Daily Inspiration: Meet Maia Burke

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maia Burke. 

Hi Maia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started this business in July 2020. At one point, thrift stores were the only shops that remained open during quarantine. I just had bought my first home so instead of waiting months buying online, I shopped at different thrift stores and antique malls. It got to the point where I would start selling things that didn’t work out on Facebook. When everything I posted sold quickly, I realized I could make a small business out of it. After a year of trying to find my shop’s aesthetic, Freckle & Fringe was created. 

Alright, 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?
Not a smooth road. There is an over-saturated market of re-sellers on Instagram. I had to create ways for my business to stand out and not get lost in the sea of other thrift pages. I had to buckle down and figure out what type of items I wanted to sell that would make my business differ from others. 

Another struggle is running a shop as one person. I do the sourcing, photography, financials, social media managing, customer service, and shipping all by myself. It can get overwhelming! 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Aside from doing Freckle & Fringe, I am a Product Designer for an agency located in Illinois. I have been a graphic designer for 5 years and just starting switching over to Product and User Experience design this year. 

All of the content created for my small business, I have designed myself. 

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
For now, I don’t see too many big plans. Down the road, I would love to be a part of a collaboration and have a space in a brick-and-mortar. My partner and I plan to travel in our camper for the next 2 years so, after that, we will see what magic happens. 

Contact Info:

• Email: frecklenfringe@gmail.com
• Instagram: freckleandfringe + wearfreckleandfringe
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopfreckleandfringe/
• Other: https://www.depop.com/freckleandfringe/. Where you can shop available items.