Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassie Clark.
Hi Cassie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
In December of 2019, I had a mental health crisis and struggled with anxiety and depression. In the middle of that, I lost my job and also found out I was pregnant with my third child, all in the same week. My husband and I thought I was miscarrying, which only contributed to more stress and anxiety. I had a few weeks where I struggled to get myself out of bed and care for myself and my family.
I was someone who found identity in my job, so when I found myself out of a job that I had held for eight years – I honestly felt like my world was ending. I had struggled with high functioning anxiety most of my life, but I had never struggled with severe depression. Thanks to some very supportive friends, I started therapy right away. My therapist actually had suggested to me to start working with my hands to help relieve some of that anxiety or to find a hobby.
So, in 2020, once the pandemic started, I figured why not? I honestly thought it was just going to be a hobby! Once my daughter was born in the summer of 2020, she was diagnosed with a genetic disorder. We knew the medial bills would be a challenge for us, so I wanted to find a hands-on way to help my anxiety, but also help our family pay for long-term medical bills.
I started Drift in December of 2020. I had been working with clay for a year at that point, as I wanted to master as much of the craft as I could before selling to others. I initially had no desire to sell and was only making items as gifts or custom requests from friends. I had another small business friend really encourage me to step out of my comfort zone, start a website, and just take a shot at selling! I decided to try a Drop system where I spent several weeks designing and creating pieces and then made them available for purchase on my website on a certain day of the month. My very first Drop was in February 2021, and I was amazed how many people purchased from the site with absolutely no advertising – only by word of mouth!
Today, honestly, I am amazed at what Drift has become. I absolutely love creating. I have a Drop each month, which features polymer clay and resin jewelry as well as home goods. Each Drop is a different theme, and so the products I make are always changing to fit that theme and to give my customers something they’ve never seen before! I am currently selling in six brick-and-mortar boutiques, from Bath to North Canton, Ohio. I also have done a few pop-ups at stores, as well as some markets in the summer and fall. Drift has become what it has all from word of mouth. I have never paid for advertising, and just really appreciate how my customers have become such huge supporters through sharing on social media and by telling their friends!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha! I feel like nothing is ever a smooth road. I honestly love what I do, which I feel like makes it all worth it. It’s a struggle to find the time to create. I have three young children and really no help in the childcare department. I create at night when they are sleeping, and then in the “cracks” of the day where I can get an hour in before I have to drive someone somewhere, or ya know, parent!
Another struggle, besides the time, is just other makers who do similar things. I try not to compare, but imposter syndrome is real. I always question: am I doing enough? Am I creating cool enough things? I have to constantly remind myself that I am not a competitive person and that I started Drift to help ease anxiety and not to create more. I want to make beautiful pieces to help others feel beautiful and not for the sake of trying to be cool.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I don’t consider myself an artist, but I would say I am creative. I specialize in making polymer clay and resin jewelry. I also make concrete and resin home goods, but I am not as well known for that. I don’t really feel I have a niche, because I am constantly making new things and wanting to use materials I have never used before. I get bored easily and love to challenge myself.
I have a Drop each month and, in that Drop, it is 100 percent new products. I don’t repeat the same earrings – ever. I pick a theme and stick with it. Due to that, I would say what sets me apart from others is that my products are constantly changing. I want Drift to be unique and one of a kind, so I don’t want the things I create to be similar to what you could find at stores. I love the challenge of picking a new theme and trying to see how many cool and unique pieces of jewelry can fit into that theme. I do not repeat the theme or the same jewelry designs again! I make about 6-8 pairs of earrings that are the same each month, and when those sell out, my customers know, they won’t see them again. I think it’s also super fun to see how many different products fit into a Drop theme! I normally have, on average, fifty different earrings that are new each month, along with a few necklaces and home goods.
Another thing that sets me apart from others? Me. I am not the same as someone else who may make similar products. I pride myself in having excellent customer service. I also pride myself in being real. I am a busy mom, and I let my followers and customers know that. I try to be as real and honest as I can. I love to be transparent. I am human, I am a mom, and I also happen to be a creative. You can start a small business and be a mom at the same time. Is it easy? No. Is it fun? Yes. Is it hard to balance both? Yes. But I am doing it. I also try to be a real human on social media. We are so desensitized to women who put on a front to appear or look a certain way for the world to see. I am more like: “what you see is what you get”. I don’t use filters on my face and don’t heavily edit any of the photos of my products. I don’t feel that I need to “show up” a certain way on social media, since I want to be as authentic and genuine as possible!
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Just how quickly life can change and the value of community. My husband and I had a baby the summer of 2020 and it felt so strange. We didn’t know what was safe, or who was safe. We were very thankful that we had some family and a decent amount of close friends that we could do life with at that time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.drift.market
- Instagram: Drift_._market
- Facebook: Drift Market
Image Credits
Michelle Hill
Evan Clark
