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CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE
Introducing Sally B’s Skin Yummies
Blending nature and technology, Sally B’s is committed to making high quality, luxurious, and effective skin care products from certified organic and natural plant based ingredients. The creams, lotions, makeup, and fragrance are created in Inman Park, Atlanta, and are sold throughout the world. Â See for yourself what organic skin care will do for you and for the planet!
Check out all of Sally B’s great new products here, arriving just in time for spring!
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Organic, Luxurious, Healthy
What are your most popular products or services?
Mineral makeup, Eye Cream, Night Cream, Eco Body Lotion and Tinted Moisturizer.
People may be surprised to know…
I’m one of eight children.
What or who inspired you to start your business?
After Cancer, I had to treat my own skin differently. Out of necessity, I created my own products.
Who is your role model or mentor?
My Dad started his own business after WWII. Â The company he founded is still going strong.
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
Don’t think small. Â You can’t do it all nor are you qualified to do it all.
How do you spend your free time?
Trying to catch up.
What is your indulgence?
Long Baths
Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
The beach. Â Pawleys Island is my favorite.
Introducing Ronda Smith Designs
Ronda Smith Designs was born out of a love to create and design stylish and affordable jewelry for all women that is both feminine and edgy. Inspired by her faith, her designs blur the distinction between vintage and modern using natural gemstones, vintage charms and crosses with chains, leather and other repurposed materials.
Be sure to check out the Ronda Smith Designs trunk show at the GRAND RE OPENING of WEAR March 31, 2011 5-9 pm.
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Beautiful, Stylish, Versatile
What are your most popular products or services?
Customizable hand embossed bracelets and double wrap necklaces
People may be surprised to know…
I’m a cancer survivor
What or who inspired you to start your business?
My dear friend, Chris Glavine gave me the inspiration to make my first bracelet.
Who is your role model or mentor?
I strive to be more like my Dad because I admire his patience, strength and gentleness.
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
I have learned to handle my mistakes by maintaining perspective and having a sense of humor.
How do you spend your free time?
Laughing with my 3 beautiful children and husband
What is your indulgence?
Cookie cake
Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
Doesn’t matter where you go when your girlfriends are as great as mine, but the beach with margaritas sounds great!
Fresh Face: Claudia Mejerle
To Claudia Mejerle, makeup is an accessory to an outfit. It expresses style and personality. It is an art form. And it’s fun! This savvy makeup artist discovered her passion for makeup as a little girl playing in her mother’s makeup drawer as she was getting ready for my ballet recitals. Makeup made her feel beautiful. She realized that when you enhance your God-given external beauty, it is more than just an outer transformation. Looking and feeling more beautiful makes you feel powerful. You exude confidence and joy. Who doesn’t want that?! And it is her hope that she can show women how to enhance their natural beauty through makeup.
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
creative, playful and passionate
What is your biggest goal for the future of your business?
It is really important to me that I stay true to myself and my style as I grow my business. I hope to align myself with clients that allow me to do that, but I also want to be challenged with new types of work that help me to grow as an artist. I really want to push myself to discover new, unique ways that I can share my love for makeup artistry.
What is one thing you could not live without?
There have definitely been a lot of challenges in making my dream become a reality, but having the love, support, and encouragement of my family and friends has really made this possible. My incredible support system has given me courage to take the leap and has been an unbelievable source of business leads from the beginning. It is essential to have that support in order to grow and it is so much fun to have people to share the adventure with!
What is your favorite thing about living in Atlanta?
Hmmm…probably the fact that there is so much great food to eat! But I also love that this town is perfect for anyone looking to go out on their own and do something new. Atlanta may be a large city, but it amazes me how connected everyone is. There’s so much room for growth and the people are eager to support new businesses.
What inspired you to start your business?
Well, there wasn’t ever a specific moment when i said “I am starting a business.” It has just kind of evolved. I have always enjoyed doing makeup for friends and over time I started getting referrals to do makeup for weddings. My hobby just turned into a business and I figured if I could make a living doing something I love, I just had to go for it.
What is your favorite part of being an entrepreneur?
Oh gosh. I love everything about being an entrepreneur! It’s so exciting. I love that there is so much flexibility and freedom to do things the way I would like. I am able to be creative in my actual art as well as in the way I develop my business. There is so much fulfillment and motivation knowing I am in control of my success.
If you could have dinner and talk about business with one person, who would it be?
There are a number of famous makeup artists I would die to have one minute with, but I think Carmindy (from What Not To Wear) is at the top of my list. She has a way of making everyone not only look gorgeous, but she makes each woman feel special and more beautiful than they’ve ever felt.
If you could give one piece advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be?
Don’t let fear get in the way of your passion. The unknown can be scary, but going after your dream is an adventure.  If you do something that you’re passionate about, you can’t help but succeed!
Want to learn more? Visit her website at http://claudiamejerle.com/
Introducing EcoEMPORIUM
The environment is always in style and ecoEMPORIUM, Atlanta’s first eco-lifestyle store, is your one-stop shop for inspiration, ideas and advice for living a greener lifestyle. The store offers wedding and baby registries, eco nursery classes, eco wedding gowns and invitations, non-toxic cookware and paint, organic mattresses and bedding, handbags, jewelry and much more for the urban, eco-chic stylista.
Take advantage of the last day of ecoEMPORIUM’s February blowout sale! Stop by At The Collective to get great deals on organic baby items and organic bedding and pillows!
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Organic, Sustainable, Stylish
What are your most popular products or services?
Organic Mattresses, Bamboo Bedding, Organic Baby Products, ecoNURSERY classes, ecoWEDDING gowns & jewelry
People may be surprised to know…
I was born in Key West and never learned to swim
What or who inspired you to start your business?
Health issues occurring from toxic furniture
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
Not trusting my own instincts
What is your indulgence?
a spa treatment or massage
Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
Canyon Ranch Tuscon, Arizona
Fresh Face: Taylor Galen
Meet Taylor Galen, the creative entrepreness behind Taylor Galen Workroom!
Taylor Galen Workroom is a full-service drapery workroom for homes and commercial spaces in the Atlanta and Nashville areas. Their services include window treatment consulting, design, production, and installation. Products offered include soft draperies and hardware; blinds, shades, and shutters; and pillows and bedding.
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Inventive, original, and resourceful.
What is your biggest goal for the future of your business?
My biggest goal is simply to continue to earn a reputation as being a reliable workroom that produces high quality product.
I would also love to see our work featured in a national design magazine such as House Beautiful or Elle DĂ©cor.
What is one thing you could not live without?
My husband and son. They make me laugh and inspire me. A close second would be my tape measure. It’s always in my purse.
What is your favorite thing about living in Atlanta?
The food! Whether it’s a nice dinner at Haven or a sandwich from Lee’s (my favorite Vietnamese bakery on Buford Highway) I never go hungry in this town.
What inspired you to start your business?
I wanted a career where I could be creative. I used to work in a corporate office where my imagination was limited to Power Point slides. I wanted to spend my days having fun and using my strongest skills.
What is your favorite part of being an entrepreneur?
I am in charge of the purpose and vision of my company. Also, I can put soft toilet paper in the company bathroom.
If you could have dinner and talk about business with one person, who would it be?
I would love to have dinner with Ina Garten (especially if she were hosting!) She has created an empire simply doing what she loves: cooking and entertaining. I admire her for taking risks in her business and staying true to her values.
If you could give one piece advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be?
Find a mentor. A person with many years of experience in your field (or a related field) is invaluable. A mentor can serve as a sounding board, an advisor, and a source of support.
Introducing Lavender Boutique
Lavender is a woman’s boutique that strives to offer customers a great selection of the latest trendy and fashionable styles in woman’s clothing and accessories. They hand select every piece and buy in very limited quantities to ensure exclusivity. Lavender supports several local clothing and jewelry designers and is always looking for new vendors. New merchandise arrives weekly both in store and online. Their shoppers love them because the selection is unique, special and, most importantly, affordable. Their goal is to provide outstanding value, quality and excellent customer service to all of their fashionista shoppers.
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Trendy. Chic. Fashionable.
What are your most popular products or services?
Tops, both casual and dressy, all year around. Dresses in the spring/summer.
People may be surprised to know…
I went to graduate school for Public Health and had a career in the IT/software field prior to starting Lavender.
What or who inspired you to start your business?
It started with my first pair of designer jeans. I began accumulating so many jeans that I thought to myself, “I love jeans and clothes; I should open a boutique!”
Who is your role model or mentor?
Any business woman that is an entrepreneur. It is very inspiring and makes me strive to be successful.
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
Trying to be everything to everyone. You cannot satisfy everyone unfortunately. I eventually figured out our niche-what works and does not work in our particular geographic area- and stuck with it.
How do you spend your free time?
My free time is spent with my husband and my two boys. I love watching the boys grow up. It goes by too fast.
What is your indulgence?
I love going out for a nice, quiet, relaxing dinner with just my husband. With a business and two young kids, those opportunities are rare.
Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
Anywhere for a great dinner with wine and, of course, dessert.
Introducing TSP Marketing
Known for constantly thinking outside of the box, TSP Marketing leverages traditional marketing, public relations and innovative social media marketing to uniquely and effectively position their clients and services, to create and maintain a strong presence in the marketplace, and grow their businesses. In 2007, Taryn also founded Women Intelligently Networking (WIN!)®, a premier online and offline community of business women headquartered in Atlanta.
Business Bootcamp for Wonder Women 2 Day Atlanta Conference on Feb 25 + 26 is for women entrepreneurs, small businesses, brick and mortar store owners, attorneys, doctors, professionals bloggers and other professionals. The BBWW Conference will be offering over 30 how-to sessions, panels and workshops on marketing, technology, social media, law and sales and development.
Women Intelligently Networking (WIN!)® is generously offering a special for the CRAVE Atlanta community through February, 15th! Use VIP code: CRAVE2011 to receive $40 off the general admission ticket.
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Innovative, Magnetic, Dynamic
What are your most popular products or services?
- social media marketing workshops / lunch + learns
- public relations and marketing consulting
- business networking and referral marketing coaching
- public speaking
People may be surprised to know…
I’ve been using «social media» since 1990. At age 12, I started my first online community and am still friends with many of those members.
What or who inspired you to start your business?
I made the choice to take control of my life, to not to conform to others’ rules but rather create my own game, call my own shots and surround myself with great people. My biggest fan, my husband, was instrumental in this realization.
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
Learning and mastering the fine art of delegation!
How do you spend your free time?
At the gym, often brainstorming on how to continue adding value to my networks and communities… I’m also a conference jetsetter and public speaker.
What is your indulgence?
I have a few! Interacting with my social networking communities (Twitter and Facebook). Sushi… And listening to really great dance music, preferably at the gym.
Fresh Face: Melanie Stewart
Melanie Stewart has been an entrepreness for almost ten of her twenty plus year career. In 2009, Melanie branched into the product industry by co-founding M&M Consumer Products, Inc., a women-owned company devoted to developing products that add both comfort and convenience to people’s everyday lives. Melanie is constantly looking at ways to make her life more comfortable and better so that she can help others live a more comfortable and better life.
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Passionate, funny, loving
What is your biggest goal for the future of your business?
To be a multi-million dollar internationally recognized company for creating comfortable, convenient and creative solutions to everyday health and beauty needs.
What is one thing you could not live without?
My products of course. No, seriously, my family. They are my rock and my support. They believe in me and encourage me. I would not be where I am personally or professionally without them.
What is your favorite thing about living in Atlanta?
The phenomenal business women that live in city! There are so many great women entrepreneurs in Atlanta to network with.
What inspired you to start your business?
I wanted to be able to be more involved in my son’s life when I co-founded my first company, Compliance Partners, Inc. in 2001. When I co-founded my second company, M&M Consumer Products, Inc. in 2009, I had been unsuccessfully searching for solutions to health and beauty issues that I was having. Since I could not find any solutions on the market, I decided to create them myself.
What is your favorite part of being an entrepreneur?
Freedom, flexibility and creativity. Being an entrepreneur allows me the freedom to do what I want, the flexibility to do it when I want and the creativity to do it how I want.
If you could have dinner and talk about business with one person, who would it be?
Mary Kay Ash. I think that she is such an inspiration for women entrepreneurs. I have a long list of questions that I would love to ask her.
If you could give one piece advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be?
BELIEVE! Believe in yourself, believe in your product/service and believe in your success. Believe and you can achieve!
We’re CRAVE-ing The Starfire Group
The Starfire Group is a creative powerhouse which specializes in Event Production, Marketing & PR. With over ten years experience, The Starfire Group has become known for its creative concepts and wow-factor results which is the driving force behind their success. With expertise in various scales of events, NO EVENT IS TOO LARGE OR TOO SMALL, THE STARFIRE GROUP IS HERE TO SERVE ALL!
Join The Starfire Group as they present SHOP & SIP… FOR LOVE! A fabulous event with cocktails, chocolates and up to 40% off CRAVE-able gifts for your Valentine! Visit Tous in Lenox Mall Wednesday, February 9, 2011 and RSVP to EVENTS@THESTARFIREGROUP.US (Subject: SHOP & SIP… FOR LOVE!) to attend.
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
EXTRAORDINARY, EXUBERANT, AND EXPLOSIVE!
What are your most popular products or services?
My most popular requests for events are definitely grand opening celebrations and birthday celebrations.
People may be surprised to know…
People may be surprised to know that I actually started planning events when I was just 16.
What or who inspired you to start your business?
I was inspired by my surroundings and fornate enough to have friends around me that don’t just participate but motivate.
Who is your role model or mentor?
My role model is not built in one person, but in every individual that made a way out of no way.
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
Being afraid to take a chance.
How do you spend your free time?
Mostly just relaxing at home and spending time with my friends and my dogs.
What is your indulgence?
Hmmmm, it is definitely food. But what-just depends on what I am CRAVE-ing at the time.
Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
My favorite place to go with my girlfriends are to new restaurants. We are always looking for a new fave place to CRAVE!
Fresh Face: Claire Watkins
Claire Watkins is the creative entrepreness behind Claire Watkins Interior Design and author of popular interior design blog, High Gloss Blue. After writing her law school entrance essay on the characteristics of design as an argument, then paying for her business license and law school deposit in the same week, Claire made the decision to pursue her real dream. Currently, she’s thrilled she gets to talk about chairs every single day, recession or not.
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
One. Â Hot. Â Mess.
What is your biggest goal for the future of your business?
My biggest goal is the same as every small business owner’s goal to hire people to do all the non design related stuff I do for Claire Watkins Interior Design. More concretely, my biggest goal is to take more design risks and fewer business risks.
When I first started my company, I was nervous about pushing clients in their design choices (would they think I was not listening to them or asserting my personal taste over theirs?). I was nervous about having clients sign contract (would they think their was something in the fine print?). I was nervous to push them to pay me on past due invoices (would I seem rude in following up on a late invoice?). I’ve learned to listen to myself and now it is just a matter of having the discipline to always impart things.
What is one thing you could not live without?
My dogs.
What is your favorite thing about living in Atlanta?
The climate, hands down.
What inspired you to start your business?
After earning a degree in commercial interior design, I worked in textile design for major hotels and then as a photo stylist. I always felt limited working for other people, like I was only using one half of my brain. Looking for a challenging career, I decided to go to law school. When I wrote the check for my tuition deposit, something clicked. I bought my LLC the same week. Design is my passion and I figured I could get this thing going in the three years it would take me to graduate from law school.
What is your favorite part of being an entrepreneur?
It is tremendously rewarding. Every thing from getting to know new clients, to walking into a finished space, to creating relationships with artists, craftspeople and the Atlanta community in general (hello CRAVE and Laura Scholz), all the good stuff that comes with owning your own business really brings a high.
If you could have dinner and talk about business with one person, who would it be?
Let’s be honest, my next big client.
If you could give one piece advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be?
You can do it. Keep a day job, prepare to fail, meet all the people you can and start now, no excuses. That is one sentence, so does it count as one piece of advice? Oh and social media, social media, social media.