Meet Mary Hunt of My World Better

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Hunt. 

Hi Mary, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a child and teen, I never connected with the education community I was a part of – it was boring, didn’t challenge me, and most importantly, it made me feel stupid and not worthy. This reflected in my young adult stage; jobs were just that, jobs: a means to get money to pay the bills. My life stopped when I walked into a job and started when I left. 

On my off time, I spent hours thinking and talking about humanity and being creative. That being said, I did not excel in art or creative programs in school; they had so many rules and never allowed me to create what I wanted. 

For years pieces of what I do now would pop into my mind; I would sketch pictures of the atmosphere and take notes about what it was. There was tons of visualization and innovation about this creative world that did not exist anywhere. As I matured, I began to realize that our life is what we make it, and anything is possible. 

A few years ago, due to extenuating circumstances, I had an opportunity to leap, and I did. I jumped head first into a brick-and-mortar business – with no solid plan, just notebooks fill of ideas and a passion that burned in my soul. 

I started the journey of creating My World Better and never looked back. Some would say My World Better is like “the YMCA, but cooler,” or an “in-person Etsy,” but most importantly, I think everyone would say it is “A Welcoming Environment to Inspire an Be Inspired By.” 

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?
You can imagine that jumping headfirst into a business without a solid plan had some road bumps. But let me be clear, I didn’t head in completely blind. I had a business degree and about 100 notes on what I was doing. I had also written a few business plans in the past but couldn’t get the My World Better plan just right. It seemed to be more of a hypothesis that needed more information to become clearer. And besides, at an entrepreneurship seminar I attended the speaker said, “All a business plan really is a checklist that you update every day.” Check. 

There were other hurdles too. 

Like the uncanny amount other people and their ideas and how they feel they know better than me. In the long run, this is my business with my name, and I have to do what is right for me. This is still something I work on not letting affect me almost daily. 

Oh, and the permits. Good lord, the permits. I remember when I first started 3 years ago and needed permits from the city, the county, and the fire department. I have always been very inquisitive and ask lots of questions, which is what I did when I started. Didn’t matter; I asked all the questions and got all the answers and still had the village administrator and the fire chief calling up to yell at me, on speaker together, about how I wasn’t following protocol. It made me feel so defeated like maybe the universe is conspiring against me, and I shouldn’t start this business. I locked myself in my room for the weekend and binge-watched ‘The Good Place’ and thought I am done; I live here inside this TV show now. 

After 3 brick and mortar spaces and some experience under my belt, I am convinced that it’s just all part of the process. That is takes faith, determination, strength, and the ability to pivot to be successful. And all these trials allowed me to become stronger and more successful, even if I didn’t know it in the moment. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My World Better is a place for people who have already found their passion or for those that are looking for their passion. It is a community with membership options available that encourage participation and make wellness even more affordable. There are currently 2 buildings: The Studio and The MWB Shop. 

The first building, The Studio, contains an art studio and a wellness studio: 

In the art studio, you can work on projects and take classes. It’s also a space for creative entrepreneurs to host classes and events. We schedule weekly Open Studio time for members to utilize the art wall, access Wi-Fi, enjoy coffee and tea, and most important access the community. It’s a great space for those already immersed in the creative world or for those who are just sticking their toe in. 

In the wellness studio, there are weekly and monthly classes, clubs, and events that include yoga, meditation, reiki, and more. Membership makes wellness super affordable; pay only $25 for an individual membership and get lots of this for free. 

Members are able to utilize this space for their own classes, clubs, and events like: Homeschool Co-op, Bible Study, Book Club, Poetry Club, etc. The sky is really the limit here. These activities are free for other members, or non-members can pay a small fee to My World Better to participate. 

The second building is The MWB Shop – just down the street from the studio 

Here, members can start and run their small business selling merchandise. The shop has a sublet-able space for a cafe or coffeehouse which will be occupied by Julbean’s Coffee & Crepes when we open October 1. 

The shop will also house a collection of local artisans, each with their own vignette or mini “in-person Etsy.” These consignees are members and pay a percentage of sales to sell their merchandise which makes it very obtainable for new business owners. I like to say we are a collection of entrepreneurs working together. 

The Shop has a coffeehouse feeling with a dining area where people are encouraged to grab a coffee and a snack and be creative. We are planning to add additional member perks to this location. 

My World Better is different from other community-based business because of our integration of entrepreneurs and how we are working together. We are not just one of these things; we are what the community asks for, therefor we are the community. 

“We are a community of people, people like you. We are striving to live our truest, most beautiful life. In this world, everything is possible, and nothing stands in our way.” 

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Krystal Klingemier – for helping me create the initial vision 

My Husband, Chis Hunt – for doing all the work! Renovations and building upkeep 

My Mom, Monica Vlasz – for coming up with the name My World Better and always being my cheerleader 

Chuck Thall – for suppling me with a space I could afford to do this work 

Amber Thompson, Meghan O’Donnell, Julie Victor, Jim Gardner, Cheryl McAndrews, and many others for helping me continue to innovate and grow the vision 

Pricing:

• Individual Membership $25 per month
• Family/Household Membership $45 per month

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.myworldbetter.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myworldbetter_thestudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myworldbetterfairportharbor