About Flippin' Fabulous
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My name is Jessica Smith and I am the sole owner and operator of Flippin’ Fabulous LLC. I currently reside in the small town of Wind Lake, Wisconsin. I am a mother, a wife, and a lover of life who designs and creates all things fabulous! I love what I do and love sharing my creative talents with others.
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a passion for decorating and art. I always loved drawing and painting, and kept a stash of sketchbooks and paint supplies in my bedroom closet. Doing crafts was therapeutic for me and I performed best when I was being creative. As a young adult, I quickly learned that I had a passion for home décor and decorating. I often received many compliments on how beautifully decorated my home was.
Before I decided to launch my business in 2016, I felt stuck in a vicious work cycle in corporate America. I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. I was burnt out. While talking with friends, family, and co-workers, I was oftentimes told that I had missed my calling. I knew I was at a turning point in my life, and that God had something bigger planned for me. God gave me the gift of creativity. After completing several months of research and self-reflection, I decided to quit my career of working 14+ years in the insurance industry to open my own business. I followed my dream of becoming an entrepreneur and starting my own company and thus, Flippin’ Fabulous LLC was born.
I decided to pursue my dream of being a full time artist and owning my own small business. I started out by renting a small booth inside a local antique mall in Waterford, Wisconsin. My main focus was creating handmade wood signs from repurposed wood. I started to learn the process of refinishing furniture, and my pieces moved quickly and I was addicted! My business was growing fast, so I decided to add a 2nd booth to the antique mall. From there, I expanded into several other locations in southeast Wisconsin and northern Illinois. I decided to work with local artists on a consignment basis, and that helped my business grow and prosper.
When Covid hit in early 2020, I had to pivot my business in order to stay afloat, despite many other small businesses being forced to shut down and close doors. I did a ton of research, worked with a business mentor (Jennifer Allwood), and worked diligently on my website to move to e-commerce. I then launched my online shop. Fast forward to late spring of 2022, when I received the news that the location I called home to for 6 years (Waterford Unique Antique Market) was for sale and the owners were closing the business. I was not ready to close my business and knew I needed to pivot, yet again. I looked at a few potential locations but nothing caught my eye, until I came across the charming downtown area of Waukesha, Wisconsin. They say when one door closes another opens and this is exactly what happened in my case.
On September 16th, 2022, I opened the doors to Flippin’ Fabulous’ first brick & mortar storefront in Downtown Waukesha which featured a curated collection of refinished furniture, home décor, apparel, accessories, and gifts. Most products are handmade by select artisans located in Wisconsin and the USA. I was awarded New Business Of The Year in March of 2024 from the Waukesha Chamber Of Commerce. I started working with local artisans and small businesses and accepting handcrafted items on a consignment basis and also offerred classes, workshops, and pop-up events. I quickly outgrew my 900 square foot store and closed the doors to the Waukesha location in July of 2024.
In August of 2024, I relocated Flippin' Fabulous to Burlington, Wisconsin and expanded into a 2,000 square foot store in addition to a 400 square foot classroom. I changed my business model and am proud to partner with over 125 local and national artisans and small businesses, and counting. In addition to offering a curated collection of handmade home decor, refinished furniture, apparel, accessories, and gifts we now offer collectible, upcycled, and vintage finds. We also host monthly makers markets during the months of May thru October in addition to offering even more classes, workshops, and other special events throughout the year.
