Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Jacobson
Hi Kristin, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
After working in the bar/restaurant business for over 15 years, I was looking for a change. Some friends that travelled to NYC often came back after one of their visits and said “You should do something in Austin like the Brooklyn Flea”. Having hosted multiple events and fundraisers at various venues – some of which included local artists’ markets – I thought I’d give it a try.
Sixteen years later, what began on a whim has grown into a more than full-time job with events happening nearly every weekend (and often 2-3 times per weekend).
We have a small part-time staff that help with the managing of events as well as poster designs, listing events and website updates while I manage the day-to-day details. The Flea wouldn’t be able to do what it does without the whole Flea Team.
The Austin Flea has been featuring local, handmade, and vintage vendors in Austin since 2009, and even lived in a few iterations a few years before that. We’ve been fortunate to have had some of the most amazing talent be part of the Flea.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I can’t imagine there’s a business that’s been around for 16 years that hasn’t had struggles – and we’re no different.
Those struggles and challenges have changed over time, just like the city of Austin has changed in the last 16 years.
But, generally, challenges provide an opportunity to grow or evolve in a way that makes us stronger and think about business (or life) in a different way.
We hope we’re able to continue to grow and evolve along with this ever-growing city.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As the owner/operator of the Austin Flea, I take great pride in doing all I can to try to make each event the best it can be.
Of course, there’s always outlying factors that we can’t control like the weather – but I do my best to communicate clearly before and during our events so that there are no surprises.
Every event (no matter the size or what the event is (not just the Austin Flea)) will always have surprises of it’s own – so I try to mitigate and anticipate everything we can before each event.
Being the first in our city to host year-round events for artists to showcase their work, we have set the standard for everyone that has come after us. It’s both a privilege and an honor to be recognized as the first of it’s kind in our city. I’m proud of the community we’ve built with our venues, vendors and shoppers. I’m proud to support all of the amazingly talented folks we have in our city. The idea of fueling Austin’s local economy is what feeds the concept of shopping local and supporting local – which is our mantra.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I didn’t think of myself as a risk taker until I met with two UT students last year who run a podcast. They mentioned a few times that I was a risk taker by leaving my job (as a manager in the service industry) to start this new concept of pop up markets – before “pop up” was even a phrase. When starting the Flea, I was just following my passion of organizing and the idea of community and trying to fill a hole in the Austin scene.
Without risk, there is no growth. We will all fail a thousand times in our lives. But, maybe one of those times in a thousand we’ll get it right and can move forward or grow and evolve. I think the goal is to keep trying. Be ready to fail. Be ready to keep trying. Hope that success comes.
I’ve been fortunate in my life to be surrounded by people who support me and that’s a real boost when it’s needed most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.austinflea.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/originalaustinflea/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austinflea/
Image Credits
2nd, 3rd & 7th images courtesy of Casey Woods Photography
