We were lucky to catch up with Christa Tess Kalk recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Christa, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
Ah, the great and powerful pivot (aka, risk)! We have become adept in this skill over the past few years. When something goes awry, we refer to it as a “lesson” never a failure. There is so much to be learned through the good times and the “lessons.” When the pandemic hit and over the next two years, we shuttered our two stores, then suddenly decided to open a third, added another space called a Maker Room for classes, permanently closed one of our locations taking us back to two locations, and so much more. The last few years have been a bit of a whirlwind, but opportunities show up and we take the risks to make things happen. All in all, our 8.5 years at Minnesota Makers has been a lot of fun. We get to work with super talented folks from all of the state who make amazing products and trust us to sell on their behalf. We are thrilled to still be here and so grateful for the support of those who want to shop small, local, and locally created.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
The secret of my success as a small business owner is that I didn’t quit my day job. I am a professor at a local college and I have some amazing employees who make it possible to do both–teach and have two store locations. In 2015, I went on a year long sabbatical. A space opened up with really low rent in a cute neighborhood and I thought, why not? I didn’t have a plan for how long I would do this when I opened, I signed a one year lease and just figured I would give it a shot. I opened with 35 local artists and soon built that up to 65 artists. After a year, I was able to move the store to a bigger location closer to my home and our store is still there today–in Robbinsdale. We have another location in Excelsior, on Lake Minnetonka (the cutest little Hallmark town!). We are now able to boast that we have over 150 local Minnesota artists in our stores and we get to send them checks each month for the sales of their products. The support over the years has been incredible. Cue forward 8.5 years and wow!– I am so grateful we are still here, supporting local artists, and having a lot of fun!
The holidays are coming and are so much fun at our shops! You can find something new being added every day and tons of one-of-a-kind items you wouldn’t find anywhere else. We love tell the stories of the artists in our stores and help put together great gifts. Whether you need a gift for others, a little something for yourself, or large corporate gift orders, we are here to help. We also offer craft classes at both of our store locations. You can come solo, bring some friends, or schedule a private party. Experience gifts are a lot of fun and we always have a robust craft class schedule!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three things most impactful in our journey have been serendipitous opportunities, a willingness to pivot, and incredible partnerships. Each major shift for the stores happened because of some amazingly timed and presented opportunities. Invitations to open in new markets preceded each move for us. When times got tough, we learned the art of the pivot. Some huge changes happened over the year and we learned to lean in rather than resist them. Finally, our partnerships with incredibly talented artists who are willing to allow us to represent and sell their work for them has been instrumental in our success. Folks visiting our stores say they love our collection, variety, products, and prices. We can’t ask for anything better than that! Great partnerships with local artists and customers who love to support them–it’s a match made in our locally created Minnesota loving hearts!
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
We are always interested in seeing what folks are making! We have a page on our website with info on how to become a vendor with us at Minnesota Makers. We also welcome folks who want to teach craft classes with us at our stores. Shoot us an email with your class idea and let’s chat!
Contact Info:
- Website: minnesotamakers.net
- Instagram: mnmakers
- Facebook: minnesotamakers
