to know what keeps you motivated to keep you going?
“I love when I find a cool vintage piece, and someone messages me and tells me that their dad, grandpa, etc. used to have the same one. I love how thrifting vintage clothes can be so nostalgic for so many people. Although I do thrift lots of vintage clothing, I also thrift anything that fits my style/aesthetic. Many of the pieces that fall into that category would cost an arm and a leg to buy retail. I love that I’m able to find these things and sell them for a far more affordable price. Everyone should be able to wear any and all brands, and that’s not always possible when you shop retail.”
There is definitely a lot of sentimental value that goes into thrifting! What has been the biggest challenge you have had to overcome as a business owner?
“The best way that I can think of to describe it is that comparison is the thief of joy. If you had told me I would be where I am today when I first started, I would have been ecstatic. But then I see the other pages with lots of followers and tons of sales, and I start to compare. This struggle is a human flaw, but just something I’ve learned to ignore.”
We already asked about a challenge you had to overcome, but can you now tell us about a recent success that you are proud of?
“Honestly, being asked to do this was so encouraging! I was thrilled when I received the message from Thryft Ship.”
Aww, we really love to hear that! We want to continue working on products that make operating efficiently easier for small business owners. Thank you for being a Thyrft Ship client and user for over a year. How did you hear about us?
“Through other thrift friends :).”
Nice! Word of mouth is vital to get our brand out there to positively impact more businesses! Speaking of word of mouth, do you have any upcoming drops you’d like our readers to know about?
“I often have one live sale each week or one drop each week! They’re never on the same days, as I stay home with my 1 and 2-year-olds. But if you keep an eye out for my stories, you won’t ever miss them!”
How absolutely amazing! Thanks Bailee for your time and your beautiful words. We can’t wait to continue watching your businesses flourish.
If you enjoyed reading about Bailee and her business, check out the pictures below of some of her stunning, thrifted finds! Or check out her Instagram account which is embedded below!
Happy Thryfting and happy shipping,
