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

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

I definitely believe in taking vacations. No matter if it’s a solo trip, with friends, or a getaway in your city, take time to step away from work. Sometimes we don’t realize how much a break is needed until we get one.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Sure, I have a small business I named The Nostalgic Place. I began collecting enamel pins as a hobby during the Covid-19 pandemic. I realized there were not many pins showing representation of Black Culture. Since I didn’t see representation, I decided to create representation. So you’ll see a lot of 90’s and 00’s references, some Black Girl Magic, things that resonate with my childhood, so enjoy the ride.

I’ve expanded since 2021 with a candle line called Saturday Morning Cartoons that includes candles and wax melts. Customers love that the cereal candle comes in an actual bowl with a spoon. Both smell exactly like fruity pebbles. I’ve gotten to finally play around with some apparel this summer by introducing Hoochie Daddy Shorts (yes you read that right) to the nostalgia brand. I can’t wait to come out with more customs. I’ve recently dabbled in creating faux leather keychains as well. Those will be coming to the website soon. I’m so proud of the growth of my business and can’t wait to add more products.

My proudest moment so far is having the creator of Craig of Creek reach out to me to order the pin for the cast and crew. It’s always cool to be recognized for your craft and to actually have people like what you put out. Let’s see if we can get Missy Elliott to grab a Supa Dupa Fly pin next!

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

It’s funny because a lot of people think I make my enamel pins from home. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to explain the process to them. It isn’t something I can make on my own, let alone just a singular pin. Custom pins have to be bought in bulk and the turnaround time isn’t instant. It takes a few months to receive the final product from start to finish.

When I first started researching how to make my own pins I learned myself that they do start with a manufacturer. I had some help with my pin family to get started. But Alibaba is a really great place to look. You can narrow down your options on what you’re looking for, how long that manufacturer has been in business, their ratings, etc. You’ll learn very quickly that if you aren’t detailed in explaining what you need then you won’t get the results you want to achieve. You don’t have to be afraid to ask them to fix something because they want the product to come out perfect just like you do. It’s definitely a team effort. Another lesson I’ve learned is timing. If you’re wanting to come out with a pin for December you shouldn’t start the process in October. Give yourself and the manu plenty of time to make sure everything is right. Down to details of color, size, etc. And always get a sample. I have to always get a sample so I can have a visual of what my final product will look like.

I can’t say I’ve found the perfect one for myself yet, it’s almost a never ending journey, but I’m very satisfied with the results I’ve gotten back so far.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I’m definitely still building my social media audience. In June I hit over 1000 followers. Keep in mind I started in 2021. It’s more about quality over quantity to me though. A lot of my followers come from all over and we have conversations all the time about my products, something I might post on my stories that’ll trigger a memory, or just checking in. A lot of them have become friends honestly.

I started my Instagram page first. With the help of my pin family they were able to show off my products on their page and in their stories. From there the new followers would do the same and it would just grow from there. It’s pretty much the same formula with Facebook and TikTok. Word of mouth goes a long way as well as ads. Be patient and trust the process. It’s better to have the right audience than random people who don’t engage at all with your page.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thenostalgicplace.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_thenostalgicplace/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063633077973
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@_thenostalgicplace

Image Credits

Herman Prater Jr.
Nathan Gayle