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

Hi Sally, thanks for joining us today. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Almost a year ago I was invited to teach a workshop at an upscale women’s retreat where I was unexpectedly shown how much skill I have when compared to someone just starting off. The retreat leader put a lot of trust in me and my vision for the workshop.

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

I use my adventures in the back country and in rockhounding as inspiration to embroider hats and other wearable art pieces. I named my business after a small creek that flows from the continental divide that feeds so many other water systems. I am named after a private amethyst claim that was named after that Creek. It’s story is deeply intertwined with my own. This creek is small but mighty, and epitome of being small but making great impact.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn that if someone doesn’t like what I make, that it is not a representation of my value.

Can’t please em all taken to a new level.

Just something I’ve picked up over the years of making and selling my art publicly.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I started out making a hat for an old partner and then my friends wanted their own and then their friends… it really just expanded from there. Between my embroidery and the lapidary I also do I’ve been working for myself for one whole year!

What finalized it was I got fired from my first job ever and the next week I suffered an injury that prevented me from doing the same work I had previously been doing, so I was able to rely on my own art to help me through that time and I just never stopped!

Contact Info:

• Website: Sallyanncreekco.com
• Instagram: Instagram/sallyanncreekco
• Facebook: Facebook.com/sallyanncreekco

Image Credits
Taylor Barrett Photography