I first met Emily in June 2023 at a local flea market. I loved her artwork, and the overall vibes at her booth. On a whim, I asked if I could take a picture for my IG and she said yes! Now I get the chance to share a full interview with her about her amazing artwork and small business.
Emily talks to two of the biggest components, I feel, for small businesses and for life.
Connections and authenticity.
Everyday, this is my hope for all of us. So without delaying any further, let’s build connections by reading about a fabulously authentic individual, Emily Meyers, AKA, Miltonimo.
Photo used with permission by Emily Meyers
Please introduce yourself with your name, preferred pronouns, and where you are from.
My name is Emilly Meyers (She/Her) , and I am from Eastlake Ohio.
What was your life like before starting Miltonimo?
My life before starting my business was a little all over the place! Constantly having ideas and inspiration but not knowing exactly what to do with it all. I knew i wanted to start something, or be a part of something but wasn’t sure. I hadn’t found a true passion yet.
Can you tell us the story behind the name of your business?
This is an interesting one. All my life i’ve had strange nicknames given to me by my family. An E was left off of one of our swim team pictures and left me with the name “milly” for years. That slowly took on new versions and “milton” developed from that and next thing you know, my sisters were calling me miltonimo. So I guess you could say my siblings came up with that one!
What inspired you to start your business? When did you officially start your business?
Having the right people in my life at the time. I was surrounded by creativity and inspired to start something of my own. I officially started working on my business in September of 2020 and it’s slowly developed from there!
Where do you constantly find inspiration for new content and designs?
Everywhere around me, as cliche as that is to say. It could be from something I see in my day to day or a word/conversation that sparks an idea. I love anything a little different, a little unusual, and I think that comes across in my art quite often.
Photo used with permission by Emily Meyers
What are your goals or what do you strive to accomplish?
My goals with this business have always been to support myself by creating what I love. The past 4 years have really shown me so much and allowed me to come to the realization that that isn’t the only reason. I love the connections you make and would love to help others, and be a part of something bigger than myself, be able to learn and provide my knowledge and skills to others who might be thinking about starting their own.
What is unique to your business?
I think what’s unique about my business is that I’m unapologetically myself. That really shines through in my art/designs and the reactions/responses I get are always a surprise to me! I don’t go about creating art in a usual manner. A lot of my techniques are self taught, so most of the time I’m teaching myself and finding ways that work for me.
Do you advocate for any causes through your business platform?
I don’t advocate for a specific cause/organization through my business but I am constantly advocating for other local makers and businesses! It’s so important to show your support to others in this community whether it’s sharing socials, buying directly, or any way to share information and make connections.
What is the greatest challenge in your business?
Staying motivated! Lol there are constantly set backs and life happening around you and to you constantly. So keeping my head up and pushing through can be difficult at times. But knowing that this is what i want to do more than anything will always keep me going.
Photo used with permission by Emily Meyers
Is there any particular customer story, business ownership story, or other memory that stands out to you?
My first art show! Third fridays, I had barely any inventory and had no idea what I was doing. The people I met that day, friends I still have to this day, the inspiration and advice from other makers. People seeing your art and witnessing live reactions for the first time was such an unreal experience and I can still remember how nervous I was!
Do you collaborate with any other small businesses? If yes, in what ways?
That’s in the works! I’ve had many conversations and plans to collaborate with other local makers and very excited to see what come to life.
Did you always know that you wanted to create art?
I’ve been creating for as long as i can remember, so definitely yes. It’s always been an important part of me and a way to escape the world for a bit.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to start their own business?
Talk to other business owners! Talk to friends and family. Get as much insight as you can and create that plan. It’ll give you so much inspiration and ideas to plan ahead, figure out what your goals are, and create something amazing.
Why should society support small businesses?
Supporting small businesses is so important. You are directly impacting a life. People who are putting their all into their art and passions and what’s better than that?
Is there anything else that you would like to share with the community?
Keep creating! Support your local makers! Check out local shops and keep this community thriving! I’m so beyond thankful to be a part of such a cool community
Photo used with permission by Emily Meyers
You can find Emily and support her work on Instagram and her website. And be sure to visit the other small businesses featured in my interview series here.