#736: Merch Like You Mean It - The Road Tested Playbook for Pop Ups That Sell Out
4 Nov 2025 · 36 min
Brianna ran a brick-and-mortar shop for 14 years before launching Wildly Midwest, a mobile boutique that hits 45 pop-up markets a year across nine states. She walks through sourcing, trailer logistics, merchandising with mannequins and mystery bags, and the practical details of hauling and selling out.
Questions this episode answers
About 45 markets per year; last year she did 42 markets in nine different states.
Started 14 years ago in Detroit with an Etsy shop making handmade baby clothes; later moved to brick-and-mortar for six years before switching to a mobile boutique and to women's clothing.
A 1987 Hallmark 16-foot trailer (retrofit for retail).
She owns nine mannequins and limits mannequins by booth size (10x10 → 2 mannequins max; 10x20 → up to 4; triple setup uses more).
Drill, zip ties, weights, tag gun, mobile barcode/printer (for on-the-go price tags).
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Hey guys, welcome back to the podcast this week. Yes, if you do pop ups, mobile events, if you're on the road, but you also need some merchandising tips to help yourself stand out. You guys, we're going to dig so deep into it. Brianna, thanks so much for being on the show today.
Thank you so much for having me.
I was just telling you I was stalking your Instagram before we got started and I was like, oh girl, we have so much to talk about today. This is going to be so fun.
Oh gosh. Yes. That's why I said when you said you were stalking my Instagram, like, oh gosh. But I'm so glad that you loved it though.
In the best way possible, I promise. Oh my gosh. So before we get into all the nuts and bolts, because we have a lot to cover, take me back to the beginning. How did you get started in the business? Where did this all come from?
Oh, gosh. So I started 14 years ago in Detroit, Etsy shop. And I was hand making baby clothes. So. So I went from an Etsy shop to a storefront. I was in a brick and mortar for six years, finally decided to close that, hopped into a mobile boutique and it's been pretty much that ever since. And a few years ago I did discontinue the children's clothes and went to women's. And that's how we see where I'm at today too, with a name change within that. So it was a lot. In the midst of all of that.
How did you decide when you made that switch? Cause I'm sure from hand making baby clothes, I, I mean that's labor intensive. You've got to protect your margins. Like that's a tough business.
It was. So when I started out again, like I said on Etsy, it was just small pieces here and there and then going into a brick and mortar, I got a chance to really find out what my demographic was. And then when you discovered your demographic and then your margins and your price points, those don't always align. And so it took me a while to figure out that Okay, I can't take six hours to. To make one baby romper because the price point that I needed to charge to make it profitable, that just was not the mark. The market wasn't there for it. And that's when I had to decide, oh, maybe this is not the path that I need to continue.
Yes, it's tough. That's a tough decision. But I feel like that's what business is, right? Like, it's finding. It's really finding that target market fit. And sometimes we have to try things that don't work for a while in order to get there, to find what the sweet spot really is.
Yes. And I was nervous because, again, like, when you start out with a business, you know, that pivot point is scary because then you feel like, for me, I feel like, oh, I'm failing. If I decide to pivot to something else, it's like, I'm disingenuous. But it took a while for me to figure like, okay, when something is not working, it's okay to switch. And that's what I've learned over the years now.
Yeah, that's exactly what you said, is you feel like you were failing, but you're not. Like, you're just uncovering the next new opportunity. So, yeah, yeah, we all need to.
Learn a little bit more. Scary. It was. It was really scary because I really did think that my customers were going to be like, oh, my gosh, no more baby clothes. Like, what's going on? But everyone was actually. It was well received when I said, like, hey, guys, we're going to be switching over. And I was like, thank you so much.
Yeah. So you must have felt like when you had the brick and mortar, you love the people and the connection piece of the brick and mortar. And how did you make that decision from, like, no more brick and mortar and then rebrand women's clothes, and then I'm going to go all in on being on the road and doing shows and events. Did something happen at the first couple shows you set up at where you were like, okay, this is where I want to be?
Yes. It was being storefront for six years. And I'm going to tell you what it was. Was. It was. I tell people, and I'm not afraid to say this now, it was struggle mode for six years, you know, struggling to find out, like, where's the customers at? Like, I don't know if other ladies have done this, but I went outside, like, did I forget to turn the open sign on? Like, where's the customers? And it Would be times where I would go a week and would be one or two customers in person. And then I'm doing pop up markets on the weekend to subsidize all of like say rent and utilities. And that's after a while it kind of like clicked like, oh, girl, why don't you just do pop up markets? Because if I'm closing my storefront on the weekend to make rent somewhere else, that's kind of like, hey, you know, yeah, this isn't making sense here. And that's what, that's where the decision came from.
Well, smart alignment, you know, you've got to go, you got to make hay while the sun shines, right? Like, you've got to get to the spot where the people are. And a lot of people, when they start in business, I mean, pop ups are the way to start. You, you hustle to figure out who your customer is going to be. You build your email list like it is the best place to really go get your feet wet. So I love that work for you.
I hate that I didn't go straight from Etsy to pop ups, you know, like, I mean, I can't be mad at the brick and mortar experience, but when I look back at it, it's like, darn, I should have just went straight to pop up. Because that really is the highlight for me. I love cupboards, being able to meet customers in person. And so doing the pop ups every weekend I get that connection with everyone. I get a chance to see them and then I have repeats that I see from the time they were pregnant and they used to buy from me. So now they're shopping for themselves with the baby in the stroller now. So it's just like a turning moment for me for sure.
Well, let's, let's get into like the nuts and the bolts of going to all the pop ups because how many pop ups are you doing a year now?
Oh, gosh. I am averaging about 45 markets a year. Last year I did 42 markets in nine different states. So I am.
Oh my.
I'm on the road.
You said 45 in nine states. That is insane and awesome.
How did you do that?
Oh, gosh. So like when I first started out, of course from being from Detroit, so I started local, right? So I did some local pop ups and then after you build up that courage, you go a little further. But for me, it was discovering who my target audience was, my demographic. And then I decided, okay, well, let me go where my demographic is. And then I just started branching out. Further and further. And so that's kind of like where it happens for me. I discovered my customer base is on a farm. You know, they are going, they putting on their Sunday's best and they are heading to the farm and, and they are shopping. And so for me that's where that connection was. And so I found great success there.
So what kind of like what markets did you start going to? And then when you kind of discovered that what are you targeting now in terms of times, types of pop ups.
It started off more so like farmer's market. Okay. And then you know, talking to customers and also other vendors, you know, you, you build that rapport. Yeah. And you talk to other vendors and they're like, oh, I'm going to be at such and such place next weekend. It's like, where is that now? Oh, you should come. And then you go and then you meet more vendors. And it was kind of like a way up. And then next thing you know, you go from Detroit to one weekend I'm in Omaha, Nebraska.
Oh my.
And everybody is like, where did you drive from? And I'm like, detroit. And they're like, what? But that's really how it happened was like say it was just talking to other vendors and getting a chance to network and you just kind of like spread out.
Yeah. Are you looking for like, okay, so when you're laying out your calendar for the year, how far out in advance are you looking? And then when you're finding these events, are you looking for a certain, you know, like what's your budget in terms of a fee to come? And then are you asking certain questions around like what the foot traffic typically is or how do you evaluate where you're going to go?
So for me, I do use square. I know it's other ladies that use square. We when you do transactions, you can set aside funds. Different savings account. I have a savings account that's labeled vendor fees. So throughout the entire year a percentage like 15% goes to vendor fees. So at the end of the year I look at my savings account and I say, okay, I have X amount to spend for next year for vendor fees. And then come January on my off time, that's when I try to sign up for all of my markets. I do look at aesthetics. And also if you go on event organizers, Instagram, their Facebook, I vet them. It's not just a jury process for me. I'm going to vet you as well. I'm going to look at your vendor list from three years ago, two years ago and last Year. If you do not have repeat vendors, that's a telltale sign. Because if you have a good market, your vendors are going to keep coming back. So if your vendor list changes up, that's a red flag for me because I know me, when I find a good market, I'm coming back. Every year I'm signing up and. And so that's one of the processes as well. And then I look at, of course, what type of space am I going to get? Is it going to be adequate for my trailer? Can I bring my mobile trailer? Do I have to do a tent? If it's a tent, what's the time frame? We can sign, we can set up. Is it day before? So all of that logistics plays a part. And if I decide if it's worth it.
Yeah. When you're looking at the repeat vendor list, I'm assuming you're also looking for some markets I feel like are flooded with as seen on TV and just, you know, kind of a bunch of just kitschy crap, you know, like, yes, this stuff.
Yes. What is it? LL mlm, Multilevel marketing. Like, if they allow those, that's a no go for me.
Really?
Okay. Yeah, that's a no go. Yeah. Because only because of the. Again, the demographics. So my customer base doesn't typically shop those MLM.
Type of booth. So if I'm set up next to that, that's not a good look for me as well. I want to be set up next to other vendors that put a lot of care into their display and things like that. So. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Okay.
So being on the road that much, let's. I want to talk like back end logistics and then we'll move to like front end logistics and merchandising and those things. But starting from the back end, tell me about, like your trailer setup. What type of trailer do you have? How long have you had it? Like, girl, I drive a horse trailer, so I know what it takes to drive a trailer around the country. Yeah, that's also not for everybody. Like, it takes a while to get comfortable driving down i80 with the trailer.
Oh, don't bring up I. Oh, gosh. I Every time I have to get on i80, my face just drops. That is the one highway that I loathe.
I 80 to Nebraska and Iowa. I still remember that.
No, thanks.
I But as far as logistics, so my trailer is a 1987 Hallmark. It's older than me, but my boyfriend found it on Facebook Marketplace right before COVID And always tell ladies that if they're Looking for a mobile trailer. Go on Marketplace. Yeah. See if you can will and deal. It's just the best thing. And then he retrofitted it for people to come in electrical clothing racks, things like that. So it was just pretty much handyman special. It's a 16 foot trailer. So it took some practice backing that thing up and learning how to hitch it. And yeah, like I said, just knowing your specs and your dimensions helps. So when you signing up for markets, you know what to tell the event organizers. Yeah, but everything is in totes and containers labeled. So that way when I get to a market, if it's the same day setup, I can go into the trailer and grab what I need to grab quickly.
Okay. I was going to say you must have a pretty smooth like it's all about systems and processes in business. It is like you must have a checklist of everything you need before you get there. And you know, you must have your inventory pre dialed in as well. Tell me about that process because you know, based on how much you're going to be on the road, where are you receiving inventory at to make sure the trailer is always full?
So for the most part inventory gets shipped to me at home first and then I load the trailer up by collection. So before I load the trailer up packet, I do put all the items on the rack as it's going to hang and then when I put it in the trailer, I know, okay, I'm grabbing this bunch, this goes on this rack. That rack there is a market checklist of things that I need. Every container is labeled. One says 10 accessories, one says hardware, one is POS, one is retail essentials. Because my daughter does go to markets with me as well. She's 17. So when I say, hey, hand me the zip ties, I need her to go to the right container and grab what I need quickly. But beforehand if I'm going to stay on the road for a while, then that's when I need to have inventory shipped and held say at like a FedEx or a UPS store. Only because it's, I don't want to drive back home 12 hours just to pick up inventory and hit the road again for the next market.
Yeah. Okay, so you are setting up in collections. So tell me like you've got the booth set up. Do you have like when you're thinking about goals and expectations at every event, like just in terms of traffic flow, how are you expecting like day number one in, you know, to meet your goals, what are you expecting to see on day number one in Terms of traffic flow.
You know what that is? After all these years of markets, I cannot put a number on it. It's like gambling, Marcus. You just never know. Yeah, you can have expectations and say, okay, I have these many collections. The booth is going to look this way. And you get there and it is rain. It is a windstorm. And then that will affect the flow of traffic. So I've learned now, going into the markets, I can't even put a number anymore because you don't always hit that. Sometimes you say a number and you make more than that. But I say like, okay, I need to make this market. I need to make $5,000 to justify traveling here. And you get there, and like I said, because it may be a storm, you like, oh, I didn't even make booth fee. It happens, you know, and all you can do is pack back up and, you know, go back home and on to the next one.
Yeah. Hey, are you on the list yet?
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Okay, so one more packing question for you. What are, like, five essentials? Three to five essentials that are in your booth, that are in the trailer that you had to learn the hard way to include?
I would say definitely a drill, zip tie, hint, weights.
Tag, gun, and for me, my mobile barcode printer. So if I do forget to price something before I leave, I can print price tags on the go and it comes out the printer and. And we're good? Yeah.
Okay. Awesome. All right, so you're getting set up again. Day one. You come to a beautiful space. Here's where the merchandising comes in. You got to stand out in this beautiful space. You've got to look different than everybody else for people to walk into your trailer. So talk to me about your foundations and merchandising. Like, what do you think makes your trailer or your tent, your booth stand out compared to everybody else?
I would say branding. When I did my name change from D Creative Boutique to Wildly Midwest, I had some repeat customers that found my booth just by how it was displayed with the mannequins, because it's just a certain look that I put out there. So definitely mannequins. I always say layers, even in the summertime, put as many layers on your mannequin as possible. So when a customer comes up, they say, I want this whole outfit that may be five pieces. And so I always make sure that I have flowers out. Fall time, there's mums, there's pumpkins. Just play up that visual merchandise and always have that branding. When a customer walks by, they should be able to know what booth this is. So that may be a backdrop with your name on it. That may be a tent sign, wooden sign that hangs. Rugs are important just to have everything displayed as if a person was walking into a storefront. Yeah, that's the feel they should get. And each vibe should be for me. I do collections based on each rack. So when a customer goes to a rack, they know exactly what that vibe was. One of my collections this summer was summer at the cottage, and people went to our rack and was like, oh, my gosh, this feels like a little garden. And I'm like, okay, that was successful. And so that's the feel that you want when a person comes in, is, okay, I can shop this rack. I can shop that rack, but it's. It tells a story when they come in, and that's what I want to give off.
So. So several of your shows, you probably go kind of by seasons, I guess, like summer at the cottage.
So you.
So many shows are kind of in that season and that feel and that merchandising, and then we change. Tell me about the layout of the booth as you come in. Like, how many mannequins do you typically have out front? You said the flowers you always have. And then what is at the back of the booth? Like, do you have a typical layout?
I do, actually. I use Canva. I am a firm believer in canva. So every time I buy a display piece, a table, a rack, mannequin, I put the dimensions into Canva. And so I make these layouts and I print them on paper. So before I get to a market, I know where the racks are going to go. Check out counter mannequins. And it depends on the size. Sometimes I'm only allowed a 10 by 10, so that's a miniature size version. So a 10 by 10 booth, I'm only taking two mannequins, max, 10 by 20. I can double it up to four if I'm doing a triple setup. I put all of my mannequins out, which is nine. I like to check out at the back in the center only because I can keep an eye on everyone that comes in and greet them. I tried checking out up at the front by, like the corner, you know, off to the side, but people were behind me. And for me, I didn't feel comfortable. I'm like, people asking questions. I have to turn around. Like, oh, okay.
Yeah.
So for me, I'm always in the center at the back. And when you come in, you're flanked with mannequins, clothing racks. And when you come in further, you have more display tables and more racks.
Okay. Do you find that when people come into your booth, they typically go one direction or the other?
You know what? I normally always feel like people came in and went right. But it varies. It depends on if this side of the tent is crowded, they're gonna go that way. But I do see what a catch a person's eye. So, like, I may have one collection I was like, so, so proud of, and that's front and center, and that's going to get everyone's attention. But I also do recommend if you feel like something is not getting the attention that you thought it would, rotate your inventory. So if that left side of that tent, these racks Are not getting attention. Maybe rotate it to the front. And then all of a sudden people are like, ooh. And aww. And you will move that merchandise. So again, I had a vendor next to me. She was like, oh my gosh, I didn't see that dress. Did you just put that out? I'm like, no, it was on the other rack. I just move it to the front.
Yeah. There's so much money to be made. Like, there's money hiding in visual merchandising. You don't need new inventory every single day. You just need to make things look new and feel new. That's a new space.
That's it. And I'm a firm believer in if I have half a run, one, one and one and maybe those three pieces, we are past that season, I will pack it back up and pull it out. The next season versus Disc House. I'm not big on giving sales and discounts. If I'm down to a last one of something, maybe I will do a mystery bag. But other than that, it gets repackaged and I put it integrated into a new collection the next year. And a lot of ladies like, oh my gosh, this is so cute. Do you have more? And I'm like, no, that's it. Not knowing that that was from the previous season. So again, like I tell people, you can always like re merchandising item, even if it's a year later and still get all of your money, your return for it.
So no sale rack, no sale rock in the back.
No, no, no, no, no. I. When I first started out, I used to do that and I discovered that that demographic I was attracting was looking at my booth as a. A bargain being to say, and that's not what I wanted to portray because that's not what I am. And so I discovered if I remove the sail racks and again, like I said, if it's one item left, I'm not going to hang it back up the next market. But I will take it and put it in a mystery bag. Yeah. And people love that. And on the mystery bag, I do 25, one item. And on the outside I put what season and what size it is. And so ladies get a chance to see like, okay, this is maybe a holiday theme item size, medium and they love them.
Got it. Okay, so talk to me about like they get to your checkout and what's your process for offering the mystery bag and then do you have any other like add ons or upsells at checkout as well?
So for mystery bags As I do markets throughout the year, I have a container that's labeled mystery bag. So when I'm done with the market, I start pulling items. It's one of this, one of that. I put it in a container and then like typically once or twice a year, I'll do a mystery bag sale. But customers do not know what market is going to come to because I don't want them to withhold making a purchase because they know a mystery bag sale is coming next weekend. So normally I'll have a shelf and it's just mystery bags on there and it's labeled $25. And they grab them up and up at the checkout counter. Of course, I do love having chapsticks, hair clips and cloths. Those are scattered throughout. And then on checkout counter is that. And those are those last minute grabs. Okay. Oh, I'll take a chapstick for $10 with this outfit.
Yeah. Okay. What about signage? Besides like your, your store name, do you use signage throughout your merchandising as well, just to help be a silent seller in addition?
I do, I do. So I take certain outfits that I really, really love from a collection. And for me, I, I just started doing this. I started digitizing some of the outfits. Okay. And then I printed them out and it looks like watercolor paintings. And lady. And I put those on the racks. Cool. Now, so before I would have a sign, it would just say, you know, like small through large or small to 3x. But now I've switched to having maybe something a little bit more engaging. And so some ladies have found the watercolor paintings like, oh my gosh, this is so cute. Where's that outfit? Oh, it's on this rack. Yes. Yes.
That is awesome. I'm so intrigued. I, like, need to come and find you in person. This is a must have for me.
I love it. Yes. What style state are you?
I'm in Wisconsin, so I'm not that far from you.
I was just in Rockford, Illinois, which is just a hop skipping away from Wisconsin.
It seriously is. Okay, we're going to stay in touch. You're going to tell me when you're close.
I love this.
All right, so what else, what else do you think is like the thing that your customers are saying every time they come in and out of your booth? What is the feedback that you constantly hear that you're like, okay, like, I'm nailing it.
For years, this is what I've been hearing. I, I love your color schemes. That is the one thing I've been hearing for years. And again, every clothing rack is curated. I mean, down to the stitch thread. If something does not integrate, I would withhold it. So I'll get shipments in. And me thinking, oh, okay, this will go with that collection. I'll open the box and that color is off. I set it aside because it's going to throw off the look. And so from tops, printed tops, to a blazer to a bottom to a hat, everything has to match and give that customer that vibe that I was trying to portray. So one of the collections that I just debuted was Autumn in September. And so that was more blacks and rust and creams for that one. And that's the vibe that I was given. And that's what they were they receiving. So again, I always tell people it's not just about filling up a rack and filling up a booth. It's about making it look a certain way within each section of your booth.
Yeah, we. It's so funny, Brianna. We talk about this a lot in retail bootcamp. Just about when you want to charge a certain price for things, the price has to outweigh. Like the value in the price has to outweigh the pain of someone giving up their hard earned dollars.
Right.
And I think the number one way to increase the idea of value, which is therefore increasing the idea of price, is the layering, the merchandising, solving someone's problem and that feel and that aesthetic.
That they get that they can't get.
At Walmart, you know, like, cheap ain't loyal. If you want to go shop Walmart or if you want to go to the sale rack, go ahead. But it's a totally different experience than what you're describing.
And then you're going to get a different customer. So when I first started out, of course I was learning pricing, right? So my prices were a little less than other people. And the issue that I ran into, people would come into my booth, drop things on the ground, keep walking. That was common. And I was like, oh, wait a minute. As soon as I raised my prices, no one drops anything. No one unfolds a sweatshirt and just drops it back down because that's now an 80 sweater. You're not going to do that to $80 sweater. But when they were $25, it was, oh, this is nice. Toss it. So I did, like, customer behavior changed with a price increase.
That is fascinating. That is so fascinating. Okay, awesome. Good to know. All right, what about this? So I'm a big believer in omnichannel marketing. How are you also I know you have a website. Are you also.
Well, I am guilty. Guilty of not utilizing that to his full potential.
There's opportunity there. There's opportunity. We can talk about this later. There's opportunity there for sure. But what about even your email list? Are you using the shows as an opportunity to build your email list?
I'm guilty of that as well. So when I tell you like I am like the roadrunner. Okay.
So I used to post on my website, don't get me wrong, I used to have everything that was new arrivals went to the website, right? Yep. I was getting DMs. Hey, are you going to be at the such and such market? And I'm like, yeah, oh, oh, I'll wait to buy it. Because I would post on social media, hey, we have new collection. I'm taking pictures in the outfits. Like tomorrow is launch day. Right. And it never failed. They was going to wait until I brought it to market to buy it. And I was like, so for me, yeah, having five to six sales on your website a year is not that good. So I decided to put my full energy into what my money maker was. Yeah, my money maker is market. So when I finally decided to stop giving a lot of energy into the website and focused on market, I sell out at market every time. It does not make it to a website because it's gone. So now when I take let's say 10 collections to a market, those 10 collections are gone now. Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Well, I'm all for the singleness of purpose. Like I make, make the hay while the sun shines. Like I said earlier, like that's great. I'll still help you with the website whenever you're ready. But I love that you're like all in on what's working for you because I think it's true. We can get spread so thin trying to.
And I was, I was spread thin.
Yeah. With doing as many markets as you're doing a year, that would be really challenging unless you had an entirely different collection that was just website only.
So totally right. And for me, I don't like having inventory, what I call collecting dust. So if it is collecting dust waiting on a online purchase. Yeah, I am losing out on sale already. Yeah, I could have taken that to the market and sold it.
Totally, totally. Okay, this is awesome. Let's do a couple lightning round questions. You ready?
Yes.
Okay. All right, first thing, I'm going to give you two hours back in your day to work on income generating activities. What do you focus on first?
Oh, finding markets. Finding new markets. Okay, awesome.
Yeah. What is the unsexiest process that has the biggest impact on your business?
Oh, unsexiest.
Honestly, I don't know. I mean, unpacking, I feel like that's going to be very sweating for you. Well, yes, the pet. Yes, the packing is very unsexy. Because if you see me hauling those containers, lugging them back and forth in that trail. Yes, that is the most unsexiest. Yes.
But worth the money. Worth the money.
It is.
Okay, what's been the hardest lesson in business you've had to learn?
The hardest lesson? Yeah. Pivoting. Knowing when to pivot.
How about what's been the best business advice that always sticks with you?
Oh, I would honestly say when my boyfriend had mentioned to me, he was saying, you're doing markets to pay your rent at your store. And I was like, yeah. And he was like, that don't make sense. And I was looking at him and I was like, you're right. That doesn't make sense. That was the best advice. He said, just close the store. Yeah. And I will never forget he said, just close the store. And to hear those words after six years meant so much, because I never. Honestly, that thought never occurred to me that that was an option.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So good. We just. We all need more just honesty in our life, right?
Yeah. Yeah.
Awesome. All right. What is your best advice for retailers listening who are curious about just making markets work for them? They're a lot of work.
Right.
So you've got to kind of be ready to commit to the process. What's your best advice for those who are getting started?
My best advice is get rid of the fear. Get rid of the fear of hauling your own trailer. Women haul as well. A lot of ladies are intimidated by that. Or even some ladies have missed markets because their husbands hauled their trailers and they don't know how, and they have had to miss market. So get rid of that fear. Get rid of the fear of trying something new. It's okay to go outside of your city, your state, and to travel. You never know. You may find that customer base that you were looking for, and it may click like, oh, these are my people. And then again, like I said, do not be afraid to pivot. So if you feel like you are trying to make a product work and it's just not clicking, it's okay to change. It's okay to change.
From children to women's. It's okay to go from women's to beauty to candles. If that's where you Find joy at and you find the most success. It's okay. Yeah.
Oh, it's so good. So true. All of it. Let's. We've got to go back to this whole get rid of the fear of driving your own trailer. Like, because from one woman who drives a trailer to another for a minute, we're going to just double down on this. My husband and I literally were having this conversation this weekend because I've driven a trailer, a horse trailer, since I was probably 14. So it's like, not a big deal, but we have this huge living quarters trailer that we haul our horses all over the country. And anyway, he loves to drive and believe that, like, he's the only one that can handle this whole process, which is not true. So if there are other women who are listening, let's just talk about a few nuts and bolts of what you need to have available to you if you were to have a flat tire or something was to go wrong. Like, what are the things that you feel like you need to have packed in case something were to go wrong along your trip?
Oh, definitely have an extra hitch pin. Yep. In your toolbox. Spare tire. The cords for. What's that? For a jump?
Jumping cables.
But I have. Yes, I have them. I don't know how to change a flat tire, but I have a spare tire because I actually had a blowout coming from Ohio from a market, and I was on the side of the road not knowing how to change a tire, but I had one. A roadside assistance came. So it's just things like that after you're hauling. I learned how to hitch and drive the trailer and back up without a camera. I will say, even if you do have a camera, turn it off just so you know how. Yeah, I agree. So those are good tips for learning how. But for me, I live on a dead end and I literally just go back and forth, back and forth when I first started. So, yes, just. Just doing that. Go somewhere where you feel safe, where you don't have to worry about hitting anything. But like I said, just get rid of that fear. Because like I said, women haul, too. And the craziest thing is when I get to markets, it never fails. A man always comes and say, you need me to get that in the spot for you? And I'm like, no, I got it. I can parallel park this trailer by myself. And they always be so shocked. And I'm like, I got it.
I know.
Yeah.
It's such a thing. Two more things I was thinking that I always have to have with Me, a trailer ramp.
So, like, if I get a flat.
Tire, I can drive up on. I mean, you can call roadside assistance or you can drive your trailer up on a ramp.
Ah, okay.
If you were going to change a tire yourself.
I've never used. I have scissor jacks on mine. Okay, okay, okay. Well, that would work. That work. That makes sense.
And then an impact wrench. So if you were going to change your tire yourself, if you had an impact wrench, then you can just.
When I tell you I have never changed a tire before, I need to learn how.
It's got to be like a women's YouTube channel, right, for all this.
Yeah.
Yeah, it does. Agreed. Well, this has been so fun. Brianna. I've got one just, like, last final question that I ask everybody that I think is so important at the end of the day. I mean, we're in this business, we're hustling, we're selling things. But I just want to fast forward like 30 years down the road as you're looking back on this, you know, all these trips you've had, all these shows you've been to, the businesses you've had, the life you lived, and you're sitting on the front porch with your family and your friends and you're reflecting on all of this journey. What's the thing you just really want them to remember the most about who you are and the life you lived and what they should know about this journey.
Oh, that idea. What I enjoy, like, I literally do what sparks joy for. And people have asked me before, like, why are you doing, you know, like, why are you getting up at 2am and hitting the road to drive 12 hours? Because this is what I enjoy. I enjoy driving, I enjoy doing markets, I enjoy curating women's clothing. I enjoy a woman coming into my booth saying, I have a baby shower to go to, I have a wedding to go to. And they find what they're looking for that sparks joy. And so I'm going to continue to do that. Um, and so I just want people to know that that's what I deal in my life. You know, it may be uncommon, it may not be usual for people to do this, but that's where I find joy.
Awesome.
So good.
Well, thanks so much for joining me today on the podcast, you guys. I will link up all of her information. You've got to check out her Instagram. Don't go to her website, go to her Instagram. Just told you that that's okay. And if she's at a show near you come and say hi? That would be amazing. So Brianna, thanks again for being on the podcast today.
Thank you for having me.
Thanks for listening guys. I hope you took away all kinds of nuggets and new ideas from this week's episode. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a rating and review. We love to hear your feedback and give you a chance to be featured on the show each and every week. For more information on our spirit of community over competition and to access guest downloads and bonuses and also the resources we talked about on the show, head on over to the boutiquehub.com and join the community. We'll see you next week.
