Rising ICON #6: Hayley Matthews-Jones
What name do you prefer to be called?
Hayley
What are your pronouns?
She/Her
Where did you grow up?
London
What city are you currently based in?
Minneapolis
How do you typically introduce yourself to new people?
I host popup maker and vintage markets and I’m a partner in a coffee company
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
That I was the first person in my family to go to college and I went to art school, I don’t have any formal business education, but built the businesses I work in based around culture and community. When your work is purpose driven, you are the expert in that, and no amount of formal training will guide you as well as purpose can.
Who do you help?
At Minneapolis Craft Market and Minneapolis Vintage Market I help small businesses and makers grow their presence in the community and provide the Twin Cities with fun and creative events where you can Meet Your Maker(R). At The Get Down, we’re working to disrupt the traditionally gate-kept industry of specialty coffee by providing access and training to a diverse cohort of new coffee industry professionals all the way from our cafe team to our roastery.
What are you building now?
A social enterprise coffee company at The Get Down Coffee Co. We’re working to expand our visibility across the US through our partnership with Target and other wholesale accounts.
What were you building ten years ago today?
My first human being :) I would have been pregnant with my oldest child, Pearl. I hadn’t started a business at that point, that didn’t come until 2015.
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
10 years from now I’ll be out of the growing phase of my current businesses and immersed in scaling my next new venture.
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
That for every $100 spent at an independent retailer, $48 stays in the community. That’s compared to $14 at an in-town chain outlet or just $1.02 at an online remote retailer*. Small, local businesses are literally the backbone of our community and as consumers we have more power than we realize when it comes to the impact we can have on our communities and our economy by shopping locally.
*Source: American Independent Business Alliance
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
I’ve literally seen artists and makers grow their business from their first market with us to opening a brick and mortar store and quitting their day jobs. To be part of that journey is so gratifying to me. I really enjoy the process of taking an idea that exists only in my head and bringing it to life as something with a tangible impact on other people.
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
I’m very fortunate to have a number of friends I’d consider to be mentors and trusted advisors. Jeff Aguy is an organizational behavior expert and national speaker and has been foundational in my professional development and growth as a leader and human, particularly over the past year. Jeff is someone who I think helped me to understand what my work could look like at its highest capacity and how to build a plan to achieve that. Johnny Ware is a mental strength coach and Founder of Field Awareness who I have learned a lot from about emotional intelligence and communication that has given me so much insight about myself personally and professionally. That support network is so crucial to reaching your full potential. Are you surrounded by people who support your vision and the highest version of yourself?
What piece of content about you or your company are you most proud of?
https://www.minnesotamonthly.com/arts-entertainment/the-weekly-minneapolis-craft-market-launches/ I was interviewed by Jahna Peloquin for Minnesota Monthly in September of 2015, before Minneapolis Craft Market even hosted its first event. We got so much visibility from that article and it gave me a huge leap in confidence to think that my idea was something that people were actually excited about and wanted here in the Twin Cities. It was such a thoughtful article, and now in a full-circle moment Jahna is a vendor with us at Minneapolis Vintage Market with her brand Rosella Vintage.
Who would you love to be interviewed by?
Is there any answer other than Oprah here?
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
Making The Jump: How you can take the biggest leaps of your life with confidence
What award would mean the most to win?
Time Person of the Year. I like that it focuses on a person’s impact on the world, even when that impact is controversial or even negative, it’s a historic barometer of the state of the world which I personally find more meaningful than just platitudes.
What makes zero sense to you?
Most things in America to be honest; health insurance, gun control, gerrymandering, school lunch debt, maternity leave policy, lifetime judicial appointments, childcare expenses, credit scores, the school to prison pipeline, the lack of investment in public transit, cash bail, the cost of university education….the list is endless. Where I find hope is in surrounding myself with people who are building things and having an impact. It makes me realize the collective power we have to build the world we want to live in.
What’s a word in your industry you hope gets re-evaluated?
Mompreneur. I guess I just resent the way that women are labeled in relation to the family unit first, in a way that men aren’t. I’m an entrepreneur who also happens to be a parent. Until I hear people refer to men as dadpreneurs it’s a word I continue to reject.
What game are you changing?
I believe the common theme across all of my work is shaping the culture of the Twin Cities. Building things that didn’t exist before, which are often based on my life experience growing up in London (AKA the best city in the world!). I believe that diversity of thought and perspective is truly what makes any major city, and I often see fellow transplants and immigrants here in Minnesota leading the way on bringing fresh ideas and new businesses to life. I think some of the Twin Cities most innovative leaders are those who are used to living outside of the traditional startup and business eco-system and have had to build creatively and with purpose at the center of their work to break through those barriers. Seeing businesses owned by women and people of color achieving traction and shaping how our cities look is something I’m excited to see even more of going forward.
What’s the next thing you’re a part of that you want to invite more people to participate in?
I’ll be leading my third annual fashion week trip in 2024 in partnership with Limitless Planet, to Paris Fashion Week, September 24-29. It’s an incredibly exciting small group tour that is open to the public and is an opportunity to gain exclusive access to runway shows, presentations and exhibits. Registration and information is coming soon at hayleymatthewsjones.com
Where can we follow you online?
Instagram @hayleymatthewsjones
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
For me, I would say therapy has been a cornerstone of my development as a human being, business owner and leader. I think the insight it gives you into yourself, and your motivations can really help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, which is an essential part of any leader.
Additional pages to follow:
Hayleymatthewsjones.com @hayleymatthewsjones
Mplscraftmarket.com @mplscraftmkt
Mplsvintagemarket.com @mplsvintagemkt
Getdowncoffee.com @thegetdowncoffeeco
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Hayley, for sharing your story!
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“When your work is purpose driven, you are the expert in that, and no amount of formal training will guide you as well as purpose can.”
Notice: It’s important for our readers to understand the origin of the interview content. The featured ICON contributed responses that were not edited from the original submission. All claims are made solely by the contributor and do not reflect the views of LAUREL or its partners. Thank you for supporting rising leaders. The future is bold.
