Meet Tami from TamTam Design Studios, Review by Sarah of Chic Gems

Click here to visit Tam Tam Design Online



I recently had the pleasure of meeting Tami Rasmussen of Tam Tam Designs.
She is an amazing woman and I wanted to share her Entrepreneurial Story:
From Hallmark Cards Designer to Entrepreneur

-From the Desk of TamTam-

Background information/How TamTam Started:

I grew up in Chicago and knew I wanted to be a greeting card designer in elementary school.
I set my sights high on landing my dream job at Hallmark Cards while in school and moved to Kansas City 3 months after my college graduation. I designed Boxed Christmas Cards at Hallmark - which was so perfect since it's still my most favorite occasion to design for!

Eventually I got the itch and the never-stop-moving-and-growing side of me was begging for a new adventure. So what's a girl to do? This one picked up and moved to Dallas, Texas. I spent the next year in Texas and I can honestly say that after just 4 short months of being there I knew I wanted to: A. Move back to Chicago and B. Start my own greeting card company. TamTam Design Studio opened shop on Sept. 27th, 2008. I moved back to Chicago on May 14th, 2008. TamTam came home with me and the rest is history. I sure miss my Margarita's and 80 degree January's - but there really is no place like home! I have never been happier.

Why you started your biz/ About TamTam:

A greeting card to me represents one of the smallest, simplest pleasures in life. How exciting is it to open up the mailbox and find a cute little colored envelope inside with your name on it! That's what TamTam is all about! What's interesting to me is that when you send a card it's both an expression of feelings - to who you are sending it to - and it's also an expression of self- what have you decided to send? I wanted to create a line of cards that would help today's style conscious consumer not only their personal thoughts- but also be able to share their exceptional taste with one another, as well. My hope is that TamTam Greeting Cards always offer creative and imaginative solutions that do both!

Of course the real reason I started my own business is so that I could do everything my way! Haha, I'm only kidding. But what I did want to do was contribute to the American economy by producing and assembling only here in the States and to manufacture only the highest quality products utilizing only environmentally friendly materials and processes. Because of this - our papers are always at least 30% post-consumer recycled, we print using only soy-based inks - all in the U.S. of A! That is something that I am extremely proud of!

Challenges Faced:

I can honestly say that I have never worked so hard in my life! But again - I have also never been happier. That's not to shabby of a bad trade-off, in my opinion. Even if the hours don't get to me though, the business side of business for an artist - is umm... challenging to say the very least. I'm learning something new everyday though - somedays its about accounting, somedays it's about myself. I also struggle with living up to the expectation that I am creative 24/7.

I'm not! Shhhh.....

Overcoming those challenges:

One of my new secret passions is buying motivational posters! Self-help wall art- I suppose! Haha. My current favorites say "Home is Where the Art is" and "Keep Calm and Carry On." When I'm fried- I can just glance up and refocus. Other things I love to read: Sark, Desiderata, and Domino. Seriously, the combo is a killer motivational cocktail.

Another way to combat the "new business blues" is to surround yourself with those that share your passion and network, network, network. Your setting yourself up for success both financially and mentally if you can achieve these two things. The work/life balance is a little different when it's your own business - but remember your in charge and it's up to you to make it happen. The reward and satisfaction of that should far outweigh the obstacles you face. Even challenges are rewarding when you remember that you are doing what you want to do!

Final notes from Tami:

P.S. Please stop by our website at TamTamDesign and sign up for our mailing list in the top right corner of the home page, as well as check out the latest and greatest happening at TamTam on Our Studio Blog.

Now is the perfect time to stop by and check out our great Christmas and Holiday Designs - we sell them in set's of six that come in a cute ribbon tied wallet! What's more is that we are also available for all of your custom invitation design needs, babies, weddings, holiday soiree's - you name it! Feel free to email Tami directly, click here to email with any comment or needs!

We would love to hear from you!

P.S.S. A special thanks to Sarah and Chic Gems - for your support, kindness, and

encouragement since TamTam began!

xoxo, tam

All the very best!

Sarah Radford

Designer

Chic Gems, etc.

Designer Jewelry for Professional Women

Meet Allyson from Bess and Loie, Being an Entrepreneur is her Bag. Review by Sarah Radford, Chic Gems, etc.

(A view of the beatuiful Bess & Loie Boutique)

I had the chance to meet Allyson Holleb, a charming Entrepreneur, over one year ago.

Since then I stop by to see the latest bags anytime I am in the area.

You will find my line, Chic Gems, etc. sold there at certain special occasions.

What could be better than handbags and jewelry?

You can count on a relaxing experience at Bess & Loie. Ally is the absolute best hostess. She has all sorts of snacks and cushy chairs to watch tv. You almost forget that you're in a store.

It is simply a nice experience to shop at Bess & Loie. No high pressured sales people here-it's delightful and anyone visting Chicago should come see for themselves.

The store is named after Allyson's grandmothers, Bess and Loie.

A little bit about this Entrepreneur-

Allyson grew up in Chicago, went to Paris for her junior year of college (at UW Madison), and moved to NYC (She needed a City!) after college.

So what did she do in NYC?

Allyson worked as an event planner and then changed her focus, where she became a part of the retail buying team at Eileen Fisher, buying for the Eileen Fisher retail stores.

"I was there for four years, learned a ton about the industry, as I worked with all aspects of the business.... design, merchandising, warehouse, factory, etc. And then I decided to come back home to Chicago and open the shop."

What inspired you to start a business of owning a handbag boutique?

"While living in New York, I spent most of my shopping time searching for bags that were different, not your typical "labels", and that didn't cost me a complete arm and a leg. When I decided to move back to Chicago, it was to open a store focusing on these amazing, independent designers, whose work, I felt, was not being showcased yet in Chicago.

What challenges have you faced?

"Being an entrepreneur means that you're having to take care of every single aspect of your business, from cleaning the windows and floors to determining the product assortment to marketing the business to making sure that there's enough toilet paper in the bathroom. It's really been a learning experience. Also, just getting the business' name out and driving traffic into my boutique, which is definitely in a location that's a destination.

How are you overcoming those challenges?

" Just keep on working, and not letting the enormity of everything get me down. And taking the little victories and really enjoying them- helping a customer find the exact right handbag or piece of jewelry, and seeing how happy that it can make someone- it means that I've done my job. And all of the amazing people who I've met along the way."

A final note from Allyson
Bess & Loie is packed with beautiful bags, and I’ve tried to make it an inviting place where customers feel welcome and relaxed. On any given day, you’re likely to find people hanging out on the comfy chairs, kicking back with a glass of wine, some chocolate and licorice, watching a Bears game or an old episode of Beverly Hills, 90210.

So that's her bag. Shop in the store or online.

All the very best!

Sarah Radford

Designer

Chic Gems, etc.

Designer Jewelry for Professional Women

Sugar Bliss Cakes are out of this World! A Review by Sarah Radford, Chic Gems, etc.

I had the pleasure of meeting Teresa Ging of Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique.

She has an amazing story. She tossed the big salary in Corporate America and struck out on her own. I have had several of her cupcakes, (well maybe a lot of her cupcakes)

and they are top notch!

From Banker to Baker...

Teresa graduated from University of Chicago, Bachelors of Arts in Economics and Statistics.

You ask, what encouraged her to open this business? I have always wanted to start my own business and have always been an entrepreneur. While I was in finance and working in Downtown Chicago Loop, there was no place to purchase a cupcake or birthday cake. With so many businesses, hotels, tourist attractions nearby, I felt that there was a need to open a cake shop. In late 2006, I decided to leave 6 years of finance to attend Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie Program in Paris, then in October 2007, I launched the catering and delivery side of the business and this year we I will open our first retail location in the Downtown Chicago Loop in December 2008!

You're dying to know, how did she come up with the name Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique? I really liked the two words “Sugar” and “Bliss” and since we are a premium cake/cupcake shop, I decided to name the company Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique.

So what does a typical day look like for you? In the morning we are baking all the cupcakes for that days order; we bake every cupcake fresh each day. Once the cupcakes are baked we let them cool and then frost each cupcake with our signature blossom design and top the cupcake with our signature dot. Then they are ready to be packaged into our custom boxes. Once the orders are completed they are ready to be delivered to our customers and are picked up from the courier. In the afternoon we are planning the next day of cupcake orders and preparing cake batters and frostings.

Teresa caters to Corporate, hotels, event/wedding planners, catering companies

You're wondering what bakery products does she make? We have over 20 flavors of regular and mini cupcakes, breakfast cupcakes (which are fruit muffins), frosting shots, and cakes. We also sell beverages such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, bottled water, juice, and milk.

How many different kinds of cupcakes does she sell? We have over 20 flavors on our menu and additional seasonal flavors throughout the year.
Minis are $1.25 and Regular Size are $3.25

So, what kind of ingredients do you use in your cupcakes? We use the highest quality, natural ingredients, such as European Cocoa, Nielsen Massey pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, and real fruits. Our extra moist cupcakes are decorated with our signature Sugar Bliss bloom, a rich and creamy frosting topped with our signature dot. We do not add preservatives or use corn syrup or shortening and all of our cupcakes are made from scratch (no cake mixes) and are baked fresh each day.

Who is Teresa's inspiration? My parents, they always supported and encouraged me in whatever I did and inspired me to pursue my dreams, which was owning

my own business one day.

Congrats Teresa on your great success in only 1 year! I can't wait to see the Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique in the Chicago Loop. Keep up the good work!

All the very best,

Sarah Radford

Designer

Chic Gems, etc.

Designer Jewelry for the Professional Woman

Chic Gems, etc. is participating in "Designs for Count Me In" from SHEFINDS-20% of Sales from Our Pearl Necklace will be Donated!

Check out Count Me In!

Chic Gems, etc. is pleased to support Count Me In!

Count Me In promotes the growth of women owned businesses and is the leading national not for profit provider of online business loans, resources, and community for women entrepreneurs. Beginning in September and continuing through Jan 1st, SheFinds will feature original accessories by independent designers. A portion of each sale will go to Count Me In. With each purchase, you are contributing to the development of women in business.

Chic Gems, etc. is pleased to donate 20% of all sales of our Pearl Necklaces.

Choose from Lilac, Smoke, Oyster, and Bronze.

Click here to purchase!

From now until January 1, 2009 you can shop

Chic Gems, etc. Jewelry to support Count Me In.

All the very best!

Sarah Radford

Designer

Chic Gems, etc.

Designer Jewelry for the Professional Woman