Say Hello to the PL8 LADY
Dominique Oakley is a woman who thinks, acts, and talks fast. With an impressive business IQ, she has built a unique recycled art business.
Raised by her grandmother, who was a schoolteacher and an art lover, they lived in eastern Tennessee, close to the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Her grandmother enrolled in every imaginable class and workshop, and the best part was she took Dominique along, giving her a well-rounded art education.
When she was an adult, Dominique decided to teach school and found herself in front of a middle school classroom in Atlanta. As a former middle school teacher myself, I can promise you nothing is more difficult than keeping the attention of a room full of preteens! Even when they were quiet, Dominique noticed they paid more attention to the squirrels outside the window than they did to her.
And that gave her an idea! The squirrels had notoriously eaten not only the food in the bird feeder but also the bird feeder itself. So, as an experiment, she put various bird feeders by the window and let the students decide which ones were squirrel-proof. The answer was a feeder Dominique herself had created using an old license plate.
Since that one was a success and other teachers in the building wanted to copy her experiment, Dominique made more feeders — all out of license plates. The feeder frenzy was in full bloom when the school decided to sell the license plate feeders as a fundraiser and a local store approached Dominique and asked if they could carry them. She also put them on a brand-new platform called Etsy.
Dominique’s business grew at an incredible pace. She increased her line to include items like birdhouses and stars — all made from old license plates — and sold them wholesale at Atlanta Market to stores, in catalogs, and even to Disney.
She became a managing partner with a local store selling recycled and repurposed goods. She married and found herself expecting her first child. Life was good.
However, as we know, life can suddenly change. Dominique gave birth to a baby girl who lived for just 18 days. Although devastated, she rebounded quickly when she found herself expecting again, this time with twins.
When her boys were born, they were both diagnosed with special and different needs. Dominique had a whole new set of life priorities.
She moved back to Tennessee to be closer to family, and to provide the insurance her children needed, Dominique returned to teaching. For years, her boys needed constant attention, a ton of therapy, and a lot of love. They are now turning 14, and Dominique has decided to resuscitate the business she once loved.
Right before the COVID-19 pandemic, she took some of her creations to a local Maker City Summit, and when they were well received, she asked her family if they wanted her to sell more. Her nonverbal son surprised her by answering yes, “You’re the plate lady!” There it was — a new name for her repurposed, repositioned business.
Dominique has refined her business goals as well. She is selling smaller quantities to independent stores and building lasting relationships with them. She is sharing her wealth of business knowledge with beginning makers so they can achieve economic success.
Her line is as bright and lively as she is. It can be seen at many art fairs, trade shows, and pl8lady.com. Naturally, it is all made from license plates since Dominique is the ultimate PL8 LADY!
About the Author
Diane Sulg
Diane Sulg is executive director of CRAFT and founder and co-chair of American Craft Week (ACW). She is a handmade advocate who provides valuable information in her one-day seminars titled “All About Wholesale” at wholesale shows throughout the United States. Diane is the former owner of Maddi’s Gallery, in Charlotte and Huntersville, North Carolina.
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