Conversations with the Inspiring Bernadette Rankin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bernadette Rankin.

Bernadette, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started a small antique, vintage and architectural salvage business in 2010 when I was given permission to salvage architectural elements from soon to be demolished, historic houses in Texas. Initially, I was looking to add a little old house charm back into my own old home… but after discovering that each of those homes held a treasure trove of history, I kept salvaging long after what I needed for my own home, knowing, with each piece that was salvaged, a story was saved… and I was instantly addicted.

After moving to Colorado that same summer, I began to look for like-minded kindred spirits that loved this world and made a business out of that love. I happened across Colorado’s bustling vintage market scene, applied to be a vendor and began to sell the things I had salvaged and collected to customers that I now call good friends and vendors that I now call family.

After being a vendor for several years, a love of the creative business community, mentoring new vendors and encouraging others to realize their dreams, took hold and we found a new home in the creation of the Old House Vintage Market-a traveling upscale market designed to feature artisans, makers, creators and curators exclusively selling on-trend and unique, antique, vintage, architectural salvage, upcycled and handmade items.

To say the least: I love every part of what I get to do- supporting vendors, creating a high-quality marketplace, meeting like-minded visitors/customers and the creation of an antique, vintage, salvage, upcycled and handmade community – all of which forms the soul of our beloved event.

As for the heart of my business, it is truly bursting at the seams with our latest business move: In The Making, our website home built to support creative business owners (regardless of whether or not they are an Old House Vintage Market Vendors) and those that are thinking about becoming a creative entrepreneur. We speak with raw authenticity and vulnerability in dealing with the challenges concerning the business of dreaming and doing, of personal and business growth and development and of all the things that are a little easier when you have a community that has your back because we are all, to some degree, in the making.

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?
Starting, running and maintaining a business is never going to be a smooth, well-paved, mapped out road. Never. Burn out has been my biggest struggle… but the opportunity to learn from it and share those lessons with others who are feeling the same has been a blessing in disguise.

Advice for women (or anyone for that matter) just starting their journey:

*Surround, immerse and elevate yourself with what you want to be.*

If you want to be successful in your chosen industry, you have to morph into something you are currently not. The way to do it? Pursue everything that will help you get there: books, tutorials, classes, mentors, mindsets, challenges- everything can be a resource in helping you move along on your journey, Be ferocious in consuming anything that will prepare you for that next level… and never let up.

What should we know about Old House Vintage Market AND In The Making? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I believe our greatest asset and driving force of this business I built is the ability to listen, to care about what we have heard and to pivot off of what we have learned. It has provided so many opportunities to make our mark in the creative business industry by showing what we value the most: making a difference with lasting, positive contributions. Had we not been listening to the makers, creators, curators, and collectors that comprise the creative business industry, the Old House Vintage Market would not have been established and In The Making would have never been born. We care and we show it, on the daily.

For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
I believe that the most important opportunity women are well-positioned for is to finally know and believe in their own self-worth. More and more women are stepping into their own, after watching the examples of others that have come before them to show them that it can be successfully done.

There is truly no greater opportunity to explode through the glass ceiling of someone else’s making or even their own self-made glass ceiling than to claim their own limitless power of knowing they can do anything they set their mind to and deserve every last thing that they have dreamed of and earned. The time is now to declare what you want and to fiercely and unapologetically go after it.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://beinthemaking.com/ AND https://oldhousevintagemarket.com/
• Email: oldhousevintagemarket@gmail.com
• Instagram: @oldhousevintagemarket AND @beinthemaking
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldHouseVintageMarket/

Image Credit:
Portrait of Bernadette Rankin on blue couch was taken by Bernadette Rankin, All other pictures were taken by Meghan Shaw

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver 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.