The Tin Shingle Blog

Have you ever held onto a lipstick that is so empty you're literally scraping the bottom and sides of the tube to get your hands (or lips) onto its final pieces, because it's been discontinued and it was your go-to shade?  Have you ever spent time mixing together colors trying to create a shade that you cannot find anywhere but just must have?  What about going from make-up counter to make-up counter hunting for the perfect shade of blush or eyeshadow that exists only in your mind?

Me too.  That's why when I found out about Tin Shingle members Three Custom Color years ago all I kept thinking was "where have you been all my make-up wearing life?!"  The team, which I now refer to lovingly as the Mad Scientists of Make-Up, are known for fabulous make-up in general, but my favorite thing about this small business is that they can create (or re-create) any shade you dream up!  Want a customized blush for your wedding? Done!  Does your mom yearn for a lipstick that was discontinued the year you were born?  No problem!  Their team will actually custom blend any color eye, lip or cheek color you want in their cosmetics laboratory in New York City and have it to you in a few weeks!  They also keep the "recipe" on file for you so if you want to re-order they're ready to go.

Beyond this awesome make-up customization service the team also offers beautiful shades in general, so if you're looking for a new go-to beauty brand to check out add them to your list.  Beyond lip, cheek, brows and eye products sold individually they also have great collections including some for mom and some for the bride-to-be, all of which you can find in their online shop.

Though they're now headquartered off 5th Avenue in New York, they, like many small businesses, began in the apartment of co-founders Scott and Chad.  What was once a company that sold about 25 mail-order lip shades has grown to a brick and mortar store selling over 250 products and their Custom Blending archives now contain over 9,000 discontinued shades of color cosmetics dating back to the 1930’s! BAM! If that's not a Small Biz Style success story I don't know what is!

You can find out more about all that Three Custom Color Specialists offers (and custom blend your own make-up shade while you're at it) via their website.  Then hop on over to Twitter and Facebook and connect with them there as well!

For our small business members: the Media Contacts and Editorial Lists are ready for you to research! You may have already started poking around and using them, so here are a few tips on how to best use them:

• Search by Magazine: At the top of the lists, you'll see a drop down menu bar called "Media Outlet". Pick this for if you want to search by magazine.
• Search by Subject: If you are looking for editors who specialize in "golf", for instance, you can use the drop down menu bar called "Category", and select a subject. You'll get a list of editors at different magazines.
• Search by Magazine AND Subject: The combo. You can use both drop down menus at the same time to see who at Vogue specializes in "Beauty". This does produce a more limited set of results. If you get no results, it just means that no one at that magazine claims to specialize in that subject. This may or may not be true, so search by magazine if you want to find a reason to pitch that magazine.
• Start Over: To start over with a clean search, just select the <Any> choice from that drop down menu. Or, just select a new Outlet or Category and click Apply.

The Editorial Calendars work much the same way. Be creative as you read through these to see how your brand might fit into their editorial line-up! And then go for the pitch.

PS: Want in on these? Go unlock this benefit and lots more all in one swoop with a Membership with Tin Shingle. Click here for details.

Let’s talk about cheese.  Seriously, this post is all about cheese, and not just any cheese: pimento cheese.  If you were like the Sabina of one year ago you’d be all “What the heck is pimento cheese and why should I care?”  I hear you.  In fact I shouldn’t even be writing about - or eating - cheese as I’m on my Get it Right Get it Tight Wedding Work-Out Plan.  That said, there are some things that force you to break the rules.  Palmetto Cheese, the fastest growing pimento cheese company in the country is one of them.  I mean, a cheese company that is a small business and still beats out famous national brands in online likability contests and polls should sway you, and the numbers (and social media fans) don’t lie.  But don’t let that be your only reference.  Let the happy face of my fiancé, “A” (pictured here in this post), and the fact that Palmetto Cheese is currently one of my only cheat foods, along with my words below close the deal.

As a mid-westerner, pimento cheese was simply not part of my vocabulary and definitely not part of my snacking repertoire until the folks at Palmetto Cheese sent an assortment of their goods to a Tin Shingle holiday party.  I decided to humor one of our southern team members who was raving about it (and knew of the South’s "pimento cheese legacy" if you will) and took a bite of it on a cracker.  Let me just tell you that I basically went through half a box of crackers and way too much Palmetto Cheese before the party even began.  The stuff is “like crack” to put it not-so-nicely.  Once you start you cannot stop eating it.  But in a good way, in way that makes you say “wow, that was soooo worth it”. 

How would I describe it….Creamy, cheesy, tangy, hits the savory spot of your tongue and belly in a way I haven’t ever experienced before.  Their flavors (Original,  Jalapeno and Bacon) pack a punch and keep you reaching back to the container for more.  There is no way you will open a carton of Palmetto Cheese and close it and put it back into the fridge.  It will be empty.  Scrape-the-bottom empty.  Lick the container empty (I swear this wasn’t me but I’ve seen it happen).  Put it on crackers, put it on carrots (this is how we lie to ourselves at home and say it’s healthy), but don’t stop there.  The genius husband-wife team at Palmetto Cheese supplies endless recipes via their website, Facebook and Twitter.  

Speaking of their social media communities, just take a gander at them.  They are massive for a small business!  I believe it’s because they’re producing an AMAZING product, have sensational customer service and their team is phenomenal (as an “insider” I know this).  Beyond their product being awesome, I have to take a moment to brag about this small business on a professional level.  What started as a small seed of an idea (as most amazing brands do) the Palmetto Cheese company now sells in over 4,600 locations in 30 states and is the fastest growing pimento cheese company in the country.

I’m sure you’re salivating at the moment so I won’t go on much longer.  Let me just remind you that summer is around the corner and you’ll soon be put to task with bringing something for a cook-out, barbeque, graduation party, beach day or hostess gift.  Heck, within the next week you’ll need a snack for poker night, a baby shower, a dinner party or movie night at your own home.  You know you want to be the person who yells “It was ME!” when someone asked “who brought this amazing cheese dip to the party?”.

Place your order with Palmetto Cheese via their website HERE and check out the rave reviews, recipes and great contests and deals via their Facebook and Twitter pages.  You are welcome.

“Free spirit,” “Excitement” and “Inspired” are all words Agustina Palacio uses to describe her personal journey to becoming a designer, and it’s clear when looking at her fresh, fun and sexy swimwear that her line, Nina Swim, reflects exactly who she is! Creator of the resort swimwear line Nina Swim, Agustina’s upbeat, sexy approach to looks for the beach is echoed in everything from her designs’ delightful names (Elektra, Jinx and Bonita, to name a few) to the suits’ bright colors, bold cut, and sophisticated and unique leather detailing. With an upcoming line of swimwear inspired by the Bond Girls, and the launch of a Resort Wear collection featuring sophisticated cover-ups for the beach that transition into nighttime attire for a relaxed look, Agustina is busy expanding Nina Swim and growing her creativity alongside her business. In our interview, Agustina revealed keys to business success, including the benefits of her background in marketing, her love of the “behind the scenes” in’s and out’s of a healthy business—everything from line sheets to photo shoots to social media strategies—and how she makes it all work as a mother of four.

What inspired you to get started?
My free spirit was what inspired me to start my own business. In 2000, after completing college, I packed my bag, including my huge bikini selection and headed for Miami.  It was here that other bikini aficionados constantly questioned me about where I bought my bikinis.  So with a friend we decided to start a swimwear line since we were not excited about any of the bikini designs we had seen in the market.  So we traveled to NYC to buy fabrics and started creating. However, shortly after arriving back to Miami, I decided to move back to Argentina. Continuing the work I began in Miami, I did a very small collection and started selling bikinis to my friends and their friends and soon, my swimwear line, Nina Swim was born in Buenos Aires.    

What was your background?
Marketing. I love designing bikinis, designing is something that it doesn’t take me a lot of time. I can design a whole collection just in one night when I am inspired. But I also really enjoy all the behind-the-scenes of making my business grow from developing the website, lookbook and linesheets as well as social media, PR and marketing strategies, photoshoots and fashion shoots, etc.
 
Was your background in what you are doing now?
Totally. Throughout school I knew that I wanted to do something related to fashion, however just designing was not enough.  I was interested in being able to sell a line more than how to solely design, so that is why I studied marketing.

What challenge have you had to face that led to a big growth for your company?
My biggest challenge was being able to run my business with my growing family. I started my business with one son and now I have 4. So at one point (between my 2nd and 3rd child) I had to stop and take a break to think how I was going to continue. Many thought that that would be it, that I wouldn’t be back designing and running my business. Especially after having my 4th child. But this break gave me a lot of inspiration and desires to make my business grow. I studied the market and also learned more about Nina Swim’s identity. When I first started with the line I was a girl and my designs were very girly, but I grew up with the line and today Nina Swim is a resort line, sophisticated yet still fresh and trendy. And this year I came up with my best collection ever.

What do you have going on in your business right now that you're excited about?
So many things! This year I am re-launching my line with the Goldfingers Collection inspired by the James Bond movies I used to watch as a child. Each bikini style is named for each Bond girl. I am also launching for the first time a Resort Wear collection consisting of sophisticated cover-ups for the beach that transition into nighttime attire for a relaxed look.  I also have a kid’s swimwear collection.  The Mini Nina line is swimwear for girls ages 2-14 and includes miniature versions of the swimsuits and cover-ups found in the adult’s line; perfect for parents looking for fashionable pieces for their chic little It-girls.

Where would you love to see your business in 5 years?
I would love to see my swimwear line being recognized as a trendy swimwear line in the US.