Meet Grace Dille Krass | Founder and CEO of Maddon and Co

I have always been an artist at my core and drawing is something that I’ve done in my free time as far as I can remember. I had a friend suggest I should start marking greeting cards with my drawings and I loved the idea. I gave it a shot and started with just 6 cards, and it quickly blossomed into more.

I would say overall I would like to think that my art brings joy to people. I try to draw and create things that can be relatable for people and also make them smile (like a football card that says “i like your tight end”).

I”m most proud of getting to see my dreams realized. I’ve followed my heart and gut the past few years and worked very hard to get to where I am. Growing up I never dreamed that my art could support me as a career. I always thought it was something that I had to do on the side in my free time, and I really do have to just stop and look and around every once in a while and smile to myself that this is my life.

I’ve learned many things along the way over the past few years. One big lesson is just to keep going. I’ve always been a perfectionist and I think in some ways it’s held me back. That “if I can’t do it perfectly, then I’m not going to do it at all” attitude. With Maddon and Co, I’ve had to completely throw that out the window. There is so much trial and error in running a business, and you’re not going to get it right the first time. You just have to keep going and trust your gut. It really is that mentality of if someone cares enough about something and works at it long enough, eventually you will be the best.

Over the years I’ve taught myself how to make greeting cards, vinyl stickers, pour candles, print my own apparel, I mean you name it. I didn’t know how to do any of it well at first and I just kept going until I figured it out and until my vision came to life.

What I want the world to know about my brand/story – I’m just here to hopefully add a little extra joy and happy to your life. Whether it’s a pretty cup that you drink your coffee out of every morning and makes you smile when you wake up or a sticker that you throw on your lap top to remind you that “today’s going to be a good day”. There’s a lot in this world to be sad about these days and I just want Maddon to be a bright light for people.

A week!? Ok.

I would say that we would definitely start most of our days at a coffee shop. Dallas has so many, but I feel like I live at Fox Trot. I also love walking to Otto’s downtown.

Compared to other cities, Dallas has a huge work out class culture. I think it’d be fun to go take a work out class together at somewhere like TruFusion or Solid Core. The Katy Trail is also always fun to go walk and then grab a drink at Ice House.

One of my favorite things about Dallas is how fun and different all the neighborhoods are, so I would make sure we spend some time exploring shopping in Bishop Arts, eating and walking around in Deep Ellum, walking around Downtown, shopping and grabbing a drink in Knox/Henderson/Lower Greenville area, and eating at some good local restaurants/breweries in Lakewood.

I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my friends.

So many things would not have happened in my life if it wasn’t for my friends. A friend was the one who encouraged me to start Maddon in the first place. My friends have been the ones to give me positive feedback and support all along the way. There have been so many times that I’ve doubted running my own business and every time my friends have picked me up.

Even up to the current day, I just start making apparel as well. My first 10 orders were from my best friends. I truly wouldn’t be getting to live my dream without them.