Exit-Ed: Stories From Grind to Sale

In this episode of Exit-Ed: Stories from Grind to Sale, Gabriela Smith interviews lifelong entrepreneur Maggie Lord about her journey from childhood ventures to selling Rustic Wedding Chic to David’s Bridal. Maggie shares how her entrepreneurial spirit started early, from selling seashells as a child to turning her love of creativity into a nationally recognized digital brand. Rustic Wedding Chic began in 2008 as a small blog showcasing rustic wedding ideas and grew into a major online media company with ten million monthly Pinterest impressions, book deals, and television appearances—all bootstrapped without outside funding.

Maggie explains how authenticity and quick decision-making fueled her success, as well as how she recognized when it was time to sell. Her sale to David’s Bridal in 2020 was driven by strategic alignment—the company reached brides earlier in the buying journey and fit perfectly into David’s long-term goals. After the acquisition, she joined the company as Vice President and later co-founded The Whisper Group with Carrie Kerpen to help women prepare for and execute successful business exits.

She discusses common misconceptions about entrepreneurship, emphasizing that success doesn’t require large capital—just creativity, persistence, and humility. Maggie also shares her mindset shift of adding “not yet” to setbacks, turning frustration into progress. Balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood, she describes building a business from her kitchen table while raising three children, underscoring that founders can design a life and career that truly work for them.

Maggie believes AI is a valuable tool but insists authenticity and human experience remain irreplaceable. Her advice for aspiring founders is direct: just start. Every step, no matter how small, moves you forward. Her story illustrates how resilience, adaptability, and personal integrity can turn simple ideas into scalable success.