Meet Maddix Stovie | Owner of Simply Things By Maddix & Event Planner

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

Hi Maddix, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
My work-life balance has changed over time in a couple of ways. After graduating from college last May my balance, in general, had to take a different turn. I attended Cornell College, a college that specializes in one class at a time. Each class runs for 18 days and on top of being a full-time student, I had to balance being the Student body president, a student-athlete, and running my business. Many days I would wake up, go to lifting then class, and rush to track and Field. After Practice I would grab dinner quickly, attend senate meetings, complete my homework, then work on my business for the rest of the night to get orders packaged, work on social media, and design new products.

In the 6 months since then, I have had to completely change the way I balance my time. And in some ways balancing everything as a student was easier than it is now. I would stay up until 1 or 2 finishing my late nights/early mornings working on my business. Now I manage my full-time job, my second full-time job of running my business, and figuring out how to balance the two along with still having a life outside of work and having a solid routine. My daily goal is to get up early, work out then read and complete a couple of things for my business Simply Things By Maddix. Then go to work from 8-5, come home relax, eat then work on STBM (Simply Things By Maddix) before I head to bed and repeat. That’s the daily goal but sometimes it doesn’t always work that way.

I still am currently trying to figure out how I go about balancing life, work, and social life. I am realizing what the top priorities are that I need to spend time on each day of the week. I believe the outcome of balance is the story of success. I define my day as successful when I get my top priorities completed. Success comes over time and so does balance. You have to work constantly and consistently on balancing everything on a day-to-day basis and the same goes for success. Without balance, at least for me, you get an over-whelmed and stressed-out person, who will then procrastinate because she is so beyond stressed.

Once I am able to truly figure out the balance of work-life for my full-time job, my work life for my small business, and my life outside of work altogether that will be a success in itself. I have realized over time that consciously working on balancing everything in life, has allowed me in return grow my business a little each day. And that is what I call a success, no matter how big or little that growth is.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I began Simply Things By Maddix in June of 2020 when I was struggling as a college student to get any type of internship. During a time when internships were being canceled, I was finding it hard to get any sort of marketing experience to go towards my degree in Public Relations and Marketing. I expressed to my parents the idea of opening STBM as an opportunity to gain both Public Relations and Marketing experience along with experience in so many other areas.

They were immediately on board. I researched what it took to run a business and I decided I would jump in and get things started. I decided it was the perfect time to open because I wanted to sell items that would bring a smile to one’s face during a time when people weren’t feeling their happiest.

Since opening my shop I have come into a handful of challenges. I have worked through the challenges of learning what I need to do to become an official business, how to keep track of business expenses, and adust to create products that people wanted and had a need for. But right now I am working through my biggest challenge ever, although, I would define it as a positive challenge, I am currently creating my own website! It hasn’t been easy and it has required a lot of time and hours of research.

I overcome challenges by setting step-by-step goals. whether it is setting time aside to watch a 20-minute video or reaching out to another business owner to ask a question. There are other challenges that I am still working on figuring out how to overcome. One is a goal I set when I started my business, selling to all 50 states. With almost being in business for 2 year, Simply Things By Maddix products have been sent to 48 states! It has been a challenge to reach those last two (Rhode Island and Vermont) and I am still working on reaching potential supporters there.

Though these challenges haven’t been easy, they have allowed me to grow as an individual and to learn in areas of life I never thought I would work in. I have learned that sometimes it is best to jump into that risk and learn as you go. Sometimes the failure you experience results in your great success and lastly, you learn who is in your circle. Each person who supports my business allows me to take one more step toward my dream.

I want people to know that each day I work to create products that people will love. I work to promote positivity and encouragement. I truly appreciate each and everyone’s support and it doesn’t go unnoticed. Simply Things By Maddix was created to send people positivity, encouragement, and a put smile on their faces. I cannot say thank my supporters of STBM enough and I cannot wait to see what Simply Things By Maddix grows to be. I am beyond excited to grow with it and to work each day to make my supporters love what they purchase and grow the brand into what they want STMB to be.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Sunday grab brunch at Lucky’s on Sixteenth then go to an afternoon Kernal’s game at Veterans Memorial Stadium

Monday Visit Brucemore, and the Cedar Rapids Art Museum, grab lunch at Fong’s Pizza then find a park or trail to go for a walk and enjoy the Iowa weather and watch the gorgeous sunsets.

Tuesday- Walkthrough Indian Creek Nature Center, grab lunch at Rock Bar American Grill

Wednesday spend the late afternoon at Black Sheep Social Club

Thursday- Check out Newbo City Market and Czech Village/ New Bohemia District, and grab a late lunch at Lion Bridge Brewery on their patio.

Friday- Walk downtown and along the river. Grab lunch at The Map Room and then spend some time at Iowan Brewing Company. Grab dinner at LP Street Food then go to a show at Theater Cedar Rapids or The Paramount

Saturday- Check out the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market and grab some amazing food and goodies, That night grab dinner at Pub 217 and then attend a concert at the Alliant Powerhouse or McGrath Amphitheatre

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 like to give a shoutout to my parents for the support they continuously give me! My parents have been on board with my entrepreneurship goals since the beginning. They are always the first to spread the word, will without a doubt provide feedback, and be there in any way to show support for my dreams as a business owner.

Website: www.simplythingsbymaddix.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplythingsbymaddix/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/78368698/admin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SimplyTBMaddix

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimplyThingsbyMaddix