Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Broussard.
Sara, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Hey Birdie started as a DIY project for my home. I had a narrow space in my living room that I wanted something special for. I created my first wall hanging in that space and my friends started asking me about it, which lead to me making similar pieces for their homes. After a while, I thought that maybe I could actually do something with this, so I decided to start my Etsy shop! I knew if I was going to do it, I wanted to do it right. My incredibly talented friend, Sarah Miller, helped with my branding and photographing my pieces. Thankfully, I have a background in marketing and social media, as well as a degree in fashion and retail management, which helped with the business side of things. I never thought there would be as much interest in my pieces as there is now and I am continually working to create new designs to offer to my customers. One of my favorite ventures has been joining an amazing roster of makers and artisans at Bespoke HTX. I’ve also really enjoyed becoming a part of such a welcoming community of makers in the Houston area.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. There have been some late nights, some overwhelming moments, but I would say it’s gotten somewhat smoother as I’ve made mistakes, learned from those mistakes, and figured out a more consistent workflow. My biggest piece of advice would be to just do it. I’ve put off so many things over the years because I was afraid to fail. With this, I just jumped in and started working to create my brand before I even had time to think about all the ways in which I could fail. Even now, I have moments in which I’m unsure of things, but I remind myself that I’ve gotten this far and I feel encouraged to keep moving forward.
what should we know about Hey Birdie? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I create bohemian wall hangings, with a modern, minimalist twist. I know that there are a lot of makers out there who create something similar, so I try to set myself apart by creating unique designs. Quite a few of my clients have purchased my pieces to hang in their child’s room or baby’s nursery. My pieces were not initially designed with this purpose in mind, but I love it! I’ve had babies on the brain for a couple years now, so it’s no wonder that came through in my creative process! I love seeing photos of how customers have styled my pieces in their homes and it’s fulfilling knowing that my design might be the perfect unique piece they needed to complete their space.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Networking doesn’t come naturally to me. I have social anxiety, which can sometimes make it really difficult to get out of my comfort zone and get to know others in the creative community. Even though I was scared, I knew it was important to put myself out there and to get to know other Houston makers. It’s turned out to be the most rewarding part of this whole journey. Everyone in the community has been so welcoming and kind and it’s a delight to see that when other industries can be so competitive.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/shopheybirdie
- Email: shopheybirdie@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/shopheybirdie
- Facebook: facebook.com/shopheybirdie
Image Credit:
Sarah Miller Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
