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I am so excited to share this interview with you today! I “met” Sadie & Jeremy through Twitter last year as they were preparing to launch Tradlands and have been so inspired as I’ve watched the (recently married!) couple grow and refine their business… as someone who lives in button-downs and used to covet my husband’s options, I am thrilled that they are creating solutions for women. Read on to learn a little more about Sadie!

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

My partner and husband, Jeremy, keeps me motivated and laughing every day. He carries what I consider to be the less than fun-filled side of the business – finances, scheduling, and marketing – with tenacity and a smile. He gives me the space to be creative while gently nudging me to stay on task.

WHAT ARE YOUR STYLE ESSENTIALS?

As a girl who went shopping for her wedding attire 3 days before the big day, my style is pretty relaxed. My essentials are well-worn jeans, my gold signet ring, a great button-down, and sunshine.

WHAT IS NEXT?

Our little start-up is growing quickly and we will be looking to hire a team soon. When it comes time to hire employees, I want to create a positive, healthy work environment. That is very important to me. I have had terrible, unhealthy experiences working for other people, as so many have. Something I want for the future of Tradlands is to be a great place to work, where people can grow, learn, and find balance. Although we want to progress as a company, we want to share our success and happiness with a team of people.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

When I left my desk job to work full-time on Tradlands, it was terrifying. It was also one of the best decisions I’ve made to date. I’ve learned that the things that scare me, when overcome, lead to the most satisfying and important breakthroughs.

WHERE DO YOU WORK?

Jeremy and I are currently working out of mid-coast Maine while spending time with our family who lives here. We spend time in SF when production is underway. One of the many benefits of owning an online business is the ability to work nomadically.

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SHOP?

While I do most of my shopping in the Tradlands stock room and “borrowing” from my mother’s closet, my favorite San Francisco stores include Reliquary in Hayes Valley and Mill Mercantile in the Mission. Online you can find me shopping at Westerlind and BestMadeCo.

WHY IS AMERICAN-MADE IMPORTANT TO YOU?

We decided very early on to keep production in the United States. We spent a lot of time researching at our local library for resources and reaching out to friends for guidance. Organizations like SF Made helped us connect with new people and local references. What we have found is an impassioned niche of people who also want to keep manufacturing in the US. It’s a great place to be.

WHY DOES MANUFACTURING IN AMERICA HELP YOUR BUSINESS?

For a small company like ours the best way to ensure a healthy work environment is to keep it in the US. We are making great products and also creating a socially and environmentally responsible workplace. By manufacturing locally we are on hand during our production runs, working closely with our sewers, and looking over each shirt that gets made. It allows us to create products we believe in and comfortably guarantee.

thank you, Sadie! Follow tradlands:

I learned of Suite One Studio through Becca’s Edit post… and since then, I’ve fallen totally in love with Lindsay Emery’s work. If you’ve ever thrown a pot, you know how difficult it can be to work in ceramics, and Lindsay’s amazing eye and appreciation for quality is apparent in every aspect of her line.

While speaking with Lindsay , one of the things that stood out to me is that after falling in love with pottery in college, she bought a wheel and started practicing – throwing and scrapping pots over and over again. She didn’t have a kiln to fire these pieces, so she literally had nothing to show for her work. Regardless of what you think of the ten-thousand hour rule, this shows a true commitment and dedication to the craft. What would you do over and over again just for fun? Is there a way to create a career out of that?

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON YOUR CAREER PATH?

In 2007, I got a Kitchenaid stand mixer and it came with a one-year subscription to Food & Wine Magazine. I saw that the F&W editorial was filled with beautiful pottery and had a lightbulb moment – seeing props like that solved a question I had had about my artistic path. It made me realize that I wanted to be, and could be, a potter. Food & Wine is still a major source of inspiration today…. And I’ve come full circle and had my work in the magazine!

HOW DID YOU MOVE FROM ARTIST TO BUSINESS?

In 2010 I moved to Greensboro, North Carolina and made a promise to myself– “No matter what, I’m not going to get a job. No matter what, I’m going to make pots and make that my career.” I started to consider the work I was doing as a business, not just as an artistic endeavor. It was a totally different way to look at my work.

I love that I am able to explore artistic spontaneity – I can make what I want, whenever I want to make it. But while I am an artist with a collection, I also need to act as a business owner managing a brand. Social media has been great because I am able to meet people who approach things with the same sense of seriousness as I do.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I’m inspired by local antique shops and consignment stores – looking through tableware of the past. It has been helpful for me to see what people have used and made in the past. It answers a lot of questions about what will work in my collection.

What I’m making is related to what was made in the past. I like that. That’s a good thing.

I’m a terrible interviewer…Lindsay and I spoke for quite a while, but I was a little too engaged in the conversation to take good notes! For more, check out Lindsay’s blog and at some point, we’ll share a part 2! Thanks, Lindsay! 

[images courtesy of Suite One Studio]