Meet Joanna Monard of Fleetful in Boulder

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna Monard.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Joanna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Fleetful stemmed from a desire to be fulfilled. I have spent my whole adult life in various retailers and corporate offices working my way up the corporate ladder only to wonder at what stage the job I was doing would provide daily satisfaction. I realized that changing from working around the clock to becoming a weekend warrior (in which I was free to do as I pleased in my free time) was not providing the fulfillment I have always desired. Achieving corporate sales and margin goals was not feeding a burning desire inside of me.

Instead, I wanted to pursue a passion project. I wanted to fuse my love for fashion and individual expression with an even greater story around the people who craft the pieces we’ve come to love. While my mission is a continuous learning process, the journey is unfolding around telling more stories and focusing less on the pieces offered. I want the stories behind the artisans and the culture in which they were derived to remain at the heart of the brand.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In this venture, I feel proud of the assortment, cultures and artisans that are featured. I’ve started with a small assortment before expanding as I recognize there are a lot of skills needed in running an online business that I didn’t have and needed to learn. I have had a lot of hurdles, and with each hurdle comes learning and a sense of accomplishment. I work full time to earn a living so this is my passion project. Therefore, time is an ever-constant battle in which I’m still in the learning process of how to do more with less time. This all comes with practice. I launched my business online and I previously had no exposure to curating a website.

In this experience, I’ve mostly struggled with finding a voice. It sounds a bit oxymoron, but the most important piece to me is to tell the story behind the handmade crafted pieces, and yet I’ve had no experience with the skill of writing other than journaling. While this can be an opportunity to have everything feel more authentic, it can also come across sloppy. I also haven’t had any exposure to photography before. Thus, I dived into a photography class last fall in my attempt to build a cohesive Instagram handle and online presence. These are just a few of the challenges that I’m currently working on, but with an online presence and the ever-changing nature of the worldwide web, there is a need for constant development.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Fleetful story. Tell us more about the business.
Fleetful is a culturally influenced fashion brand derived from artisan admiration in worldly travels. It serves to fuse the impermanence of travel with the lasting presence of handcrafted goods. The brand specializes in offering unique pieces that transcend fashion trends while pairing each collection with a story around the heritage in which the designs were rooted. Each piece is individually selected because of its beauty. All pieces are made in small batches by hand, if not one-of-a-kind, and so each piece is truly unique and it’s something to really take pride in.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I feel lucky the moment I form a new connection with a special artisan. The artisans are the magic behind the brand, and I hold so much admiration for the art that has often transcended many generations. Being introduced to the stories behind the traditions is a proud moment, and I feel lucky to have the opportunity to be able to share that with the world through an outlet that many of these artisans don’t have.

Pricing:

• Lilybead Guatemalan Bracelets: $44-$58
• Hamimi Baraka Bags: $72-$210
• Maella Moroccan Clutches: $158
• Milda Parisian Earrings: $45-$60

Contact Info:

• Website: www.fleetfulco.com
• Email: joanna@fleetfulco.com
• Instagram: fleetfulco
• Facebook: fleetfulco

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