Entrepreneur Friday

Entrepreneur Friday: M&B Vintage

Posted by Jean

WHO: Barri Leiner and Marie Moss

WHAT: M&B Vintage – Unique, vintage jewelry pieces.

WHERE: New York and Chicago

WHEN: 2004

HOW: Barri Leiner and Marie Moss were fast friends. Both flea market fiends, the two shared a love for finding and decorating with unique, vintage pieces – as well as a passion for writing. “Having just left the corporate world of marketing and publishing and wanting to pursue projects on our own,” says Leiner, “we marched ourselves into Stewart, Tabori & Chang with Polaroids and a proposal in tow and walked out with a two-book deal.”

Their books were a hit, and the pair began traveling from their homes in New York and Chicago to trunk shows and book signings around the country — but it wasn’t just their books that gained attention. “We soon discovered that we were often asked as many questions about the ‘jingle & sparkle’ of our vintage charm bracelets as we were about our collecting expertise,” says Leiner. The bracelets, which each had created with their finds over the years, along with the push from their fans inspired Leiner and Moss to launch M&B Vintage in 2004.

Using money from their book advance and their own personal funds, the two split the cost of the business until it began to profit. “We took our time acquiring things, grew a trunk show schedule, and began advertising, all at a pace that never made us feel overwhelmingly anxious,” says Leiner. Evidently, the “slow and steady” approach really can get you ahead in the race, since M&B now features over 1,000 charms, two lines – M&B Vintage, and their newest, M&B Souvenir – and is worth over $250,000. They’ve been featured in publications such as The New York Times and Marie Claire magazine, among others, and fans include famed designer Nate Berkus, and first lady Michelle Obama!

The pair credit many of their experiences as writers and style experts for their company’s success. “We know it was all wonderful preparation and experience for launching something of our very own,” says Leiner. In 2010, they expect to fully launch their online store, add a blog where they can share their decorating and style ideas (as well as hear those of their fans), and add more features to their dual lines.

THEIR ADVICE: “You will figure it out along the way,” says Leiner. “Don’t be afraid of what you think you don’t know.”