Meet Ellie Austin | Owner + Founder of Griffy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ellie Austin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ellie, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
When I was furloughed from my full time job in March of 2020 and immediately catapulted into being a full time stay at home mom to my three kids (at the time 3 1/2 year old twins and a 1 year old) a great deal was put into perspective for me and my family. While we hunkered down during the lockdown into survival mode through summer, we played, we explored, we travelled. I also found myself completely consumed by them and, like many, struggled to make time for myself. With small snippets of time here and there, I craved a creative outlet for myself.  So I slipped back into my campy happy place and started beading bracelets with sayings that felt relevant for the moment as well as names for friends and family. I have also always been passionate about needlework so the embroidered wish bracelets seemed like a natural progression. The process of embroidering them gave me such peace of mind, it was like therapy! The bracelets started stacking up and my husband turned to me one day and asked me if I was going to sell them “one of these days”. The process has been completely organic, it began as a mental break for me, to give me a reason to sit still, put my phone down, encourage some creative “me time”. The sphere has grown quickly from friends and family to friends of friends and so on, just about as quickly as I can keep up with it! I am beginning to think about what could be next, everything with a mission to provide smiles and elevated nostalgic feels!Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
You know what, this is quite a road when I sit down and think about it. My path has been all over the place. I graduated from Bucknell University in 2007 with an Art History and Political Science double major (thank you liberal arts!) completely unclear what direction I was headed but I knew it had to be New York City. I very fortunately landed in the Merchandising Training program at Ann Taylor which was, in hindsight, one of the most valuable experiences of my life as it kicked me off toward the most perfect career for me blending creativity and business, fostering loads of relationships along the way. From the financial crisis of 2008 to the Pandemic in 2020, I have been laid off more than once, furloughed once, moved halfway across the country for family, quit for family, quit for opportunity. The retail industry has been a complete rollercoaster for the past 13 years. And to be along for it has been anything but easy. Throughout it all, each role, each company, each mentor I have had, has patchworked together to encourage me in the direction I am headed now. They have all provided the foundation for me to believe I am capable of starting my own business! It has been the most humbling thing EVER to receive such support from fellow entrepreneurs, friends and mentors. I have learned along the way that the most important thing is to always believe in your gut, “trust the faith” as one of my favorites likes to say. If it lights you up inside, it is probably worth taking the time for and considering. The rest will come into place. The most important thing about Griffy for me, is that is has provided me the opportunity to have fun, take risks that I believe in and take the time to enjoy the process.If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, I live in Houston, and have three small children so if my best friend was coming into town here it would involve brunch and BIG coffees for everyone, kids included. Revival Market followed by a runaround for the kids at Donovan Park in the Heights. Lunches at Relish, Local Foods, a tour around the Menil Collection. Shopping around Montrose and Upper Kirby, swinging into Tootsies, Biscuit Home and Kuhl Linscomb to name a few. A walk around the Eastern Glades in Memorial Park to feel like we aren’t smack in the middle of one of the largest cities in the country. Cocktails and Dinner back in the Heights at Postino, Coltivare, or Superica for Tex Mex with after dinner drinks at Ready Room. But by far one of my favorite evenings is in Montrose. To start with a drink at Montrose Cheese + Wine, followed by dinner at Rosie Cannonball then drinks at Goodnight Charlies, a honky tonk, to remind everyone that we are in Texas after all.The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am extremely fortunate to be surrounded by incredible inspirational people who encourage me daily. But most especially my husband, who not only supports and encourages all of my creative outlets and wacky ideas.  He also kicked me into gear to just go on and start Griffy by gifting me the LLC for Christmas this past year. He believes in me more than I ever will. Not only did he encourage me to get this started, but he is continually pushing me for the next thing, to see how much bigger and brighter it can become.

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