Quite the Following: Lindsey Smith of Makers Workshop

We’re pretty jealous of Lindsey Smith. The former buyer for a major company had grown tired of sifting through products with not a lot of passion behind them. Now, she spends her days meeting folks across the country who create cool, locally made products, explores how they come together and writes about it on her website and on Instagram. The result is an inspiring collection of finds and personalities.

Who were some of those first creators who inspired you to develop Makers Workshop?
I remember first meeting Margaux of Peg and Awl at NyNow trade show. I went home after a week of buying knowing that I had met someone who was doing something amazing. There was soul, quality, care, and a usefulness to her goods. I felt like I had a secret of some sort and that I needed to share it with the world. That’s how it all began. Margaux and I now talk nearly every day. It’s strange and beautiful, but we are not done inspiring one another yet. There are brands that have supported me steadfastly since the beginning like Danner boots, Juniper Ridge, Modern Vice, Type A Press, Honest Alchemy, but new ones, too, have since come and grown this purpose. To me they aren’t just big companies or brands anymore, they are family and people I care about deeply. So, when I look around my house or at the things that I’m wearing, it’s their faces that I see. It makes my work even more important.

Are there any Baton Rouge makers you are really excited about right now?
Kathryn Hunter of Blackbird Letterpress is doing incredible work and is such a strong creative in the Baton Rouge community. I am also really excited about the work that Max Zoghbi of Loupe Theory is doing—it’s beautiful storytelling.

Walk us through how you select people or brands to feature and how much goes into the collaboration there.
Makers Workshop has never been the site to visit for daily posts. I think there is enough happening out there to satisfy the Internet world for that. Quality over quantity has always ruled in all respects for me, that includes my posts. Over the years, my readers have come to know that when Makers Workshop puts our name on something, it’s something we really believe in, something we have put our hands on, and typically something we’ve really put to the test.

Why do you think you’ve gotten such a strong response?
I think people are ready to connect with the products that they own. They want to know where they come from and they want something that lasts.

Do you have a photography background or is that something you’ve picked up along the way?
I have a background in visual merchandising and I have been a professional stylist for many years. Photography was always a hobby growing up and eventually I was asked to do it more and more. Now, I’m lucky enough to marry both styling and photography and work with brands to tell their story through both mediums.

Your favorite place in Baton Rouge if you need a quiet space for working?
If I have to be plugged in, Magpie Café—it’s the best coffee in Baton Rouge. If I’m shooting, I’m usually out in nature somewhere.

We love the quote you use on your site: “My dreams aren’t about getting bigger, I dream about staying small and being more specific.” As an entrepreneur, how do you stay true to your mission while maintaining a strong business?
This is a quote by my good friend, Hall Newbegin, the founder of Juniper Ridge. It is something that I remind myself of often. For me, it is a reminder to keep true to the heart of your business. Imagine, if instead of trying to grow too fast and taking on too many different products or facets of your business, you did one thing well and did it really beautifully. That’s always strong business, in my opinion. I couldn’t have the relationships that I do with my readers or especially with the makers if I was trying to operate on a large scale; the same goes for most independent makers. I’ll use Juniper Ridge since we are quoting Hall here: their wilderness fragrance is made using ancient techniques in limited batches and is only available in a few hundred bottles in each field lab offering. It’s precious to have one of those few. That’s why people love handcrafted quality goods.

What do you hope people get out of your work—both the images you share on Instagram and through your business?
I want to connect people with the makers behind the products. It’s about preservations of skill and craft. There’s a story there and when you read it, you’ll never shop the same way again.

How would you advise others looking to forge their own path in a creative field?
You have to do just that. Don’t be afraid to mess up, because you will. And know that the greatest asset that you can have is the community around you. We are all in it together and I wouldn’t be where I am, or get through half of my professional, or even personal, highs and lows without the community that Makers Workshop has built.