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

Hi Maddie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The thought process behind starting my own business was an inevitable aspect of the leap of faith I made when moving out to Colorado a couple of years ago. I was doing graphic design and social media for restaurants in Kansas City and when I made the move to Denver, I decided to go fully freelance (while keeping this job as my first client).

With the flexibility as a freelancer, and being a part of the coworking space “Thrive” in the ballpark district, I was able to make connections and get my feet wet with clients that needed artistic help, like Chalk Art and logo work.

With this flexibility in my schedule, I could also thrift more, which led to a passion for seeing the beauty in old things, giving them new life, and starting my reselling and upcycling business, Maddie Rae Vintage.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what sets me apart from others is my commitment to being myself and creating things that speak to me without the thought of what others may think. It’s hard to be immune to judgment, especially on the internet, but it’s something you can’t avoid in this type of work. In order to be discovered, you have to put your work out there for other to see, consume, and essentially judge. So embracing the feedback, continually believing in your own art and style, and surrounding yourself with other inspiring creators is essential.

A lot of faith in myself, patience, commitment, and hard work has led me to where I am today. As a business owner, these 4 pillars have to stay consistent throughout the duration of my career in order to be successful. Of course, there have been creative ruts, and that’s one of the hardest parts about being an artist. You can’t force yourself to create, so lean into patience. But when an idea is there, commit and work hard until the vision comes to life. And just believing in myself will carry me through the harder times and also accelerate in the successful seasons.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorites:

District: RiNo (has the best breweries and fun events, especially in the summer)
– Ratio Beerworks
– Finn’s Manor
– Banshee House (weekly/monthly pop-up events)
– Denver Bazaar and Thrift Pop (weekly/monthly local artist and vintage events)

Outdoors:
– Concert at RedRocks, preferably country
– Panorama Point Hike (30 min away)
– Lost Lake Hike (45 min away)
– Rockies Game!

Shopping:
– South Broadway, so many fun shops
– Arc Thrift Store

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have so many people to shout out, but first, my family and friends. They have supported me in all my business ventures and believed in what I can create. My first boss in Corporate Marketing, Stephen, for his mentorship. And to Patrick with Hangin’ N Slangin’ and Emily with Show Pony Vintage for giving me a chance to share my vintage style with Denver.

Website: maddiesalerno.com

Instagram: @maddiesalerno

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddiesalerno/

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maddiesalerno

Image Credits
Maddie Salerno

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