Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison Beaulieu.
Hi Madison, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Made Mercantile was a long time coming! It began as a rough business plan. I brought my idea to the City of Woodstock in 2018. I talked with a commercial realtor. I spoke with banks about small business loans. I went to seminars. I talked with advisors. I worked on a list of makers and key community partners. Monthly income goals and income streams. I went in DEEP because I felt like I’d finally found THE THING. A space like Made was a solution to a shared problem. I saw makers in my community struggling to get real, timely feedback on products. We needed access to customers in order to test products and grow. After all my research, I could not see how to make it come together without taking an extraordinary risk. It just was not the right time for me and my family to jump. So… I pivoted.
I did as much as I could with what I had. I began planning curated pop up shops with local makers at Reformation Brewery. I brought together the dream in almost every way except for the dedicated physical space. I had so much support along the way. We grew our community and I found (or was found by) so many great makers. They were all here!! (I knew it!) Through these pop up markets, I was able to test and prove that our maker community needed a gathering place. And maybe also a shared calendar and a few spreadsheets to keep things organized. 🙂 In 2020, the City came back to me with a space they were considering. A beautiful space that, with a little love, would be perfect for helping businesses grow. We took my original plan and, honestly, made it better than I could have imagined. Renovation began on the space Jan 2020 and… I think you know where this is going!
In March 2020, we had to ask ourselves some tough questions. In the age of COVID-19, was a shared makerspace still appropriate? Well, yes, and more than ever. The pandemic really pushed the idea of where things come from to the forefront. Manufacturing, supply chain – these words were suddenly on everyone’s lips. Locally made goods became even more valued and appreciated. On top of that, early quarantine showed us there is a clear value in your business operating in a place other than where you live. The physical separation of work and home is healthy and needed.
The space opened for members in October 2020 and our retail space opened in November 2020. Those first months were absolutely mind-boggling – I don’t think any of us expected the support we received. Woodstock turns out, y’all! We are so thankful for this community.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
While a shared space has incredible value, it’s a lot like having roommates again. “Who left this in the sink?!” Etc. We’ve got a lot of smart people and a lot of strong personalities in one space. There are also the typical growing pains. Running out of space, spilling an entire bottle of rose fragrance, needing last minute shift coverage because an opportunity is taking you to LA. And there are some genuine losses too. Losing an opportunity to a bigger company, supply chain issues, trademark issues.
I think entrepreneurship is constantly pushing the boundaries of what you’re personally capable of. Doing that amongst your coworkers has its pros and cons. Sometimes I’d just like to fail in private, you know?! Haha. But I always appreciate that the people I work alongside totally get it. They understand in a way that often family and friends can’t comprehend.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Made Mercantile is a makerspace and retail shop in the heart of Downtown Woodstock. Made is a program by the City of Woodstock through its’ Downtown Development Authority aimed to help grow local business. Made provides workspace, retail access and learning opportunities to members. We help shorten the gap and make that leap between home-based small business and brick and mortar small business more manageable. A business that scales is key. We hope to host members for 18 – 24 months before they outgrow us and move on and upward to their own retail or manufacturing space.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
You cannot do it alone, nor would/should you want to. We have accomplished so much more together than I ever thought possible on my own. If you are a small business hoping to scale, get to know your local government. The amount of support and encouragement we have here in Woodstock can’t be beat. Your local government wants you to grow, succeed, bring tourists and create jobs. They are on your team! So get to know them, just don’t be weird about it. 🙂
Pricing:
- Our memberships start at $500/month. With that monthly fee comes dedicated workspace, shared workspace, shared event space, access to retail space with an 80/20 split, utilities and coffee. Members also have access to monthly education events, networking events and more. The first step is to fill out an application and schedule a tour. I’ll show you around the space and answer any questions you have. I love meeting other small businesses!!
Contact Info:
- Email: talk@mademercantile.com
- Website: https://mademercantile.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mademercantilewdstk/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madeWDSTK/
Image Credits
Karan Zeilke, Kailee Bridges, Anna Barbier, Madison Beaulieu
