Meet Monica Tyson

We were lucky to catch up with Monica Tyson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Monica , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I find my purpose in being able to give back to humanity through my work in estate sales. Each sale tells a story, offering a window into someone’s past, values, and legacy. Helping families transition during emotional times gives the work a meaningful, human-centered dimension, and becomes more than transactional in a sense.

The organization and presentation of items allows me to use my creativity and care in honoring someone’s memory. Seeing forgotten or cherished items find new homes brings a sense of continuity and renewal. When I see someone’s excitement from finding an item that their aunt gave them when they were younger, or something that reminds them of a cherished memory, is rewarding in itself. Ultimately, the work becomes a form of service and a feeling of accomplishment to my client, the customer, and the items we re-home.

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?

My name is Monica Tyson and I am the founder of Vintique Finds estate sales. I am currently the youngest person to open and operate an estate sale company in Southern Los Angeles, which I started in my mid twenties. Right after high school, I started re-selling vintage clothes and jewelry at local flea markets, collecting inventory along the way at local estate sale companies. Walking into other estate sales was more than just shopping, it was like temporarily living that persons life for a moment. It awed me, it amazed me. It was a raw experience that no other avenue has to offer. Thinking deeper into it, I thought, wow, I would love to do this. Because it hit two crucial core values for me: keeping history alive and helping people.

Estate sales are so much more than transactions. They are about preserving memories, honoring legacies, and creating new beginnings for both sellers and buyers. My work revolves around helping families during significant life transitions—whether due to downsizing, moving, or the passing of a loved one.

What I find most exciting is the chance to uncover the personal stories behind each item we sell. Every sale is a journey into someone’s life—a snapshot of a time or a place, often filled with rare or vintage finds. Working estate sales has taught me so much in the last 7 years. It has taught me to cherish family, appreciate what we have, and to be gentle with how we treat ourselves and others.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, I’d say the three most impactful qualities in my journey have been empathy, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of value—both sentimental and financial.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

It would be an honor to collaborate with a T.V. network that would love to feature estate sales, how they operate, the chaos behind and during them, show the world the incredible items we come across, and also be able to give history on clients stories. Like a mix between: Storage Wars, Antiques Roadshow and the History Channel.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vintiquefindsla.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vintique_finds_estate_sales/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vintinquefindsla/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/vintique-finds-estate-sales-los-angeles-2