The Tin Shingle Blog - #MemberSpotlight

When Erin Schiffman, the other half of the NYC based creative branding team Schiffman Creative, updated their Press Portfolio here at Tin Shingle with the press they landed in Time Magazine, we had to know how she got that!

It was a great press opportunity - commenting on the designs of 9 new musical releases from Justin Timberlake to David Bowie. Turns out,   having an updated website with their design work, client list, and bios was what secured them the gig.

This is a beautiful example of when SEO & PR blend to create a dynamite opportunity to validate a brand, and how it happened while the business owners were sleeping (after they'd done all their hard work of course).

Here's what Erin had to say:

"Ok...so here is the story.  I got an e-mail from the editor explaining the piece and asking if we would be interested in being a part of the expert panel.  Of course we agreed to the interview...It is TIMEmagazine.com and it was a really fun story to be a part of! 

"After we completed the interview, I asked him how he found us.  He explained that he spent a lot of time researching small creative companies in NYC because he was very specific in what he was looking for.  After doing a ton of research via Google he came across our site.  He said that he felt that we were what he was looking for based on the work we have done and our bios. He also looked at previous companies we worked for, clients for previous and current projects, etc. 

"Lesson we learned - very important to have a website, showcase work, include a thorough bio and have easily accessible contact info. I thought the whole thing was pretty crazy especially coming from a PR background.  In my past life, I could have spent months and months trying to get a client a hit like this and the odds of it happening were small.

"....this was [mostly] luck and having a website that showcased our business."

Click here for the full coverage at TimeMagazine.com

Curious about our Press Portfolio? It's part of membership at Tin Shingle, as we give you more tools to get the word out about your business.

Everything about jewelry designer Christine Mighion's path to finding her talent, passion and career is precious, as precious as the stones she works with. And fashion magazines including Lucky, Vogue Spain and Mexico, and Self have all recognized her jewelry line of the same name, www.christinemighion.com.

Christine's story is an example of someone waking up from a career, saying "How did I get here?" and trying to listen to her inner voice, but not hearing it exactly. It wasn't until a physical injury was Christine able to stop her world as she knew it, and listen  to a whim. And you'll never guess what her first career was in: dental hygiene.

What inspired you to get started?
Pursuing a creative career was something I always wanted to do, but I was pushed by my family to consider a more practical direction. After the birth of our second child and an injury from the birthing process, I found myself happily at home giving up my 40 hour a week career. Like many mothers that give so much of themselves to their families, I found myself needing to do something that was all my own. I began taking a metalsmithing class at a local museum and fell in love with working a piece of raw metal into a beautiful form. My husband had one goal for me and that was to get me back into his office working in some capacity by the time our son went to kindergarten. My goal was different. I wanted to create a solid business by the time our son went to kindergarten so that I never needed to go back into the office, and that's just what I did.     

What was your background? Was it in what you were doing now?
I have one degree in dental hygiene and a second in liberal arts. In my second year of dental school, I knew that it wasn't my passion. At one point, the head of the school knowing my heart wasn't into it sat me down and asked if I thought about going into art or fashion design. Oh, definitely! Unfortunately, I did not have the freedom to change directions at that time in my life. After college I worked in dentistry for a couple of years then moved to Hawaii where I was employed by the Easter Seal Society working with adults with developmental disabilities. I think that was the first job I ever truly loved. It opened my eyes to the unrecognized beauty of individuals that society turned their eyes away from.

Once I moved back from Hawaii and had my daughter I decided to go back into dental hygiene so that I could work part time while making a good salary. My husband is a dentist and we worked together, so stepping away from that was hard for him.   

What challenge have you had to face that led to a big growth for your company?
I'm continually challenged to listen to what I enjoy doing within my business and follow this voice although it may not be conventional. When I first started down the path of growth, I understood that I could only grow successfully if I branched out into retail. I made collections for the first time, when I was used to creating one of a kind pieces, and I found the whole process frustrating. I quickly got burnt out from repetitive fabrication and really didn't feel like I was growing in a way that was fulfilling or healthy. I loved making each piece myself and interacting with my clients, so I really didn't want to have to hire production assistant. After a pouring over the very difficult decision for several weeks, I decided to pull out of my retail accounts and go back to creating one of a kind and limited edition pieces. I was immediately happier and these pieces fly out of my shop. My clients continue to enjoy having an exclusive piece and tell me how much they love having direct access to me, the designer. I have an incredibly high rate of repeat customers and referrals, so it's validating to design my business my way and be very successful at it.    

What do you have going on in your business right now that you're excited about?    
Philanthropy has been a huge part of my business since the first quarter I turned a profit. I absolutely love giving back as I feel so lucky to get up and do what I love everyday. This year, I have donated nearly $15k in money or product donations and it feels great! However, I've found myself wanting to add a "hands on" component and I'm currently in discussions with a local charity for what I think will be a really amazing project! This charity supports women coming from abusive situations gain confidence and discover their creative talents that they will hopefully use to create their own businesses. I hope to supply their studio with the tools and materials needed for basic jewelry making techniques and then teach these skills one day a week.

Where would you love to see your business in 5 years?
Honestly, my vision of success may seem a bit unconventional, but I'm still excited to see what each day brings along the way. My goals are fairly simple. I want to continue to enjoy what I'm doing each day and if I don't then I will reinvent my work life. I want to be able to give my clients a piece of jewelry that they fall in love with and continue to better myself as a business owner and person. Finally, what I would really love see in 5 years is that I was able to move my studio back to Hawaii where I could not only continue to support the marine environmental charitable organizations that I love monetarily, but hands on as well.

Her weakness is paper. She'll tell her you that her weakness is Hermes scarves, but really, it's the personal touch and visual excitement that paper stationery creates between two people that led Kalyn Johnson, a lawyer by training, to start  paper stationery company, effie's paper.

We'll let Kalyn tell you how she got started, what her biggest challenge has been, and more in our interview with her. And when you're done reading, indulge in her lines of stationery and write someone a thank you note!

What inspired you to get started?
Two summers ago, I was sitting at my desk writing thank you notes, surrounded by stationery, and a light bulb went off in my head.  I guess you could say it was my AH-HAH moment.  I've always loved pretty paper and I've always had a pretty good stash of personalized stationery, but, I didn't have any stationery that made my heart leap. So, in that moment, I decided that I wanted to create my own line of stationery. I wanted my line to be modern, chic and fun. A stationery company seemed like the perfect marriage of my love of all things stylish, pretty paper and letter writing – in that moment, a snap decision became effie's paper.  

The company is named after my grandmother, Mrs. Effie Hayes.  She’s the person who helped to foster my fascination with stationery. When I had my AH-HAH moment, the name effie’s paper just came to me.  My grandmother was a very determined and stylish lady; from her I learned tenacity, how mix high and low style, grace under pressure and the importance of sending handwritten notes!

It was as simple as that and here we are a few years later.

What was your background? Was it in what you were doing now?
I am a lawyer by training, but I left the practice of law 5 years ago and started STYLE by Kalyn Johnson, a fashion styling consultancy for busy professionals.  While I love working with clients and helping people look their best, I knew shortly after I started my styling business that I wanted to expand it into a lifestyle brand. I've loved fashion and design since I was a little girl, I guess you could say I took a circuitous route and ended up exactly where I am supposed to be.

What challenge have you had to face that led to a big growth for your company?
Like many small businesses, identifying who our core customer is has been crucial.  When I started the company two years ago, I knew that women would be our core customer.  However, what I didn't do was really drill down and assess "HER" – why she buys, when she buys, who she buys for, etc.  Once I sat down and really analyzed who was buying our products, what she was buying and who she was buying them for I got a lot of clarity about the types of products we should be offering.  This clarity has definitely led to an uptick in sales for us.

What do you have going on in your business right now that you're excited about?
We just launched our OhBaby! collection, a collection of note cards we designed with the modern mom in mind.  I believe that children’s note cards should be modern to match their mother’s sensibilities.  Our collection of children’s note cards are perfect for the mom who’s looking to break out of the traditional mold. And as little something extra, we added Mommy Calling Cards - because whether you work part-time or full-time, or are a stay-at-home mom, every mom needs a business card. Mommy Calling Cards are a simple way to get in touch with other parents you meet. No more rifling through your bag for pen and paper to exchange information.  

In addition, the holiday season is huge for us, so we're getting geared up; we've got a line for 'Tweens coming out soon, cellphone cases and a few other goodies . . . Honestly, there's never a dull moment!

Where would you love to see your business in 5 years?
Five years from now, I'd love for effie's paper to be the go-to stationery company for those in the know. Our products are beautiful and high quality, perfect for those who want sophisticated yet stylish stationery. And I'd love for that exposure to lead to the licensing of our designs with some furniture and design companies I admire.  Our next territory is textiles, I am excited about the prospect of seeing our designs on wallpaper, pillows and upholstery fabric.  I think our Anguilla pattern would look really cool on a Kartell Mademoiselle Chair in someone's posh living room or dining room!

Inspire yourself by shopping at effie's paper online!