Daily Inspiration: Meet Madeline Stewart

Today we’d like to introduce you to Madeline Stewart.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Growing up in High Point, NC, with a father in the fabric industry, I knew I wanted to start a furniture-related career. I graduated from NC State with a degree in Textiles, concentration in Brand Management & Marketing, in 2016. I started fresh out of college as an independent sales representative in the Southeastern for Hickory White and Lillian August. I then transitioned into a retail store gallery liaison at one of the company’s largest accounts on the East Coast, representing all 9 of the Sherrill Furniture Company’s brands. I grew a 5-state territory and was one of the top business writers.

During this time, I was critical in the launch of the Outdoor division for Lillian August. I helped structure the sales and marketing for the brand launch along with the VP of sales, Patrick Foster, at Casual Market in Chicago. This success positioned me to move into the corporate side and is the Senior Marketing Manager for all 8 divisions of the Sherrill Furniture Companies. During this role, I increased social presence and activity on multiple platforms, revitalized catalog structure and selling tools, and excelled in press relations for all 8 divisions of the Sherrill Furniture Companies. I was recognized as a Rising Star in Furniture Today at Sherrill Furniture. In addition, I received the 2020 Future Leader Award from the nonprofit, Withit, the lead supporter of women in the Home furnishings industry. I also was a student mentor for the Wilson College of Textiles at NC State and Withit to help encourage and support students in the home furnishings and textile industry.

I married on New Year’s Eve in 2021 and joined my husband, Ian Stewart’s, family business in the mountains of Blowing Rock, NC, called the Mustard Seed Market. In 2022 we launched the business’s second location, Mustard Seed Home. I am the Marketing lead for the company, a buyer for both locations, and the Project Manager for the Interior Design business, Mustard Seed Home. I have had many experiences and opportunities in the furniture and retail industry. Still, all positions center around sales and marketing, merging the lines between the two facets.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest struggle for me in business is the ability to say no. The ability to set boundaries and stick to your core functions within a company while offering to help others is great. Still, the lines can be blurred when you work from a position of pleasing others instead of doing what is best for the company and yourself in your current position. I have always been a people pleaser, and my desire to help those I work with has brought unnecessary stress and struggles into my career. I also struggled to be a young woman in a male-dominated industry. It’s easy to be overlooked and overshadowed, but my energetic personality and business confidence helped me grow personally and professionally. While at Sherrill Furniture, I worked under an amazing boss and mentor, Dax Allen, who helped me grow and learn the corporate side of sales and marketing. Find such a strong mentor at a young age was a huge help for me in my career.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My current position focuses on implementing & managing the marketing sector for The Mustard Seed Market and Home in Blowing Rock, NC. I focus on consumer engagement, digital and in-store merchandising, and brand promotion through an omnichannel marketing approach. I specialize in brand management, merchandising, content creation, social consolidation, growth strategies, visual displays, and web design in this position. I am also on the buying and merchandising team for both locations, focusing on in-store merchandising, product selection, and differentiation and cultivating a seasonal collection of home & garden products for both locations. I am also working towards my interior design certificate to launch that portion of the business.

The achievement I am most proud of is the Future Leader WOW Award from Withit in 2020. The WOW Awards are annual awards recognizing business leaders nominated by their peers who have contributed to the success of the home and furnishings industry and have demonstrated significant impact on their companies and the industry. The Future Leader award honors a young woman who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and the potential to become an industry leader. This recognition gave me the confidence and courage to keep pushing and innovating in the corporate home furnishings industry.

Who else deserves credit for your story?
My dad, Brian Brown, has always been my mentor, role model, and hero. I have watched him work extremely hard, 7 days a week, to provide for our family since I was little. He was and still is my protector, teacher, and provider. During college, I started traveling with him to the Northeast territory, which he managed for Sherrill Furniture, and I began learning the industry from a sales rep perspective. I watched how trade showrooms functioned, heard what designers needed to be successful, and learned how to merchandise and design fabric to frame. My dad was the first person I called when I was offered my territory out of college for Hickory White. He has been such an influence and help in my career and has always supported me regardless of the industry or position I wanted to be in; the fact that we work in the same industry is a bonus. Also, my prior boss, Dax Allen, was an incredible mentor for me. He taught me the strategic side of marketing and how to balance analytics and creativity when planning a marketing approach for the company. His patience, guidance, and support have led me to where I am today. No matter what I faced, whether it be negative feedback, harsh commentary, or a critical mistake, Dax would always encourage me and help me find a solution to the problem. Dax is an incredible leader and someone I would work for at any time or place, given the opportunity.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.themustardseedmarketnc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madelinebclaire/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinebrownfurniture/

Image Credits
Main headshot, credit to Ashley Olson Photography