Today we’d like to introduce you to Carley Sibley.
Hi Carley, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us why you launched Evergreen Home goods?
During the 2020 lockdown, I had more time to think about career ambitions. After reading Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, I realized that my interests often overlap with interior design. At the time, I was doing marketing for a couple of businesses in the home improvement industry, which I loved, but I was ready for a more hands on experience with design.
I often found myself rearranging and redecorating my apartment. I would buy a new chair and then tire of it six months later as trends were quickly changing. I was drained by the goose chase of keeping up with fads and felt that my redecorating habit wasn’t great for the environment or my wallet. With this mind shift, I started focusing on more timeless pieces for the home, but first, I needed to sell a few wicker boho pieces that no longer spoke to me. Well, these pieces sold more quickly and for more than I could have imagined, so a business idea was naturally formed. Additionally, once I learned that many Interior Designers, including Amber Lewis and Joanna Gaines, began their careers by studying and selling vintage pieces, I was sold.
Fast forward a few weeks and we began to realize that the world was not opening back up as we thought. With family vacations, weddings and events canceled for the foreseeable future, I decided to use my non eventful weekends to pursue this new venture. I started attending estate sales, flea markets and thrift stores every Saturday. As a marketer, I naturally used Instagram to test the business idea and solely sold through that platform. It was an incredible way to connect with others who were updating their homes during a unique time.
Two years have gone by, and a lot has happened. We have sold at events, been a vendor in Ponce City Market’s Citizen Supply and, most recently, have launched an e-commerce website! On top of that, my husband and I purchased our first home and have shared some of the renovation process on the @EvergreenHomeGoods Instagram page.
We have big hopes for this business. At the moment, we focus on vintage and antique pieces but plan to provide other products and services down the road.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When launching Evergreen Home Goods, my husband and I lived in a small, 650 sq ft apartment. We were both working from home at the time, so the walls were slowly starting to close in on us. Additionally, when I launched the business, I wasn’t quite ready to invest in a storage unit, as I was still testing out the business model. As a result, our “entryway” was constantly filled with boxes full of vintage pieces. It’s always difficult to make that first big purchase, but with it often comes growth or at least room for new opportunities (figuratively and literally speaking 😆). Taking that first step of investing in a storage unit was the moment I realized this “side hustle” could become more than a hobby. If I hadn’t taken that first step of faith, the business likely wouldn’t be where it is today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. Tell us more about the business including where people can find your products.
Evergreen Home Goods is a collection of vintage and antique items including decor, wall art, lighting and furniture. I think what sets us apart is the curation of items. We choose items that stand the test of time with a focus on natural materials such as wicker, stone, leather and glass. In our opinion, it’s the combination of materials in a space that makes it more visually interesting.
All items are available to purchase on our website. Small items ship and large furniture items are available for pickup in Decatur, Georgia.
How do you think about happiness?
Beauty. It’s all around us if we look for it. Maybe it’s the way the sun shines through the trees and dances in your home in the evenings, maybe it’s the way the marble tiles feel under your feet on a warm day or maybe it’s the way the birds chirp in your garden during the springtime. I think we were created to experience and appreciate beauty. I hope I can connect people to lovely items that help make their houses feel like home, but, ultimately, I know this type of happiness is only temporary. These aren’t items we can take with us when we are gone, but I think they can point us to something much bigger than ourselves ❤️
Contact Info:
- Email: EvergreenHomeGoods@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.evergreenhomegoods.co/
- Instagram: @EvergreenHomeGoods
