Young Pro Q&A - Maddie Vodrazka
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Young Pro - Maddie Vodrazka
Position - Co-Owner, Vintage Currator Company - Midwest RevivalĀ
Location - Palatine, IL
Q1: What inspired you to choose your current career?
A1: It began with my growing passion for antiques and vintage items. I used to explore antique malls with my mother and have had slowly collected things over the years. She learned everything from her mother, who also collected antiques. And what started as a hobby for me soon grew into my business. I fell in love with the treasure hunt and the preservation of vintage items.Ā
Q2: What do you enjoy most about your day-to-day work?Ā
Ā A2: I love being able to find items that have lived many lives and currate a collection for our customers. My favorite thing about participating in the local vintage markets is meeting our customers and learning so much about their connections to certain pieces or just their love for vintage as well.
Q3: How does your career contribute to your personal growth?
A3: Taking on this role as a business owner has allowed me to blossom into a more confident and creative person. I have learned so much about building a brand from the ground up and how much time and effort goes into creating what we deem as our own "success". It's definitely allowed me to come out of my shell more and be less timid about showing my personality - especially posting on our social media. Being a business owner has also taught me to give people more grace and have patience with others and myself.
Ā Q4: What do you find most rewarding about your career?
Ā A4: One of the most rewarding things about being a vintage curator and reseller is sharing the history of these items with our audience and making a positive impact on our environment. We are not only preserving a part of our history but also standing by our mission to be a sustainable brand. If we didn't give these items another chance at life, most things would end up in a landfill.
Q5: How do you maintain work-life balance in your career?
Ā A5: It feels easy right now because I have so much passion for my work that it doesn't seem like work most days. What makes it better is that my sister, Claire, is the Co-Owner to Midwest Revival Co.; So every day we get to work together, it just feels like we are hanging out and having fun being creative. I do believe that by surrounding ourselves with really supportive partners and friends in our lives has helped us maintain that work-life balance.
Q6: What advice would you give to someone just starting out in your field?
Ā A6: I was once told that if you never get up and try then you have a 100% chance of failing. My biggest advice is to take that leap and just go for it! The vintage market is still booming right now and there's always room for others who share the same passion for preserving history and supporting sustainability. There's so many different aesthetics that are popular at the moment so I believe there is a market for everyone. It's truly such a wonderful community to be a part of and you are constantly learning from each other.