CREATIVES: Entrepreneur to Watch – Pamela Berger

Pamela Berger’s love of pretty things has led her to create Sweet Peach Blog, a home design blog that celebrates the artistry of the South. Since moving from California, she fell in love with the diversity, culture, and craftsmanship of the South. Her goal is to celebrate these under appreciated qualities and share them with others.

We asked Pamela to share some of her entrepreneurial spirit here–

Inspiration:

Being a visual person, I’m a tad obsessed with magazines. When in need of a new idea, I tend to gravitate towards them in my home, the coffee shop, in the grocery store… wherever I can get my hands on one. As I flip through, I look for a phrase, picture or pattern to trigger something. I’m endlessly inspired by travel and design blogs but there’s something about a magazine that you can hold in your hands and flip through that helps trigger my brain.

Theme Song:

Hmm, this is a tough one. Anything by Brandi Carlile as her songs always cheer me up. They have depth and beauty. Otherwise, how about “Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy. That’s my state of affairs at the moment…plus, how can you not love Loverboy?

Fave book or author:

Paul Theroux. As I travel both domestically and internationally a bit for my television work, I have a strong curiosity for places. So does Paul. He’s a masterful storyteller and global wanderer who writes both fiction and non fiction. Paul is thoroughly annoyed by the average tourist and finds relief on local back streets and forbidden locales. He was recently quoted in an article, “I found out much more about the world and myself by being unconnected.”

James Lipton once asked Russell Crowe on Inside the Actor’s Studio, “What turns you on?” His answer, “A well constructed sentence will give me chills.” I feel the same way and there is ample opportunity for goose bumps with a Theroux book in hand.

Favorite charity:

CASA. I put together an event a couple years ago called Sweet Peach Revival where I held an auction to raise money for CASA, and I’ve loved and supported the organization ever since. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate and CASA volunteers work with children who have been abused or neglected, advocating for their best interests in the courtroom. They do incredible work in an organization that sorely needs more funding and support.

#1 skill/attribute needed to be an entrepreneur:

Persistence. No isn’t an option. Plus, don’t ever take criticism personally, as I see this mistake so often. Working in television, I listen to a daily barrage of criticism as it’s the nature of the job. Everyone has an opinion, it’s just never personal. Separating your ego from your work is a constant struggle for many of us but I think an important one. I’ve really learned to embrace criticism – it helps me look at something I’ve created in a different light and whether I see the criticism as helpful or not, I’m always open to it.

Role model:

Anyone with unconventional thinking. I have a close friend who used to be my neighbor in Los Angeles named Bryce Toney. He’s a guy that always sees a problem as an opportunity. He was down on his luck one year, borrowed 12k dollars from a few close friends and opened a home décor and gift shop a block from the beach. He built an apartment inside the shop to save on costs and slowly built the business into a huge success. Kind, giving, hard working and incredibly innovative- not to mention, funny as hell. When ‘bad’ things happen, he just refuses to see it as such. Instead, he prefers to focus on the positive and make those around him laugh. I love that guy.

Favorite social media:

Instagram. Nothing better. @sweetpeachblog

Favorite quote:

A miracle is just a change in perception.

Interesting tidbit about you or your business:

To this day, my favorite thing to eat (albeit in secret) is Uncle Ben’s white rice with butter and ketchup. I take no fault, however and place all blame on my parents. They began feeding it to me in my highchair…

Sweet Peach Blog

The Southern Coterie is a social network (tscoterie.wpengine.com) with events (thesoutherncsummit.com) that connects influencers, entrepreneurs and marketing professionals with an affinity for the South- the Makers and Doers.

Enjoy this series where we introduce you to Southern creatives we find inspiring-

• Nan Myers, Jay Ducote and Jane Pope Cooper
• TJ Callaway, Natalie Evans and Javacia Bowser
• Marquin Campbell
• Putt Weatherbee
• Jamie Meares
• Molly Jane Gravitt
• Ursula Reynolds
• Claire Bruce
• Ashley Schoenith
• Hillary Crittendon and Laura Martin
• Sarah Almond
• Louise Van Winkle Breen, Carrie Van Winkle Greener & Chenault Van Winkle James
• Tracy Blanchard
• Katherine Frankstone
• Kyla Cox
• Morgan Hutchinson
• Marion Blount and Leslie Chapman
• Elizabeth Joyce
• Julie Willis
• Sarah Elizabeth Dewey and Jolie Bensen