Small Business Is Community
One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that small business simply does not work without community. And in that aspect, I really lucked out.
We’re based in Woodstock, and this town is incredibly supportive of small businesses. The city even sponsors a small business incubator right in the heart of downtown called Made Mercantile. I became a member in 2023, right around the time we were transitioning into manufacturing.
Up until then, we were primarily an online business. Joining Made Mercantile gave us our first real hands-on retail experience. We learned what customers gravitate toward, how to merchandise products, and what it actually means to run a physical retail space day to day.
But honestly, the biggest thing we gained there wasn’t retail knowledge — it was relationships.
Over time, Made Mercantile became more than just a place to sell products. It became a space filled with collaboration, encouragement, creative conversations, and genuine friendships. There’s something incredibly valuable about being surrounded by other small business owners who understand both the excitement and the chaos of building something from the ground up.
Some of those connections have even grown into partnerships, and I wanted to highlight two that we’re especially excited about.
The first is Jackabee Candle Company. They’re another husband-and-wife-owned business, and over time we became friends simply from working near each other and chatting about everything from life to business ownership.
That relationship eventually inspired one of my favorite products we’ve created so far: our Sky Drops diffusers.
Honestly, when you spend day after day surrounded by the incredible scents they create, it’s impossible not to want to collaborate. Their creativity with fragrance combined with our love of playful, whimsical design turned into something really special. It has taken time to refine the product and figure out how to scale it properly, but seeing the idea come to life has been incredibly rewarding. We’re all really excited to see where it goes next.
The second partnership that grew from this community is with Greenhouse Social.
Made Mercantile includes a classroom space where businesses regularly host workshops and events. For years I tried to make a 3D printing class happen, but it never quite clicked. Partnering with Greenhouse Social, though, opened the door to something that feels much more natural and exciting for us: plant-focused events.
We’re now working together on a series of fun classes and gatherings, including terrarium-building workshops and Plant Bingo nights.
I’m especially excited about Plant Bingo because the energy is just so fun and playful, but I also love that the terrarium classes will offer a more intimate experience where people can slow down, create something with their hands, and actually learn something new.
At the end of the day, this whole experience has reminded me that community is one of the most valuable parts of running a small business. The products matter, of course — but the people matter even more.
I’m incredibly grateful for the friendships, collaborations, and opportunities that have grown out of our time at Made Mercantile, and I can’t wait to see what grows from these connections next.