Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Pardine.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up going to thrift stores and garage sales occasionally with my mom however like most other kids in the 90s I would much rather enjoy time at the mall. It wasn’t until college that my roommate along with several friends began to frequent the local goodwill. This was partly out of necessity (being broke), and partly because it began to be cool to wear old sweaters and listen to music on old record players. It snowballed into the realization of how I could furnish my first few apartments, and eventually, my first house with almost all secondhand pieces.
This helped me to be more mindful about not just saving pieces from the landfill to furnish my home, but in turn, pushed me towards an overall waste-free living mentality and the impact it can have. Social selling became a thing and my husband began pursuing a career as a pilot, a huge change from his current job as a mental health counselor. I began to see a few others selling their secondhand goods and thought “I can totally do this”. I opened my Instagram shop, Tyson Curates, officially on January 1st, 2020.
Two months later with the pandemic in full swing, I immediately began to see growth when I thought everything was going to tank. I got to meet some really cool people who I am now friends with and saw so many more shops open. Now we have a whole thrifting community on Instagram that is actually like a family and I am so grateful to be a part of it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been mostly smooth. I would say the hardest part is time management as I work a 9-5 and putting in the work means planning ahead “working”/sourcing items most weekends. The only other major challenge would be the competition that comes with so many other shops opening up in the last two years.
I am very competitive and driven so I naturally do more and more to try and set myself apart. One of my new year’s goals (and one that I think I set for myself every year) is to have better time management and take true breaks/holidays, i.e. without my phone. That is definitely the hardest thing for me personally.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I source vintage, thrifted, and secondhand pieces mostly home decor and furniture pieces.
I sell the items on Instagram and auction off some items depending on demand. I also try to help people find specific pieces for their home and love it when I come across something that is on their wishlist. I chose the name Tyson Curates with great intention because I wanted to be set apart from resellers or even designers. I am extremely picky with the pieces I choose and love to do history and research to learn the story behind each piece that is curated.
In the past year, I have been making a lot of reels/TikTok videos and have so many followers who have found me through them. I like to use humor to relate to people or show the reality behind my business and thrifting in general.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I am lucky enough to be related to my mentor (my social media marketer). Being a social seller, it is absolutely crucial to have someone who understands the systems as they are constantly evolving.
Finding a mentor helped me understand the value of my own “brand” and staying true to my values while also pushing me outside of my comfort zone to try new things, I believe this is the reason for my growth and any success I have had.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @tysoncurates
- TikTok: @tysoncurates
