Meet Vaughn Hartley | Etsy Shop Owner – Squeeze & Thank You

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vaughn Hartley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vaughn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my own business started when I was job searching after COVID left me unemployed. I was looking but knew I wasn’t interested in something part time as I had just graduated college with a degree in photo. I needed something I cared about but that could support me full time. Etsy was always a dream, but seemed too far fetch. Bored and missing getting to spend time with family I started making my own holiday decorations. Not having much else to do and stressed from job hunting I decided I would use some of my photo skills to list some of the decorations I had made on Etsy. Before I knew it, they were selling like crazy! I was overjoyed and soon found myself making trips to the crafts store almost every day for supplies and new items. What I had always dreamed of had came true, I was getting to make things I cared about, support myself, and be my own boss.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My items are mostly made with felt, wood, and yarn. Ranging from custom banners to hand painted wooden dresser knobs. Each item was something I myself would want to display in my home or gift to others. When I started college I felt like Graphic Design was the best route, allowing me to be creative and find a good job, but soon realized what I wanted to create was too whimsical and not really what a lot of businesses would be looking for. But with Etsy I get to create cute decorations and custom items that families are excited about. Getting to that point professionally took some research, in that I had to know what people were looking for but create it with my own style. That’s where the custom items like cake toppers and banners came in. It can get overwhelming, but each time I finish someone’s order I still feel so much appreciation that someone chose me to create something special for them. The most important lesson I’ve learned along the way is to not sell myself short. It’s easy to get stressed over needing to always be available for customers, creating new items, and keeping up with all the things that come with owning a business, but it’s also so important to make time for myself. To remember how I got here, and that was to just create something that made me smile. So remember that no matter what, it’s not the end of the world, keep doing what makes you happy and the rest will come. That’s also what I want others to take from my story, if you’re trying to make it on Etsy or sell something you care about, don’t overthink it. No matter what, it’s not going to all go perfectly, there will be unhappy customers, slow sales, and lost packages. So be willing to make changes, to adapt to the customer, put in the extra hours, but make time for yourself so that at the end of the day, it’s all worth it because it shows and helps you and your business grow.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite city in Michigan would have to be Grand Rapids. It’s such a beautiful city without being too big. From the hundreds of parks and rivers, to the small businesses and restaurants, there’s a lot to see and do. Some of my favorite places for food would have to be coffee at Lyon Street Cafe, donuts at Vans Pastry Shoppe, soup and a sandwich at Schnitz Deli, and dinner at Donkey Taqueria. There are honestly too many awesome coffee shops and bars to choose from, so squeeze in as many as you can. Then check out Frederick Meijer Gardens for some art and exotic plants, Robinette’s Apple Haus for fresh donuts and wine, and Thornapple Brewing Co. for beer and darts. Don’t forget the greenhouses- Romence and Countryside. Plus plenty of shopping like Rebel, Oh, Hello Co., Books and Mortar, and Service Reproduction for art supplies! No matter where you end up, whether it’s Grand Haven, Gaslight, East Grand Rapids, or right downtown- there are so many things to see, eat, and do!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My encouragement has always come from my parents. I enjoyed painting, drawing, and taking photos, and they always encouraged that part of me. Being homeschooled my mom supported that with each lesson, having my sister and I create all kinds of different craft projects on every subject. My mom also had a craft room which she let us use no matter how messy we left it afterwards. They also took took me to art classes and competitions, so when it was time for college I knew Kendall College of Art and Design was where I belonged. There were plenty of reasons to think I should look for something more stable and to not try and be an artist, but because of my mom and dad and their support I now have the job I was meant for!

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/squeezeandthankyou

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squeeze.andthankyou

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093182557619

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/SqueezeandThankYou

Image Credits
Vaughn Hartley