Description

In the second episode of Not So Small season two, hosts Sam Bauman and Adam Rondeau visit Taylor Hall at Evergreen Collective, her sustainable retail store on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. What began as Taylor's personal struggle to find products that aligned with her values has become a carefully curated space where customers can shop sustainably without having to research every purchase themselves.

Taylor shares how reading "The Story of Stuff" in high school opened her eyes to the true cost of consumer goods and sparked a decade-long journey toward opening her own store. After gaining experience in marketing and customer service while saving money, she finally took the leap three years ago to create the space she'd always wished existed.

The conversation explores the real barriers people face when trying to make sustainable choices: availability, convenience, cost, and simply knowing which products are truly better for the environment versus those that are "greenwashing." Taylor's role becomes that of a neighborhood expert who does the research so her customers can "turn their brains off" and trust that everything in the store meets her sustainability standards.

Taylor candidly discusses the daily struggles of small business ownership, from the financial pressure of investing time and energy into a business that takes years to become profitable, to competing with big brands that have massive marketing budgets and social media influence. She reflects on the challenge of customers asking for trendy products she can't access due to her size, while highlighting the unique advantages she offers: personal relationships, responsiveness to customer needs, and the peace of mind that comes from expert curation.

This episode beautifully illustrates how one person's personal values can evolve into a business that makes sustainable living more accessible for an entire community, proving that small businesses can create meaningful change one relationship at a time.

Guest Info

• Business: Evergreen Collective
• Guest: Taylor Hall (she/her)
• Links: Website • Instagram

Community Shoutout(s)

• Fair Anita (Website • Instagram)
• Spoils of Wear (Website • Instagram)

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Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)