Founder Friday is a content series from SuperAngel.Fund & SuperAngelSyndicate.com that highlights companies across our portfolio and the inspiring founders behind them.
SuperAngel is led by Ben Zises and invests in early-stage Consumer, PropTech & Future of Work companies. So far, we have invested over $20m into 100+ companies alongside more than 500 LPs. Click here to join the syndicate and access free deal flow.
In our 51st edition we are featuring Tayler Carraway & Rett Carraway, co-founders of Happy Medium, a modern arts club that offers one-of-a-kind experiences, art supply products and other creative activities for adults & kids 🎨.
Tayler & Rett have been working together for over a decade after meeting at UNC Chapel Hill where they had back to back Art and Advanced Macroeconomics classes. Tayler built a career in eCommerce, spending four years at J. Crew and training under the legendary Mickey Drexler, before moving onto Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s Secret and most recently as VP of Revenue at Hill House Home. Rett began his career in investment banking and finance before becoming a self-taught product and technology aficionado.
Along the way, the pair became increasingly burnt out staring at screens all day and turned to arts and crafts to slow down, disconnect, and destress. To their surprise, they were shocked at the state of the creative goods industry. Outdated websites, low quality products, and a complete lack of concern for customer success defined the likes of Michaels, Blick, and Hobby Lobby.
In the summer of 2019, they turned their living room into an art studio and started hosting art parties as an excuse to make art with as many people as possible. When they started getting invite requests from strangers, they knew they were on to something and Happy Medium was born.
Happy Medium officially opened its doors in July 2021, and has served more than 150,000 customers since, doubling the size of the business each year. In March 2024 the company opened its second location in Greenpoint, Brooklyn to satisfy the insatiable demand.
Happy Medium offers a number of different products & services, events and experiential offerings. They have art classes & figure drawing, woodworking, canvas painting, pottery and pioneered a now viral “Art Cafe” concept whereby just like a restaurant, customers make a reservation and order art experiences tableside instead of food.
Their vision: Create a modern art brand that is as magical and exciting as FAO Schwarz is for toys or the fictional Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory is for sweets. Their mission: unlock the world’s creative potential to support a happier and healthier lifestyle.
Click here to see photos on Instagram | Click here to see photos on TikTok
What started as a simple idea has turned into a massive vision, with enormous commercial and financial upside. After seeing success in these first two locations, Happy Medium is looking to expand into other major cities over the coming years, including Chicago, Austin, LA & Miami, among others.
Beyond physical store experiences, Happy Medium plans to launch a robust consumer product line of art supplies which they plan to sell eCommerce via their own website and in strategic wholesale channels. And, just as they’ve done from the start, the company plans to run a profitable business in perpetuity, adding to top line revenue growth only when it comes with bottom line results.
Through a collection of ongoing PR hits, including features in The New York Times, Time Out, Thrillist, Secret NYC, Architectural Digest (Listed among the 19 Best Things to Do in NYC), and their ever growing social media following across TikTok, Instagram and reviews on Google, word of mouth has spread like wildfire. All of this organic marketing has led to a surge in customer demand with classes often selling out within minutes and a waitlist that quickly fills up. Click here to see their October 2024 event calendar!
With the Global Arts & Crafts market exceeding $40B+ and projected to reach ~$80B by 2030, coupled with the historically strong financial attributes like high margins and repeat purchase rates, they saw a way to reinvent the way adults (and kids!) engage their creativity, transforming making art from a childhood pastime to a modern form of active meditation.
Describe your company in 5 words or less?
Tayler: Arts Club for Casual Artists.
What was your primary motivation for starting your business?
Tayler: My own desire to get back into my creativity as an adult.
What new product/feature are you most excited about and why?
Tayler: Expanding outside of our 4 walls and into CPG!
What piece of advice would you give an entrepreneur starting a business today?
Tayler: Test your idea on as many people, as cheaply as possible before committing to any major expenses.
What do you love to do in your free time?
Tayler: Hike with my pup :)
What is the most interesting place you’ve visited recently and why?
Tayler: Behind the scenes of the Whitney Museum - we interviewed a curator for an upcoming podcast and it was so interesting to see where and how they work!
What is your favorite app or tool in your work life and in your personal life?
Tayler: My iPhone! I shoot most of our marketing content on my phone and would be totally lost without it.
What do you want to be when you grow up (besides a successful founder, of course)? 😊
Tayler: An author.
What do you believe is the most important skill or attribute of a successful founder?
Tayler: Resourcefulness.
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