Today we’d like to introduce you to Audra Corns.
Hi Audra, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My fiance Matty and I were expecting our first baby on the island of Maui when COVID happened. Seeing the whole world shutting down all around us and not knowing what to expect in the coming months was scary. We often talked to friends and family on the mainland, and they told us how isolated they felt being stuck inside their homes for weeks. Being on an island at this time was a blessing as the island was shut down to visitors, so the beaches and streets had fewer people. We could go outside and take daily walks on the beach with our newborn, breathe fresh air, and soak up the sunshine. We quickly realized how uplifting being outside was for our mood. Even though the world was in chaos, we could find some calm as we felt the warm sun on our skin and the wind on our faces. Fast forward 18 months, and we had moved back to Austin, TX, where I’m originally from, and we found ourselves enjoying the great outdoors here! The difference is that more people worked from home after the pandemic, staying indoors much more than before. Austin is such a playground of a city with many different outdoor activities during the summer; we wanted to inspire people to get outside any chance and enjoy the beautiful city we live in.
In Hawaii, it’s popular to where straw hats to the beach. They are lightweight and keep you shaded, so we decided to bring the style of the straw hat and collaborate with local Austin artists to create unique designs to go under the brim. We also wanted to include an uplifting message for each Good Day-er, so we stitched a message on the inside of the adult and Kid hats. The adults say, “It’s a Good Day for a Good Day,” and the kids say, “Never lose your sense of wonder.” Life is hard, and we all go through ups and downs, but with each new day, we can choose to make it what we want. We’re here to tell you that today is a good day for a good day.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Oh no, there have been some challenges. I had not gained experience with Photoshop or graphic design when I started. That was a big learning curve. Luckily, one of my best friends is a graphic design artist, and she has been my backbone in Photoshop design, and I still have barely scratched the service of it. I also knew very little about web design and attribute everything I’ve created on the website to Youtube videos. I was a jewelry artist in Maui and sold Fine Art in a Gallery, so meeting and connecting with other artists is my strong point; designing/doing anything on a computer has been a new language for me, but I am thoroughly enjoying it.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
By day I work in Tech Sales, a completely new field for me once we moved back to Austin. My coworkers are wonderful, and it has a good work-life balance, but I still needed to include my creative outlet. When Good Day Hat Company came to us, it ignited that creative spark. My fiance is a pit master at a popular BBQ restaurant downtown, so he’s known for cooking amazing BBQ. He also gives pit tours and has quite the personality, so I’m sure if you get a tour from him, it’s one you will remember. He is such a playful and uplifting person, and he came up with most of our hats’ names and sayings. At night and on the weekends when we aren’t selling hats in person, we’re Mom and Dad to our sweet daughter Evergreen. She is the real MVP of Good Day. Her favorite hat is the Monster Madness one we made in collaboration with local Austin artist Gerardo Rodriguez. She loves all of the fun colored monster images. We also have a brightly colored kid’s hat my neice loves called Neon Summer that we made in collaboration with local Austin muralist Zuzu. All in all, from idea to product in hand, it was 10 months of staying up until 2 am every weeknight with manufacturers overseas, tweaking products, reaching out to artists, creating samples, and being consistent. I’m so proud of Good Day, mainly because we are building something we believe in together as a family.
Any big plans?
We have big plans for the future and know where we want to take Good Day in the next 3-5 years. We cannot wait to share our plans as they start unfolding. Eventually, we want to make Good Day a community of local artists, outdoor enthusiasts, craft beer drinkers, dog walkers, paddle boarders, and river floaters who can get together, wear their Good Day gear, and enjoy an epic hike or meet up. We want to get to know our customers like family and can’t wait to share our ideas for epic events in the future. For now, we plan to keep expanding with new artists. We want to support local Austin artists and help get their names out there while collaborating to design beautiful hats. We are also working on some new hat styles for the fall/winter time, so stay tuned.
Pricing:
- Kid’s Hats $38
- Adult Hats range from $40-$48
- Bucket Hats $26
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gooddayhatcompany.com
- Instagram: @gooddayhatcompany
Image Credits
Photography by Sara Marjorie Strick
