Episode 281: From Goodwill to Global Style | Mylea Hardy | Founder, Forager’s Goods
Mylea Hardy turned her love of vintage fashion into a thriving global brand without losing her values or her style. Here's how she made thrifting cool, scalable, and sustainable. In this episode, Kara and Mylea talk about fashion, faith, and entrepreneurship. They also explore how Forager’s Goods became a viral success, why Mylea sees style as service, and what it looks like to stay rooted while building a brand.
“Style to me is how you want to show up in the world and how you want to communicate…you can change a lot simply by what you’re wearing.”
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Follow along using the Transcript
(00:00:01) – How Mylea Hardy Turned Thrifting Into a Vintage Fashion Brand
(00:04:40) – Faith-Based Entrepreneurship and Personal Style
(00:08:15) – Building Forager’s Goods Into a Global Thrift Business
(00:12:50) – Balancing Growth and Purpose as a Vintage Brand Founder
(00:17:05) – Fashion as Storytelling, Connection, and Service
(00:20:45) – Advice for Launching a Values-Driven Creative Business
Style to me is just how you want to show up in the world and what you want to communicate. First impressions matter. They, they just do. And we can complain about it. We can have our opinions on, on how unfair that is, but there's so much power that you can call back to yourself just by being there. what shirt you're deciding to wear.
That's Mylea Hardy. I'm Kara Duffy, and this is the Powerful Ladies Podcast.
Welcome to the Powerful Ladies Podcast.
Thank you for having me on.
Let's tell everyone who you are, where you are, and what you're up to.
My name is Mylea Hardy. I live in Atlanta, Georgia, and Today, I was shooting content for an upcoming drop but I'm a jack of many trades. So on any given day, you can find me doing style bundles style consults, sourcing vintage or prepping upcoming vintage drops.
And you have this amazing company, which is called Forger's Goods. And what does Forger Good's do?
We offer curated vintage and style bundle services. So, we curate style bundles of a pre selected amount of vintage of your choosing. So, so many pieces, five to six pieces, you choose how many you want.
We go find the vintage for you based on the style. Profile Pinterest board inspiration that you sent to us. So it's a really great way to get really good vintage without having to do all the hunting by yourself.
I have a couple of stylists who are clients. And when I found Forger's Goods and saw what you guys were doing, I thought it was so interesting because there's still this pressure to make sure that you are looking on trend and looking stylish.
But then there's equal pressure to not be completely ruining the planet and buying fast fashion and buying just new all the time. So I think you found a really interesting kind of line through those two spaces. Where did this idea come from? And how did you start?
Yeah, so you really hit the nail on the head that That was really what I wanted to do.
I've been selling vintage or you know doing vintage as we call it for over six years. I started selling my own clothing in college to pay for my grocery bills because I was just so poor but I had a really good knack for finding like really on trend vintage pieces And so I was able to sell stuff fairly regularly And just throughout the years, I found that I was able to find really on trend vintage items that maybe I wouldn't wear for myself, but I would see how it could be styled in a way that was a little bit more like, up to date and current than how it looks on the hanger.
So I had this knack selling vintage just off the rack. I felt like I really wasn't doing justice to these pieces. I think. A lot of the conversations that I would have selling vintage, you know, whether it be a pop ups or markets was, I love this piece. I just don't know how to wear it or it's just not for me, but looking at the outfit that they're wearing, I'm like, no, this is totally you.
Like you just, here's how you style it. Here's what you pair it with. Or how many times, you know, a friend would say, Hey, I'm looking for this one piece. Can you help me find it? And I would be able to go to, you know, Goodwill or whatever and find it the next day. So I found that I had this really interesting neck and I wanted to share with others.
I was really getting frustrated with how many times I had the same conversation with people with a want to wear vintage. I just don't know how to wear it. And I felt a lot of internalized frustration because I didn't, I don't know how to help people in that sense. You know, as a vintage seller, there's, I only have so much time in a day.
And so if I'm having these conversations and showing everybody how to wear it, like I just ran out of time all the time. And so yeah, it, I, I started doing it for friends. So I'd say, Hey, like send me a pin board of what you're looking for or like what your style is. And then I did a couple of style bundles for them.
They loved it. I got a couple. Clients from that and then it just really snowballed from there. I posted a couple of reels They ended up going viral and it was just off to the races. So it was a very organic kind of process and I really think it it all started the way it started because it was based on wanting to help others and wanting to be of service rather than Just like this is just a random idea
I think it's so powerful when you are able to combine your passions and also your purpose together.
Did you, you know, we go back to eight year old you, would she have imagined that this is the business that you started?
Yeah, I think so. I've been drawing clothing since I was four. Like I remember, Like scribbling with crayon on my bedroom floor, like all these different dresses and just being so overwhelmed because I had so many ideas in my head and I like literally couldn't draw fast enough.
I always knew that I wanted to be a business owner and an artist. I would, I told my parents I wanted to be a boss when I, when I grew up, that was like my dream career. But really I just, I wanted to have a business that I had complete autonomy and I was able to be helpful to others. Like in my mind, when I was eight, that was, What a boss was.
So yeah, I think really I'm right on track for where I would have would have thought I would have been,
you know, I think about vintage shopping for myself. Challenges that I run into all the time are like sizes are all over the place. It's bananas, and it can be really frustrating when you're doing it yourself and you're not an expert like you and your team are because you're looking for things and like there's, it's fun to discover stuff that you like.
And it's. You really have to, like, I find for myself, I'm looking from, like, small through, like, extra large to, like, find things. And it's, it makes it even more overwhelming. And you work with so many remote clients that you're creating bundles for. How do you overcome that hurdle of not having someone shopping with you and trying to figure out if the bundles you'll put together with them will actually fit?
I think it was something that just came with time. You know, selling vintage for six years, you, you, you almost can just look at a piece and know what size it is. It, and like understanding the different cuts of garments. So like if I, it's a, if it's a skirt, I know that it's, it's a little, there's a little bit more fudge room as far as like what size it actually is because not everybody wears a skirt like right at their high hips.
Some of us wear it a little bit lower. So if somebody's a size eight and the skirt's measuring as a size 10, I'm okay to send it because I know that there's a little bit of, you know, literal wiggle room. And you know, none of us are exact measurements either. Your body fluctuates. So it was definitely something that when I first started out, it was trial and error.
You know, there was definitely a few times where I thought something was one size and I put it on and it was not that size. But you know, like dealing with just the volume that I've dealt with over six years, you, you really do just, you get an eye for it. Using a size chart is also really helpful.
You know, I know, I know garment construction, so I know how much kind of extra you need when it comes to somebody's actual waist measurement and a garment fitting. And then. You know, the styling of the garment as well. If somebody's sending me, you know, lots of images of, you know, oversized belted jeans, I know that it's not, we don't have to be as precise.
So there's lots of factors that kind of like go into account. And then, Yeah, you just, you know, like it's just trial and error, you know, six years. And I feel like I really did start to, to just have kind of like a, an understanding of it.
Yeah. I worked in footwear and apparel for 20 years and mostly in the footwear side.
And I can pretty much guess just by looking at someone's feet, what size they are. It's kind of like a fun party trick, but to your point, it just comes from looking at product for so long and like having. Again and again, knowing like, Oh, that's that. That's that. When you're working with people who again, aren't with you and you don't know them personally, you mentioned relying on, on Pinterest boards at some other visual cues, like how important is that you know, mood board styling in your approach?
And are the people that you're working with, are they good at expressing what their style is? Or do you have to interpret that as well?
It's a little bit of both, you know, we really run the gamut as far as I don't wanna say proficiency goes, but like people that are comfortable with Pinterest or with, you know, gathering like inspo images.
The Pinterest board is essentially the contract for the service. So if it's, if it's on the Pinterest board, I'm okay to send it. So it makes sure that everybody's on the same page as far as like what we're okay to send versus like, if it's not on the pin board, we just don't send it. So. You know, and there's a couple things that go into that.
So, say, you know, there's a pair of wide leg trousers, and then there's also, like, a lot of bold pants on the board, and then maybe there's, like, a floral print. That's very, like, much repeated throughout the pin board. Based on the fact that, like, the combination of those three factors, maybe there's not a pair of floral wide leg trousers on the board, but because it's all there, I know that I'm okay to send.
Of a pair of floral wide leg trousers. So it's a little bit like visual math in that sense. So, you know the pinboard It can be literal, but also it can it can be not as literal and more of like a combination of a few things again, it's based on aesthetic. So It's what we think will fit into the wheelhouse be, you know, usable to you, but we always try to get as precise like on the money as possible.
But yeah, dealing with different like levels of comfortability with Pinterest is really fun. There's been plenty of times where there have been no, no images of actual clothing, which is fine. We love that. I love it when people feel comfortable. Sending more just vibe like inspirational images, but we always circle back and like, Hey, we just need, you know, we need some actual clothing to work with.
And that's where the email consults come in, you know, really handy. There's a whole list of questions that people like answer when they send their pin board. So it helps you get a really good feel as far as like where the person's at with their personal style and a lot of people will say like their level of comfortability as well.
They'll be like, I'm just completely starting over with my wardrobe. Like, I don't know where to start. Like, I'm fine with just anything. I've dealt with people that are very specific and I just know that I need to, I just need to allot a little bit more time for those. So yeah, you know, it really does run the spectrum, but.
Thankfully, the, the Pinterest board in combination with the, you know, questionnaire that people send in as well, it, it does provide a really balanced, well rounded approach. And then, because it is through email, I can always ask follow up questions. So if I'm ever unsure about something, I just send them a quick little email and we're off to the races.
I work with so many creative entrepreneurs, and it's always really interesting to go from something that you do instinctively to building it into a business. What are some of the hurdles and challenges that you've overcome as you've been building this?
Gosh, I think we're still in the middle of dealing with it, honestly.
Yeah, figuring out, you know, what's the best way to get into it. Information from and to people, how can we reduce kind of like the burden of responsibility as far as. You know, clicking through all these different windows, you always want things to be as accessible as possible. And so, yeah, like streamlining the approach, how can, how can my employees actually help me is another one.
You know, like what do I need to be doing? What do you need to be doing? What's so integral to my role that I can't, you know, I can't hire on somebody to do it. So that's definitely a very much like dynamic evolving conversation right now. And yeah, like, how do we, how do we help more people? How do we scale this while still keeping it super personalized and also maintaining the, the You know, the backbone of what we do.
And you know, like maintaining a streamlined approach as far as how we the process of approaching curating a style bundle. So it will be an interesting year. It's an evolving conversation right now. So, you know, it's just going to be lots of trial and error and just figuring out what what systems work best for us.
And I imagine that you're constantly battling, like when you're out and shopping, you're of course finding other things. So it's balancing how much stuff you're keeping in inventory when somebody, you know, needs it versus hunting for the new thing. I don't think people realize how much time is spent in the research part, in the finding of all the things.
Like it can take weeks. Months depending on what the thing is and it's so much of your time Do you have go to places? Are you traveling around the US looking for things? Like how what's the craziest you gone to find a piece for someone?
I definitely I keep it local for sure. And this is where I provide a shipment window.
So All orders are fulfilled within seven to 14 business days. And that is a stop gap for me because otherwise, otherwise like it, I would spend years and we don't have that time. So it, having that shipment window really keeps me on a leash as far as like the lengths I'll go to. Cause otherwise like, like sometimes I'm just like a dog with a bone and I just won't let it drop.
Especially if it's like a very specific piece that I'm excited about. And that's, that's where the pinboards come into. You know, sometimes it's just, Not about specificity and it's just more about the vibes. So it's definitely like a very intricate working machine as far as how specific we can get within the allotted timeframe and still maintaining, you know, efficiency as far as how much time I'm investing in traveling.
Cause I'm driving four hours. That's four hours. I'm not spending on clients, you know, literally. So as much as I want to tear up. You know, the continent, the perfect pieces. You know, it's just, that's just not always the best way to service my clients. You know, like not everybody wants to wait four months for a bundle and I, I don't want to make you wait four months.
So it's definitely ebb and flow. It's an intricate process. And you know, it's, it's ever evolving, but I think the farthest I've ever gone, I have gone to France. I went to Paris. And that was really, really fun. I did yeah. European style bundles back in the spring. And that was a really cool experience.
I'd never been to France before, so it was definitely a little bit scary, but I had done a lot of research previous, so I got to find some really, really, really cool pieces. And I was really happy with how specific I was able to get. Was that trip magical for you? It was. Yeah. Like for personal reasons, but also business reasons.
But you know, as an artist, I think Paris just has, you know, a certain appeal. But yeah, it was, it was a really, really, really cool experience.
I was so happy when I went to Paris for the first time that every stereotype was coming true before my eyes. The old woman who was in front of Notre Dame, the truly people riding their bike with baguettes in the basket.
I was like, you, like, it felt like I walked into a Disney movie. I was like, there's no way this is real. Like this is exaggerated. And I just kept laughing the whole time because it kept happening exactly the way people talk about it.
Yes, it was. That was the exact experience I had and it was just, it, I felt, I felt like I was on a different planet and like it all happened so organically.
It wasn't even like I had to go looking for these things that it was just like right there in front of me. Exactly what you're supposed to be doing. Yes, exactly. So yeah, can definitely relate to that.
You mentioned that you were drawing fashion designs at eight. Yes. Where did your love for fashion come from? And like, what does fashion and style mean to you?
I feel like I've just always loved clothing. I grew up on hand me downs and so getting, getting new clothing was like very far and, you know, few in between. And so maintaining a sense of personal identity when you're getting literally somebody else's clothing and you really don't have a choice in what you're getting either.
Really instilled in me the, the craft of artistic expression through clothing and you know, getting a piece that you did not want, but here's how I'm going to make it my own. And this was something that, you know, even my parents did. My mom talked about how she would iron on the, like, Lacoste crocodile patches onto her hand me down polos in the eighties, because she wanted to be cool and she wanted to fit in.
But. She didn't have the money for, you know, the name brand stuff. And same with my dad, his mom was a seamstress before she went to medical school and she would make all her own clothing. Cause again, she wanted to be in style, but didn't have the money. So I come from a very long line of very resourceful, artistic people that value how they show up in the world and work.
I'm very tenacious in how to write about doing that. So yeah, I always, I always had an interest in it. My dad taught me how to sew when I was about six and we would make quilts together. We'd make our Halloween costumes. And then as I got older, you know, into middle school and high school, I started to really have an interest in fashion design and that's when he would help me figure out like how to make, how to make my designs.
And by then I was old enough to like do my research on my own. The internet was, It's becoming what it was. And that's when I like really started leaning into how do I make my own clothing? So yeah, it's, it's always been an interest and, you know, style to me is just how you want to show up in the world and what you want to communicate.
First impressions matter. They, they just do. And, you know, we can, we can complain about it. We can have our opinions on, on how unfair that is. But there's so much power that, you know, you can call back to yourself just by what shirt you're deciding to wear. And I think that's a really, really interesting thing.
And it, I just, it's just always something that I've loved exploring. You can do a lot just by changing what you're wearing. And that is something that's always fascinated me. So, you know, style for me is how do I want to be perceived? How do I want to show up in the world, but also it is an artistic medium.
So. You know, here's something I don't understand. Here's a shirt that I don't like. Let me, let me think about why I don't like it. Let me play around with it until I do. So it's a little bit, you know, it's practical. That's what style is to me. It's, you know, how am I, how am I enabling myself to move through the world easier?
And are also like research science projects. What, why do I like what I like? Why do I not like what I don't like? What I don't like. Let's unpack that.
I think it's so interesting how style evolves and how trends evolve. And, you know, there's a lot of debate in the fashion spaces about to stay minimalistic, capsule wardrobe, to follow trends.
Like there's such a push pull, I think. And there's been other guests in the podcast where we've talked about this too, of how can we lean into the creative expression and still love seeing what's coming out that's new and at the same time want to be protecting. Our resources, both, you know, planet resources, but our own financial resources and finding that balance when you look at how the fashion world is changing and how we have these kind of two sides that are creating tension right now, how are you looking at it for your own style of balancing those things?
It's definitely caused me to slow down, for sure. And it's seeing the tension of, you know, What's the conversations that are happening has really helped me turn inward and reflect and ask, why do I want something you know, like when you see a pretty object, you're like, I want it so bad. But, you know, as we talk about the impact of.
You know, fashion on the climate. And as we, as a society, re examine consumerism and our motivations for consuming, it's definitely, for me, helped me call back my power as far as my personal style. I'm not like, I'm not looking to stores really anymore to go fill an emotional need or to solidify my place in society as far as I'm the trendiest, I'm the best dressed, I have the, you know, flashiest label.
And it's interesting to see that reflected in, in The larger market with the, you know, birth of quiet luxury, you know, suddenly everybody wants to look nice, but nobody wants to wear labels. You know, so it's it's definitely caused me to, to really lean into personal style as far as what do I want to wear?
Seeing trends as more so options rather than compulsory there's been plenty of trends where I don't like it and I'm not going to try to like it either, you know, and with, you know, tick tock and Instagram, and there's so many really incredible creators that have a very distinct niche style and also, you know, only shop secondhand or are very transparent about where they get their clothing.
So some of it's Native American, some of it's, you know, from Goodwill. So I think we're all getting a lot more complicated and I think that's a good thing. You know, it's not about just going to, you know, American Eagle and buying the, you know, new season, you know, that's what I did in middle school or wanted to do anyways.
But it's. It's more so, you know, like, what, what are you doing with your style and what's your ethos? What's your, you know, philosophy which I think is really cool. I think we're all really starting to understand that it's personal and relying on companies to dictate our personal style is important.
It's literally not sustainable, but also figuratively not sustainable. If we're always looking for something external to us to tell us what we like, we're never going to know what we like. So it's been a really interesting experience for me to kind of solidify my own personal taste in that sense.
I also think it's really interesting looking at how many pieces people had in their wardrobe in history versus today.
I think even in the 50s, women would have like 30 pieces in their wardrobe, and that would include accessories. And like they were living in a capsule wardrobe. No one was calling it that because why would you ever have so many pieces of clothes and it makes so much sense when you look at closet size in older homes versus now you need what an entire living room to hold everything.
I think it's really interesting and not just for personal style, but also how are you enjoying your time? Because if you have less things to deal with, you're outside, like, leave your house, go be with people. Like, what is it that we're actually here for? I, I grew up in, like, my middle school and high school years were in the 90s, and I'm so thankful that it was from the sense of, There was such a push to like be creative and be different and do your own thing.
And I've been waiting for it to come back. Like 90s trends came back, but it wasn't the philosophy hadn't yet. And I feel like I'm starting to see more of that showing up lately, which I'm really excited about. Like, where's the true creativity? Where is, as you said, who's taking time to look at what they personally want and doing inward inspiration versus external inspiration.
It's, I think it's a really interesting shift that's happening right now.
Yeah, I agree. I think, you know, going back to how, you know, small wardrobes used to be fashion, you know, clothing also serves so many different purposes these days. And, you know, from a societal standpoint, like we have more activities.
We just do. And, you know, technology gets involved, you know, they didn't have workout wear back then. They should have. Like, you can't play basketball in a three piece, you know, wool suit, which is, you know, back then that's not allowed. how you were playing sports. You know, you might've had like denim or, you know, maybe like some cotton cotton sweats, but,
I do love the visual of like the editorial visual of men playing basketball in three piece suits.
That gets me excited to see like in a magazine or on online, but the practicality, absolutely not.
Yeah. So yeah. And you know, that it's really like the intersection of how do we, how do we allow creators to be creative? And how do we allow innovation to innovate for us versus, yeah, how much do we actually need?
My grandmother, she had a sister, they each had one dress and they would switch dresses. And they would alternate days. And so on the one hand we can go, wow, what a cool capsule wardrobe. But also, you know, she had her everyday dress and then she had her church dress. And so, you know, like, wow, that is, yes, she's unburdened from having to do all this laundry and.
You know, it's also you know, too small. Yeah. Maybe a little bit too small. Yeah. As far as like personal expression and, you know, the feelings of disempowerment that come with that, you know, there's been, this is not at all comparable, but there's been plenty of times where I've had a job interview, you know, back in college.
And I just, I didn't have, I didn't have the right thing and going into the interview and just feeling like. Awful. Like I'm gonna, I'm not gonna get this job because you know, there's four sorority girls in front of me and they're, they've, they've dressed to the nines. They've got this.
You know, it matters when it's a creative job.
I mean, I think it matters differently when it's something like finance or banking, but when it's in the creative space, it really matters. Like self expression matters so much to say, Okay. Do you get what we do here?
Yeah, exactly. And yeah, I mean, even finance, they have their uniform, you know? So yeah, like as fashion has gotten more accessible, you know, it started with Sears putting out the catalog and for the first time people could like flip through pages and circle what they wanted.
We're seeing that that's the equivalent of Tik TOK or Instagram. We can scroll infinitely and we can see. You know, see all the ads. We can, there's so much clothing to choose from. And it's so empowering from, you know, one perspective that if you're a creative and you want to design clothing, you there, it's so accessible to like get your designs out there.
You know, whether it be like posting content about your drawings or like what you're, what you're working on in your home studio. You know, there's several fashion students that I follow and they post what they're working on in class, which I think is so cool. But yeah, you know, it's also like, how much is too much?
How do we, how do we edit for ourselves? How do we keep ourselves from going off of the proverbial ledge? With creativity, is there such a thing? And then, you know, the ethics as well as we, we all need to make a living and the fashion industry is It's an industry. So, you know, how do we, how do we find that balance between creating jobs, but maintaining price points and ethics and how much is too much, how much is not enough?
Yeah, it's, it's definitely a very complicated conversation. And I think some, it just underscores the value of community and dialoguing with it about, or dialoguing about it with. people around you. You know, I, we're seeing more and more conversations about fashion happening because of social media because, because there's so many clothing stores.
And I think that's really great. And yeah, it's just, you know, that's growth. And as things grow, they get more complicated.
When you look at people who are inspiring you now, and you look at people inspiring you from the past, who are some examples that you are really inspired by and love to nerd out on.
I mean, way back when, I was definitely, like, it was, Pinterest had just come out, like, it had just risen to the, the zenith that it was well, I guess it still is, but I was such a sucker for, like, twee, like, Zoe Deschanel like, when I think of style icons that, like, I looked up to in college, for some reason, it was, it was that.
But as I've like progressed through, I think I don't, I don't, I don't really even have any way specific anymore because it's, there's just so much and you, I see so many images like thousands of images a day. So like I'm drawing inspiration from everywhere and I'm even looking for inspiration in.
In not style icons because it, it's gotten just like, there's such a volume of content. So, you know, like looking through interior design catalogs, like, how can I, how can I ground myself and you know, find inspiration in like the really unconventional places.
That leads me to wondering, how are you balancing yourself?
There's so much happening as business owner and then serving in the styling and then your own life and all the responsibilities that come with it. What are you doing to stay grounded when you're not working?
That is a really great question and something I'm currently asking myself. The past six months, I really saw myself break down as far as Realizing how, like, workaholic I had gotten.
It's hard when you really like your job, and it is something so fun that it's just so easy to do, like, one more hour, 15 more minutes, 20 more minutes. You know, I'll just print more labels really quick. And yeah, I kind of realized I had Like cut away everything that was filling my cup. So I wasn't reading anymore I wasn't watching TV and movies, which you know, I think we all complain about how much media we consume But I it's still like you just need to turn your brain off sometimes and Yeah, like, I wasn't going to yoga anymore.
Like, I wasn't going on my, I wasn't going on my 10k steps walks. And it just happened in bits and pieces. So it was really bizarre. In June, I had kind of, like, a weird personal crisis happen and it really slammed on the brakes for me. And, like, I realized how really, I'd let my personal life deteriorate for the sake of it.
Pursuing my business. So yeah, to keep myself on site, I always write in the morning, I write three pages in my journal and then anything after that, it's just extra, but it's an hour of writing where it's just me. I write down anything that comes to mind. It's not super curated or anything. It's like, I don't want oatmeal for breakfast, you know, just like the silly little thoughts, but writing it down is really validating.
And I'm like, yeah, this is an important thought, Malia. Good job. And then I go work out and then usually by then it's, you know, 9am, 10am and then I'm back in, back into working, but finding a way to move your mind, finding a way to move your body and then finding a way to like move your spirit.
So yoga or Yeah. You know, meditation. I do see an energy worker and conversations with her are always super helpful. You know, if you're a religious person, it would be church or, you know, conversations with your small group. But yeah, mind, body, spirit, and finding ways to feed all of those.
And then just something for fun, you know, reading a book just for the sake of it, or, you know, something like that. I always find, try to find like something hands on creative to do too. Painting the lampshade. It's, it's so thoughtless, but it's like, It gets you back into the creative mindset, and it's serving you, and it helps me be better at my job, so.
I saw that we are both Virgo rising.
Totally.
And right now we're in our twelfth house, apparently, as Virgo rising, which is, like, the basement. Yeah, that's the underworld, right? It's not so much that it's the underworld, but it's like the ending of things. So a lot of people get freaked out that it's like, it's death.
And it's like, timeout it's, it's like, things stop. So new things can happen. Like we get so hung up in modern Western culture that like death is the end. And it's like, sometimes that relationship was supposed to die. Sometimes, you know, we're not supposed to have that habit anymore, or we're literally supposed to be Purging my emotional, mental, physical things out of our lives.
And so when you mentioned that you kind of had that, like the crisis in June, like my June was also like June to July was, has just been kind of bananas. Like I got COVID and then other stuff happened. And it's been this really weird, I've also been getting all these signs of you need to cut out the junk that's not supposed to be here anymore.
We need to make room for bigger things that are coming. Yes. And I hate that period because I like momentum. I don't like forward and I like movement. Yeah. And so having to just sit and be like, fine. We're organizing the basement this month. I'll just do it. It was reassuring because I did a workshop with KJ Atlas on Sunday for the new Leo moon for manifesting.
And when she told me it was the 12th house thing, I'm like, okay, I'm not crazy. That was my intuition telling me that. And, Fine, I'll just accept it now versus try to fight it.
That's so funny. I've very much had the same experience as far as, you know, feeling the ending of things and just wanting to fight it.
And this is the first time that I've just allowed things to kind of dispense on their own. And really, Things I should, I should be worried about, but I just, I can't. I'm just, I'm, I'm like, I, I just can't. Like, I don't have it in me to worry anymore. So, like, you know, when, like, one thing leaves, another will take its place.
That's how, that's how my universe works. But yeah, people do get freaked out about the concept of like spiritual death. It's something I meditated on you know, in a figurative sense the entire past year. Every year I pull a tarot card for like what the theme is. And last year I pulled death and I was like, I'm gonna die.
But no, it it's rebirth and, you know, You know, for one thing to come in, another has to leave, and so I, I've really come to, like, love the concept of death, because it, it really means rebirth, and that means life, so, anytime, anytime I'm feeling an ending, I get really excited for what's coming in, and I just decide to, like, focus on that, the light at the end of the tunnel and it's never disappointed me, it's, it's worked out pretty well.
That's how Fortress really started with the style bundles. Back in January, I was working for a swimwear company in the buying office. I had just been doing Fortress kind of on the side and I got laid off and I I couldn't worry because it was like so overwhelming. I had just signed a lease. I had just signed for a new car.
Like, it was the worst time to get laid off. And I just said, okay, when one thing leaves, another will take its place. And that's, I just kept focusing on foragers and It just blossomed. So yeah, it like endings are fun. They've become fun for me.
Yeah. Well, and I just read a quote that said you can't pray or, and worry at the same time you got to pick.
Yeah.
And I really like that. And it just kind of resets things into, are you going to choose that anything is possible or are you going to choose it's hopeless? And.
Yeah.
Like anything is possible. It's just so much more fun.
Yeah. Yeah. Well, it gives you more options for sure. And something I think people forget is it doesn't have to be like this active, like all encompassing, like earth shattering, like bodily consuming belief.
I think sometimes choosing to do nothing as opposed to choosing to worry is just as important or powerful as, you know, choosing like the rah rah optimist mindset, like choosing to not worry is the same thing as choosing to be optimistic. So yeah, like the power of just, you know what, I'm, I'm going to choose not to worry.
And if being optimistic in a certain like set of circumstances feels too impossible, too overwhelming, that's okay, I'll cross that bridge when I get there, but I know that for right now, I can choose to not worry, and that's just as powerful.
Well, that's a great segue into what do the words powerful and ladies mean to you?
And do their definitions change when they're next to each other?
That's a really good question. I think power for me is That's something I've been thinking about a lot, as far as, is power something good to have? Do I want power? What is it, what does that even mean? And I think really it's just the ability to affect change.
Or the ability to continue to show up in my community and be of service, to me that, that's really powerful. And I think if I, if I were to say like, I'm a powerful person, that's, that's what I would want out of having power. Being able to continue to show up and be of service and be helpful to others.
despite whatever my circumstances are. And then ladies, I mean, we're women. You know, however, however you choose to identify. But powerful ladies, I don't know that it really changes the definition of either. I think women are just really great. And obviously I'm biased because I am one, but there was definitely a time where I felt frustrated with being a woman because of how many, you know, just barriers there are, you know, we navigate social circumstances so much differently than, you know, our counterparts or people that don't identify as a woman just because of the expectations that are set on us or, you know, societal norms.
You know, especially with style, you know, if you're not a woman that wears, you know, pretty dresses, then what are you? Which is, I like had a really weird interaction with somebody about that. And I was like, this is, it's 2024. Like, what? This is really bizarre to me.
I think there is a resurgence though, with the kind of trad wife trend.
Yeah, for sure.
And I'm like, what? And I saw a TikTok someone posts, I think I saw it last night, where it was a voiceover of a guy Saying if you're a girl, but you're your styles in between masculine and feminine and just whatever you want it to be. I like you.
Yeah, that I like you too. Like let's be friends.
Yeah I think everybody should be able to wear whatever they want and yeah No judgment and that's I think when we reach that point, I think we'll we'll be able to Definitely be on our way to milestones in other areas. But, yeah, I don't think that powerful ladies really changes the definition of either word for me because to me it's inherent, like, women are really powerful and they should be.
And mentally I can't, like, divorce the two.
Yeah. Where do you put yourself on the powerful lady scale? If zero is average everyday human and ten is the most powerful lady you can imagine, where would you rank yourself today and on an average day?
That's a really hard one because I'm, I'm definitely my biggest, like, doubter. I think most days I would probably put myself at like a four. I always feel like I'm not doing enough. I always feel like I could be doing more. I, there's always that inner critic that's like, you're terrible at what you do.
But I think I'm probably just right there in the middle. Like there's definitely problems I can't solve and that's okay. But I'm learning and That's beautiful. That's the whole point of life. Being a business owner, you're just you're always learning constantly. And so hopefully next year, I'll be at like a six.
But I would say I'm like a five right now. And I'm really happy being there. There's nothing wrong with just being average, you know, I think there's a lot of power that comes from just fitting in and being relatable. And Maybe not fitting in, but I, being able to identify pieces of yourself and others, which is something that I hope I never, ever lose sight of.
You know, average is, nobody really is average. Like, we're all individuals. So, I mean, I don't really need to, like, jockey myself against others to make me feel good or powerful. You know, we are all in this together and Nobody knows what to wear. So where does that put us?
Something I think is also really interesting is that you've moved quite a bit, but you've landed and kind of are anchored right now in Atlanta. How is Atlanta? How do you feel it is for vintage? Is this where you think you'll stay? I want to know all the things about you and that city.
Yeah. So I'm an actor and that's why I've moved around a lot.
I was really trying to find the right fit for me. As far as industry goes, you know, there's New York, there's LA, there's a bunch of smaller and more niche markets, and the southeast is where Atlanta is located, obviously and there's a ton of TV and film here. And so I went and tried out New York, and I was like, this, I love New York, but this does not feel like the right time for me.
And then L. A. was so far from family that I was just like, this, I know that's not on the table for me, so Atlanta really was like that sweet spot as far as being close to family, being a really creative city, having the industry that I love so much and have invested so many years in, and also being able to do what I do.
New York was really cool as far as vintage goes, but it, it is a whole nother ball game as far as vintage sourcing. And it just wasn't really the right place for foragers. I don't want to compete with a thousand vintage shops that have You know, just the cream of the crop because that's, you know, for just, we offer really good quality vintage, but it's something that maybe people wouldn't pick up off the rack, like intuitively knowing that this is good vintage.
It's, you know, maybe it doesn't have the right label. Maybe it's not Levi's. Maybe it's, you know, not a well known brand, but it's still like. really good on trend and quality made. So just knowing that the, as far as the demographic that shops vintage in New York like that is, that is the big leagues.
And that's okay. Forgers will be there someday, but it's just not there right now. And that's okay. I'm able to help more people where I'm currently at. The vintage is great. I love the southeast. I love we, you get some really cool textiles here, which is so fun. And there's, you know, there's history everywhere, but you know, being, being a formal, like former textile capital, it's like, it's, there's just a lot of history here.
So it's really cool to be able to drive out to the sticks and find an antique mall. And like, it's a hand crochet tablecloth and it's 20. So I'm like, five years on this. So yeah, it's treating me really well. I really, really like it here. I like being close to my family. They're only four hours away.
I like being close to the beach. It's only five hours away. I'm from the Midwest originally. So like anything under five hours is fine. But yeah, it's got everything that I need. And if you believe in astro cartography, it is, I do have a line running through it. So it was, it's also been a little bit of an experiment to see like, Hmm, what's life like living on the line.
So, yeah, it's a really, really vibrant city. There's just, there's so much here. And it's really cool to you know, part of it, but also be an observer as well.
We've been asking everyone as well, because this is such a connected, resourceful community. What do you need? How can we help? What's on your to do list or to manifest list?
You can ask for whatever you want.
Wow. That is so generous. I don't know. I think there's lots of things that I need, but the things that I think I need, I usually don't need. So, you know, circling back to our conversation of death and endings. I'm really allowing myself to just hang out for a sec.
I'm, I'm done wanting things and I'm done needing things. And I'm just trusting that the right things will show up. You know, a supportive community is always appreciated and we will always need community. So honestly, just like having, having that is. really enough. There's definitely, you know, things I want manifestations that I want, but I I'm okay just kind of letting them show up on their own.
I spent the last year and a half, like really pedal to the metal, trying to like call things in or make things happen. And it was fun. It was really fun. But also the things that I got that I ended up really like being excited about were not things that I had anticipated for myself. So I'm trying something new.
I'm just, I'm allowing life to show up for me. So yeah, I don't really need anything or want anything right now. I'm just I'm just enjoying like settling into my new apartment and, you know, exploring new things with foragers and just allowing what's next to show up.
I love that. So for everybody who wants to support you, follow you, get styled by you, where are all the things and places they can find and follow you?
All the things are on my Instagram, forges goods the link is in bio, if you want to shop the website and then the link tree as well, I believe that's still in the bio Patreon, we're going to start doing newsletters on there, so that's really exciting, so if you want to subscribe, do that. The link's there.
But yes, everything is contained in one place and it is the Instagram bio.
I love it. Well, thank you so much for being a yes to Powerful Ladies and to me and being so generous in this conversation. I think what you're doing is great and needed and there's such a void in the fashion marketplace for that.
So thank you for who you are and how you're contributing to the world and your community.
Well, thank you. And thank you for making the time. This was really a delightful conversation and please keep doing what you're doing because it's, it's really great. And it's really appreciated.
All the links to connect with Mylea and forger's goods and to get your own vintage custom capsule are in our show notes at the powerful ladies. com. Subscribe to this podcast wherever you're listening and leave us a rating and review. Join us on Instagram at powerful ladies. And if you're looking to connect directly with me, visit Kara Duffy. com or Kara underscore Duffy on Instagram. I'll be back next week with a brand new episode until then. I hope you're taking on being powerful in your life. Go be awesome and up to something you love.
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Episode 268: KJ Atlas | Business & Location Astrologer
Instagram: @foragersgoods
Website: foragersgoods.myshopify.com
Created and hosted by Kara Duffy
Audio Engineering & Editing by Jordan Duffy
Production by Amanda Kass
Graphic design by Anna Olinova
Music by Joakim Karud
