Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marcie Arriaga. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Marcie, thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was leaving my full-time career in property management to pursue my small business, Mighty Oak Designs, full time. With four children and the security of a steady paycheck, it was a decision that felt both exciting and terrifying.

Owning my own business is something I dreamed about since I was a little girl. I always knew I wanted to create something of my own, but turning that dream into reality meant taking a leap of faith and trusting that all of the hard work would be worth it.

What started as a leap of faith with Mighty Oak Designs eventually led me to opening The Wild Grove Collective. Along the way, I found something I never expected: a community of fellow small business owners who truly understand the challenges, sacrifices, and joys that come with entrepreneurship. Having people around you who just “get it” is invaluable.

I could not have taken that leap without my husband, Nick. From the beginning, he has been my biggest supporter and encourager. When I doubted myself, he reminded me of what was possible. His belief in me gave me the confidence to take that risk, and I can honestly say that The Wild Grove Collective would not exist in Woodland without his support.

Looking back, leaving my stable career was one of the scariest decisions I’ve ever made, but it was also one of the most rewarding. It taught me that sometimes the biggest risks lead to the greatest opportunities.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Marcie Arriaga, a 37-year-old wife, mama of four, and lifelong Woodland resident. I was born and raised right here in Woodland, California, and I’m a lover of all things spicy and coffee.

I grew up with hardworking parents who instilled a strong work ethic in me from a young age. While I never knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always knew I wanted to work for myself someday. I’ve always been creative and artistic. Some of my favorite childhood memories are spending hours in our garage painting Bob Ross-inspired landscapes on scrap pieces of wood my dad brought home from construction jobs.

I was fortunate enough to graduate high school a semester early and began my career in the coffee industry, where I spent the next 17 years in various roles. Even while working full-time, I was constantly creating and selling handmade items to friends and family. Creativity was always part of who I was.

In 2021, I officially launched Mighty Oak Designs. At first, I didn’t have a specific niche and spent my weekends participating in craft fairs and markets. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the small business community and the connections that came with it.

After taking a short break in 2023 to welcome my youngest daughter, I found myself eager to create again. That’s when I discovered my passion for preserving locally picked flowers in resin. I spent evenings after work and weekends building inventory, learning the craft, and growing my business. When my first market back earned more than two weeks of pay from my full-time job in property management, I was shocked. When it happened again at the next market, my husband looked at me and said, “Just quit your job.”

So I did.

With my husband’s encouragement and support, I left the security of my full-time career and pursued Mighty Oak Designs full time. I focused on getting my products into local shops, participating in multiple markets each week, planning vendor events, and helping other small businesses with marketing. Before long, my products were being carried in ten different brick-and-mortar stores.

Then an opportunity appeared that felt too perfect to ignore.

The storefront of my dreams became available right on Main Street.

Growing up, I spent many summers in the redwoods of Sebastopol, a place that always brought me peace and comfort. When I envisioned opening a store, I wanted it to feel the same way. The Wild Grove Collective was inspired by that feeling: dark woods, abundant greenery, warm gold accents, and a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels at home. One of my fellow small business owners even handcrafted beautiful redwood bookshelves for our book nook, bringing that vision to life.

We received the keys to the space on May 15, 2025, and hit the ground running. Just weeks later, on July 1, we opened The Wild Grove Collective with 36 vendors. Today, we’re proud to support more than 70 small businesses.

What makes The Wild Grove special isn’t just what’s on the shelves. It’s the people behind the products. Our vendors have become friends, family, and a community that supports one another through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. We understand that running a small business doesn’t stop when the workday ends. That’s why we’ve created a model that allows makers to rent space in the shop without being required to work shifts. We keep our rates affordable and take only a small commission because our goal is to help small businesses thrive.

If selling in our shop means a maker can skip one market a month, spend more time with their family, or simply have one less thing on their plate, that’s a win in our book. Supporting entrepreneurs isn’t just what we do, it’s why we do it.

The Wild Grove Collective is so much more than a store. It’s a community, and I’m incredibly grateful to be part of it.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

One of the things that makes The Wild Grove Collective unique is that we aren’t just a retail space. We have intentionally created multiple streams of income and opportunities for both our vendors and our community.

In addition to supporting over 70 small businesses through retail sales, we offer workshops, classes, and experiences that bring people together. We work closely with many of our vendors to teach hands-on workshops that allow customers to connect with the makers behind the products. Whether it’s crafting, creating, learning a new skill, or simply trying something new, these experiences help build relationships and community in a way that traditional retail can’t.

We also partner with Lilly of the Arts, a local children’s art teacher, to create fun and engaging workshops for both kids and adults. These classes provide a creative outlet while giving families and friends a chance to spend meaningful time together. Often, participants arrive as strangers and leave having made new connections within the community.

Another exciting addition to The Wild Grove Collective is Ashlynn of Ashlynn Cierra Yoga. Ashlynn offers yoga classes and sound baths that provide opportunities for relaxation, healing, and self-care. Her classes bring a completely different element to the space and have allowed us to serve community members who may not initially visit for shopping but are looking for wellness experiences and connection.

We are also fortunate to have Katrina, our in-house hairstylist. Katrina and I have known each other for many years, and when she approached me about the possibility of having a space within The Wild Grove, it felt like a perfect fit. She is an incredibly talented and experienced stylist who brings another layer of service and convenience to our customers while creating a complementary business within the collective.

The workshops, wellness offerings, and salon services do more than create additional revenue streams. They create loyalty, connection, and community. People come for a class, a yoga session, a sound bath, or a hair appointment, and they often discover local makers and small businesses they may not have otherwise encountered. More importantly, they leave feeling connected to something bigger than a store.

At its heart, The Wild Grove Collective is a place where people can gather, create, learn, relax, and support one another. Those experiences are what keep people coming back and what continue to strengthen the community we’ve built.

Any advice for managing a team?

My biggest piece of advice for managing a team and maintaining high morale is to never forget who you are, why you’re doing what you’re doing, and who you’re doing it for.

When a vendor applies to join The Wild Grove Collective, I don’t just send over paperwork. I reach out and schedule a phone call because I want to get to know them as a person. I want to hear their story, learn why they started their business, and understand what makes them passionate about their products. The better I know them and their business, the better I can support them and help sell their products.

At the end of the day, this store isn’t going to make my family millionaires, and that’s never been the goal. What it has given us is something even more valuable: lifelong friendships and a community of people who genuinely care about one another.

We make a conscious effort to keep things personal. When vendors come in to restock, we slow down and spend time catching up. When someone makes their very first sale, they usually get an excited text from us because we’re celebrating right alongside them. We cheer each other on during the wins and support each other through the challenges.

Most importantly, we have fun. We laugh together. We cry together. We vent about the realities of running a small business and celebrate the victories, big and small. Over time, the vendors at The Wild Grove Collective have become much more than business owners renting space in a store. They’ve become family.

When people feel seen, valued, and connected, morale naturally stays high. Managing a group of small business owners becomes much easier when everyone knows they’re part of something bigger than themselves. We’ve built a community rooted in support, authenticity, and shared success, and I believe that’s the reason our culture is so strong.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thewildgrovecollective.com
• Instagram: @the_wildgrove_collective