Daily Inspiration: Meet Madison Geroski

Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison Geroski

Hi Madison, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Ohio loving art and studied Fashion Design at Kent State University where I studied abroad in Florence, Italy, as well as in NYC. While studying in New York City, I interned for brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Tibi and Tracy Reese where I did everything from sourcing trims in the fashion district to dressing models behind the runway during Fashion Week. I quickly learned that New York City would be the best next stepping stone for me to launch my Fashion Design Career and moved there after graduating with my Fashion Design degree. It was an adventure I took on with four of my friends I graduated design school with. We hustled our way freelancing until we all found our first real full time jobs.

I started my career working with a range of companies from Contemporary Designers to Mass Market Companies and realized that although I loved the detail and awe of Designer Fashion, I wanted to work for a company that had product all of my friends and family could have access to. I began an amazing journey working for Kohl’s Corporate Design Team in the center of the Garment District in Manhattan. I started as an Assistant Designer, became an Associate Designer, a Designer, and most notably held the position of Senior Designer managing everything from the design calendar to mentoring design staff, creating seasonal color palettes, sourcing fabrics, presenting to management, fitting garments, and making head-to-toe trend themes for the Nine West Brand. My design career took me around the world and country to study trends and meet with company partners and I was always so inspired by consumers and culture and the uniqueness of boutiques in these different areas. I loved seeing the different product displays and trend themes the stores would have, and especially savored the joy I would feel when finding a unique gift for someone while shopping there. I was inspired to bring that joy to others myself by opening my very own boutique to allow others to have access to unique and memorable things.

The dream of opening a store that allows you to celebrate with style and ease and offer everything you need to have a meaningful, chic celebration including gifts was born. In a sad twist of events as this idea began to mold, my family unexpectedly lost my Aunt (who was incredibly creative) and then shortly after, my father (who believcd in my vision) to cancer. My Father was a fun loving, hard working man who always stressed how important it was to ‘Do Your Best’. It was a motto he would always share with me and my siblings and during college, I even had the phrase tattoed on my wrist with him present! It was such a special moment and in reflecting on that time, I remembered how much my Father and Mother would make the ‘ordinary’ celebrations seem meaningful and I wanted to help others do the same. The vision for my boutique officially became a reality and I took the leap of faith to move to Ohio and open my boutique, Madison Paul. ‘My name is Madison, and my dad’s middle name was ‘Paul’, so the brand became Madison Paul- a constant reminder of the joy togetherness can bring, and to always do your best. Which is what I strive to do–do my very best to encourage the making of meaningful memories and inspiring others to celebrate with unique gifts and style!

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?
Starting a business has not been without its challenges. From figuring out how to create a business plan, apply for a loan, set up things like workers comp insurance, payroll, a website, a budget, source bags and tags, etc. to adjusting to living in a new area where I needed to learn my customers wants and needs, the road to small business owning has been both incredibly rewarding and challenging. One thing that continuously surprises me is how much there is to learn. Coming from a large corporate company, there were teams in place that provided me and my team information that allowed us to do our specific job tasks efficiently; from a marketing team to sales and financial strategists, to an HR and IT team, we leveraged the data and skills of these partners to be able to focus on what made us experts in our particular field of design. However, when you become your own business owner, you become all of those job titles in one and your area of focus becomes so much broader. You must work even harder to research what data you need to make smart, strategic decisions and build relationships outside of your circle with those that are experts in finance, law, accounting, etc. to help guide you through this learning phase. I am constantly googling things, asking my peers and mentors for guidance, and reflecting. There is no ‘handbook’ for running a retail store (at least not one that I’ve found!) but through trial and error and leveraging those that have experience, and listening to our clients, I feel I am growing and learning every day!

Another thing I’ve learned is that many people aren’t familiar with the sacrifices and challenges that many small businesses experience, and I was not expecting that at first. I had to learn that some may try to treat your business as if you are a big box retailer, but you can’t let that discourage you.

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?
I am the creator of Madison Paul, a boutique which offers unique, conversation-starting merchandise that encourages togetherness and inspires the creation of your own impactful decorative displays and gift giving moments. The boutique has elevated merchandise ranging from Baby & Childrens apparel /Accessories (Newborn to sizes 9/10), decorative home decor (vases, seasonal decor, tableware, glassware, napkins, etc.) to curated tablescapes, celebration accessories (paper plates, balloons, greeting cards, etc.), and personalized/unique gifts. We are known for curating gift baskets by theme no matter the occasion (groomsmen gifts, baby shower, engagement, housewarming, teacher appreciation, etc), and having products from small businesses, brands that support a greater good, as well as produced in other parts of the world outside of china. Another thing that sets us apart is that we host fun events in our store to bring the community together and we also open a Holiday ‘pop up’ store that is only open for the Winter Season only in addition to Madison Paul that is a wonderland of holiday decor and called ‘Merry by Madison’. I am so proud of the ‘stories’ our product tells. It’s important to us that when we can, we know who made our product, where, and the ‘why’ behind why it was made. Items that are made from passion for a craft set us apart from so many big box retailers. Oh, and we have a store mascot–a sweet and playful Yorkie named Scoobie who everyone loves to visit at our stores!

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was always creative and had my own interesting sense of style. From playing tee ball in a dress and ruffle socks to making christmas ornaments using recycled cans and pipe cleaners, I always had a flair for using my imagination. Art was my favorite subject and I was involved in everything from Student Council and Drama, to Cheerleading, Volleyball, and other sports. I loved being a part of as many clubs and events that I could. I could never quite get interested in Math, but you could find me writing, being a borderline perfectionist, hanging with friends, or attending sporting events. I was fortunate to have a loving family who encouraged me to work hard, go after what inspires me, and to always try to give back.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.MadisonPaul.com
• Instagram: @MadisonPaulCollection
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089779545833&sk=about. ***I think we could just say ‘Madison Paul facebook page’? I’m not sure if this link is confusing