Meet Carli Smith of Thompson’s Station

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carli Smith.

Hi Carli, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am one of those so-called unicorns: a Nashville native, born and raised. After completing my college degrees at Williamson College, I married my husband, Ethan, and a couple of years later we settled down at our home in Thompson’s Station and welcomed our daughter, Avonlea, into our little family.

I suppose you could say we had the American dream… a home in a county with a great school system, a two-income household, a healthy, bright, and goofy little girl, and an incredible church community shared with plenty of local friends and family. But that American dream shook like an earthquake beneath our feet last summer when we received the news that the son with whom I was 32 weeks pregnant would be born with Down syndrome.

The weeks that followed our unexpected news were quite a roller coaster, as you can imagine. Our days were filled with grief, then hope, then grief all over again. But everything just stood still that August Thursday, when I first looked into the bright blue, almond-shaped eyes of my precious son, Shepherd. I knew that the love he would bring into our lives would change us from the inside out in the very best of ways. He was created on purpose, for a purpose. Five months into this journey, I now know that hunch was spot-on.

One of those changes was a different pace of life. In a financial leap of faith, I resigned from my career as a content writer to accommodate all of Shepherd’s medical needs and therapy appointments. Within weeks, I stumbled my way into another unexpected life change: the opportunity to buy pallets of big-box store return and overstock items and sell them second-hand. This quickly became a flexible way for me to contribute to my family’s income, and I’ve been doing it ever since. As a bonus, it is a blast for my husband and me to unbox everything together, and we get to provide steeply discounted items that those in our community need. It’s a win-win.

I never would have guessed that my life would look the way it does today, but it sure isn’t lacking in joy! I’ve learned that life’s biggest curveballs are simply an invitation for faith, adventure, growth, and opportunity.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Currently, I buy pallets of mystery items that have been returned or are overstocked from big-box and online stores, like Amazon, Target, Costco, and Walmart.

I run a small-scale shop via Facebook Marketplace selling what I find at under half of the retail cost to buyers. I am most proud of finding a creative way to be present with my family while making a living, having fun with my husband in the process, and providing a benefit to our community.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Honestly, I see my business remaining small. It is less of a business than it is a fun side-hustle that happens to help our family. Some weeks I post dozens of items while others, nothing at all… and that’s the beauty of creating my own pace. I’m not sure how long I will keep doing this but for now, I’m enjoying it!

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/profile/1043894600/?ref=permalink&mibextid=6ojiHh

Image Credits
Kaity Clem