Wildflowers and Barley -Katelyn Klos
What inspired you to launch your business?
Wildflowers and Barley was born from my love of creating. I enjoy making handmade goods and love the traditional processes that go with that.
I made my first burned hat and thought, “I bet other people would love to do this.”
I asked my friend Grace if she would like to partner with me, as she does a lot of custom work on hats and denim jackets. She was all in. And so, our hat-burning workshops took off. We asked local shops if we could do events in their space. Word got out, and we started booking more events. It’s been a wild ride, and we are just getting started.
What is your passion?
My true passion lies in helping others discover their creativity. Nothing is better than seeing that light in their eyes when they see their finished hat and know they made that.
How do you start your day?
I start my day with a coffee and a toddler. He plays with his cars, and I catch up on emails and messages.
Favorite local businesses?
Honestly, there are way too many to list here.
What do you deem as success in business?
I think true success is finding community through your business. We all crave connection and being able to curate that within our workshops has been great. Not only are we connecting with those who attend our events, but we are also learning of so many small businesses in the central Illinois area and connecting with the owners.
What is your number one piece of advice for business owners?
Give more than you take. What you put into your community and other business owners will return to you tenfold. There is room for us all to succeed, and I firmly believe that the “collaboration over competition” mindset is what will make small businesses thrive.
For more information about Wildflowers and Barley, visit