Carlisle artist turns hobby into earring business

Mikayla Geffert

Business Name: Toast and Co.

Years in business: 3 years

Location: Carlisle

Contact: 570-490-6274 or toastandco.net

Q: Why did you want to start this kind of business?

A: I wanted to start Toast and Co. because I would always catch myself looking at earrings on Etsy or at different markets I’d attend, and one day an ad for a silicone succulent mold came up on my Etsy and I bought it thinking I’d make little succulent earrings.

Q: How did you get your start?

A: I had such a fun time making those little succulent earrings that I started getting different clay cutters and expanding my inventory. Since I started in 2019 I’ve made well over thousands of earrings. In 2022 I attended my first market, and it was in August of 2024 that I taught my very first class at Horizons.

Q: What does your business sell or provide?

A: I create polymer clay earrings made solely from Cernit clay using nickel free hardware, and I offer classes, as well as teach people step-by-step how to make their own earrings.

Q: What is the biggest challenge you are facing right now?

A: I would say my biggest challenge right now is navigating the slower months now that this is mostly full time for me. I also struggle with picking and choosing which markets are best to attend.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do or place in Cumberland County?

A: Meadowbrooke Gourds is one of my favorite places considering how much they offer to the public at little to no cost on their farm. I also really enjoy the walking trail between Spring Meadows and South Middleton Park.