What inspired you to start Alexander Salazar Fine Art?

It was time. I have been working as an Art Dealer for 13 years, honing my skills to one day open the gallery and, before I knew it, I was checking out retail spaces. But, the genuine inspiration comes from the artists I’ve worked with over the years. It’s a tough market and I know artists who have been denied from galleries. They are artists that are very talented but are not able to get a break. So, I decided that I would be that gallery to support the artists that I personally feel strong about.

Why art?

Art is everywhere. We wear it, we eat it, see it, make it and sometimes we destroy it. Art is in all forms and that’s what I love about it.

What’s the best advice you received as you were starting your business?

The best advice was “good luck.” 

What advice would you give to someone starting up his/her own business?

Save your money and have a business plan that incorporates charities.

What do you know now that you’d wish you had known before?

I wish I knew that I could have done this a long time ago.

What do you enjoy most about owning your own business?

I can bring my two small mini schnauzers, Nechita and Mick, to work.

What should your customers/ clients know about Alexander Salazar Fine Art?

Everyone should know that the gallery donates 15% of sales at every event.  [It’s at] 7th and Broadway in San Diego, Baby!

If you’re not in San Diego, you can check out the gallery online at alexandersalazarfineart.com and on the Alexander Salazar Fine Arts Facebook fan page. If you are lucky enough to be in San Diego, don’t miss the Grace Slick (yes, that Grace Slick) Exhibition on July 10, 2010.

You could win a Noah’s Inspirations Onesie. Edward has graciously offered up an organic, super soft onesie for a lucky reader. All you need to do is leave a comment here answering the question “How has a child inspired you?” Edward will randomly pick a winner and I’ll announce it on Monday, March 1.

What inspired you to start Noah’s Inspirations?

I came up with the idea with a co-worker over four years ago while working on an innovation consulting project for a major CPG company. We traveled a lot so we continually brainstormed ideas for products we could create as opposed to creating products for others. It is amazing the ideas you come up with while experiencing flight delays, dining over great hotel food and making the most of traffic jams while on the road.

I sat on the domain and logo for several years and finally decided when I got laid off last year it was as good a time as any to start Noah’s Inspirations. I had nothing to lose and knew if I did not launch the company I’d always wonder what Noah’s could have been.

Why baby apparel?

I decided to launch an infant apparel line because it was a niche market that I thought had opportunity. When my first niece was born, I, like my parents, wanted to get great gifts for my sister’s baby. While there were plenty of baby gifts, I felt there was a void in quality onesies and t-shirts that signified the innocence of a newborn. I could find plenty of baby gifts designed for a trendy teenager but who really wants their newborn to dress like a teenager. It’s like a mom dressing like her teen daughter.

Based on my experience in customer insights, I observed and talked to consumers and realized my gut feeling was correct. Grandparents, relatives and close friends were seeking innovative and creative gifts for their loved ones. As a result, I set out to design quality baby apparel designed with the innocence of the infant in mind.

What’s the best advice you received as you were starting your business?

“Keep it simple and targeted.” My head was (and still is) continually buzzing with new product ideas, designs and slogans. I realized after talking to several entrepreneurs that I needed to focus on a few core products for my initial launch.  As a CPA, I know the importance of controlling costs, but it is even easy for a trained number cruncher to get caught up in the idea. Keeping focused is one way of controlling costs and keeping yourself sane in the early days. I narrowed my focus to ten designs on white onesies/t-shirts, which helped me keep sourcing and printing costs within budget. I’ve also focused my line on the innocence of newborns and have tried to keep my slogans and designs centered on that approach with a few humorous takes on innocence included in the line.

While it is important to keep it simple and targeted, I’m not saying to forget all those great additional product ideas. I keep them logged in a Moleskine journal and continually reflect and build on the initial ideas I had over four years ago. My goal is to expand the product line as my business expands.

What advice would you give to someone starting up his/her own business?

Keep in mind that it takes time and patience. I incorrectly assumed that since I was starting a small business with little start-up costs, that it would not take any time. It took a lot more time and effort than I expected. Sweat equity comes into play regardless of the size of the idea.

It is also important to approach a new business as a job and not a hobby. I was consulting while starting Noah’s so it was important for me to carve time out of my day to devote to Noah’s. Hobbies are great but you are building a business so you must approach your idea as business. Even though you approach it as a job, it should be a job you love and should be fun! If it is not fun and you are not learning, then you should ask yourself if it is worth it.

What do you enjoy most about owning your own business?

I enjoy that Noah’s Inspirations is mine. I have full control over its destiny and am ultimately accountable for its success. I have the freedom to try new things and if something does not work I can easily change direction since I’m a small business (soon to be huge!)

What should your customers know about Noah’s Inspirations?

Noah’s Inspirations is the gift that gives twice. We pride ourselves on our One for One Promise. For every onesie or t-shirt purchased, Noah’s donates a onesie or t-shirt to an infant in need. We not only want to sell our infant line, but we want to make a positive impact on the lives of less fortunate infants.
In addition, we design all our onesies and t-shirts with an appreciation of the innocence and purity of a newborn. Our apparel is 100% certified organic cotton that is soft as a newborn’s skin. In addition, the dyes we use for printing are baby-friendly as we only use water-based printing.

In addition to dishing on being an entrepreneur, Edward was kind enough to share his marketing and social media knowledge. You may want to try some of these tips yourself.

What have you found to be the most effective social networking site for marketing Noah’s Inspirations?

I’m still experimenting with different tactics, so it’s hard to say what will end up being most effective since I just recently launched Noah’s Inspirations.

I’ve had success when I posted my link on my Facebook account and others have posted it as well. It definitely drives awareness and traffic. I need to create a fan page as well, but it can be difficult trying to keep content relevant and interesting on a fan page.

Twitter has also been useful in identifying potential customers who are searching for baby gift ideas or mommy bloggers looking for a new product idea for their babies. TweetDeck has been a great tool to monitor the twitter universe for those discussing terms such as “baby gifts”, “newborns”,etc. The key is to insert yourself in the conversation and be helpful—not an annoying sales person.

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs wanting to incorporate social networking into their marketing strategies?

Dedicate time to joining the conversation. Easier said than done, as I am the first to admit I need to do a better job of monitoring Twitter and my @noahsinspires twitter account.

Take advantage of the tools out there such as TweetDeck that can make your life easier as you monitor the conversations.

If you decide to do a blog, keep it current. There is nothing worse than visiting a site with a stagnant blog.

What’s the best marketing advice you’ve ever received?

Stay focused and be creative. Don’t try to be all things to all people and don’t do the status quo. If you have a wild idea, go ahead and give it a try. I’m trying to build Noah’s Inspirations and get the word out so I’m trying different tactics. For example, I sent the “Miracles do happen…look at me” onesie to the Duggar Family’s baby #19 Josie Duggar. I had nothing to lose and got a handwritten thank you note. Now maybe they will wear it on their reality show!

Don’t forget! Leave a comment answering the question “How has a child inspired you?” and you could win a Noah’s Inspirations onesie. Winner will be announced on Monday, March 1.

To help kick off the New Year, I asked several of the entrepreneurs profiled here to give us a peek into their predictions for 2010.

Nicole Bembry, owner of Immortal Dog

Nicole is one of the hardest working people I know. She started her unique pet supply store—featuring fresh baked dog biscuits—in Seattle during a harsh economy and has busted her you-know-what to make it work. In addition to running the business, she makes the dog biscuits herself and has used more than 400 pounds of flour this year!

What does 2010 hold for Nicole and Immortal Dog?

“2010 will be a year of growth in customer base as well as community awareness of Immortal Dog—we will work hard to be involved in more community events and give back to our neighborhood.”

And how will 2010 be different than 2010?

“2010 will be different as it may be the year I cannot do this all by myself any more—I may need to hire someone to help out.”

Tracy Ewell, entrepreneur and makeup artist

You met Tracy here in July, when she shared her journey of building a business in Louisiana—which was lost in Hurricane Katrina—and then rebuilding in Atlanta. The economy took a great toll in Atlanta, so Tracy returned home to New Orleans. Since then, Tracy has been marketing, leveraging social media and drumming up new business.

Here’s what Tracy predicts 2010 has in store for her and her business:

“2010 will be all about freelancing on TV shows, movies, and commercials, working with brides, debutants, and the private clients whom I teach. It will also be the year I possibly start a big business. This time the business will focus on a different audience and be backed by big bucks! It will also be the year I get health insurance and start focusing on my physical self.”

So, Tracy, how will 2010 be different than 2009 for you?

“2009 was all about transitioning myself from what doesn’t work to what does. Learning hard lessons and re-establishing what is important all over again. 2010 will the opportunity to express all that I have let go of and learned from.”

Chris Reams, owner of Skip N Whistle

Like Tracy, Chris also re-built his business after it was lost to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. If there’s only one thing you learn from Chris’ experience as an entrepreneur, it’s that you have to pick yourself up—’cause no one else is going to do the hard work for us.

What does 2010 hold for Chris and Skip N Whistle?

“It holds great promise and validation of all our hard work for the past year. It always takes a little while for a new business to gain the momentum needed to feel full of success, and we are starting to feel proud and happy that we made it through some growing pains. It’s Christmas right now, and sales were great for us. We are hoping that every new customer will stick with us and develop a relationship with Skip N Whistle. We can’t rest on our laurels, now more than ever we need to keep the fat trimmed, streamline everything and plan well. 2010 will be a year for a lot of social networking and alternative media for our business. 2009 was a year of working 15-hours days, every day. 2010 will not be much different, but we will have employees helping us out more; we’re recruiting an army.”

And how will 2010 be different than 2010?

“2010 will be fun. It will be rewarding, thrilling, and not without hic-ups. We’re ready. We’ve been to boot camp, now we’re ready. We’re a little older, and wiser. That’s business for you, better than any school can teach.”

From all the comments here as well as conversations with friends and family, it seems like many people are approaching 2010 with renewed optimism. I certainly am. How will 2010 be different for you? What are you most looking forward to in this New Year?

What inspired you to start Big Shoe Games?
I worked for years in visual effects and it bothered me the content was so violent I could never show my young daughter what it was mommy did for work. I bargained heavily to get on ‘James and the Giant Peach’ and I’m so glad I did (she loved it!). I was a single mom and generally the hours in visual effects are really long—they brought cots in for us on ‘Hideaway’ and I had to have a crib put in my cubicle for ‘Virtuosity’. So I got into games.

It became the same thing there. I was often at work at 2:00 a.m. with my daughter sleeping on a blanket beside me. And the violence was just as gratuitous, and often worse—women were always portrayed as sex objects in sometimes misogynistic themes. I felt like I was being part of the problem. I knew I loved to play games, but there weren’t any games out there that were interesting to me. Where were the games that women played? Surely you didn’t have to annihilate others to have fun. I was told that women don’t play games. So I got out. I produced a fun and educational animated children’s show that no one wanted to pick up because, as some of the networks told me, “they are not in the business of educating children.” Apparently children’s shows are only about selling toys.

I became pretty disillusioned with entertainment in general. Then I played ‘Diner Dash’, a casual game that involves running your own restaurant. Bingo! This was fun and not violent at all. I began playing these types of games and had a lot of fun with them. I did realize, though, that sometimes they missed the mark. These game development companies, although now targeting women, were 90% male. No offense, guys, but men don’t know what women want in relationships half the time. It’s just possible, a woman might have a better inside track in knowing what we want in games.

So I got together some of former colleagues, and we designed a time management game. We’re in production now and it’s due out this summer. This is a game that women will love!! I’m thrilled to finally be able to deliver a product that is fun, positive and relevant.

In the meantime, I have partnered with all the major casual game distributors so can offer other games to the public that represent our ideals. Big Shoe Games is all about non-violent games that appeal to everyone other than the 18-25 year old male demographic. I have a couple of nephews in this last category, so I’m hoping even they will get into it.

What sets Big Shoe Games apart from other games sites?
It’s a real mess out there because game developers don’t sign exclusive contracts and distribution, deals can be a little haphazard. A certain game can show up with some online distributors but not all, and some of those distributors will only carry certain versions. You can’t go to one major distributor and get it all. For instance, Big Fish might have a game you want to play, but only the PC version, or iWin has the Mac version but it’s two dollars more and GameHouse doesn’t have it at all.

Because we have partnered, we can offer more content than any one of them do on their own. And we can choose which publisher to go with for each game, so the customer doesn’t have to shop around–we choose the lowest priced title and in addition, the longest demo playing time. The industry norm is a free 60 minutes of play but some distributors offer only 30 minutes. On occasion we’ve been able to offer 80-minute demos. We present all the specials that all the distributors are offering so we’re really a one-stop shop. There is no quality non-violent game that a player can’t access from our site and we present the lowest priced retailer, always.

We also candidly review games, and warn you when a game is lacking or just plain awful, which is something the major distributors are not going to do. And we offer a Mommy Rating because, although most games are family oriented and can be played with your small children, some are best for kids 10 and up, and a few are just for adults, like ‘CSI’ or the Women’s Murder Club.

I believe we are unique in that we give 10% of our proceeds to charity.

How did you get started in the gaming industry? How has being a woman shaped your experience in the industry?
When I first got into visual effects in the early 90s, there were almost no other women in technical roles. The industry has opened up somewhat, but because the hours are so long, it really is a single, young guys’ industry. I know of several divorces that were born of visual effects and if you have kids, someone needs to be home with them because you won’t be. Ever. Core Games are just as bad and because women don’t actually play these games for the most part, it’s really hard to get into a creative role. Most women are in the administrative end of things. That wasn’t me so I had to work hard and play harder to be one of the guys. I’ve noticed I generally cuss more than other women my age!

What’s the best advice you received as you were creating and launching Big Shoe Games?
I didn’t have much funding for the website, and so I signed with a budget host, using an old license of Dreamweaver to build the site. Then, as I researched online marketing, I found I would need streaming content on the site to get the Google page rank up. That was going to cost because I’d need to purchase a new license and add-ons. I tried various shareware systems but always hit a brick wall. I spent a good month slamming into these walls. Then I read an online review at my budget host, about a free content management system, or CMS, called Joomla! and decided to try it. It had a bit of a learning curve, but it was a good decision. Joomla! is so flexible, that whatever changes you decide to make or functionality you decide to add, they are easily and quickly implemented. CMS is definitely the way to go. One caveat: my budget host had real issues with it—load times would take 17 seconds a page, which is clearly not acceptable! It was strange because they had been the ones to recommend it in the first place. When I changed to Rochen hosting (the best hosts on the planet, I’m convinced) Joomla! was seamless and I couldn’t be happier.

What do you know now that you’d wish you had known before launching Big Shoe Games?
Since this is a brand new venture, I’m sure there will be things I’ll have wished I’d known, but let me talk about the mistakes I made at my last online venture. I started a company and named it ‘Spreckels Lane Specialty Merchandise’, because I lived on Spreckels Lane. The url was spreckelslane.com. What a disaster. Nobody could spell this name nor remember it. I should have clued in because I could never order pizza or chinese food for delivery without a problem—even spelling the word spreckels for the order taker didn’t always help. I eventually realized the problem was affecting the traffic to my site so I purchased every spelling I could think of and parked those domains but it was a real uphill battle. Another, smaller site I had (that was named well) did a great deal of business. Porkplaza.com e-tailed pig collectibles and btw, people who collect pigs are the nicest people ever! I guess, if you can love a pig… I eventually closed the business, because of another lesson learned: shipping costs can kill your profits. I resolved to not work in e-tail again unless it was a downloadable product.

What advice would you give to someone starting up his/her own online business?
Make sure the name is easy to remember, easy to say and that the dot com is available—not .net or .ca or .tv or anything else. You can always add those, but the dot com must also be yours.

If you like what you read, keep up with Lisa and Big Shoe Games on Twitter by following @LisaRFoster.  Of course, you can also give Big Shoe Games a whirl at www.bigshoegames.com.

If you’ve missed any Spotlight On: Independent Business features, you can catch up here.

I understand you are a screen printer/ graphic designer/ owner of a clothing store. What inspired you to be an entrepreneur in these areas?

About six years ago I was finishing up my masters degree in adolescent mental health counseling and was on track to be an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor). I was unhappy with the starting paycheck that residency was going to bring and realized that I could have a greater impact on others by being in the business world and funding projects that mattered most to me. There is no shortage of people willing to help young kids find a place in the world, but there is a lack of proper funding for projects that make a difference. I am a self-taught artist and screen printer. One day, while driving to school, I was wondering how artists could make a living selling their pieces over and over again. I saw a bumper sticker and though to myself, “That is sort of like artwork that has been reproduced millions of times, maybe I can do that.” I actually started in the bumper sticker business first, but you have to sell a whole lot of stickers to make a living. It was a natural progression to designing t-shirts. The problem was that I did not have any money to invest in having someone else print them for me, so I had to learn to print them myself as people placed orders with me. I started printing t-shirts on the floor of my apartment and drying them in the oven on a cookie sheet until I saved up enough to buy the right equipment! After graduation I opened my first store in Covington called Ichabods. That was the beginning six years ago.

What’s the best advice you received in the early days, as you were first starting your own business?

I also do leather work and was selling some journals I had made at a church fair in Mandeville. There was this old man selling one-armed rakes called the power rake. He was running circles around me as far as sales went. I took that moment to educate myself rather than keep trying to sell journals and we got to talking. He told me, “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, just paint it a different color.” That has stuck with me for years now. When I am designing a t-shirt, I can change the color of the ink, the color of the shirt, the style of the shirt or print the same design on tote bags – you name it. It’s total freedom.

What has been your journey as a business owner, both before and after Hurricane Katrina?

After graduate school I opened my first retail location in Covington. Two years later I opened a second location on Magazine Street in New Orleans. Then, two months before Hurricane Katrina, I closed the Covington store to focus on the New Orleans location because it was doing so well. Flush with cash and ready for back to school sales, I loaded up on merchandise for the store and consolidated all the inventory from my Covington location. When Hurricane Katrina hit, I was spared the flooding.

It was the looting that did me in. People kicked in the doors and stole everything I had in there of value. I had paid cash for everything and did not have much in savings. I was underinsured and flat busted after that storm. When I got the insurance settlement, I had to use it to have the trees removed from my house because insurance doesn’t cover tree removal. I lost my art studio where I printed all my t-shirts because tornados and trees crushed it too and property insurance did not cover it. The actual storm was nothing. The aftermath was really tough.

While the storm was going on I was at a tradeshow in Las Vegas called Magic where I intended to buy inventory for my store. I ended up watching the storm on the news and wondered if I even had a store anymore. I was essentially stuck in Vegas with my life in limbo, cell phone not working and my hometown was officially closed. When I finally got home – a month later – I lived through what everyone else went did, but since my income was dependent on my ability to make shirts, I had to start with nothing all over again. I printed t-shirts out of the back of a pick up truck and sold them on the Internet. That got me through things for a while. Days became weeks, which became months, which turned into years and it got easier eventually. My journey has mostly been mental, and if it wasn’t for good friends and family I would have gone insane.

Being a small business owner, I have a lot of pride. If I can’t do what I want to do, and do it my own way, I would rather not do anything at all. I’ve often wondered if I should just pack it in and move to Ireland. Maybe work in a pub for the rest of my days and write sad poetry, telling stories about my youth. It’s what I will do if my world falls apart as I know it, I guess.

What’s helped you the most in rebuilding and starting a new business in the aftermath of Katrina?

What has helped me the most in rebuilding after Katrina is the small business loan I finally received from the state [of Louisiana]. It gave me the ability to put everything I have learned into action again. I was able to open another retail store in New Orleans, but this time decided to branch out from just t-shirts. I have been able to attend tradeshows and sell my designs on t-shirts to retail stores all over the world. I am in a showroom in Tokyo Japan, which distributes my line to over 14 countries. I am also in about 60 clothing stores in the US. Without the small business loan it would not have been possible. I opened a retail store on Oak Street [in New Orleans] called Skip N Whistle. We sell women’s clothing and accessories, children’s t-shirts, locally made art, soap, and housewares on the first floor, and men’s vintage Levi’s, shirts, belts and boots on the second floor. This is also where I do my custom t-shirts for clients that want just one shirt of a thousand. Customers can come in and pick on of my designs and I will print it on the shirt of their choice while they wait, or they can bring me their own artwork and I will put it on a shirt or messenger bag for them. We also meet with clients upstairs to design shirts for their bands and businesses, which I screen-print for larger orders.

What advice would you give to someone starting up his/her own business?

My advice is to not put all your eggs in one basket. Also, everything costs more than you think it will. You may be talented, or your family and friends may tell you that you are, but you will never really know for sure until you try it out there on your own. Be ready to fail, have cash on hand when it happens; do not assume you will always be at the top of your game. You may get there fast in the beginning, or it may feel like it in comparison to having nothing, but then things get tough. You will have to pay employees, manage accounts, pay rent, buy insurance, advertise, network, and then eat, and, lastly, sleep. Having your own business is harder than working for someone else, period. If you aren’t ready to eat, drink and breathe your business, then do something else.

What do you know now that you’d wish you had known before starting your own business?

I would have managed my money better in the beginning if I would have known how tough things could get. Just because you are making it one day does not mean everyday will be that way.

What should your customers and the readers here know about your newest venture Skip N Whistle in New Orleans?

Skip N Whistle is the name of my new business. I run it with my partner and girlfriend Anne Warren. She is the balance I need in my life and brings joy to running a business. While we were researching lines to carry in the store, we visited lots of larger chain stores for inspiration and found it depressing that good quality clothing for women costs so much. It upset me to see her fall in love with certain pieces only to feel bad when she checked the price tag and couldn’t justify buying it. I decided that I wanted to carry the best lines possible, at prices that people could afford. We are in business to make a living, but also to make relationships and friends. It may sound cliché as a business owner to say this, but it is very true. I have been through hell and back, and know that life is too short to be shortsighted. I have committed to having my business in New Orleans, and intend to make new friends for life and try to be open minded every day to new ideas and people that I meet. Carpe Diem.

By the way, you may wonder where I got the name Skip N Whistle. Well, after Katrina when I got really depressed I thought back to how things were as a kid when everything was an adventure. So, I found myself going for walks late at night to clear my head and started to skip instead of walking. I figured that maybe I could trick myself into feeling young and happy again. It worked. Then I added a little whistle to my skip, and it worked even better. I was able to laugh at myself, and the thought of what a 6’4 guy looked like skipping and whistling through the night made me laugh even more. I think everyone should Skip N Whistle a little more; it’s good for you.

Do you know an entrepreneur who should be featured here? Drop me a line at jesaka [at] jesakalong.com.

Now, Tracy is again living in her beloved New Orleans – where her grandfather was a famous astrologist – and is building a plan for the next phase of her business. Regardless of your chosen independent or freelance field, you can definitely gather some priceless business tips from Tracy. You can also check out her website at www.tracyewell.com.

What inspired you to become a makeup artist?

My attraction to the art of expression. I literally drew on my [bedroom] walls in high school and, if you came over to visit, you were asked to draw something, too. I had managed hair stylists in a big fancy salon for years before I was hired by a professional makeup artist. Susan Spaid was the first professional makeup artist to show me the platform of looking at a women’s face as a canvas. She showed me a few of her tricks, then I began to practice on the only subject I had: me. I loved the way I became the subject. How did I feel? How did I look? How did I want to look? I always came to makeup with a bigger picture in mind. The makeup was one aspect of the work. I learned makeup strictly by the knowledge I had from studying art and my ability to get people to talk. I would look at a person and see things that they didn’t and I would be challenged to show that to them. And then, of course, I fell in love with it.

Why makeup?

Makeup is first washable; it is not permanent. It can be all about color, it can be all about neutrals, but most of the time it’s all about light and dark. The medium of makeup is a great texture, easy to manipulate and fun to use. Makeup has so much variety in styles, formulas, techniques, colors, trends, etc. It’s more than just a pretty blush.

What’s the best advice you received as you were striking out on your own?

Perhaps it wasn’t advice but I swear that when I was 15 my grandfather, who was a famous astrologist in New Orleans, told me, “You will be discovered when you decide, you have to believe in yourself before anyone else can.” I was a child but I knew had something to share with people.

What advice would you give to someone starting up his/her own business?

Know your craft inside and out, and then challenge that often. Know your clients, where they live, what they buy, what they really want. Listen, be patient and know that you will go crazy, which is why you have to love what you do. You first have to believe it can happen before it ever can.

What do you know now that you’d wish you had known before starting your own business?

I know what it costs to run a business now. I know how to get away with less. I know that my challenges have been in not finding my target client – it’s not that this isn’t a valuable business. I know that first you have to believe it can happen before it ever will.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve faced with your business ventures?

When I had a store in Atlanta, my best friend Natalie Essiaed (since 6th grade) was my business partner. It was such a dream to work together doing what I love with whom I love. I believe it was in those moments I grew to love what I do even more, learned the true ins and outs of running a business, and was inspired daily. It was also in the loss of that dream that I began to truly hurt. It was the saddest and hardest thing to do, to close that business, harder than surviving Katrina, which was something that happened to both of us. If it hadn’t been for that storm we never would have worked together. It was her belief in what I did, that gave me the courage to believe in myself even more than I already did.

What do you enjoy most about being on your own boss?

I can’t get fired. LOL! I love that there are no limits. If I have an idea, I can explore it, I am not limited. This is both the blessing and the curse. Living in my own head often causes me to rethink and rethink and then question whether it’s even a good idea or not. It’s hard to always have perspective.

What should your customers/ clients know about you as a makeup artist?

That I love what I do. That I am an artist and that people are my medium. Creating art is when I am truly happy, it’s when I can look at the world and think I am able to contribute. I have always believed that if I can inspire one woman to feel better about who she is, then that woman will go out and be a better self, which will effect everyone she knows… which makes it all worth it.

I am good at what I do. I believe when trying to achieve natural beauty, it is all about “less is more”. In order to be good at this, you must understand the structure of the face, knowing where to highlight, where to shade, where to bring color out, and when to stop. I teach people how to do their own makeup; it’s become my specialty service. I call it “cut the crap” technique. I really listen to the woman, asking her all the right questions to find out what she likes, what she is willing to do or not do, where she is going, what does she wear. I find out what colors, textures, perspective a woman might have and if she doesn’t know then I will help her figure it out. Looking beautiful is also about feeling beautiful.

I also teach women how to spend their money on makeup. By purchasing only the right colors and textures, you waste less, you stop buying the same shade in every brand. I love helping women help themselves!

Meet the creators of The Simple Feast: Amanda DeSeta and Michelle Sy, two women in their 30s who love to entertain their friends from the comfort of their own homes. They are self-taught cooks who find cooking to be relaxing andrewarding. Amanda and Michelle met while working in the entertainment industry – which, they say, has served the launch of The Simple Feast (TSF) immensely. They have been able to draw on their media backgrounds for promotional ideas, content development, and marketing strategy. And Amanda and Michelle have found that by running the site, their own feasts at home have become “a lot more fabulous and a lot more simple!”

What inspired you to start The Simple Feast?

We both entertain at home a lot, and our guests constantly ask us how we do it; saying they could never do it themselves, or that they want to, but don’t know where to begin. So we decided to share our tips and advice by creating a site that shows just how easy it is to pull off an affordable, elegant party in your own home – with the right recipes and planning.

Why focus on cooking and entertaining at home?

We believe there’s no better way to share time with friends and family than in the comfort of your own home. People tend to stay longer, talk more, and are more relaxed in a home setting over a bar or a restaurant. Also, entertaining a group of people at home is often less expensive than the price of a night out, so it’s simply more practical than going out all the time.

What’s the best advice you received as you were starting The Simple Feast?

We actually haven’t received that much advice – but we have received a ton of support from our husbands, friends, and business associates. Having that support has been critical in keeping us focused and motivated, and a wonderful reward that has made starting the site even more satisfying.

What advice would you give to someone starting up his/her own business?

Vet your concept all the way through – find out not only who your competitors are, but look at brands that you can link to and who could possibly support your new brand. Work on micro-PR:  no one will know about you unless you tell them you exist. If you can’t pitch your concept in one sentence, refine what you are doing even further.

Passion takes you only so far – make sure that you have the time to devote to launching your own business. Even if you are doing this “on the side,” it’s still going to take many hours of dedication. Where will that fit in your current schedule? Make sure you schedule that time and stick to it. Finally, keep your operating costs as low as possible. A huge advantage for us is that Amanda owns a media company that does web development so we have been able to build our site without contracting an outside company. We practice what we preach—DIY (do it yourself)!

What do you know now that you’d wish you had known before launching The Simple Feast?

We chose a proprietary website hosting system that helps optimize for Search Engines and build traffic. While the system has definitely worked for us, we wish that we would have known how labor-intensive site wide changes are.

What do you enjoy most about owning your own business?

Setting our own schedule. Being our own boss. Being in control of our own success. Seeing our work pay off in terms of ad revenue, traffic increases, etc.  Being able to be creative. Having a job that revolves around food and includes spending time in the kitchen. It’s a relaxing way to work.

If someone is searching for home entertaining tips, why should he or she turn to The Simple Feast instead of, say, Martha?

We worship Martha, but the reality is that most people don’t have the time, inclination, or skills needed to execute most of her suggestions, and that is what has made entertaining at home daunting to many people. We are the simple, easy, do-it-yourself site — our suggestions are easily attainable, even for novice hosts. How many people really own a butane torch to caramelize things? How many people have the time to hand stencil or decoupage favors for a baby shower?

We offer clever, quick solutions that are easy to implement from the word go. We show you how to take basic, everyday items and turn them into something special. Plus, we provide step-by-step timelines that tell you what to do, and exactly when, so you’re not wiped out by the time your event begins.

Visit TSF at www.thesimplefeast.com.

What inspired you to start Immortal Dog?

After getting my new dog two years ago, I was immersed into the Seattle dog culture. So many exciting dog owners in this city. I frequented many local pet supply stores looking for the best food and newest items for my pets and, over time, I began to see myself in this role. It seemed like a perfect fit for me. I am an entrepreneur at heart. I thrive on making customer connections as well as the business side of it.

Why pet supplies and bakery, including those premium fresh baked biscuits?

I am a baker at heart. Cover me in flour! While working in my previous career I had a small side business baking for people’s events. When I got my dog, I started baking biscuits for her, then for friends’ dogs, then for clients. It just took off. Pets are such an important part of people’s lives. I felt if I was going to open a business I wanted to make a difference for people. I did not want to just open a business to make money, but to enrich people’s lives – and their pets.

What’s the best advice you received as you were starting your business?

Do your research. Make your business plan robust. Check your numbers over and over. Passion can only take you so far. You have to have the business to back you up.

What advice would you give to someone starting up his/her own business?

Make sure you are business savvy. You can have a great idea and concept, but need to know the nuts and bolts of managing the financial part of your business.

What do you know now that you’d wish you had known before?

I think going through the lease process with my landlord was difficult for me. I was not as confident as I could have been when it came to asking for things I wanted. Next time this won’t be a problem now that I have had the experience.

What do you enjoy most about owning your own business?

I used to run businesses for other people. I made them a lot of money and I stressed out like it was my own. Now if I stress, it is my very own stress. I may be more tired than ever, but it is different now that it is my own. I am so proud to have done this.

What should your customers know about Immortal Dog?

At Immortal Dog, you and your pet are the number one priority. We want to help your pet live their best life through great nutrition.