Meet Makenzie Miley

We recently connected with Makenzie Miley and have shared our conversation below.

Makenzie, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

People often say a good entrepreneur needs a clear mind and a solid plan — and that may be true — but you also need grit, grace, and a willpower that goes beyond what you ever believed you were capable of.

I started Miley Studio 13 months ago, and just three months in, my husband and I faced one of life’s hardest seasons when he stepped into rehab. If you’ve walked that road with a loved one, you know how life seems to pause as you begin the long journey toward recovery. Starting a business while navigating something so personal taught me to find a strength within to carry on.

I turned to my art to process, to feel, and to find myself again. Creating became my safe space, the one thing I could control. I poured those raw emotions into my business, and the way I shaped my art in those early months helped define Miley Studio today. Concrete itself taught me about resilience — it grows stronger over time, and that became a mirror for my own life as I navigated a new season of life.

I believe resilience comes from within. It’s about remembering your worth, your dreams, and who you are at your core — that younger version of yourself, the girl who dreamed wild, beautiful dreams. There’s no single “aha” moment in my mind; it shows up in the little choices — showing up for yourself, choosing kindness, choosing peace, and taking baby steps when it feels difficult.

I love to say, “You can’t have the blooms of spring without the dead of winter.” My business and my art have been that spring for me — a reminder that even in broken seasons, growth and beauty are possible.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My art business has become a space where creativity and connection meet — a place to do the work I love while loving people well. In my first year, I’ve worked with retailers in three states across eight stores and created over 1,000 pieces. Meeting people through my business is the absolute best — hearing who a piece is for — whether it’s a gift or a treat for themselves — and knowing it’s now part of their story.

I recently stepped away from the corporate world to fully pursue this passion. Fun fact: my childhood dream jobs were to be a princess or “the secret keeper of the United States of America,” which probably isn’t a real job. Neither happened, which is probably why corporate life was never going to stick — but thankfully, art is a pretty amazing backup plan. At the heart of my work is a simple mission: to love our neighbor through art. I also love traveling the world, and I’m constantly inspired by different cultures and nature — these influences often find their way into my designs.

Each piece I create is a labor of love. My bowls are built with multiple layers of cement, molded upside down so gravity does some of the heavy lifting, giving them raw, organic edges. Then comes the fun part — painting with acrylics, acid stains, or alcohol inks and sealing it all with a waterproof coating. I’m committed to creating pieces that blend beauty with everyday function.

This year, I won Best of Show at the Peter Anderson Festival, and I’m designing my 2026 spring line, full of ruffles, new shapes, and earthy colors. I dream of one day seeing my pieces in Architectural Digest.

I live in Oxford, MS, with my husband, JG, and our two Great Danes, Maggie and Molli — affectionately known as our “small horses.” And I firmly believe anything is possible with Jesus, a big cup of coffee, and a good pair of gold hoop earrings.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are persistence, rest, and community.

Persistence is everything. Do it tired, do it sad — just do it. I actually almost gave up on starting my business before I even opened because I couldn’t figure out how to manipulate the concrete correctly. I told myself I’d try one more time, and if it didn’t work, I wouldn’t do it. That last try worked — and that one decision made all the difference.

Rest is another key piece, especially for creatives. It may sound counterintuitive, but stepping back, recharging, and breathing gives your best work the space to emerge.

Community is everything. You are nothing without the people around you. My husband, parents, and friends have championed me every step of the way, prayed for me, and been cheerleaders. I’m forever grateful to them for encouraging me to chase this dream.

My advice for anyone starting out: keep showing up, do it scared if you need to, take care of yourself, and surround yourself with people who support you.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

For me, that strength has always been creating — working with my hands, trusting intuition, and letting the process unfold. Concrete doesn’t reward perfection or control, and neither does building a business. Early on, I wasn’t great at everything — and I’m still not. There were moments I didn’t know how to do something at all, including almost giving up before I even started because I couldn’t get the concrete right.

What changed everything was realizing I didn’t have to have it all figured out. I leaned into my strengths and built a community around me to support the rest. My business has been built on creativity, persistence, faith, and community — not on trying to do everything well.

Looking back, if you had told me that by the end of 2025 I’d leave the corporate world, build a business from the ground up, walk alongside my husband as we celebrate 10 months of his sobriety, and navigate the wins and losses of entrepreneurship, I would’ve said no way. But you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for — and that strength becomes a superpower when you choose not to quit.

My advice: don’t take no for an answer. Try again. Find resources. Ask for help. Lean into your strengths, trust the process, stay hungry and keep showing up — even when it’s uncomfortable.

That’s where growth happens. And often, that’s where the best parts of your story is formed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mileystudioart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mileystudioart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mileystudioart/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mileystudioart

Image Credits

Helena Kaye Photography
https://helenakaye.com/
https://www.instagram.com/helenakayephotography/