We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jess Brickner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jess below.

Alright, Jess thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

Owning a business has been a dream of mine since I was young—I just never knew exactly how I’d get there. But one thing was always clear: I had a passion for crafting, upcycling, thrifting, and turning “one man’s trash” into a true treasure. I loved the thrill of the hunt—finding unique pieces to refresh sustainably or décor to bring new life to my home.

This love for thrifting was something I shared with my friend Annette. We always dreamed of running our own business, and one day, we had a lightbulb moment: Why not blend our love for fashion, sustainability, and community into something bigger? So, in 2024, we bet on ourselves and launched The Sass Pot Shop.

Before setting any big goals, we focused on crafting a mission statement—something that truly reflected who we are and why we do what we do. With that in place, we hit the ground running. The next few months were a whirlwind of dedication and hustle. After our 9-to-5 jobs, we met up to source inventory, brainstorm strategies for the summer, and reach out to local spots where we could showcase our finds. We knew this journey would require sacrifices, but we were all in.

Summer 2024 was nothing short of exhilarating—we participated in over 20 markets and pop-up events! As we built connections and gained experience, an unexpected but incredible opportunity came our way: just eight months after launching, we secured our first brick-and-mortar store. It felt surreal—our hard work was paying off!

Of course, there were plenty of challenges along the way. We had to get creative with inventory storage, maximize space in our cars for market setups, and crack the code on marketing and social media growth. Then came the fun (but daunting) tasks of designing our store layout, researching trends, and curating high-quality pieces. Every step has been a learning experience, but that’s what makes this journey so exciting!

Through it all, one thing remains true: we love what we do, and we can’t wait to see where this adventure takes us next.

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.

The Sass Pot Shop was born from our mutual love for thrifting and fashion. We knew we had something special to offer—not just in sourcing amazing pieces but also in giving back to our community. That’s why we decided to donate a portion of our sales to local charities that are near and dear to us. Stylish finds and making a difference? It doesn’t get better than that!

Our shop features a thoughtfully curated selection of clothing—from current trends to vintage gems—along with jewelry, accessories, and décor. But one of our favorite services? Our curated boxes!

So, what’s a curated box?
A curated box is a personalized collection of clothing and accessories, handpicked just for you! When you order a box, we work closely with you to understand your style and aesthetic, ensuring that every piece makes you look and feel like the best version of yourself. Think of it as having your very own personal thrift shopper—minus the hassle!

How We Make a Difference
Shopping for yourself isn’t always easy, and that’s where we come in. Our curated boxes take the stress out of finding your personal style, making fashion more accessible and fun. We love helping people express themselves through clothing while promoting sustainable shopping practices.

But what we’re most proud of? The impact we’ve made in just one year. Thanks to our amazing customers, we’ve been able to donate 10% of our sales to nonprofits supporting local foster families and have even helped send several students to summer camp. Knowing that we’re able to do what we love and give back—it’s truly the best feeling.

The Sass Pot Shop is more than just a shop; it’s a movement—a place where fashion, sustainability, and community come together. And we’re just getting started!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Ironically, just a few weeks ago, we faced the perfect example of a time we had to pivot—and fast!

We had partnered with a nonprofit to raise money for their cause, and our big idea? A styling event focused on building a sustainable, capsule wardrobe. All ticket sales were going straight to the nonprofit, and we were so excited. We marketed like crazy, ran ads, invited our friends… everything was set.

Except for one small problem—zero tickets sold.

With crunch time approaching, we knew we couldn’t let this organization down. So, we pivoted. Instead of canceling, we rallied other small businesses in our building and put together amazing raffle baskets. We switched gears and turned our event into a shopping experience where customers could buy raffle tickets while they shopped.

We had no idea if it would work, but we took the chance—and it paid off! We hit our fundraising goal and proved that sometimes, the best solutions come from thinking on your feet.

The lesson? Pivoting isn’t failure—it’s just a different path to success. Sometimes, stepping back and reassessing is exactly what it takes to make your goal happen. And in this case, it led to an even bigger win!

How’d you meet your business partner?

Back in 2022, I started volunteering with high school students at my local church—never realizing that it would lead me to meet the future co-founder of our shop!

When Annette and I first crossed paths, we instantly bonded over our shared passion for helping others, especially the youth in our community. As we got to know each other, we discovered we had so many mutual interests—fashion, thrifting, sustainability, and of course, dreaming big.

And that’s when the lightbulb moment happened. Why not turn our shared passions into something bigger? Just like that, the idea for The Sass Pot Shop was born! What started as a simple connection grew into an incredible journey—one that’s still unfolding in the most exciting ways!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thesasspotshop

Image Credits

Nedean Elias