Shawna Strayhorn

March 3, 2014

SHAWNA STRAYHORN | NEW YORK CITYDIRECTOR OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AT REFINERY 29

How did you get started with your career? How does your current role as Director of Business Intelligence at Refinery29 reflect your personal aesthetic?

I graduated from Harvard in 2007. From there, I went into management consulting, a ripe business training ground. I quickly pivoted into e-commerce marketing and finally, just over 3 years ago, landed at Refinery29, coming onboard as the first marketing hire and the 13th employee. The ethos of Refinery29 is to cultivate personal style by mixing high and low and distilling down to only the very best. My personal style aesthetic draws on the same principals - mix designer with 125th street, vintage with so-this-season pieces. But, in the end, tie a look together with one eye-popping element, many times in black, and let the look sing.

Cultural trends constantly change. What do you do to stay relevant, connected, and ahead of the curve?

I believe there are two types of people in the "world": those that use the Internet to connect, explore, and discover in a true and deep way and those that do not, simply. What do I mean by true and deep -- that is, a rejection of the rinse-and-repeat nature of social media that engages only with the ideas, people, music, style, and friends that one is already familiar with in the human world. What is the point? Why sit at a wellspring of information and culture only to redraw the lines of your locality time and again? I use a reader to comb through content voraciously, follow links liberally, and seek inspiration for essays to read and songs to listen, etc. In addition, my city and neighborhood are fully-formed pillars of inspiration; many New York men and women style with effortless cool and Harlemites embrace pattern and bold shapes. Lately, I have been drawn to album art for inspiration. The project of bringing music to visual life in a small square is lofty (i.e., seeing sounds) and limiting (i.e., fixed space).

How do you balance your personal and business goals and stay creative at the same time (even when you are exhausted)?

I let technology work for me and eliminate the white noise. I am laser-focused on what needs to be done now and, in doing so, free myself up to dream, to fellowship. I use an email app to keep my inbox at 0 messages as frequently as possible. I push email reminders to myself (i.e., drinks, dates, plays, networking events) and delay messages and to-do items until they are absolutely time-critical. I save music, files, inspiration images, and documents to the cloud. I consume my news from RSS feeds in one central place (Feedly). My approach is not to let how I do the work impede me from doing the work. Mitigate the friction, make it easy, and get to the good, creative stuff.

I do my best thinking in the mornings. I rise about 5:30 each morning and take an hour to read, answer emails, and do some of the big picture thinking that only a good night's sleep can afford.

In my transition to business school, I faced the seemingly daunting task of committing my business goals to essays - a cathartic experience. In hindsight, I'm thankful for the exercise - my goals in 500 words double-spaced. Do I expect to pursue them down to the letter? No. But, the path as it stands, is mapped out. I expect detours.

Photo Credit: Amelia Alpaugh

How important are mentors? Who is your mentor?

Mentors are mission-critical. The best mentors, personal or professional, have a point of view that they want to impress upon you. It is simply not enough for a mentor to be someone "who achieves." A mentor not only achieves, but also has a credo on how she gets the job done and the language and perspective to pass on her knowledge. My life mentor is Jennifer Nash, Assistant Professor of American Studies at The George Washington University. I met Jen at Harvard; she was pursuing her PhD and I was pursuing my Bachelor's degree in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Define your idea of success.

Success is legacy - what positive thing will people remember you for and did it have impact beyond yourself.

What is your advice for women entering creative fields or starting their own business?My advice for those looking to get into fashion marketing is to have an editor’s eye for impeccable style and value, to sharpen your business acumen and analytical skills, and to be results driven.

Place that inspires me the most:

A specific place does not inspire me. However, I feel most inspired when I give myself time to think. It seems so intuitive. But, in the rush of life, time to "just think" is precious. If I have an hour, I'll spend nearly 45 minutes thinking about the problem -- what went wrong, what is up, what is down, and why. In a phrase, I like to put the problem back into problem-solving - don't rush the solution. Get intimate with the problem, get what the real rub is, and get it right.

I feel most powerful when:

I wear lipstick and arrive 20 minutes early.

I love what I do because:

I have the pleasure of gazing upon stunning, beautifully composed images daily. I derive such pleasure from being able to refine and focus my taste overtime and to appreciate and prop up things that are beautiful and special to me. My most rewarding career experience is leading Refinery29′s growth efforts. Through aggressive acquisition efforts, I lead Refinery29′s audience development growing the email database by 200% in one year.

Best advice I have ever received:

Your inner-circle should be filled with people who are willing, able, and esteemed enough to challenge you and tell you "no."

About Refinery29Refinery29, the largest independent fashion and style website in the United States, is a lifestyle platform that delivers nonstop inspiration to live a more stylish and creative life. In addition to its global and local newsletter editions and 24/7 original editorial content, Refinery29 connects over 10 million visitors every month and over 1.25 million subscribers with content, commerce, and community, giving them all the tips, tricks, and tools they need to live a more beautiful life – and share it with the world.

Samantha Jo Alonso

June 10, 2013

SAMANTHA JO ALONSO

Co-owner/founder of

FRUITION Las Vegas + Los Angeles

Describe a day in the life of Samantha Jo Alonso:

Consider me a maximalist. From the break of dawn to the strike of midnight, every minute and second is well lived. At 6am, I jump start my day with a 6 – 8 mile run. From there, my work day continues anywhere from writing e-mails, styling and producing shoots, operating 2 FRUITION retail stores, planning Mission I’mPOSSIBLE multi-city runs, serving at my church (Hillsong NYC) to social media producing for Nike Women, marketing strategy for Pretty Girls Sweat, and speaking engagements from coast to coast.

What’s the history behind FRUITION – what propelled you to start it?

The reason why things were the way they were in Las Vegas was because we had yet to approach a situation that was in need for change. With an undying passion and desire, we were prompted to disrupt the temperature in our city. We felt a strong callingto break the chains of limitations that was inhibiting Las Vegas from becoming a culturally dynamic city. We identified what was making us uncomfortable, took that discomfort and allowed that to propel us to create change. So we built our own door of opportunity, was obedient to God’s calling and the rest was history.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0oWx60gj0Y]

How did you come up with the name – and how does FRUITION reflect your personal aesthetic? We frame our world with the words we speak. The word FRUITION was always utilized in casual conversations. It speaks life, encouragement and abundance and there’s nothing more that we want than to share that message with our sphere of influence.

What were fundamental steps you followed before starting your business?

The only fundamental step we took was a leap of faith!What challenges did you face when building FRUITION from scratch? How did you overcome such challenges?At the time when we opened FRUITION in 2005, I was 21 and my partner, Chris Julian, was 23. We didn’t have much financially but what we did have was an unwavering level of trust and faith. Being resourceful with minimal financial backing to build our first brick and mortar was a big challenge and test but God’s grace is sufficient – never lacking and never failing. With the willingness to persevere through beautifully afflicted challenges from the start of our business to this present day, we continue to remain at peace knowing that we’re being carried in the palm of God’s hands. As creative people, we’re naturally attracted to challenges; it’s what inspires us to be better and it forces us to find the solution, which at the end of day, is inside all of us. Adversities are constant reminders that God never appoints a fire unless He can bring beauty from the ashes. What is now our test will soon be our testimony!

It’s empowering to see women making moves in the scene like you — how have the women in your life been instrumental in developing your hustle?

My beautiful and loving mom has taught me lessons of strength and independence. After losing my father 13 years ago, she picked up the pieces, mended what was broken and raised 3 kids on her own. Her leading example is the fuel to everything I do.

Cultural trends constantly change. What do you do to stay relevant, connected, and ahead of the curve?

I focus on not being of the majority.

How has social media shaped FRUITION? What’s your favorite platform? Why?

Social media has allowed our customers to virtually experience FRUITION’s overarching message, which is the intersection of fashion, culture, faith and sport. I’m a visual person so Instagram is my preferred social media platform.

How do you keep track of personal & business goals, prioritize projects, and stay creative at the same time – even when you’re exhausted?

On a daily basis, I write down my objectives on paper, broken down per platform. This process gives me more visibility on what I’m accountable for and if anything, keeps me living in divine order. At the end of the day, I put my confidence in God because it's hard to get off balance and off track when you’re in line with His calling.

What are your must-have tools or apps to run your day-to-day grind? What kind of gadgets would we find on your desk or in your bag?

My bible, an iphone, laptop and connection to the world wide web.

In a fast-paced industry where last-minute-anything can happen, what’s your fail-proof, go-to outfit that will last from morning meetings to evening events?

My Fall 2010 Dries Van Noten Artisanal Moto Jacket.How important are mentors?The right environment is pivotal to your success. It’s critical to embrace environments that positively contribute to your growth and that’s why it’s key to get around people who will affirm you and celebrate who you are. You are the company you keep and if you associate yourself with eagles, you will learn to soar to great heights

Define your idea of success.

My life is a house and abundance is my roof – that’s my idea of success! As I go through life, I pray that God continues to use me for the good of others.What’s your advice for other women entering creative fields or starting their own business? What do you think it takes to make it in this business, especially for women?Sow the seeds of hard work to produce the harvest you want to see in the future. The voice of victory is within you. You were born at the right time, in the right place, with the right amount of gifts and talents to fulfill your heart’s desires! There’s pressure in your purpose but pressure makes diamonds, right? ;)

Follow Samantha Jo Alonso on Twitter + Instagram!Follow FRUITION on Twitter + Instagram + Facebook!

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GETTING TO KNOW... SAMANTHA JO ALONSO

About the brand, FRUITION (via http://www.facebook.com/FruitionLasVegas): Open the doors of FRUITION and see a glimpse into the future, a vivid, palpable archive of history’s most innovative and distinct street fashions. Established in August 2005, by partners Chris Julian and Samantha Alonso, FRUITION set out to educate and uplift the street fashion community through their calculated offerings of vintage street styles for both men and women in an airy, yet playfully sophisticated environment. Constructed as an open and energetic palette, polished steel racks adorn smooth green walls and house garments like true pieces of modern day art. The intriguing dichotomy of vintage street for men and classic chic for women was developed with a sincere vision to promote originality, fuel creativity, and inspire a cultural revival within the street fashion community to reach higher levels of creative excellence. FRUITION and its distinct swagger is a physical manifestation of an educated and style driven lifestyle that has been meticulously crafted by a family of undeniably talented individuals whose strengths lie in a plethora of creative fields from music, to costuming and styling development, graphic and textile design, conceptual marketing strategy, as well as business structuring and cultivation.
To understand the mind set and execution of the styles being offered in the space, it takes a true knowledge and deep understanding of what street wear is and the colorful history behind its formulation to respect where it’s going. Our objective is to constantly educate our customers through knowledgeable and accurate customer service, detailed product photos and an innovative and concise website resource (www.fruitionlv.com), so that in turn we can push the creative envelope within the street fashion community further and further with each and every project we decide to pursue. FRUITION prides itself on carrying the most exclusive street wear product in the world from vibrant deadstock 80’s-90’s Nike / Jordan Flight apparel and sneakers, to candy striped Benetton and PoLo Alpine rugby’s, rare Afro-centric graphic prints trumpeting uplifting messages, sealed LL Cool J Troop jump suits, solid and abstract printed leggings, ornate floral sundresses, Designer scarves and accessories, chunky gold trunk jewelry, to even vintage multicolored shoe laces, it is safe to assume that there is no other vintage street wear boutique quite like this one in the world. With the strategic interpolation of contemporary street wear brands such as Skoold In Korectness (Siknuss) and the FRUITION private label, customers are creating innovative looks that are an amalgamation of true street fashion swagger with high fashion sensibilities.Not only are the products ready to wear but they are also inspirational building blocks for a plethora of up and coming street wear and couture fashion designers that frequent the shop. Taking inspiration and creating your own special interpretation of things is encourage

Chloe-Lynn Ordonez

May 13, 2013

CHLOË-LYNN ORDOÑEZFounder & Designer of Clo Hair Bows + Clo Bow Ties

Describe a day in the life of Chloë-Lynn Ordoñez:

I wake up and snooze for 10 minutes. Before my alarm goes off again, either I'll sleep or I'll check Instagram, see what's new on Feedly, and lightly scan my emails. I get out of bed and immediately make it -- I feel that accomplishing something so small and insignificant first thing in the morning prepares me for whatever else the day will throw at me (which hopefully will be bigger and more significant things).

When it's time for me to begin my day, I put on some music and take a look at my to do list from the day before. I jot down whatever I wasn't able to complete (along with new tasks) onto a fresh sheet of grid paper. While doing this, I'm checking emails and scheduling my day in half-hour or hour blocks on Google Calendar. This helps me split my time between all my projects, since I tend to be the type of person who has to start and finish something immediately, which isn't always a good thing. A typical day for me in terms of my freelancing, office work and actual manual labor (sewing, cutting, gluing, etc.) for Clo Hair Bows can be from 9AM to 12AM, so my Google calendar will be pretty with lots of colors.However, if I am freelancing for an agency (read: day job), then my usual 12-15 hour days will be split up further between the weekdays, squeezed into the hours of 6PM to 1AM, and take up most of my weekends. I couldn't really get into the specifics of my day, as it would bore the hell out of you -- but you should definitely know that while I try to plan my time ahead and write everything down -- nothing, and I mean NOTHING goes by how I schedule it! Wearing many hats and doing it all on your own doesn't give way to the comfort of normalcy.

Assortment of Clo Hair Bows

What’s the history behind Clo Hair Bows – what propelled you to start it (how did you come up with the name) – and how does Clo Hair Bows reflect your personal aesthetic?Long story short, in the winter of 2010 when I lived in San Diego, California -- I had set out for my "IT" accessory for the upcoming new year. I played around with the thought of accent jewelry or an article of clothing that people could associate me with, but those just weren't things I was able to keep up with in terms of trends and funds. I woke up one morning and decided on hair bows. I went to the mall but the options were slim not to mention, poorly made! I inspected what the big name stores made and thought -- hey, I could make this. So I left the mall, bought a travel sewing kit and a spool of ribbon from a craft store. The rest, surprisingly became my current side hustle!Clo Hair Bows was actually not the first name I had conjured up (it's the third!). One evening, I mentioned this random thought of making and selling handmade hair bows to my friends, and someone had called me Clo Bow... If only other things came as easy as that.As a person, I am all over the place -- my thoughts, my ideas, my opinions -- I am an array of so many things which is why my hair bows are really my perfect accessory. I offer many options in styles and colors that I can literally pick a bow for any outfit, any mood, or any message I am trying to convey. What were fundamental steps you followed before starting your business?Experimenting with what I already had was my very first step. I measured, cut, sewed, and jotted down notes on everything I did until I had my bows looking exactly how I wanted them to look. You cannot build a business on something that you do not know the in's and out's of.The next step was seeing if people were even into hair bows anymore, because I know the last time I had worn one was in '86! I celebrated my birthday [in 2011] with a bunch of girlfriends and as a thank you, I mailed each of them a handmade hair bow. The response was so tremendous and my friends were so encouraging about my newfound venture that I created an Etsy account and began selling them.Looking back three years ago, it was easy to get caught up in the idea of "hey I'm gonna sell this and money is just gonna poooour in" -- but that was definitely not the case. I learned about photo styling, did research on how to write better product details, I read about how to promote your business in social media sites, all the while balancing an internship and going to school full-time. So it was important for me to know exactly how to make Clo Hair Bows work for me, rather than me work for it -- by using what I had available to me in the time I was able to devote to it.

Clo Hair Bows

What challenges did you face when building Clo Hair Bows from scratch? How did you overcome such challenges?The first challenge I faced was that I had no idea how to use PayPal or even shop on Etsy, let alone make a store! But thankfully they were easy to learn and get accustomed to. My second challenge was overcoming the negative feedback I had received in terms of the pricing of my bows. While many people may think buying a $1.50 pair of bows from an accessory store at the mall is good enough -- My product not only is handmade but it is a symbol of my time, my effort, and the devotion I have for my brand. I would not sell you something that I thought wasn't good enough, as I am a perfectionist by nature. And the people that purchase my bows know this -- which is why I can overcome any feelings of defeat when someone chooses not to purchase from me.It’s empowering to see women making moves in the scene like you — how have the women in your life been instrumental in developing your hustle?I'm very thankful for the many women who I've come across who tell me they love Clo Hair Bows. Hearing their stories and their requests for new styles of bows, or even seeing their pictures and hearing how they use my product is what really motivates me to keep going.A huge part in what helps develop myself and Clo Hair Bows has been meeting other women who are making their marks into the world. To know there is someone else out there who is working hard at doing what they want (or in my case, something I didn't even know I wanted), in addition to going to school or tending to their families, along with rushing for that morning coffee to survive 8 hours in a cubicle, only to come home to work even more -- is sort of a superhero trait I admire. It's the fact that these women work literally 20+ hours a day with the desire to be discovered, that makes the struggles and failures all worthwhile.

Clo Hair Bows

What do you think it takes to make it in this business, especially for women?Have faith in yourself and your message. Surround yourself with people who not only inspire you, but encourage you to do better and provide you with support. Stay grounded and in tune with why you began doing what you do in the first place.Cultural trends constantly change. What do you do to stay relevant, connected, and ahead of the curve?Because your business is prone to expanding once people discover you, you need to multitask, keep organized, and above all... do research! And the way I like to research is by reading blogs! Bloggers are HUGE right now, no matter if your blog is about food, fashion, or your art... having a space for what you like and what you do will always be discovered and taken into consideration by someone like me. I live off RSS feeds!How has social media shaped Clo Hair Bows? What’s your favorite platform? Why?I've done them all -- Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram but my favorite (as of right now) is my blog (www.clohairbows.com) which is run on Wordpress. It seems to be the easiest way to get my message across all spectrums thanks to their 'publicize' option, and easy is always better when you're busy!

Clo Hair Bows

How do you keep track of personal & business goals, prioritize projects, and stay creative at the same time – even when you're exhausted?I try to be as organized as I possibly can! I stay on top of my projects and goals by writing out lists (in multiple places). The three main things that have helped me prioritize and keep track of my daily to-do's are 1) my 5x8 inch three-ring binder (complete with grid paper), 2) scheduling my day in Google Calendar, and 3) writing down a single task on a Post-It, then sticking them on the nearest wall in order of priority.To stay creative, anything goes: an impromptu trip to NYC, perusing my RSS feeds or repinning things on Pinterest (this is probably the one thing I tend to do while laying in bed), creating mood boards from images I find on the internet, and flipping through the pages of a Japanese fashion magazines.What are your must-have tools or apps to run your day-to-day grind? What kind of gadgets would we find on your desk or in your bag?My must-have tools on my workspace are my iMac, sewing machine, scissors, sewing kit, P-Touch labeler (geek!), double-sided tape, and rotary cutter. In my bag, you'd find a pen pouch stuffed with fine point ball point pens, Staedtler pens and markers, a Moleskine expanding pocket portfolio (for collecting small, random items), and my iPhone charger. The apps that keep me going are Wordpress, Gmail, Feedly, Camera+, USPS Mobile, Pinterest, and iHeart Radio.

Clo Hair Bows' Workspace

In a fast-paced industry where last-minute-anything can happen, what's your fail-proof, go-to outfit that will last from morning meetings to evening events?I'd have to go with a pair of dark denim Uniqlo leggings, a pair of comfortable flats, a not-too-loose-fitting solid tee dressed up with a light cardigan (that I'd hopefully be lugging around in my Madewell Transport Tote). And a Clo Hair Bow!!!!How important are mentors? Who is your mentor?Mentors guide us in all aspects, I believe in one way or another we've all served as a mentor to someone and in turn, someone (unknowingly) has served as one for us. The number one mentors in my life are, of course, my parents. My father has been my strength and financial teacher, while my mother has been my nurturer and personal fashion icon (don't tell her that though!). Another mentor -- not really in terms of guidance but in terms of someone who I can learn with, is Hazel (of Sewbie). We have both jumped ship into the deep ocean of heading our own businesses. She keeps me motivated, encourages my ideas, is honest with me, and is always by my side when I need to go out and look for inspiration by either taking a class or just roaming the city.

Clo Bow Pins will be available on May 27

Define your idea of success:I don't know what my idea of success is. I'm still trying to catch my big break in whatever creative outlet allows me to be myself and do what I do, how I want to do it. I'd imagine that "success" wouldn't be so much of a lifestyle I'd be attaining from all my hard work, but rather the sense of accomplishment from completing the goals I've set for myself, then grabbing a pen and paper so I can write down what goals to work on tomorrow. I guess in a sense, success is a destination to me... a pin on a map that I look at and say, "I'll go there some day". Destinations don't really mean shit -- it's about the journey you take to get there.

Clo Hair Bows - Blue for Blue

What were Clo Hair Bow’s top achievements in 2012? What should we expect from Clo Hair Bows this year?Having started Clo Hair Bows in 2010 and finally making the move to make a name for myself in 2011 -- 2012 was incredible! I made new friends and connections with people who were discovering my bows. I began the hashtag #clohairbows on Instagram, which to this day still gives me goosebumps whenever a new picture shows up in the feed! I buckled down and got serious with more projects: offering bows as party favors, creating special orders, experimenting with fabric, and attempting to try getting my name out on social networks (which I'm still trying to do!).2013 is already more than I could have ever anticipated -- I've begun selling my bows in person at personally hosted brunches and birthday parties (Clo Bowtiques!). I'm coming out with more and more styles of Clo Bows to choose from, and finally will be introducing new products this coming Spring and Summer. This year also brings collaborations with other small businesses, so watch out for those!

Marvel comics clip-on Clo Bow Tie will be available on May 20

What's your advice for other women entering creative fields or starting their own business?Do your research. Stay inspired. Know your competition. Grow with your business. Always keep learning and improving. Don't be hurt by those who don't support your brand, and always be thankful to those who do.

Follow Clo Hair Bows on Twitter!Like Clo Hair Bows on Facebook!Hashtag: #CLOHAIRBOWS

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About the brand, Clo Hair Bows:Chloë, the designer and maker of Clo Hair Bows began making hair bows in the winter of 2010 out of the sheer need for them to be her IT accessory for the upcoming year.She searched high and low, but nothing was what she wanted: too expensive, glued together, and poorly made. After much thought and a little money in her pocket, she went to the local craft store and bought some ribbon. Needless to say, she made herself a hair bow — but what to do with all that extra ribbon?She used up the rest of the material, making more hair bows and giving them to her girlfriends who later encouraged her to sell them on Etsy.Clo Hair Bows has been a positive journey in her interest in crafts and sewing. In addition to selling on Etsy, she also sells on the awesome new marketplace, Sewbie.She loves sharing her bows with those who enjoy shopping handmade. To know that someone has spent time on something you own, and packaged it especially for you is a whole other experience than shopping at the mall!Please visit official blog for Clo Hair Bows — there you can subscribe/follow her on WordPress to find out what’s new, what she's up to, and see some things that give her inspiration to make more Clo Bows for you!

Samantha Smikle

May 6, 2013

tnemnroda

SAMANTHA SMIKLEFounder & Creative Director of TNEMNRODA [nem-roh-da] + Style Blogger at O.M.O. Writes

Describe a day in the life of Samantha Smikle:

My day is super specific to my current agenda. But being that I'm a one man army, most times, it's jam packed. Now I'm being trained in CAD design for jewelry so I'm doing that everyday at GIA. Then I usually run over to my usual wholesale vendors on 6th ave for chain and other findings. Then I run over to the jewelry district over on 46th/47th to drop off pieces that need to be finished (polished, plated, soldered etc). After that I could be running to the post office to mail out orders. Other days I'm meeting with stylists for pulls. And I try to attend the fashion events that I'm invited to as much as possible. I def need to develop a team to spread the wealth of To-Dos!

Photo Credit: PynkMag.com - TNEMNRODA - Mia Sunnies

What’s the history behind TNEMNRODA – what propelled you to start it (how did you come up with the name) – and how does TNEMNRODA reflect your personal aesthetic?I originally brainstormed TNEMNRODA as the name of an art exhibit that I wanted to plan for the line when it was called Odd & Even NYC. I was planning the exhibit to be on adornment, my collection and images that inspired it. TNEMNRODA is adornment spelled backwards and when I came across it a year later in the journal, I knew instantly that it was perfect. Until then, the line never felt really complete and settled.TNEMNRODA really represents the woman I strive to be. It's a manifestation of a being who is strong, fun, bold, sexy and powerful... Characteristics that always fluctuate but the pursuit is what makes us alluringly amazing and all of the above.

Photo Credit: TNEMNRODA - Daggers Bangle

What were fundamental steps you followed before starting your business?I don't think I followed all the steps. I may have just completely skipped some and come back to them later, haha. That's why I've decided to study CAD design now. But I established things like a website, press and trunk shows very early on. The basis is really having a space whether it's online or physical to sell your pieces and having it featured in the press. Someone said, if it isn't in the press, it's like it never happened.What challenges did you face when building TNEMNRODA from scratch? How did you overcome such challenges?Starting out, I hadn't studied jewelry or had the slightest drop of professional exposure to it, so my biggest challenge was really learning the industry, the jewelry district, and how to run a business: calculating prices, making line sheets and writing up purchase orders. I needed to do this all by myself, but I didn't even know half of the things I needed to do until I worked with actual jewelry design companies, which is how I learned a lot of what I know.

Photo Credit: TNEMNRODA - Top & Bottom Left: Azalea Banks Dancer, EMoney Lopez & Top Right: Stylist, Zerina Akers

It’s empowering to see women making moves in the scene like you — how have the women in your life been instrumental in developing your hustle?I always surround myself with strong people and have a great group of solid women. They all, in their own way just encourage me to be greater. And in being greater I have to always do more and do better than the last time--whether it's a design or marketing strategy or whatever. The encouragement and belief from others that I can achieve more and am expected to achieve more is so empowering.

Photo Credit: TNEMNRODA - Crown Midi Ring

What do you think it takes to make it in this business, especially for women?The ability to be clear on your intentions and dreams and to accept help. The latter I've just realized. But no matter how much we take pride in handling things solo, we need a team who supports us to bring the dream to fruition as it is meant to be and it takes extreme discipline. When you work for yourself, you work for yourself. So all the work you didn't want to do for an employer, you'll have to do for your brand... at least until you build a team.Cultural trends constantly change. What do you do to stay relevant, connected, and ahead of the curve?I absorb style and trends from mags and so many blogs and Tumblrs. Coming from an editorial background, doing trend pieces for FADER magazine and trend reporting for WWD, it was always something that came naturally and that was fun for me. So innately feeling what's next is key in remaining consistently on or ahead of trend. If I had to describe how I do it, it would just be to observe. I notice what has been and I re-imagine where it's going.

Photo Credit: PynkMag.com - TNEMNRODA - Vision Shades

How has social media shaped TNEMNRODA? What’s your favorite platform? Why?By far Insta'! Seriously, one of the biggest smallest blessings in my career has been getting an iPhone and joining the Instagram flock. No one puts their enterprises out on any other platform like they do on Instagram. And the connection level and immediacy is just unrivaled and beautiful. How do you keep track of personal & business goals, prioritize projects, and stay creative at the same time – even when you’re exhausted?It's difficult and I do get burnt out. That's when I automatically step back from emails and social media for a day or two. Everything really happens at once in terms of projects. It's completely normal to be preparing for a shoot, an interview and producing a new line and replenishment inventory for Blake (my jewelry is carried at Blake Scotland in the LES). So I have notes and lists everywhere. On the walls in my studio. In the notepad of my phone. In whichever journal I'm writing in at the moment. I sketch designs and jot down new goals as soon as they come to me. The best things creep into your heart unexpectedly and I'm so afraid of forgetting them.

Photo Credit: TNEMNRODA - Wing Earrings

What are your must-have tools or apps to run your day-to-day grind? What kind of gadgets would we find on your desk or in your bag?

My iPhone and my MacBook Air are the most techy things you'd find. Depending on the week I might be walking around with my ring sizer, BCBG measuring tape and chain cutters and pliers.As for apps I can't do without Instagram, Pic Stitch and Picfx for photos, BillTracker, Mint.com and Chase for finances and always hopstop or just the iPhone map for running around. In a fast-paced industry where last-minute-anything can happen, what’s your fail-proof, go-to outfit that will last from morning meetings to evening events?All black. I used to be all about color and prints and just believe black was a cop out to being creative. But it's so chic! Maybe because my style icons have shifted from Blossom and Brenda of 90210 in my early 20s to Carine Roitfeld, Tracee Ellis Ross and the whole A$AP look as of late. So my foolproof look would be black skinnys or leggings, black silk tank, black cropped moto leather with an oversized mohair vest for texture. In the day, leopard flats. At night, laced up black heeled boots! Maybe a leather cap or a bordeaux pout...

Photo Credit: TNEMNRODA - Crown Flower Sunnies

How important are mentors? Who is your mentor?Mentors are so important. I don't have a particular one but there have been many women in my life who have advised me and connected me to opportunities in my career. That's what's so important in a mentor. Someone who can guide you objectively and with complete love and intention for you to succeed... to give you advice and selflessly connect you to the perfect opportunity.Define your idea of success.I think success is discovering what your life's work ought to be. Arriving at that place where you are happy and self-sufficiently comfortable from creating something that fulfills a deep need in the world. But I'm not sure if success is ever really reached. Maybe it's just reached a few times over. I think I always I have one foot on overjoyed success and the other on a plan for greater success. What were TNEMNRODA’s top achievements in 2012? What should we expect from TNEMNRODA this year?2012 was a good year. Beyonce wore my Mia Sunnies and posted the pic on her stan-ssessed Instagram. I was also named one of four jewelry designers to watch by Time Out New York magazine at the top of the year and rolled out our first lookbook by the end. For 2013, I'm putting a plan for greater emphasis on a bigger jewelry collection and I am planning on having more private sales and trunk shows, ideally with my fave luxury department stores.

Photo credit: Instagram.com/Beyonce - Beyonce wearing TNEMNRODA Mia Sunnies with detachable lens

Photo credit: Time Out New York - Samantha Smikle of TNEMNRODA

What’s your advice for other women entering creative fields or starting their own business?For women in creative fields, my advice would be to follow your gut. It took me a while to really appreciate my creativity as a gift. It's like singing, not everyone can. And creativity is something that can only be learned to an extent, the rest is unique to you so trust yourself!For women who are starting their own business, I would say the same: trust yourself. Believe in yourself. But believe that you can be as major as your inspiration no matter how impossible that seems. Beyonce was just Beyonce before she was Queen Bey.

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About the brand, TNEMNRODA + O.M.O. Writes:TNEMNRODA jewelry embodies the nuances and intricacies that make you a special version of beauty in this world. Literally ADORNMENT spelled backwards, TNEMNRODA is focused on bold designs and gold plated metals finely embellished with semiprecious stones and other inspiring materials.Created in 2011 by GIA-trained jewelry designer and Boston University graduate Samantha Smikle, TNEMNRODA was the realization of inspirations, influences and experiences that Samantha wanted to capture stylistically. It was Samantha's Caribbean upbringing, outfitted in jewelry that made the ease into design from a career in editorial writing and trend forecasting so seamless.Egypt and India. The '70s and even the raw carnal sexuality of vintage erotica are all inspiration and reference points for TNEMNRODA. Every piece is handled with care and made with love and good intention in New York City. Some pieces are made in limited quantity.O.M.O Writes, the creative online outlet of fashion writer Samantha Smikle, was created in the Summer of 2007 as a written time stamp for her trend-spotting quips.Now expanded to an exploration of style news, influential editorials, and What I Wore posts, O.M.O Writes is delivered via a savvy point of view and scratches below the surface of fashion. Mentions from Essence Magazine and WWD sets O.M.O. Writes as a hub for vibrant imagery and style reporting.

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