We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Haley Fitzgerald a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Haley , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I first knew I wanted to pursue my creative path professionally in 2017, as a hunter and outdoorswoman I hunt to eat. I grew tired of throwing away the feathers and hide of the animals that I harvest for food and began this mission driven business around whole animal utilization. I create accessories out of the sustainably harvested materials. Anything from hat accessories to bow ties and pocket squares. I have a unique line of products that is ever growing and every piece is one of a kind. Spruced Plume has been a side hustle for many years. Starting as just offering wholesale products by work of mouth to building out selling and marketing platforms of my own to sell direct to customer. I have seen steady and organic growth with the more time and commitment I have invested into the business. It was through an accident that I gained clarity around wanting to pursue my creative path full-time. I have what some would consider to be an adventurous and potentially high risk lifestyle and hobbies, I am always on the go. On July 5th, 2023, I was in a horse wreck on my 3 year old horse in the back country. I ended up with 8 staples in my head, I broke my T3 and T4 on my spine, tore my outer proximal hamstrings and tore through my biceps femoris muscle. I was pulled out by search and rescue, scheduled surgery and was laid out for several weeks. At this point I worked a full time job and in my spare time kept Spruced Plume going, my passion and mission driven business as a side hustle. Needless to say I was forced to slow down. My afternoons and weekends were couch bound. I committed all of the time that I would have otherwise been participating in activities and went down the rabbit hole of creativity. When my accident and then surgery first took place it felt more like a punishment then a gift but through having nothing else to do but work with my hands I was able to start making greater volume of products, selling more, create new designs, and see my own capacity to accomplish greater goals with my business in a meaningful way. This clarity around my own capabilities and understanding the demand for Spruced Plume products allowed me push past my fear around leaving my full time job and committing to myself and my business as my main endeavor.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Spruced Plume is a mission driven, women-owned small business that creates accessories from sustainably harvested materials. As a lifelong hunter and outdoorswoman I hunt to eat and grew tired of throwing away the feathers and hide of the animals I harvest for food. My accessories line includes hat bands, magnetic hat pieces (plumes), feathered trucker hats, lapel pieces, pocket square and bowties all made from sustainably sourced material through my hunting excursions. I under no circumstance buy feathers or hide. If I were to run out of materials I would be done creating pieces until the next hunting season. I am originally from a rural town in Virginia that is equestrian focused. The first product I ever made was a pin backed feathered hat accessory that was inspired by race day culture around the steeple chase races that happen annually in the region. Those pin backed hat accessories I call Plumes are now magnetic and my product line has grown as well as taken on a western twist since I moved to Wyoming a decade ago. Every piece that I create is unique, the style may be the same but I never remake a piece twice. I love this about my business and I am proud of my mission. When I started Spruced Plume I had never seen anyone making products quite like mine and although I am seeing this niche grow, I remain the only creative around feathered accessories that focuses on whole animal utilization.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Thanks to the virtual world and social platforms there are so many ways to support artists and creatives as well as connect with them. By shopping small and choosing to support the creative community you are opting to consider where your hard earned dollars are going and create ethical pathways around purchases. Yes, it is easy to go to a box store to find gifts or personal items and you may pay less but by supporting the creative ecosystem you are supporting the story, craft and individual behind the dream and business. Other than online support there are so many local Makers Markets all over the United States which are easy to find and a great way to support local artists and connect in person.

How did you build your audience on social media?

When it comes to social media I focus on organic growth and building a community within my following. As a hunter I have received backlash around my practices in sourcing materials. Although, my business is mission-driven around whole animal utilization it would be more digestible for some If I bought feathers and hide off of amazon than source them myself through hunting practices even though it is the same outcome for the animal. I am very transparent about my process and mission and it does not align with everyone. Therefore, cultivating a following that believes in my mission and wants to support my greater goals around conservation, sustainability and using the whole animal is key. I do not fish for just anyone to follow my platform and I am not casting a wide net. I am curating organic growth and a community of repeat customers that feel good about supporting me and my creative endeavors. My marketing strategies and engagement is centered around my customers referring my business because they believe in it and understand the quality and the story behind the products I create. If you are just starting off focus on growing a core group of customers or followers it may be a smaller audience but engage with them regularly through messaging and story telling and let them get to know you. When customers or followers feel connected to you they begin to represent your products on your behalf. I also recommend investing in high quality images and breathing life into your brand through storytelling imagery. You automatically elevate your product if you associate it with a lifestyle and make sure it is accurately represented through high quality imagery.

Contact Info:

• Website: sprucedplume.com
• Instagram: @sprucedplume

Image Credits
Elisabeth Kokesh for personal photo and Bunni Bishop for all other photos.