We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen & Shawn Garcia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen & Shawn, how do you think about risk?
Even as a kid, I was the one leading my younger brothers to climb a tree to get on top of and subsequently jump off the roof of our (one-story) house. There wasn’t a tree too big to climb or a bike jump too risky for me. I got a lot of scrapes and bruises but learned with those scars how to get better with each attempt. I didn’t become a professional dirt bike racer or anything, but I really do still enjoy a good cannonball into the pool. This pretty much sums up my delight in taking risks as an adult, though age has taught me that I shouldn’t jump off the roof anymore. I have moved to states where I knew no one for jobs, changed my career to advertising after more than a decade specializing in news producing, and been pretty comfortable with a “let’s see what happens” philosophy in my day-to-day life. One of the single biggest factors in my being this way is my mom’s acceptance of my wanting to try new things, and supporting me unconditionally in my failures. Fear of failure is certainly a reason to not try something, but as I’ve been taught, it’s not a good enough reason to not take the risk at all.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always been a storyteller. I also come from a long line of storytellers. Growing up, my Russian Grandmother would often tell us bedtime stories and have us search for the moral of each story. Eventually, I found out Russian fairytales are quite different than the stories some of my friends heard before they went to sleep. I remember seeking out original stories and wanting to feel that surprised feeling I often got when my dear Grandmother told us fairytales. I grew up with a love of telling stories and writing. It started with poetry, a few writing competitions, and an absolute obsession with reading. I think I read every book in our small-town library! When I was in college, I originally took a different path in my major and a few years in, realized it was not right for me at all. Taking some time off and feeling somewhat like a failure, I kept going back to my first love – writing. At some point, I remember wondering if I could really get paid to write. Turns out, I could, telling other people’s stories as a journalist. I wrote as a news producer for many years, covering devastating events from Hurricane Katrina to Casey Anthony. It wasn’t easy working all those overnights, holidays and weekends, along with the emotional toll of writing about ostensibly the worst day of people’s lives. Making the change about seven years ago to write advertising for a major retailer was one of the best decisions I have made. I am still writing, and manage a team of writers who create compelling content every day. As a small business owner (our side hustle), I have been able to put my creative side to work in new ways, and connect with the people in my area on a different level. Shawn has been able to put his gift of gab to work in securing exclusive local vendors and of course, managing our sales department. Prior to this year, we’ve focused mainly on local markets to meet people and talk about our super-soft t-shirts! One of the reasons we created Smyrna Swag was to have some cool shirts to represent our area, but also we intentionally made them with a vintage look. This was because so many new people are moving to the area, we wanted everyone to feel included, whether they’ve been here 50 years or 5 days. Most recently, for COVID, we partnered with the City of Smyrna to create a new t-shirt called Smyrna Strong, and have donated all our profits from the shirts to local families in need. That’s been our main focus so far this year. It’s our way of giving back to our community we love so much, and trying to support those who need it most.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, COVID has definitely had an impact on our day-to-day adventures. If I had a friend in town and I wanted to show them the best time in the Atlanta area (pre-COVID) I would have to take them to the following places by city, starting with where we live: Smyrna – Porch Light Latin Kitchen: Owner Andre Gomez always remembers us and makes us feel at home. The food is incredible and served with love. Silver Comet Trail: We could ride to Alabama if we wanted, the trail is shaded for the most part, and there are some gorgeous scenic views on the way. Smyrna Outdoor Market: This is where we used to post up every weekend to sell our super-soft, local t-shirts, along with other locals selling fresh produce, handmade goods and black-owned coffee (shoutout to Russell’s Gourmet Coffee!). Atlanta – East Atlanta Village – Shawn’s old stomping grounds, there are so many amazing little boutiques and local bars with so much flair. You can’t go wrong! The Battery – Catch a Braves game, sip a local-craft brew at Terrapin Tap Room, play some games at PunchBowl Social after shopping at the adorable boutiques there. 6 Feet Under – Everything on the menu is tasty here, plus the ambiance is to die for (ha!). The BeltLine – More local breweries (do you see a trend?) and plenty of shopping, restaurants and room for a stroll on the path. Krog St. Tunnel – We would have to at least drive through it, it’s always so incredible and an ever-changing mural. Larger Metro Area – Dahlonega Wine Plateau – We got married at Montaluce, so we have to recommend it for drinks and dinner. Also, a wine tour through the various wineries in the area never disappoints! Downtown Woodstock – Free live concerts during the summer, all we need is a couple of chairs and a cooler. Karaoke/Dinner on Buford Highway – Traditional karaoke in a room with our friends is always a great time, along with authentic Greek, Indian, Mexican, and just about any other kind of food we would want. And an honorable mention for an Atlanta must-see, Johnny’s Hideaway.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Karen: Of course, I have to say my Mom and my Grandmother. Both have loved me and cheered me on despite my many mistakes and missteps throughout my life. That kind of unconditional love made me feel like I really could do anything! They both also live amazing, courageous lives. From my Grandmother who took a huge chance and got on a ship for 28 days to come to this country, to my Mom who graduated nursing school with four children! Her latest assignment was a COVID unit, where she worked day and night to take care of sick patients. Both of these strong women deserve the credit for making me who I am today. Shawn: I am who I am today in part because of my parents and also, I would say Karen. My father always worked long, hard hours to support his family, while my mom raised my sister and me while running our home to perfection. Both my parents put in work to make sure we didn’t go without, and I know that was hard work with how much I ate as a teenager! My wife believes in me and challenges me to always do my best.

Website: https://smyrna-swag.weeblysite.com/
Instagram: @jonquilsmyrnaswag
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenegarcia/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-garcia/
Facebook: @jonquilsmyrnaswag

Image Credits
Alex Luidens

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