MILLER Case Study: Byrdcall Studio, LLC

When Melinda Byrd, owner of rya rug-maker Byrdcall Studio, LLC, left her longtime role as manager of the Bear Branch Nature Center and Hashawha Environmental Center in 1999, it was to embrace a more creative—and less structured—life as an artist. “For about ten years I enjoyed a spontaneous, carefree life as a painter, carver, and block printer with few business worries,” she recalls.

But fate—and family history—had other plans for her.

A Family Legacy Rekindled

Melinda was born into a legacy of textile art, specifically the nearly forgotten Nordic tradition of rya rug making, which had originated in the 15^th century. Her grandparents began importing supplies from Sweden in 1955, fueling a mid-century resurgence of the shaggy wool rugs once favored by Vikings. Years later, Melinda found herself not only rekindling this heritage but becoming a leading voice in the rya rug revival.

“I wrote a comprehensive book on rya; found and bought supplies from Norway, Finland, and Sweden; taught classes; and launched a Facebook group,” Melinda shares. “While rya rug making is still widely unknown, there are now thousands of new rya rug makers out there due to my efforts.”

From Artist to Entrepreneur

As her rya rug-making company, Byrdcall Studio, LLC, evolved from pastime passion to full-time enterprise, Melinda began to feel the weight of entrepreneurship—especially as a solo business owner with no formal training.

“One of my biggest worries I had was what I might be doing the hard way due to my lack of business experience,” she says. “Working by myself was great in many ways, but with no bookkeeper and no staff, I thought maybe there is a better and easier way.” This thought eventually led her to Miller: Resources for Entrepreneurs at Carroll Community College.

“I made an appointment with [Director of Miller] Tom Mazerski, basically to ask him what I was doing right and wrong with my business,” she recounts. “He was very helpful and asked me questions and offered good answers to my questions. He explained the wisdom of forming an LLC to protect my business, which I did immediately.”

Melinda stayed in touch with Miller through regular email updates, always keeping the resource in her back pocket. But it wasn’t until recently, when she began contemplating how to pass the torch, that she reached out to them again.

A phone call to Tom Mazerski resulted in a very helpful assessment of what I have to sell, what it is—or could be—worth, and how to go about making it happen.

Planning for the Future of Rya

“The main reason I worked to bring rya rugs back was to make sure it lived on,” she says. “This involves finding a suitable—and enthusiastic—rya promoter to carry on when I cannot do it any longer.” With growing interest from potential successors, Melinda once more turned to Tom for guidance.

“A phone call to Tom Mazerski resulted in a very helpful assessment of what I have to sell, what it is—or could be—worth, and how to go about making it happen,” Melinda said. “We are still in the process, but I feel sure that a sale will result.”

With confidence and clarity about her business’s future, Melinda looks forward to returning to her artistic roots—painting, carving, and block printing—with fewer spreadsheets to manage.

As she moves toward a new chapter in her life, she remains grateful for the support Miller has provided through every twist and turn. “After the passing of the rya rug torch to the new owner,” she says, “I will probably schedule another appointment with Miller to help me set a plan for the coming years at Byrdcall Studio, LLC.”