#txsc13 is about learning

photo cred: totally stole it from paige

i'm still reaping the benefits of all that i learned from the ladies up on the txsc stage. not the least of which came by way of the sassy little ginger who's raising her hand in the picture above.

so let me just give you a few more brilliant takeaways....

jentine led our thrift store outing to savers and gave us tips on what to look for. now i am a seasoned thrifter, but i still got some great nuggets that i can then pass along to my customers that shop at amandromeda. about how to spot a quality piece and how to get people excited to buy vintage.

merl (waving in the pic) and janette spoke on purchasing with a purpose. that means not chasing after fast fashion trends at the big chain stores that specialize in cheap and unethical labor, but instead buying second hand and supporting small local businesses and independent designers. that got me thinking about the next phase of my growth as a business owner. i want to collaborate with more designers and introduce more created pieces into my shop. i have a friend here in town who i will partner with to sell some of her one-off pieces that she repurposes from vintage clothing. both of our visions are super similar and it all came together at just the right time. i'm more than a little bit excited about this new venture.

julie talked about work/life balance. some of it was so common sense that i was a bit embarrassed that i hadn't thought of it that way before. like making an editorial calendar to organize blog/social media posts, as well as work and life events. i'm lazy by nature so having everything laid out and scheduled helps keep me motivated. but also, it helps to see it all together so i don't overcommit to one thing. seriously, just that one realization has been so good for me.

and lastly, but not leastly, kendi presented about launching a start-up. i mean, i've had my shop for over 4 years so this thing is already started. but the idea that struck me the hardest was when kendi said that your enthusiasm is the best marketing for your business. that just sent a spark through me. i need to be more excited about this job that i do. when someone walks through my doors they need to know that i love my shop and the pieces that i source myself to fill these racks and shelves. when i tell people that i own a business, they need to hear and feel my excitement. that is the greatest advertisement i could have for my shop. yep, it was kind of a mind-blow moment.

so, all in all, it was a wonderful conference that i am still feeling inspired by. and i really can't wait until next year.

#txsc13 is about getting motivated

there was so much to learn at txsc this year. frankly, i was surprised, and very pleasantly so. the first session i attended was jessie's about creative marketing and organizing an event to grow your brand. she listed out several steps (all starting with a P because she's cute) that help her when she is working on a project. 
for the past couple years, i've wanted to put on a fashion show for my shop that would get people excited about buying vintage and prove that you don't have to look like you're in costume. in a small town like siloam, it's kind of daunting to think about planning and hosting an event like this. for one thing, would anybody even show up? because that would truly suck. but then, if people did come, would the time and effort be worth it? would i see a return on my investment? these are all the reasons why i have not done it yet. but after hearing jessie kind of lay out a plan of attack for such a big task, i feel motivated to try. i see a clear path to making this dream of mine a reality. 
first off, realizing i can't do this alone. i need to partner and collaborate with other downtown businesses. i need to gather a creative team together to brainstorm. i need to use social media and word of mouth and good old fashioned fliers to create buzz and promote my show. even typing it out right now gets me excited about this crazy venture! 
i'm not one to take a flying leap of faith and spontaneously stick my neck out just for my community to ridicule me. but it is strangely comforting to have a strategy, a system, a motivating hit list of things to light a fire under my proverbial arse. 
so now i've put it out on the internets that means i have to do it huh.

golden hour

after a full day of classes on sunday, we all went out for dinner and drinks to just chill. it's funny how you could tell we were all completely exhausted but also not ready to say goodbye. we drug our weary selves out of our cozy hotel and walked to meet up with others. the sunset was gorgeous. it lit up the city in golden hues. the photographer in merl couldn't help herself, so she snapped this pic WITH HER IPHONE. seriously, she knows her stuff. but i love the angle, the depth, the sunburst reflected off the building, and yen and paige in the far background. and merl always manages to make me look dramatic even when tired and sweaty.
wearing:
shoes from urban outfitters via ebay which i managed to rip on the back at some point that trip
skirt given to me by my friend jen
tank borrowed from paige
necklace by CR
thrifted purse

#txsc13 is about friends

so i just got back from the texas style council down in austin. and while it was a chance to learn and network and get motivated (and i'll talk about all those things later), it was for me an opportunity to spend quality time with some very close lady friends. i've met some amazing women (and men) through blogging and seeing them in person at the txsc conference. and these are not just passing acquaintances that fizzle once we get back to real life. no, these are true connections and lifelong relationships. when we all got together on friday night, it was like a high school reunion-girly squeals and hugs and lots of laughter. it was such a treat getting to spend a weekend with these hot babes! and bryan too :)

jessie, paige, merl, yen, kendi

texas style council

yes, i will be there! this is my third year to attend the texas style council and i truly believe it'll be the best one yet. from the swap to the thrifting to the fancy party and the conference itself, indiana has put together one stellar lineup. i am pretty dang excited. plus i get to see some fabulous ladies that have become very dear friends. so, if you'll be there too, let me know! austin is going to be super hot this weekend! *wink wink nudge nudge* *no it's really just going to be 100 degrees* *yay* *i love summer*