We recently connected with Malena Magnolia and have shared our conversation below.

Malena, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I have this thought regularly! Particularly, during tax season and when times are tough like they have been within the last year. During tax season, I often dream about being able to just submit a W2 to my tax professional. That would just be so simple with less time and effort! Additionally, I started my business in 2017 and had seen growth every subsequent year. 2021 was my best year on record. I became a verified top seller on Depop. I sold clothing pieces to the sets of a couple tv shows and most importantly, I was finally feeling comfortable financially. Almost immediately in early 2022, it felt like I was running a different business. Inflation in the US was high. Gas prices and groceries were outrageous. It was harder for people to get by, so everyone was buying less. My sales plummeted and 2022 was looking like my worst year on record. Over the Summer, I also moved to another state, so I had to shut down my shop for a month causing less sales and a short adjustment period. Luckily, things have drastically improved in the last couple of months, but during these rough months, I had some serious thoughts about not reopening. Since I was moving to another state, I considered starting something new—maybe a “regular job” where income was steady with less surprises. But ultimately, after the years I’ve put into this business, I felt like I owed it to myself to give it another fresh start in this new location. So far it’s paid off and overall, I do feel happier as a business owner, because it gives me the freedom and flexibility I need.

Malena, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have an online shop called Burning Magnolias, where I mostly sell vintage clothing and accessories. It’s wild to think I’ve been reselling vintage for 13 years now! While I was in art school, I started working in a used clothing store when I was 19 and eventually, became a buyer for the store. The public would come sell things to us, but I would also do house visits and source around Milwaukee and Chicago for new inventory. After a few years, I moved to Virginia and worked as an assistant manager in a similar store. It was after this job that I decided to open my own online shop after I quit to enroll a Summer art program, needing to make some extra cash. I’ve been on this journey ever since.

Something I’m very passionate about in my work is sustainability. Sustainability for ourselves, for the environment, and where these two things intersect. It’s no secret that when we feel our best, we do our best. One small, yet significant sliver of feeling our best is putting our best foot forward in our presentation to the world. I think most of us can think of moments where we put on an outfit that made us feel like a million bucks, boosting our confidence. It’s hard to do our best if we lack confidence. I love providing unique pieces to people that inspire joy and confidence while also lasting a lifetime. This brings me to the intersection of how our personal style affects the environment. Fast fashion is now one of the biggest polluters of our planet. Now more than ever, it’s important to invest in clothing pieces that we’ll love and will last years to come. Holding onto our clothes for longer periods of time is one of the most impactful things we can do on an individual level to help curb the effects of fast fast on the environment. Most clothing that’s made now is not made well or made to last like it used to be and when it is, there’s a huge chunk of the population who can’t afford it. I’m passionate about keeping clothing out of landfills, giving it another shot at a lifetime of love and use, while making well-made clothing more affordable and accessible to my shoppers. I love finding clothing for a variety of styles and I strive to be size and gender inclusive with the things I find. I’ve also been moving towards more eco-friendly packaging as my shop grows as well.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

As I mentioned, I quit my full-time job to participate in a Summer art program. When it ended, I needed to pay my bills fast. With the very little money in my pocket, I bought clothes from a warehouse where you buy by the pound. I sold some to my old store of employment and started my Depop shop. Much to my surprise, I was able to pay my bills that month, but I didn’t know if I could do it full-time or how I long wanted to do it at all. This was never something I planned on doing or thought was in the cards for me. I never wanted to own a business and I kind of started it on a whim out of necessity. So, I got a part time sales position at a custom apparel company I used to screen print for and sold clothes on the side for a year.

My partner then got a job offer in Indiana and in a whirlwind, we got married and moved across the country. He was making a little more money and we had more space in our house, so I decided I was going to try taking my business full time. We couldn’t live off his income alone, so the pressure to succeed was still there, but we agreed it was worth the risk. Having his support and believing in me helped me get to where I am now. During the times my business struggles, he reminds me of my accomplishments and encourages me to push on. I’ve found that surrounding yourself with people who support you and want to see you succeed can have a huge impact on your business. I owe a lot of my success to the love and support of my friends and family, who’ve bought things, shared on social media, and encouraged me along the way.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Consistently providing quality, unique pieces with hard work over time while cultivating long lasting relationships. There are people I’ve met through reselling and have stayed in touch with for over ten years. I think by now, they know my passion and experience in this market. I cherish these long relationships more than people know. And there are other resellers who I’ve become close with where we’re constantly bouncing ideas off of one another and want to see each other succeed.

Another important aspect of this is providing top notch customer service. I always strive to give my buyers a positive experience. I also believe in remembering that my customers are human beings above anything else. This reminds me to always give them the benefit of the doubt, to stay kind and compassionate, and to stay in touch when applicable. I have a lot of repeat customers, because I put care into my products, packaging, and communication. I love seeing the things my customers do with what they buy from me and their other life endeavors. Likewise, I think they appreciate that a real person is on the other side who cares.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://depop.com/burningmagnolias
• Instagram: @burningmagnoliasshop

Image Credits
Evan Hume and Burning Magnolias