What do you do for a living? And is it the path you thought you  would be on today?
As an independent writer and journalist, I cover advertising, business, commercial art and varied disciplines of design, including industrial, interior and graphic design. I’ve contributed to publications like Entrepreneur, Advertising Age, The Chicago Tribune, Communication Arts, HOW, Metropolis, PDN, Step, the women’s business magazine PINK, Canada’s Globe and Mail and others.
As a copywriter, I work with clients across industries. And for just under two years, I’ve also worked with the Chicago-based nonprofit EPIC, which pairs design and advertising professionals with NPOs that need their probono services. EPIC helps creatives use their talents to make social change happen.

Did I plan to become a writer?
Like a woman obsessed. When I was four, I told my family that writing was it. I can’t say who put the idea in my head, but I got super-glue attached to the idea. It shadowed me from grammar school to college, where I did journalism, on up to grad school, when I did a very practical master’s in fiction writing at Johns Hopkins. Now, I scheme every day on ways to “beat the system” and make the so-called unrealistic, impractical, romantic pursuit of writing work in the real and unromantic world.
Tell us a bit about your average day.
Actually, my “average” day changed in a physical sense recently when I moved from my home office into an out-of-the-home-and-not-a-minute-too-soon office space. Previously, I had worked exclusively from my place. It was doable. But in a home office, your to-do list has a way of sucking you into its murky vortex, spitting you out hours later with a case of tendonitis and no idea of where you fit in the time/space continuum. That’s still totally possible in an office, but, eventually, you have to close up and get yourself out the door. Now, my home is my home, and work is work. It’s healthier.
I’d recommend an office space especially for writers and designers–or anyone who spends a lot of time in their heads. If you start to look forward to doctor’s appointments for the small talk, it’s time for an alternative to working from home. Check out my office space: officeportchicago.com. It’s a good place.
Other than getting to the office, there’s no average day. The only thing I can take for granted as “typical” is that I’ll be shifting between projects, clients and subject matter. Today, I spoke with some interior designers for a Chicago Tribune story about surface materials, started the process of writing about an advertising agency for Advertising Age’s small agency issue, worked with a graphic designer on tweaking the layout and copy on a lookbook for a line of women’s fashion, sent a story idea to my editor at Communication Arts and contacted a potential partner for EPIC. I’ve also wasted some time outside. It’s very nice out.
How do you stay true to yourself as an individual in the business world?
It helps to be independent, but that’s not the only way. I think that it lies in how you spend your time. If you get to a place where a big portion of your work life is spent doing something you love, you have no option but to be true to yourself. I say a “portion” because only very few people are exempt from “It Pays the Bills” work. (I once wrote an article about HVAC systems. Sexy.) Basically, I love writing, researching and interviewing, and I care about the people and industries I cover. Certain stages in crafting a story make me very very happy. When I combine that with my work with EPIC, another professional love of my life, it’s double happiness.
What kinds of clients or people do you want to work/collaborate with?
My worklife is full of editors and designers. I like how both of those types talk and think and work. But I don’t think there’s any one “kind” of client or industry I like to work with. It’s more about that utterly illusive thing called chemistry. Which has a lot to do with your previous question about authenticity, actually. When you have great relationships, it’s easy to be yourself. What other than authentic would you even be when you get your associates and they get you?
What is your single best piece of advice for women starting out in their own business path?
Plans are important, and everyone who’s ever subscribed to a business magazine will advise you to write a business plan when you launch. But I think it’s just as wise to leave room for the unexpected. If you put yourself out there, you’ll go through twists and turns you could not have expected in your weirdest dreams. And it’s a thrill to discover which twists and turns pay off. They probably won’t be the ones you expect.

Thank you for contributing your thoughts and ideas Tiffany, we appreciate it! – Lisa Gainor

Since launching her career as an independent writer, Tiffany Meyers has contributed to magazines like Communication Arts, HOW, STEP Inside Design, Entrepreneur, Metropolis, The Chicago Tribune, Photo District News, American PHOTO, Advertising Age, Creativity, Graphis and the women’s business magazine PINK, among others.

Meyers has covered a wide range of issues for magazines and corporate clients alike–but the majority of her attention goes to producing stories about business on one hand and design on the other. Increasingly, the two intersect. She’s also the Vice President of the board of directors of EPIC, a Chicago organization that pairs creative professionals with non-profits in need of their pro-bono services.

Previously, Meyers was Managing Editor of “One,” a magazine published by the New York-based advertising and design organization The One Club, where she was also the Editor of The One Show Annual, an annual featuring breakthrough advertising and design, and the organization’s Education Director.

Today, Meyers lives and works in Chicago, but has left little bits of her heart in Boston, Baltimore and New York. To read her work, visit www.tiffanymeyers.com, or email her at tiffanymeyers@verizon.net.

We are looking forward to hearing more from her next week! Keep tuned…

Gina DeConti, Imaginative Studios

What do you do for a living? And is it the path you thought you would be on today?
I am a photographer and a graphic designer. Actually, I went to school for Illustration, Electronic Imaging and Photography so I always knew that I would mix these mediums in my career.

Kathy wraps up her interview with us today, don’t miss her recommendations for women in small business at the end of the post, resources like Pink, be sure to check it out…

What kinds of clients or people do you want to work/collaborate with?
I want to expand the number of museum shops that carry my work because that has been a great outlet for my jewelry on a regular basis. I also really enjoy doing some art fairs because I love the feeling when someone really falls in love with my jewelry… I feel the enthusiasm all over again of rediscovering a design and seeing how good it looks on someone. These shows also open up doing custom work with brides, fashion designers, and people who find interesting things when they travel that they want made into jewelry. I like the balance between store accounts and the connection I get at shows with the end consumer. For new directions I’d like to find some new collaborations, whether they be other artists or manufacturers. I’d like to pursue some design concepts where I’m not the primary maker. I’ve talked to Crate and Barrel in the past… it doesn’t have to be such a large company; I just want to work with someone who is bringing different skills to the table where we can feed off each other’s strengths.

What types are projects are you challenging yourself with these days?
I’m challenging myself to use some new materials. I’ve been sketching and developing new jewelry lines with rubber and ribbon that I’ve had in the sketch phase for way too long. I’ve started to take steps to get the ball rolling again. I’m also working on a bunch of one-of-a-kind pieces with the huge inventory of stones I have. I love stones and color, yet in general my work is about form and texture with not too many gems. Apparently this has not stopped me from buying gems over the years. I’m not ready to create a cohesive body of work per se… I’m just letting the stones speak to me and I’m making pieces as time allows. This work is particularly exciting to existing customers because it feels very fresh and new, yet wire still plays a strong roll in the designs so they have that characteristic “Kathy Frey” style.

Because my blog is about design and marketing, what companies or brands do you look up to in your industry? Why?
Wow, this is a tough one, yet I know that artists and art jewelry are branded. I don’t feel like I’m part of “jewelry” as a huge industry (a la Tiffany) yet I do admire what Alex Sepkus and Patricia Locke have accomplished, although I personally don’t want my work to become so manufactured. From that perspective, I really look up to Saundra Messinger for her beautiful designs and partnerships. My favorite artist story arch is Angela Adams… from high-end rug designer to handbags and home goods…. I’ve loved her work in all its iterations and would absolutely love to find a path that includes lifestyle design and captures more aspects of my personality.

What is your single best piece of advice for women starting out in their own business path?
Don’t doubt yourself and your own gut instinct. All the advisors and consultants in the world can point to a direction or tell you what to do, but if it doesn’t feel right or doesn’t feel like you, don’t do it. You are the expert of you and your business. Don’t let go of that control.

Are there any websites you would suggest as resources for women in business?
I spent many years trying to find great business resources. I haven’t found a lot online – hopefully future interviews will have some great links for me! After subscribing to many magazines (like Entrepreneur, Inc., and Pink) I found that with my unusual art business which covers manufacturing, wholesale, and retail, that it was best for me to stick with The Crafts Report, which is very specialized for artists like myself. Many of their writers have great business advice as well, like Bruce Baker, who talks a lot about sales and display at shows. Additionally I read a lot of books, including several by Barbara Brabec. When I lived in Chicago I also took workshops at the Women’s Business Development Center, which was a great resource.

While searching for resources online, I signed up for many newsletters to see what kind of tips would come out. I quickly unsubscribed from all of them but one: http://www.artbizcoach.com/. Alyson Stanfield is a fabulous artist consultant. She has written a book, conducts many classes online and in person, and she has many free resources available through newsletters and her blog. Although she appeals mostly to artists, there’s a lot of great business advice in general.

Thank you for all the great insights Kathy, and I can’t wait to see what you do with the ribbon and rubber pieces, keep us updated!

Kathy Frey

What do you do for a living? And is it the path you thought you would be on today?
If I boil it down to simplistic terms, I am a full-time artist, which also makes me an entrepreneur. When I look back across my history, this path does not surprise me at all. At heart I am not one of those people who has a set path in mind, though, because I’m always open to the opportunity that other paths might present. Yet from maybe about age 5 or 6 I was always making something and selling it… I have never not done this, whether it be lemonade, friendship bracelets, MC Hammer pants, or tie dye t-shirts… or my current sculptural wire jewelry creations.

Tell us a bit about your average day.
This is tempting to launch into a description of my dream day and how I want things to be. The new reality is that I roll out of bed at 7, and throw on the jeans and t-shirt I wore the day before. I head straight to the kitchen to make coffee the old-fashioned melitta way and breakfast (usually mixed-grain oatmeal with plain yogurt). If I’m not awake, I might play mah-jong on the computer but I have to limit myself to 3 games so I don’t waste too much time. By then breakfast is ready and I eat while looking out the windows of my fairy cottage and prioritizing my day. I then turn on some 80s music on Pandora and head straight to my workbench to start making jewelry.

My priorities are always based around orders. If I have any pending orders or repairs, those are the first things I tackle. If it’s a day when I’m going to finish orders to ship, I try to have the pieces finished by 3:30 so I can do the paperwork and packaging and still make it to the post office before 5pm. I usually stop working at about 7pm on an average day so I can spend some time cooking or grabbing a drink at the local watering hole with friends. There aren’t too many average days right now, though…. Sometimes I will work until 11 at night, particularly if I want to plan something fun (like a hike, snowboarding, or disc golf) during the week. Not that “during the week” matters much, either, because I work most weekends as well but usually just for a few hours each day so I can garden and relax the rest of the time.

How do you continue to learn/evolve while networking, staying creative, and making friends?
That is so tough! I learn by doing mostly, which means I either take classes or just try things out. This means creatively with jewelry or other art classes or business classes and workshops. Recently I’ve been trying hard to learn about myself more and how I do and respond to things. I am more motivated when I have deadlines… whether those be orders or upcoming shows. I’ve also learned that I really do not get inspired looking at other art in general, like books and museums… these ultimately sap my energy and shake my confidence.

I also learn a lot from other artists; I’ve been trying to network more. I’m not afraid to ask for help or ask someone else how they do something… I feel like I can always learn.  I’m working hard to remove a lot of pressure from my life, so I’m making fewer commitments. I’m trying to spend quality time with friends a few times a week… I’m in a new community, so this varies. In general I’m trying to get in touch with what makes me happy, what’s good for my peace of mind, and what will help me to feel relaxed. This often means cooking or doing something active where we can relax and connect… sometimes movies, drinks, or eating out. Most of these are spontaneous, so that’s motivation in and of itself to not procrastinate on orders and deadlines.

How do you stay true to yourself as an individual in the business world?
It helps to have some really close friends who you can share your insecurities with. They will know you as a strong person and can remind you of who you are if you start to lose the way or feel off kilter. In general, it takes a lot of self confidence. Sometimes you have to fake it. You have to block out the critics. When you put yourself or your work out into the public, you are exposing yourself to critics as well as fans. I’ve found the more I share with friends and fans, the more support I get… which helps me to tune out the critics (inner critic included).

There are so many people who want me to be a successful artist and want to hear my stories and see them expressed creatively in my work; this has become a comforting support network. Sometimes I also push myself to do things differently (take the back roads) or to try new things (polar bear plunge)… whether adventures (like going to Burning Man) or food (eating durian) or a new jewelry concept (giant cocktail rings) because taking risks makes me feel more alive and individual. I don’t worry about the results (will those rings sell? will I get lost?), I just enjoy the now of that process. In general, I do as much as I can to get out of my head. I clear my mind and just tune in to my inner being. I need a lot of privacy and alone-time.

What do you see yourself doing in 5 years, in your business and personal life?
Honestly with all the changes I went through in the last year — including divorce, letting my entire staff of 4 go, and moving from Chicago to California – I haven’t looked that far ahead in detail. My main goal in the last year was to put my life on a path of my choosing and see how it goes. The things that have crossed my mind are: I want to be totally out of debt and have savings, I would like to own a home, and I want to have an active outdoors adventure lifestyle. I’m still exploring business ideas. I’m not sure if I want to grow to have staff again; it was rewarding and then so hard to have to make those cuts. I want to keep pushing my jewelry skills and designs, and I want to explore some large-scale sculpture ideas. One driving force is that I want to maintain freedom. The upside to all the changes last year was that I could move, I felt like a free agent. I could really do what I wanted. This doesn’t mean I won’t love and form partnerships in various forms, but it does mean that I want to make sure I’m not tying myself down unnecessarily.

More to come from Kathy in Part 2!