Thryfter Thursday
Welcome to our second of many Thryfter Thursday blog posts. We love celebrating our outstanding entrepreneurs by highlighting their stories and business weekly. Today we are featuring Leah Stockwell, founder of Fantastic Finds Thrift!
Leah’s account is a hidden gem with various home good items to make any room in your home aesthetic! Leah has shipped with Thryft Ship for at least a year, and we have loved seeing her business grow.
We had an opportunity to interview Leah and learn more about her, her business, and her purpose. Also, read further to learn about her upcoming drops!
How did you start your business?
Shortly before my 29th birthday, I had what I like to call my midlife crisis overdoing the things on my life goals list! One of my biggest goals has always been to start my own business. But, once I discovered this incredible secondhand community, I knew I wanted to use my thrifty skills too! Two years later and Fantastic Finds is still my dream come true.
I had laid most of the groundwork without knowing it. Long before I started my shop, my friends and family knew me as the “thrift queen” and would rely on me for all their thrifting needs. My initial customer base was all my peers who knew what I could do and trusted my eye. I also contacted some shops I admired and asked to pick their brains on the business side of things I wasn’t as familiar with!
What has been your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur?
Comparison. It took me a while to learn what I liked. I bought things I saw selling on other pages, but they weren’t my style, and my followers didn’t want the same things. Or I’d try to match the price range I saw somewhere else when I knew I really cared about affordability. I second-guessed my packaging when I saw how cute it was at other shops (I only use secondhand and thrifted materials to ship), even though reducing that waste was really important. I felt I needed to do more trendy or cute videos, etc. Now I do what I want 🤣
What has been your most significant success so far?
Everything. It would be a success if I had to close up shop tomorrow. This little biz has helped me slowly refinish my 1840s fixer-upper. It has bought groceries for my family, shown me skills I didn’t know, helped me connect with my local community ReUse center, and encouraged many people to shop secondhand. It’s all success.
What keeps you motivated?
I have been passionate about reuse since I was a little kid. I was always taking discarded things and making them into something new. I’ve always found beauty in discovering hidden gems. Whenever I get overwhelmed by the social media or business side, I always remember that little girl who just wanted people to love things as she did. The amount of thankful and loving messages I receive from customers reminds me that I’m sharing my joy with others and helping them out too!
Who is your role model, and why?
I am big enough to admit that I am often inspired by myself. Leslie Knope 😉 I have worked SO hard to build this little shop and have big dreams for where it’ll go!
Her advice to you if you also want to start a business…
Find your people and let the rest grow naturally. I’ve always had a small follower count, but I have the most loyal little customer base, and I find so much joy in what I do that the social media stats don’t matter to me. I found other shops I connected with early on, and having so many friends who get you can be encouraging! Also, remember that there’s room for everyone. No one has your exact eye or style. No one has your personality or your vibe. So go all in on being yourself, and your business will be better off.
What drops are up and coming?
Fantastic Finds Thrift has a jewelry collection dropping tomorrow (February 17) at 12 PM EST.
Check out the pictures below for a sneak peak:
