Hey listener!

Today’s podcast guest and I go back a few years. We only met once in person, but wow, is she ever an amazing person. I’m so glad to know her, even if it is mostly virtual!

Linley Cavin is the owner and artist behind Storied Folk and Company, an apparel, drinkware and modern paper goods company. She has moved back to her hometown and runs her company from her home.

You might know her from Matted Ink, her first business, but she rebranded to envision a brand that gave back.

Wow, guys. She has quite the inspiring story to help you understand the people she wants to help. Sure, we talk a bit of shop but a lot of our conversation today revolves around Linley’s incredible journey to parenthood. Grab the tissues, it’s the first episode that made me ugly cry!

Key takeaways

• Linley Cavin grew up in Protivin, Iowa, where her family has a hog and row crop farm. She vowed to get away and she did… for awhile. She studied at Iowa State University and lived in Des Moines for a while. 
• Linley worked at an advertising agency startup and loved it as a first job. When she and her husband moved to Williamsburg, Iowa, her new job didn’t use the graphic design she loved. She started her business, Matted Ink, and launched on Etsy.
• As her business and desire to start a family grew, she took the leap to full time with her business. With her husband working long hours as an agronomy salesman, it was important to them to have a parent with more flexible hours. They also made the move back to Northeast Iowa.
• Linley has moved away from Etsy and built her own website to promote her own brand. (I’m so guilty of saying “I got this on Etsy! instead of identifying the maker!) In addition to her own website she sells wholesale to more than 175 (!) retail locations around the country!
• All of this was going on as Linley and her husband worked to start a family which was such an amazing journey. 
• After trying for a year, the Cavins sought medical intervention at the University of Iowa. When moving back to Northeast Iowa, she transferred care to Minneapolis where she had two failed rounds of IVF. She transferred care to Chicago and suffered another failed round.
• She stepped back and looked at other options from adoption, to choosing not to have children. It took a huge toll on her mental health. In December of 2019, she sought egg donation.
• Linley describes grieving for her genetics and coming to terms with how, although she would carry her baby to term, they would not share her genetics.
• This process works! Linley is a mom to a son after her July of 2020 egg transfer was successful.
• Linley has rebranded to Storied Folk & Company: Inspirational Goods Made With Purpose. She donates 3% of sales to support infertility support and resources and has a donation button on her website.
• All of this to say, Trust the Journey. It inspired a new just-launched t-shirt design that you just have to see.

Connect with Linley

Shop her website or follow her on Instagram.

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