Meet Julianne Mahoney | Gear Designer & Small Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julianne Mahoney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julianne, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
In the beginning of my business and until recently, I put it above everything else in my life. I worked 7 day weeks for 12-16 hours a day, only taking days off when absolutely necessary. This past year, my body and mind couldn’t handle the overload. My health declined as well as my mental well-being and I realized something needed to shift. As much as I love my business, I love my life, family, and well-being more. I can’t take care of my customers and community if I’m not taking care of myself. Creativity also starts to run dry when you stop giving your mind time to wander. Now, I’ve relax a lot of my tight-deadlines and put mandatory rest into my daily schedule. It’s difficult to stop working when there’s always so much to do but it’s always worth it. Creativity and innovation come not when they’re forced but when they’re given freedom. More rest has also given me new life and excitement in my business. Since I’m not working round the clock, I appreciate the time I do have in the studio.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I always wanted to be an artist as a kid but stopped pretty early from fear of not being good enough. I explored lots of other mediums and hobbies until coming back to sewing in college. I started out of need for gear without the money to purchase what I truly wanted but discovered I could be creative and inventive with fabric. It’s not the art I had wanted to do as a child but it’s the art I’ve fallen in love with. It took years to develop relationships with the artists whose work feature on my products and years to develop my skills as a seamstress. An attitude for constant improvement helped me through the tough times. It’s easy to tear apart a product you pictured so beautifully in your head when it doesn’t come out quite like you imagined. I always try to remember how far I’ve come and every mis-sewn item is just a skill I still need to hone. Beautiful things take time to product but they tell a story. They can be more than just a piece a fabric, they can be a part of your soul. They can be a source of love and inspiration for those who use them. That’s really what I aim to do everytime I sew; artfully craft something that makes them smile, makes them stoked, and makes them want to get outside every single time they see it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Their first morning we would hike to the peak of Carbonate mountain to watch the sunrise over the peaks before heading to Hailey Coffee Co for a latte and day old muffins (they’re only a dollar and so dang good). We would spend the next week exploring the local hiking, mountain biking, climbing, and hot springs. Honestly, a month wouldn’t be enough time here. One day, we would do a hot springs tour in the national forest, hitting as many as possible, stopping at Galena Lodge to eat on the way. The next day we would stay in town and mountain bike at Coral Creek before strolling around Ketchum to window shop. At least one day has to be spent on the Wood River taking in the sun and tubing, finishing up the day with a drink at Sawtooth Brewery. The rest of the days would be spent hiking around the alpine lakes, the Sawtooth peaks, and on my all-time favorite trail, Pionner Cabin.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to dedicate this to my boyfriend and family. They’ve helped me every step of the way and are constantly supporting me emotionally, physically, and mentally. Additionally, all of my friends. They were the first to support my business financially and helped me cultivate a wonderful community of rad humans like themselves.

Website: www.shopwildbrush.com

Instagram: @shopwildbrush