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TEXAS – When Sarah Miller, 34, started making cement planters, decorating her Austin apartment was just a fun project.
“I’m very interested in creating things with my hands,” said Miller. “Everyone is doing things right now. My friends are moving into a new home, they are getting married, they are having babies, they are doing all of these big life events, right? This is such an age that I am. So if I do this for myself and I like it, I now have a blueprint of things to give to other people. “
She started giving away the planters and was surprised by the reaction.
“My friends here are the ones who said they started making inquiries,” Miller said. “‘I have to give something to my child’s teacher, can you do that for me? I would like it in plum’ and I say: ‘Yes, I can.'”
Miller took bespoke orders for friends and family, and sold pieces on her website, “Awkward Auntie,” which she believes originally started as a blog to document her experience as an aunt for her seven nieces and nephews and friends’ children.
“I love these little babies, these children so, so much. And that’s why it started as a blog because it was just about talking about some kind of group of people who I think are valued but also kind of forgot … especially women who don’t have children. I think we still have such a special place in our hearts for these kids, and that’s why I just wanted to yell at the other aunts out there, you know who, who make a huge difference in these children’s lives, “Miller said.” Me always said my best role was being an aunt … the role is just thinking about who you are and who you want to be and realizing that people are watching and really want to make you proud. “
So in 2019 she stepped out of her comfort zone and started selling in local markets.
“You introduce yourself out there in a completely different way. You don’t just say ‘That’s me’, you say: ‘That’s me and how, I did that and I really hope you like it?’ And you just never know what the reaction will be, “Miller said.
“At my second market, I had people coming to get things because they saw that I was doing the market on Instagram or something. And that was bizarre and amazing and such a nice feeling. ‘You came here like you only came here for me?’ That’s the craziest thing. “
But that changed with the pandemic.
“I had to sort of figure out how to do it, I don’t do markets anymore,” Miller said. “I have to show as many as possible.”
A new platform to help her with this is City Shoppe, a website where people can shop with local artisans in cities across the country.
“With local makers and local businesses, you can really see what the city is about because they represent the character of the city,” said Ash Cintas, founder and CEO of City Shoppe.
However, she says the idea goes beyond discovering local artisans and unique products, and also supports small businesses and the local economy.
“Economically, when you buy something locally, most of your money stays in this local community. So this goes to your infrastructure, this goes to your public schools, this goes to your hospitals So it’s a great thing, just plain to find great products, but the real point is that the dollar in your own community that you live in continues to give you a great city that has everything you need to take care of your people “, said Cintas.
Miller says the support from City Shoppe and other female small business owners has been incredible.
“I think I was expecting a cutthroat situation because it is so in a lot of other areas. But it was such a collective of great women,” Miller said.
“I almost got pride through proxy, just like these people doing amazing things, trying things out and supporting each other, and in this way that I had never seen before made me proud to be part of the group that they did support.” , made me proud to be a business owner here in Austin. “
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