Business of Vintage Podcast

Street Style to Search Engines: Gem App with Liisa Jokinen

Liisa Jokinen, co-founder of Gem, joins the podcast to share her journey from pioneering street style photography in the early 2000s to building one of the most influential technology platforms in the vintage and secondhand fashion space. Long before Instagram existed, Liisa was documenting personal style on the streets of Helsinki and New York, capturing the creativity, individuality, and stories behind what people wear. Those experiences eventually led her to co-found Gem, a search engine that helps shoppers discover vintage and secondhand pieces across marketplaces and independent stores all in one place. In this episode, Liisa shares the story behind building Gem with her husband, what she's learned from six years of growing a fashion tech company, and why she believes the future of fashion is rooted in resale. She also offers practical advice for vintage sellers on improving discoverability, writing stronger listings, creating memorable brands, sourcing inventory strategically, and standing out in an increasingly competitive market.   Liisa Jokinen (@liisajokinen) Co-Founder of Gem (@gem.app [http://gem.app/]) Use Gem: https://gem.app/ [https://gem.app/] Hosted by: Sloane Middleton Mann (@business.of.vintage) Founder of Business of Vintage Learn more: businessofvintage.com [http://businessofvintage.com/]

Reclaiming Space: A Day in June

Lindsay Brown, founder of A Day in June and newly opened sister store St. Taylor Studio, joins the podcast to share the real story behind building a vintage business from the ground up. What started with coffee shifts, warehouse spaces, weekend markets, and years of bootstrapping eventually became two beloved community-centered concept stores in Baltimore. In this episode, Lindsay opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship: surviving a painful business partnership fallout, building a business without investors or loans, learning to trust her instincts, and why vulnerability on social media unexpectedly transformed her connection with customers. She also shares the inspiration behind creating spaces rooted in joy, intention, and human connection — and why she believes vintage stores are really in the business of people. This conversation is an honest look at the emotional side of entrepreneurship, reclaiming your story, and what it truly takes to build a meaningful business in the vintage world.   Lindsay Brown (@adayinjunevintage)  Founder of A Day In June and St. Taylor Studio  Hosted by: Sloane Middleton Mann (@business.of.vintage) Founder of Business of Vintage Learn more: businessofvintage.com

Are you ready for Vintage Store Day?

Vintage Store Day is one month away: May 16th, 2026. The new retail holiday is in it's 2nd year, and it celebrates how small vintage businesses are so often pillars of their communities. It also has the potential to be your best day of sales yet - if you know how to build up the buzz for it.    The team behind Vintage Store Day (Kyla Embrey & Sarah Azzouzi of Lost Girls Vintage, Emma Louis of Rare Form Chicago, Emily Stochl of Pre-Loved, and me - Sloane Middleton Mann of Business of Vintage) are here to help. We've organized an educational webinar that will equip sellers with the tools to pitch themselves for press & create social media buzz. Don't miss the Vintage Visibility Webinar [https://itsvintagestoreday.com/pages/vintage-visibility-webinar] on April 22nd: https://itsvintagestoreday.com/pages/vintage-visibility-webinar [https://itsvintagestoreday.com/pages/vintage-visibility-webinar]   Guests:  Kyla Embrey, Sarah Azzouzi, Emma Lewis Co-Founders of Vintage Store Day [https://itsvintagestoreday.com/pages/vintage-visibility-webinar], IG @vintage_store_day [https://www.instagram.com/vintage_store_day/]   Emily Stochl (@emilymstochl) Resale Journalist & Host of the Pre-Loved Podcast Hosted by: Sloane Middleton Mann Founder of Business of Vintage [https://www.instagram.com/business.of.vintage/] Learn more: businessofvintage.com [https://businessofvintage.com/] About Business of Vintage Podcast: Every vintage item has a story, and every vintage shop does too. Celebrate the past, while thriving today, on the Business of Vintage Podcast. Hosted by Sloane Middleton Mann, founder of Business of Vintage: the world’s only marketing agency built specifically for vintage shops.

Don’t Be Afraid of Technology: Charis Marquez

What if the biggest opportunity for vintage sellers isn’t sourcing better inventory, but understanding technology better? In this episode, I’m joined by Charis Marquez, a retail and resale leader with 20+ years of experience shaping some of the biggest names in fashion. She’s led Global Fashion at eBay, scaled Levi’s and Dockers’ e-commerce businesses, and now advises brands at the intersection of technology, resale, and storytelling via her new consultancy, Seen + Known. Small vintage sellers can learn so much from big retail. Charis and I discuss how vintage sellers don't need to compete with major brands, but should position themselves in a way those brands can’t replicate. From why “you can’t be for everyone” to how clean data and strong listings can directly impact your sales, this episode breaks down the real strategies that separate growing shops from stagnant ones. If you’ve ever felt behind on technology, unsure how to stand out, or worried about big brands entering the vintage space… this episode will completely shift your perspective.   Chariz Marquez (@seenandknown.io)  Founder of Seen + Known / former VP Fashion at eBay  Hosted by: Sloane Middleton Mann (@business.of.vintage) Founder of Business of Vintage Learn more: businessofvintage.com

How to Make $1M Selling Vintage: Nik Pollina

What makes a customer choose your shop over The RealReal? Nik Pollina, who recently shared on social media that her vintage designer handbag brand reached $1M in 2025, is the perfect person to ask. In this episode of the Business of Vintage Podcast, host Sloane Middleton Mann sits down with Nik Pollina, founder of Seven Moods, to talk about how she grew an online following of over 300k, leveraged her online community to host lucrative brand-owned pop-up events, and scaled her revenue to seven figures.    Nik Pollina (@nikpollina_)  Founder of Seven Moods  Hosted by: Sloane Middleton Mann (@business.of.vintage) Founder of Business of Vintage Learn more: businessofvintage.com