Our Story
After 7 years of dating, Shaun finally agreed to marry me. Eager to tie the knot before he changed his mind, I threw together a quick courthouse wedding (it was also the middle of the pandemic). Two weeks later, we closed on our first home. We put every dollar we had in to our down payment, so we didn't have much to work with when it came to working on our new home.
We were looking for ways to make some extra money and on the hunt for inexpensive items for our new home. That's when we started spending all of our extra time going to thrift stores, estate sales, and garage sales. Our initial goal was to flip furniture and make content for social media from it. We quickly realized that perhaps our personalities weren't meant to work collaboratively on furniture restoration together. We found ourselves putting off projects while still filling the basement and garage with used furniture (all of which is still down there, haha).
I wasn't finding much joy in sanding old tables, but I was finding joy in learning about all of the beautiful vintage items that caught my eye when we were out thrifting. So, I started grabbing items I loved for our home. Shortly after, I started running out of places to put them.
We still desperately needed money, so I told myself that I needed to start selling some things if I wanted to keep enjoying the hunt. I began listing items on eBay, Poshmark, and Mercari. That was going so well that I knew the next step would be a website. With years of social media experience under my belt from previous businesses, I knew it was a smart move to start a social media presence alongside a website. What I didn't realize was that there was a whole world of small businesses out there using their Instagram pages as their online stores. So, I started listing items on there. There were good and bad months, but overall, I was shocked to see the response. The orders kept me busy enough that I've been putting off making this website for 2 years.
In July of 2023, I started consistently holding live sales on Instagram, which really allowed the business to grow in ways I could have never imagined. That growth offered Shaun the opportunity to come on full time, who brings years of shipping, business, and marketing experience to the table.
The best thing that has come out of selling on Instagram is the community we've built. Not just of people buying our Gem Finds, but people who are rooting for our success, followers who are genuinely excited to see what we've found each week, and customers that have turned into friends. That fact that we are here still feels unreal and I am filled with so much gratitude for the business YOU have played such a huge role in helping us build.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be my own boss, work from home while watching my niece, and do something I love with my husband. We work a crazy amount of hours each week, but this business is so rewarding and fulfilling. It is the best feeling ever to see you style your Gem Finds in your homes and to witness the joy they bring to you.
We still haven't gotten very many home projects done, but we have sold and shipped thousand of vintage items and we're so excited about where our journey has taken us. We can't wait to see what gems we can help you find for your home!
- Allyn (and Shaun)
