Serial Entrepreneur and Antiques Dealer Tressa Mills of Lakeshore Event Center is a master at one of the most valuable skill sets that exist for those working in the business of antiques. "Tressa artfully adapts,” Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, explains of her consulting client. Years ago, Tressa signed up for one of Toma's free hour-long phone consultations and then attended one of her Antique Dealer Training Events in NYC. From the very beginning, Tressa made an impression. As Toma has happily followed Tressa's career, she has witnessed and taken note of the grace and style with which Tressa adapts her antiques business. Like a sailor anticipating the changes in the wind, and the shifts of the tides, Tressa artfully adapts. This is the single most important skill set an antiques dealer can possess.

On this episode of The Business of Antiques, Toma and Tressa talk about the journey that has been Tressa's fascinating second career. After selling her successful business in the food service industry in West Michigan and taking a two week retirement, Tressa followed her heart to the business of antiques. Signing herself up for an intense three years self-trained "antique college" in which she sold in markets, booths, auctions, and always experimenting, finding what worked and what didn't - she moved forward with her new learned information. After those three years, she purchased "the best antique store in west Michigan." She spent the first five years evolving it from where it was into all that she believed it could be and thoroughly enjoyed her years working with the amazing antique dealers who sold with her.

But as we all know, the winds have certainly changed over the past several years, and those left standing are those who have been able to shift their sails. Once again, Tressa has done so artfully. Tressa's "best antique store" has adapted and shifted to fill a gap in the industry that Tressa saw. Tressa is filling a niche by seeing the need for an auction house operating somewhere between the top auction houses and the low end ones. Following the death of her mother and the downsizing of her father's estate, Tressa realized the sacred privilege in helping others re-home their family treasures.

Listen in and learn from the fascinating journey of Tressa's business. Hear how Tressa confronted her fear of social media from a time when she asked Toma, "Can I just show my grandchildren? Do I have to show my face?" to the social media rock star that she now is. Spoiler alert: the secret is having fun – crazy, crazy fun! Which is how Tressa explains her brand new venture with Lakeshore Event Center – West Michigan's Premier Auction House where alongside of many of the antique dealers who have been working with her over the years, they have developed an exclusive higher end, curated, auction that they do on the Live Auctioneer platform where they host one auction a month and it is indeed crazy, CRAZY FUN!

Tressa loves the "amazing and magical" place where the wind has taken her and has found joy yet again in antiques and walking alongside people to help them find the right new homes for their family's beloved treasures. An episode full of insight, wisdom, and the importance of following your heart.

Lakeshore Event Center lakeshoreeventcenter.com

Live Auctioneers https://www.liveauctioneers.com/auctioneer/7853/lakeshore-event-center/

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