Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica and Joseph Dougherty.
Jessica and Joseph, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always loved sharing info with others. With my best friend’s encouragement, I started the Funky Finds blog in 2006 as a way to share artists & products that I loved with others. Joseph and I started going to craft shows in Dallas and Austin then blogging about the makers we met along our journeys. We became good friends with many event organizers & participants and they encouraged us to host our own event in Fort Worth as there weren’t many in the area at that time. We knew we wanted it to be fun, and of course funky, so we settled on the barns at Will Rogers Memorial Center as our location so we could have pet-friendly events. We were also adamant about having a charitable component & decided to have a raffle featuring items donated by all event participants & other businesses. We also wanted to partner with the Humane Society of North Texas by having them present at each event facilitating pet adoptions. The first event was somewhat small, but a huge success showing us that area residents were interested in such an event. This encouraged us to organize our next event and here we are in our twelfth year!
Has it been a smooth road?
I suspect it’s never a “smooth road” for any small business. We had a lot to learn in regards to operating a real business, such as taxes. Also, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes details event organizers must deal with, including event insurance (specifically terrorism insurance). Of course, there’s tons of great information readily available online & you learn as you go. We believe building relationships with our event participants, sponsors, and attendees is the most important thing we do. My advice would be stay positive, work hard, and cultivate meaningful relationships with those you want to partner with.
Please tell us about Funky Finds.
Funky Finds has always been on a mission to promote the shop local, shop small lifestyle. Our events allow the community to shop with over 200 of the area’s top makers. We are always looking to add more elements to our events that will engage attendees and provide a fun-filled weekend for others. We believe we have continued to grow because event admission has & always will be free to the public, the events are family & pet-friendly, and we partner with amazing charitable organizations – Humane Society of North Texas, child advocates CASA of Tarrant County, and DFW Toys for Tots. We are most proud about the amount of funds raised for the charities throughout the years and the large number of pets adopted at our events.
Join us for the Sweetest Spring Market Around! The 12th Annual Funky Finds Spring Fling is a free family and pet-friendly market to be held March 14th & 15th at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. We have two buildings filled with 200+ of the funkiest area makers and pickers selling the best in handmade, repurposed, upcycled and vintage finds. Event also features swag bags, charitable raffle, fundraising benefiting the Humane Society of North Texas and CASA of Tarrant County, and much more!
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
We have always worked hard to find companies that align with our demographic. We spend a lot of time crafting compelling correspondence to send to craft supply manufacturers and have built long-lasting relationships with many big name companies like Plaid Crafts that manufacturers quality products including Martha Stewart Crafts and Mod Podge. It always comes back to genuine relationships and working together to cross-promote.
Contact Info:
- Address: Event Location: Will Rogers Memorial Center, Cattle 1 Bldg. and Exhibits Bldg., 3401 Burnett-Tandy Drive, Fort Worth, Texas, 76107
- Website: https://www.funkyfinds.com
- Phone: 9036013289
- Email: events@funkyfinds.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/funky_finds
- Facebook: facebook.com/funkyfinds
- Twitter: twitter.com/funky_finds
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/events/544447652778523/
Image Credit:
I included some photos of vendors that participate in many of our events. Lil Bits of Mona, 31:31 Eco-Friendly Accessories, wildtoad toffee, Vunkology, Stayin’ Alive Succulents
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