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

Jess, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?

I would love for the education system to make owning your own business less scary, yes it’s a lot of work, but it can be very profitable if you hustle and put your heart and souls into it. I hate that straight off to college or into a trade is always the answer, because I know just as you know that 18 is not when you know exactly what you want or where your life should be. I think the constant push for a 9-5 job after 4 years of college should be an option but not the only one. If you attend a graduation these days many of the students say accounting, nursing or teaching and I’m just curious as to why… why not give the young people a push to follow their dreams to allow them to chase their creative minds. To open a way for them to grow as they grow. To let them know they can start something from nothing and watch it thrive and pay their bills. The way social media is backing all these small businesses these days and promoting them it’s hard not to chase your dreams.

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?

My whole life I knew I wanted to work with Art. As a young kid I thought that meant I had to be an artist or an Art teacher. I never thought in a million years that owning a couple creative businesses would be my form of Art. I struggled a bit in high school thinking I needed to fit some sort of mold, being brought up Around my family gave me my love for the hustle! A mom I will always look up to, and a hustlin dad who constantly was creating new businesses and ways to make a living. I was told in school that You HAD to goto college to make a good living, so I panicked and went to floral design school where I got a degree in floriculture and design. Thinking that was it, that’s my calling. Opened a tiny flower shop in my hometown right after I graduated, ran it for 5 years after knowing it wasn’t what my soul desired I sadly shut it down and was self employed crushed. I then went to work at a garden center for fun for the summer where I met my husband. He brought me back to life! We then traveled to flea markets and sales buying and selling furniture & antiques. It started slowly and then we began to urn for the trade. The idea of buying something and bringing it back to life and then allowing others to purchase and appreciate their beauty was it! I had now found my calling, my Form of Art. It slowly turned into a business I am so proud of, not many people can say they built a brand holding their best friends hand, but I take so much pride in it! We built our little company from the ground up and now own a couple sister companies such as our baby brand “The Opal Brand” our floral design company “STJ designs” and our Wedding Venue “The Sanctuary” We love being self employed and the opportunities it gives us to be home and enjoy time with our 6 kids. Our life may be a little chaotic at times but I wouldn’t trade this chaos for anything.
With all that being said I try my hardest to help other makers and shakers be reminded you don’t have to know exactly what you’re doing, you just have to put your heart and soul into it. That’s what shows up in the details that’s your niche. Others will follow any business or form of Art you have because they will see all of you in it.

Our business Motto is
“Putting History Back into Homes”

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My six children drive me, they make me always want to be better. They make me strive to do more and create more to provide a good life for them and to make me a better woman knowing I created a safe loving environment for them. I want them to grow up knowing that you can start or create anything. That starting a small business is terrifying but doable. That their wild ideas aren’t just nothing and that anything can be turned into a company if they put their heart and souls into it.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of my company is the way it pushes me out of my bubble. I do have a bit of Social Anxiety and will want to stay home but my shows make me get out there and meet new people that love the way we design and work. The clients we have made and the way the people talk about our displays and space at the markets is beyond rewarding. To know that our wild and crazy ideas make people happy and give them ideas of ways to design in their own homes is what it’s really all about. I don’t do my job to make a million dollars I do it for me, for the way a customer finds something that’s 100 years old and just falls in love or it triggers a Memory of their life that they want to display in their own homes. That the wild wooden workbench we bought out of a farmers attic that we’ve cleaned up worked on and put out for sale will then be in someone’s kitchen, making new memories in someone else’s home. The customers appreciation for our found goods and the fact we brought something back to life is the most rewarding part of our business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.smalltownjunk.Ecwid.com
• Instagram: Small.town.junk
• Other: @the.sanctuary.venue @the.opal.brand

Image Credits
Brianna Purvis