Exploring Life & Business with Mallory & Jordan Kurlin of Pretty M.White

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mallory & Jordan Kurlin.

Hi Mallory & Jordan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Looking back, I always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Growing up I was always making items and trying to sell them. Shout out to my dad for always being my number-one customer! About five years ago, we were making random coasters and refurbishing furniture. I had our name and logo ready but couldn’t pull the trigger on starting. The fear of failure held me back for over two years before everything fell into place. I firmly believe that timing is everything; it all comes together and works out exactly how it should. One day we were out trying to buy some milk paint. The usual shop that carries this paint was closed, so I had to look up other shops in the valley that carried the Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint. Grungy Galz in Goodyear was the closest store, so we went there. This was the first time we had heard of Grungy Galz, but the moment I stepped into the shop, I knew it was a mixture of everything I loved, from local, handmade, and vintage. After being helped by the store owner, we mentioned we made coasters. Before you knew it, we had a meeting set up, which led to a contract, and then having to launch Pretty M.White officially! Three and a half years later, we are still in the store, and we could not be more thankful to Bridget and her family for giving us the platform to start a dream that may have never been put into action. We have met many amazing people who have invested in us, and we can not thank them enough.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all! Owning your small business has been a physical, mental, and emotional rollercoaster. One day you feel like you’re crushing it, and the next, you feel like a total failure. The whole journey has been a learning curve. My husband and I still work full-time in very demanding careers of engineering and nursing. So the time commitments and dedication it takes to stay updated on restocking stores, making products, and engaging on social media while balancing our careers and personal lives have been difficult. Then came the pandemic. As a nurse, this was one of the most challenging times of our lives. With all our shops closed, everyone had to be innovative to keep their businesses afloat during the lockdowns. One thing that the pandemic taught us about our business is the ability to adjust and adapt. Lastly, two years ago, I landed myself in the ICU from a two-foot-long blood clot in my leg and one in my right lung. Though it was a terrible situation, and I hate that I had to go through it, it made me evaluate my life and redirect in areas that needed it. Since then, I have learned not to settle for things in life but to focus on what gives me joy and go after that. Life is too short to stay unhappy.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are Pretty M.White, a husband and wife team from Peoria, AZ. We believe in making people feel special through the details of travel, decor, and parties. We offer handmade home decor in 5 retail locations throughout the valley. Alongside the decor, we offer decor rentals that can elevate your next event. We love going the extra mile with the details of all things. These details will enhance experiences with those you love most.

One of our favorite things to do is to travel.Travel is the foundation for inspiration. We love to educate, share, and help others plan their trips. While we travel, we love to support local businesses, learn about cultures, and get inspiration from their decor. We recently spent three weeks in Europe, and it was inspiration overload! We hope that our business can be a reflection of us and all things that bring us joy. Our services are broad, but we love decor, parties, and travel. All three categories can enhance experiences and help create core memories, and we are all about that! Since starting the business, we have heard, “A jack of all trades is a master of none,” but the saying goes, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often better than a master of one.” We are proud to be able to educate, make, and create at Pretty M.White!

What do you like and dislike about the city?
We love Phoenix! We currently live in Peoria, but our hearts are in Central Phoenix. We always find ourselves there due to the old homes, local restaurants, shops, and bars. Something I love about our city is the growing number of independent artists and businesses that are popping up. We love supporting local, because usually there is a higher level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. That being said, we hope that people continue supporting small local businesses so Phoenix can continue growing in this area. Something that we least like about our city is how far everything is spread out. We loved using the tube in London on our recent trip to Europe and wish we had something similar here. Lastly, this is not anyone’s issue but our own, but the heat during the summer makes it pretty brutal every year to make our product.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.prettymwhite.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettym.white/?hl=en
• Other: https://linktr.ee/prettym.white

Image Credits
Tails Photography