We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mary Baude a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mary, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Taking risks is such a huge part of being a small business owner.

About a year ago, I decided to take a leap of faith and move from the small studio that had been Whitetail’s home for years to our large showroom and design firm on Main Street in Chelsea, MI. My team and I spent the Summer of 2022 renovating. It was a busy few months of designing, working with trades, and schlepping everything from our tiny studio (and storage units) to Chelsea in an effort to make the new space our own.

I had dreamt of having a larger spot to show off Whitetail’s aesthetic, styling and design work for years; a welcoming environment to host design clients and customers.

When we opened our doors in September of 2022, our team was thrilled (and so, so tired!) Since then, it has been a journey complete with huge ups, some downs and a ton of learning. Most of all, I feel so lucky to share the business I love and so grateful for all the hard work my team has done to make our new home so special. It was a risk well-worth taking!

Mary, 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?

Originally from Muskegon, I spent years moving around the country raising my daughters before settling back in my home state to create Whitetail in 2016.

I have worked in the design industry for about 25 years, even owning a home store in Minnesota at one point. I have always had a passion for creating environments that are as beautiful as they are welcoming. I remember rearranging my bedroom over and over as a little girl. Things haven’t changed too much since! My love for helping people create “home” in their lives has remained the goal throughout the evolution of Whitetail. I knew when I put down roots back in Michigan, it was time to open the shoppe and studio I had been dreaming up for years!

Since we opened our doors, Whitetail has grown into a full-service design firm and showroom, employing a talented all-female team. Our showroom offers a curated collection of furniture, decor, vintage and even clothing and accessories. We are a true home and lifestyle shoppe. We take pride in offering everything needed to create beauty and inspiration in our customers’ surroundings.

Whether you spend time perusing our shoppe or enlist the help of our interior design team, we’re known for our refreshing, yet classic aesthetic and our overall goal of helping our clients create spaces where they can feel comfortable, relaxed and welcome their families and friends with confidence.

Whitetail offers a comprehensive list of interior design services from consulting and styling to turn-key installation. We are dedicated to bringing a keen attention to detail to every project and selection. Helping homeowners realize their dream spaces is truly our calling.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Our best source will always be word of mouth from existing clients. We are lucky to have worked with so many amazing homeowners over the years who have graciously referred friends and family to us. Creating this network around Whitetail has been so integral to our success and growth as an interior design firm.

Our showroom is also a great “proof of concept” for our design business. Customers can shop, chat with our design team and learn about the process of working with us. Potential clients can sit on the furniture we love and experience our aesthetic and it makes them feel. We feel so lucky when customers of the showroom become design clients!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I feel like pivoting is one of the major tenets of small business ownership! Over the years, we’ve had to pivot a few times in order to keep Whitetail relevant to our customers’ needs and, frankly, to keep money coming in.

COVID was so tough on small businesses. It was a year (plus) of pivoting for Whitetail. Early in 2020, before businesses were asked to close their doors, we had signed onto opening a larger space next door to our original studio. We were just about to start renovations when the country literally closed down. Through a lot of soul searching, I decided to cancel that project. I couldn’t justify taking on such a large build-out with so much uncertainty in the future. It was tough. My team was excited about expanding and had been designing the space for weeks. We thought we had found a solution to growing the business, and were forced to pivot in order to maintain what we had already built.

We spent the next several months working remotely and trying to keep morale up in the face of pretty desperate times. Looking back, I’m proud of how my team and I handled those challenges and that we survived such an insane year. Pivoting away from that buildout eventually led us to our home in Chelsea and so many amazing opportunities. It was hard to see how things might pan out back then, but I’m so glad we stuck it out, made some hard decisions and got to where we are today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shoppewhitetail.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoppe.whitetail/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoppewhitetail
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shoppewhitetail/

Image Credits
Marta Perez