We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dayna Daberkoe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dayna below.
Dayna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
I get asked about my brands name often, it really intrigues people so it’s a great conversation starter. When I decided to start my own business for my art I knew it had to be simple and catchy, but also something that I identified with personally. With the heart of my brand stemming from European folklore, I wanted it to incorporate my German roots. I was out driving one day playing with words aloud, and it came to me. My favorite animal is a fawn, and the word ‘haus’ in German meaning house, I thought how clever — Fawn Haus sounds like a play on words of ‘Fun House’. The moment it clicked I could feel an internal shift where I knew Fawn Haus was born. Having an iconic brand name has not only set me apart, but allows me to let Fawn Haus be whatever I want it to be. I’m not confined to a specific product, style, or aesthetic— it will always grow and evolve with me throughout my life which makes it very freeing as an artist.
Dayna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I have been an artist my entire life, as young as I can remember I’ve always enjoyed creating art and felt it was my calling. During 2020 when I was laid off from my retail job I was able to tune back into creating again and that’s when my passion for art was reignited. There was never going to be a perfect time to take the risk, so I decided to put all my focus and energy into starting my own business to get my art out into the world. My brand started as all individually hand painted items, but I learned to work smarter and not harder by offering more products such as stickers, prints, candles, apparel, etc of my designs. My goal is to create a lifestyle brand, where Fawn Haus isn’t simply just my artwork, but more of an aesthetic, a community, a state of mind. My fans are so loyal to Fawn Haus for those exact reasons— I’ve created a world that they want to live in and feel connected to. I couldn’t feel more fulfilled by the love and support I’ve gotten the last 4 years. Fawn Haus wouldn’t be where it is today without this community who has helped me grow and evolve this brand into what I always knew it could be.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
I think the hardest part of starting a business is figuring out how to build a fan base and getting your brand introduced to the public. I started off just listing my art on Etsy and advertising on my personal socials, but it wasn’t until I started doing local events and markets that I started to gain traction. Physically getting my art out into the public made all the difference because it’s being shown to countless faces, where many are intrigued and delighted by it. I’ve always had a creative mind and knew I wanted to offer a memorable experience for my guests, so I began creating immersive displays. I simply could not just place my products on a table and expect them to sell, they deserved more than that. I’m known for my over the top booth set up’s where I immerse my customers in a moment tailored to whatever current collections I have available. Plucking a faerie candle from a bed of moss, or a fishing lure bookmark from a vintage tackle box is a much more exciting and memorable experience. My current Summer Collection features my hand made fish charm keychains, and I decided to showcase them on a tray of faux ice to replicate a fresh market. I love story telling with my art, it makes the shopping experience fun and inviting for customers. Creating this standard for my brand has helped me quickly gain a lasting fan base who not only remembers my business, but are always eager to see what’s next.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think sticking to my brand values will always create success within my business. Quality standards for my product have been a top priority because I take so much pride in what I create. I would never put my name on something if it was anything less than perfect in my eyes. Much thought and creativity goes into what I make, so the standard for those products are extremely high. Once customers are exposed to my creations, like a one of a kind hand painted trinket box, or a Fawn Haus Fragrance Experience candle, they instantly see what makes them so different and special. Quality doesn’t just end with the products themselves, but also creating a personable interaction and building rapport with my guests is just as important. I get to know my customers in a very genuine and authentic way. A majority of them feel like friends because we end up bonding over much more than just my art. It’s a pleasure to get to learn about their lives and feel like they’re going through this journey with me. My goal is to always make my followers feel seen and heard. By personalizing my thank you notes for online orders, shouting them out on my socials, or surprising them with a free item added to their purchase is my way of showing how much I appreciate them. My brand welcomes everyone, and being honest and authentic from the start has helped build a strong foundation for the brand and it’s reputation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Fawnhaus.com
- Instagram: @fawnhaus_
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/fawnhaus
Image Credits
Dayna Daberkoe