Meet Jackie Williams | Co-Owner, Furnish Me Vintage

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jackie Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jackie, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Starting a business is a huge risk. You’re pretty much going in, “all or nothing”. I think the willingness to lean-in is what makes a successful entrepreneur. Running a business is hard, and most often it’s not fun. Walking the tight-rope all the time can seem daunting, but risk is a funny thing — it has big highs and big lows. Everyone likes to take the win. Then there’s the down side. Clever people know how to adapt and take the loss as a lesson. Todd is more of a visionary and risk taker. I tend to be more pragmatic, “safety-first”, type of person. Over the years I’ve learned from my husband. Trust your vision, faith can take you far.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Furnish Me Vintage began out of our love for collecting vintage furniture. We restore, and retail unique and well crafted vintage furniture, art, and home decor. Furnish Me Vintage has a large store in Chattanooga and we also sell on our website, furnishmevintage.com. We ship everywhere! Todd has a meticulous eye for curation and restoration. We want people to be wowed when that special piece lands on their doorstep. Our attention to quality and customer care is what we call. “The Furnish Me Vintage difference.” Our merchandise is effectively our personal collection. It is a direct reflection of our passion and our commitment to excellence. I think that’s what draws people to our brand… and what keeps them coming back. We are just as authentic as the furniture.

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?
Mentors have been some of my greatest teachers. I’m still in regular contact with some of the people who’ve had the biggest influence on my career. Foremost… MOM and DAD! My parents are dripping style. They taught me everything about art, design, how to be resourceful and how to adapt. I was fortunate enough to meet a few lifelong mentors early in my professional career. My first editor is my blueprint for a woman in leadership. When I was first starting out as a web designer I would sit in meetings and listen to how she lead her team. I was always impressed at how she spoke to people so confidently and clear about her intentions and expectations.

Website: furnishmevintage.com

Instagram: @furnishmevintage

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fmvintage/

Image Credits
Marisa Abbott for the portrait photo. The showroom photos credit are Jackie Williams.