Meet Erin Condren – Founder of Erin Condren Design

Erin Condren is a clever entrepreneur who oozes creativity from her product line to her branding.  I can tell she has a love affair with colors and colors make me giddy and inspired.  I also love her answer to the question about what she’d like to change most about the world!  Meet Erin online by reading more here:

name: erin condren

education: ba from ucla

professional background: started in swimwear sales out of college, but was more interested in design/production. i worked with my brother’s company, manufacturing collections for nike, adidas and more from our l.a. sewing facility.  started my own collection in 2001 that we collaborated on with “michael stars,” but then closed our business after 9/11. started printed personalized stationery and stickers from my home, the rest is history!

what you wanted to be when you grew up: i always knew i wanted to be a mom, but also had an entreprenuerial spirit from a young age.

i created and sold jewelry in college, dabbled in pottery creations after college…i knew i wanted a career with a creative outlet.

what you are: managing partner and creative director of ericondren.com (online personalized paper & gifts!)

brief summary of your start up:  started my business from home, but the nature of paper products is so viral! with a web address on the back of each product shipped, the “word” spread like wildfire! i merged with a fine art printing company in 2007 and i felt like a kid in a candy shop.  with state of the art machinery, i was able to unleash all my creativity and manufacture top of the line paper products and more.

where you are located: we are moving to our fab new space in hawthorne in may, 37k square feet! wow!

company website: www.erincondren.com

what inspired you? my children. i knew i wanted to have a career that gave me the freedom to also be at home with my kids.

how long have you been in business? since 2005

how did you fund it? credit cards and home equity! yikes, a gamble that has paid off

do you have a fairy godmother (or mentor)? yes, most definitely my business partner, al marco.  he was a friend and “business coach” when my home business took off, i am blessed to now call him my partner.

do you belong to any business organization or networking groups? i am on linkedin, fan page on facebook and love to tweet! also a member of “step up” women’s network.

current business challenge? managing growing pains! thankfully i have an incredible support team and partner that steer this rollercoaster ride so I can be creative.

what are you doing about it? consult with my partner daily, open communication is key.

favorite motivational quote: i wish i knew henry david thoreau:  “go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you’ve imagined.”

family? yes! the most amazing supportive family! husband of almost 13 years, boy/girl twins that are 10.  my parents and siblings live close by and are a huge support system to me everyday.

if so, how do you balance family and business? a constant juggling act, but easier each day. my husband is also self employed so we text/email/call each other constantly to cover “shifts” with our kids.  working in an office gives me focus and balance, so the time with my family is truly cherished and never taken for granted.

favorite book? “ya ya sisterhood” & “the middle place”

what do you do to relax? drink wine and entertain! my husband and i love to entertain, and while some find it stressful, we are so fulfilled and charged by our time with family and friends.

what do you want to change most about your world? the clock. it’s hard to believe my kids are nearly 10. they’ll be off to college in no time, someone stop the clock! i am so blessed to have two amazing, healthy kids. i truly think i cherish my time with my kids more than most since so much of my time is occupied with work.  i hate to put them to bed, can’t wait for them to crawl in with us in the morn…

what are you most proud of? besides my children, definitely my business. it’s hard to believe this all start with a hp “photosmart” desktop printer in my “toolshed.” that’s what i called the space i used to work in, a room off our garage that was for storage.  i’ve worked hard to get where i am today, and i don’t stop to applaud myself often enough.  the workload has changed, but i work just as hard today as i did when it all started. i am so proud of the decisions and choices i have made to get me where i am.

what advice would you like to offer other start up princesses? be prepared to work hard, not much sleep! as my partner once told me, “anyone can be an entrepreneur…it is the jump to becoming a successful business person that will set you apart.” i work hard each day to meet my goals. i make sacrifices in my personal life all the time, but i love what i do and will continue to give my business 110%.

favorite magic wand (tool/resource)? internet! i can search for trends, shop for inspiration, find color combinations from across the world without ever leaving my ofiice or home.  i try to travel as little as possible, the internet allows me to do this.

if you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? oooooh la la! i’d have to go with stones of blue (my birthstone), yellow (my hubby) and rubies for my july twins!

did i leave something out you would like me to know about yourself or your business? i was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis a couple years ago…it has been an excructing struggle to find the right meds to halt the disease and manage my pain.  i feel the best i’ve felt in years, hopefully i have found the right combo treatment for me.  my career and busy lifestyle has distracted me from the pain, somedays are really unbearable, but loving my job has kept me positive and focused on all the blessings in my life.  (no time to lay in bed and mope!)

Learn more about Touchpoint Orange County by going here.

Essential Facts for Business Success in Licensing Your Artwork – THINK PRODUCT

Hello, my name is Carol Eldridge and I have been licensing my artwork for products for over 20 years to major manufacturers through out the United States and overseas. I’m also a consultant for artists who wish to license their designs. My work has appeared in major retail stores along with smaller gift shops and has been seen on TV shows, catalogs, on line shopping, and in fund raising catalogs. I have exhibited at Surtex for over 20 years, serving on the show’s advisory board and giving seminars on art licensing. I have also exhibited at the Brand Licensing show in London, England and the CHA show in Las Vegas. My work has been licensed for calendars, dinnerware, fabric, giftware, Christmas ornaments, rugs, wallpaper, clothing, stationery, wrapping paper and gift bags, ribbons, books, tiles, pottery, stickers, scrapbook materials, sheets, cotton throws, ceramics, kitchen textiles, ironing board covers, floor mats, aprons, mugs and just about anything else you can think of. My designs have sold in the millions at retail.

I am very fortunate to have a good business head and intuitive marketing skills that have enabled me to stand above the crowd. It is not enough today to just be a good artist in order to make a living licensing your artwork. It is important to understand the business, the facts and terminology, what should be covered in a licensing contract, marketing strategies, trends, building a brand, websites and blogs, other social medias such as Twitter and Facebook, how to think product, how to communicate with your companies and if you should use an agent or not.

My hope is to set some standards in the business and help other artists be aware of the business of art, be smart, be savvy and be very professional.

THINK PRODUCT

Lots of artists have talent…they can paint a beautiful watercolor of a landscape or beach scene, but how does that translate to the retail market?

You need to THINK PRODUCT…the more vision that you have to show the manufacturer what the line or product could look like, the better chance you have to get their attention.

This ties into trends and what is going on in the market…I think you need to be aware of everything around you so you can be on target for what the companies might be looking for.

Shop the retail environment, take notes, notice what the companies are manufacturing, what are you seeing for trends, what is showing up in shelter magazines, what is happening in fashion, what types of products seem to be selling well. How can you design an image that will work well on dinner plates or tabletop? How can you design a Christmas collection that will translate to ornaments as well as holiday tabletop? Can you draw up an actual product with your design image applied to show what the possibilities could be? Can you think outside the perimeters of the drawing pad?

In developing designs, you need to work on images that can expand into patterns, borders and other accessory pieces to make a collection that will merchandise well. A single image is not the answer. You need to think COLLECTION and how the pieces can coordinate together to tell a story.

You need to be able to create a scalable image that can be used on a multitude of products. How will it apply to the retail market? Will it sell and who will buy it? Does it have a general appeal? Is it a design that will appeal to a broad range of people?

Think of a design concept that is clever and trendy, is innovative with a fresh approach, has a broad appeal and has an application to a myriad of products that the consumer will just feel that they have “Got to have it” and you will be on the way to licensing your designs.

Thank you Fairy Godmother Carol for sharing your expertise with us! If you’d like to contact Carol for consulting, say hello  through her website.