October Member Monday Recap
Meet Renee Gurganus of The Salty Monkey
Hi! I’m Renee and I own a new business in Wilmington, NC, called The Salty Monkey. I have worked for 30 years in the nonprofit sector with the last 10 in leadership roles. I am currently the Executive Director of the Window Coverings Association whose members are interior designers, workrooms, installers and retailers. I have always loved interior design! Last year (after my youngest of 4 daughters graduated from college) I decided to take a chance and opened a small booth boutique. It has literally been more successful than I could have ever imagined! I am looking to grow it into my “retirement job.”
https://www.thesaltymonkeyilm.com/
Why did you join TSC Membership?
I have been following TSC for years. As my business has grown, I am seeing the need for more mentoring. One of my WCAA Board members, Jill Ballew, is a member of TSC and she suggested I join.
What is a favorite small business you like to shop or support?
I have literally fallen in love with @houseofmbr as caftans are my “go to” staple. I carry @lemondaisydesign in my shoppe. I am just getting to know all of the members and look forward to getting to know them.
Where do you go to get your inspiration now?
My look is Palm Beach, chinoiserie and monkeys! So, I follow a lot of interior designers with the same look and I am obsessed with Youtube shows like Homeworthy and The Potted Boxwood.
What is the best business advice you have ever given or received?
“You are the brand.” I have had to break out of my box of being uncomfortable in front of the camera. So many people have advised me to “be the brand” and so this year I have been working on doing more to get in front of my audience.
Meet Lauren Dills of Escape and Celebrate!
Hi, I am Lauren! The founder and creative behind Escape and Celebrate! Every month inside our digital platform, The Supper Club, we help you escape and celebrate through a themed dinner party, complete with chef-created menus and recipes, tabletop styling, hosting tricks and conversation tips. Cook alongside talented chefs as they share tips and tricks for easy yet elevated dishes, try your hand at flower arranging with tutorials from floral designers or print digital invitations, menus, and drink station signs to dress up your table. Party prep guides, timing tips, shopping lists, and more can be found for each theme so you can save all the time and energy that goes into planning a fun supper club, dinner party or sunday supper! And share more time around the table with family and friends!
Before E&C, I spent my career dreaming up retail and dining concepts, creating event programming and handling the logistical operations for an art and design college! Originally from NY, I live on Hilton Head Island with my husband and two year old son!
Why did you join TSC Membership?
I felt like the conversation was just getting started with so many amazing women at The Southern C Summit! When I went home, I wanted to continue to build relationships with this amazing group. Having the ability to learn from one another and lean on each other as entrepreneurs and creatives is truly a unique and special bond that membership continues to provide throughout the year!
What is a favorite small business you like to shop or support?
Travel, food and interior design are huge sources of inspiration for me! It’s a feeling that I get when I wake up in new surroundings, eat a delicious dish at a restaurant that I’ll be thinking of for days or see colors, patterns and textures working together in spaces. You will see many of The Supper Club themes are inspired by places and play with bringing that experience and feeling into your own home through food and touches, so that you may continue to escape and celebrate around your table with friends and family!
Where do you go to get your inspiration now?
I don’t travel as much as I’d like to anymore, so literally anywhere I go, I keep my eyes open. I was part of a program in middle school called “Odyssey of the Mind” which was a competitive after school program intended to nurture intellectual and artistic creativity. One of the competitions involved showing kids an object—a thimble, a soap dish, who knows what? it was always something random—and asking “what could this be?” The more creative the answers, the more points you got. I think as a result of this training, I often see objects or details and my brain doesn’t immediately register the fact of what it IS. More often than not, my idea of what the object could be is quite a bit more exciting than the reality, and that’s where most of my best ideas come from.
What is the best business advice you have ever given or received?
A mentor once told me: “You don’t have to have it all figured out today. As long as you are moving forward and taking steps in a direction that checks with your gut, it is going to continue to add up. One day you will look around and be amazed at what you have accomplished.” I still think about this often and think it is a great reminder when in the day to day!
Meet Lizzie Darwin of Modern Muse by Lizzie
Hi! I’m Lizzie Darwin, artist and owner of Modern Muse by Lizzie. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I started creating hand-cut butterfly art as a hobby and before I knew it, Modern Muse became my full-time job. I repurpose the pages of vintage magazines into butterflies attaching each one to a hand painted canvas that is framed in an acrylic shadow box frame. Each piece is a unique and one of a kind creation that reflects my client’s personal style allowing them to be their own muse.
https://modernmusebylizzie.com/
Why did you join TSC Membership?
I joined The Southern C to meet and build a community with like-minded women business owners. I look forward to the inspiration and support TSC brings. I am so excited to get to know everyone with TSC and learn more about their businesses.
What is a favorite small business you like to shop or support?
Some of my favorite small businesses are Tela Mercantile who designs luxury Kaftans hand-made out of fabrics sourced from around the globe. I love their commitment to inclusivity and sustainability. Sister the Brand has the most beautiful Italian-made silk scarves dreamed of in Texas. I love her spin on country chic. Caitlin Rounds Antiques creates cheeky hand-painted pottery where culinary creativity meets romantic whimsy in the heart of your home. Tarte by Taylor is my favorite small business for the most fun and colorful acrylic trays and coasters! Lastly, Makenna Prey Studios, who I collaborated with to design our Modern Muse phone case. She turns her gorgeous artwork into the most fabulous phone cases.
Where do you go to get your inspiration now?
Fashion has been a constant source of inspiration to me. I love clothes and styling different outfits with unexpected combinations. Travel also inspires me. Paris has especially been influential in my art and personal style but the street style at the Round Top Antiques show is EVERYTHING. Vintage magazines, wallpapers and textiles are also an inspiration for the colors and designs I use to create my butterfly art.
What is the best business advice you have ever given or received?
Don’t regret your mistakes. Instead, see it as an opportunity to reflect and redirect yourself.
Meet Cathy Curley, Top-Producing Realtor
Introduce yourself
Greetings from Vero Beach, Florida! I’m a Top-Producing Realtor known for my splashy PINK brand. I take great pride in making real estate a FUN and memorable experience. I’ve built a big business in a short amount of time by savvy marketing and giving clients a first-class experience with concierge services that exceed expectations.
https://www.cathycurleyrealestate.com/
Why did you join TSC Membership?
I joined TSC to run away from my family to Sea Island for a few days. Just Kidding! …well, kind of. What I found was a community of FUN, fashionable, smart women who were all so warm and welcoming. It’s awesome to have a place to ask questions about running a business and how others manage it all + networking is a powerful thing! I met one of my biggest clients in an elevator in Singapore!
What is a favorite small business you like to shop or support?
Now that I’m so busy working, it’s harder to make time for my favorite hobby – shopping! So…I’ve been ordering and loving Buru, Mae New York (who I met at TSC!), and I’m obsessed with needlepoint, so I spend a lot of $ at my local needlepoint shop, @seasideneedlepoint.
Where do you go to get your inspiration now?
I’m really into podcasts! Especially Mel Robbins and Diary of a CEO – they inspire me to have a better morning routine, create better health and wellness habits and manage stress. I also love Instagram – I enjoy seeing how others market and brand themselves, and beautiful lifestyle content, especially pretty homes.
What is the best business advice you have ever given or received?
Look the part. I recall noticing a real estate agent that just always looked like a million bucks. Who knows how successful he actually was, but he sure came accross as a majoy player in the industry. Looking and acting the part can definitely help further your career. So buy the shoes, roll your hair and you’re never fully dressed without a smile!
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