Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Gordon.
Nina, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My previous career was a social worker, which I did for approximately 15 years in a variety of capacities, from working at a drug and alcohol treatment center for teenagers to working in a hospital. About nine years ago, I started feeling burnt out from doing social work full time and started thinking about what else would I be interested in doing in this lifetime? Not sure where to start to figure this out, I had a nudge to take a book off my shelf that had been there for years, The Artist’s Way. I had been given this book years ago but did not feel inspired to do it until this time. As they say, the teacher appears when the student is ready. The Artist’s Way is a 12 week course book, described as a spiritual guide to creativity. I have always had the urge to do something creative in my life, but I was not exactly sure what. Through doing this book, I got clear that I wanted to open a shop, something I was reminded was a childhood dream job, but in my mind was out of my realm. I did not see myself as someone creative enough to do so. Through doing The Artist’s Way, I worked through my fear of pursuing my dream of opening a shop and embraced that I am a creative person.
Once I identified what I wanted to do, I again was not sure what to do next. So I just continued to follow the nudges/instincts I was experiencing. I decided to sign up for a six week business course at a local non-profit organization called Big Austin, which turned out to be a wonderful experience and led me to the next step. Through taking the course at Big Austin, I qualified for a business loan competition through A+ Federal Credit Union. I entered the competition and won a 0% interest business loan! After that, the ball was rolling and I opened my shop on the last day of July 2011.
I named my shop Take Heart because I wanted the name to be a positive message to others, telling them thinks are going to be ok and be courageous. I have been so touched at how much support the shop has been given and all the wonderful feedback we get from our customers.
In the beginning, I was surprised how many people came into the shop and are interested in hearing about how I had made a career change and opened the shop. I started selling The Artist’s Way because it was such a pivotal part of my opening the shop and people were expressing interest in it. Many people (mostly women) share with me their dreams of pursuing a new occupation, opening a business, or continuing a new art form. I like sharing my story with others because I was really afraid to try something new and leave my comfort zone, but I’m here to say its worth it to take the chance and try something new. I want to tell others to believe in themselves and listen to those nudges and instincts that are there to guide us.
Take Heart has now been open eight years and last year we opened a second sister shop down the street called Kindred Spirits that features women’s clothing and accessories that we feel good wearing. I am regularly thankful that I took the chance to change my career, for our wonderful team in both shops that all have gifts that they bring to the shops and our wonderful customers for their support.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When I first opened the shop, I had a part-time social work job, as I needed the income as I got the business off the ground. So I would work one week as a social worker and the next week in the shop, I did this with the help of my mother, who is the assistant manager of taking heart and some friends who were open to working part time. During this time, I worked a lot! I was told the first three years are challenging, not much income coming in, not much travel happening, but I was encouraged to stick with it. I found it to be true that things did get better once I made it to the three year mark. So, in general, I would say the beginning is the toughest part, patience, faith and hard work were needed during that time.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Take Heart is a gift shop that sells thoughtfully chosen items for the home and person. I choose all the items in the shop based on the feeling they give me, if they speak to me in a positive way, I carry them in the shop. I would say this personal way I choose items makes out shop unique. I am told that our customers can feel the care put into the items in the shop and the general feel is positive in the shop, which I love to hear. We sell many locally handmade items, as well as items from around the world.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
At the beginning, the Big Austin teacher I worked with was very helpful to me. We met together individually and created a thorough business plan, which I do suggest doing when opening a business. My friends and family were supportive from the beginning and some even worked in the shop when we first opened and I needed help.
My mother, Kathleen Burke, moved to Austin in part to work in the shop. She still works at taking heart; she is the assistant manager and is a huge part of the shop. We brainstorm and talk about the shop regularly, it would not be the same without her. The team at both shops are each so wonderful in their own way and bring their own gifts to the shop, I value and am grateful for each of them. All of the people I collaborate with locally on creative projects are all special to me from the woodworker who made the beautiful cabinets in the shop, to the designers who worked with me on the business cards and tissue paper, to the holiday decorations.
Contact Info:
- Address: take heart
1211 E 11th St.
Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78702Kindred Spirits
1111 E 11th St
Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78702 - Website: www.takeheartshop.com and www.kindredspirits-shop.com
- Phone: TH – 512-366-5667 KS – 512-520-9664
- Email: ninaburkegordon@gmail.com
- Instagram: @takeheartshop and @shopkindredspirits
Image Credit:
Photos by Michael Muller
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