The Tin Shingle Blog

I knew of Stacy Igel's brand before I knew of entrepreneur & fashion designer Stacy Igel herself...The Boy Meets Girl logo is a catchy one, and has secured itself a spot not only into my memory but my closet.  That said, we connected this past year and realized we're from the same area and know a lot of the same people, as one often finds in the entrepreneurial community.  

In case you're not familiar with Boy Meets Girl or Stacy yet, let me fill ya in....

Abby Gardner, Director of MarieClaire.com, writer for Fashionista.com, and more describes Stacy Igel as “a force of nature and one whose talent and drive I admire tremendously. What I love so much about Stacy is that, despite all her success, she's not afraid to get her hands dirty – in the course of a single day she’ll take on the role of accountant, salesgirl, PR guru, merchandiser, company psychiatrist and -- of course -- designer...." (Sound familiar entrepreneurs?)

A fashion designer by trade Stacy is one of today’s leading trendsetters. Always destined to be a fashion designer; by the age of four she was outfitting her classmates and staging fashion shows. She grew up surrounding herself with great fashion and design and soon began working closely with iconic mega-brands such as Izod, Elie Tahari, Zandra Rhodes and Elsa Klensch. Doing this, like many small business owners, she became aware of a need.  For her it was the need for an edgy yet wearable, stylish yet casually classic brand in the young contemporary marketplace. Boy Meets Girl ® was born.

Since then, Boy Meets Girl®  has been seen everywhere from Teen Vogue to WWD on everyone from Gossip Girl to Anne Hathaway and is featured on the racks of countless specialty and department stores worldwide including Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, Saks and Fred Segal. 

Today, Stacy is the Founder/Creative Director and Chief Brand Ambassador of Boy Meets Girl®. Projects currently in development include hosting a web series sponsored by Lockerz.com called “Behind the Seams with Stacy Igel” and a reality series. Amidst all that it remains extremely important for Stacy to give back.  She's passionate this month (October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month) to honor the legacy of her friend Kristen Martinez who past away last year from breast cancer and has created a special t-shirt that gives back to the Young Survival Coalition.

So how does she stay motivated to do all of this?  We suggest letting her playlist do the talking as she takes to the turn tables.  Fun Fact?  Stacy's actual DJ name is DJ Daisy Deesh.

(catch up with Stacy on Twitter HERE & HERE)

PLAYLIST OF STACY IGEL, BOY MEETS GIRL

1. No One > Alicia Keyes

I listen to this song on repeat in the office/subway. It motivates me to keep moving and everything will be alright!

2. Zona Mona > Bela Flek

I do a lot of design work to this song. It gets me in the groove and my creative juices rolling. I listen to a lot of songs while designing but this is one that has taken me from college to now.

3. Strip Me > Natasha Bedingfield

Natasha and I met last Feb. I had always been a Natasha music fan and when I heard this song I felt the journey that she sings about here. I listen to this song when I run in the park. It is about the journey of building as an artist. I was fortunate to have Natasha perform at my last February show. She is a true artist!

4. Helena Beat > Foster the People

When putting together a playlist for my runway shows or presentations for NYFW I go thru 1000 of artists I either want to collaborate with or feature in the run of the show. I discovered Foster the People last year before the world knew who they were and used this song in my Feb. show. I am obsessed with this band and so proud of their success. I play them on repeat in the office.

5. Animal > Neon Trees

I love Neon Trees. Their music gets me up and out. Great getting ready music. I also was fortunate to have Neon Trees perform at my last Sept. NYFW show. They performed this song acoustic and it was right before they exploded. I love being part of an artists rise. I remember everyone asking me "Who is Neon Trees" and now everyone is like OMG Neon Trees. The power of the radio and media - amazing!

6. If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out > Cat Stevens

You can ask my best girl friends to verify this but I think I have had this song on repeat for 20 years. One of my favorite movies is Harold and Maude and the whole playlist is of Cat Stevens. This song is just pure inspiring. I am a old soul at heart.

7. Coming Home > Diddy/Dirty Money

Another song I workout to.

8. Alive > Pearl Jam

My favorite band from growing up. Cannot believe it is there 20th anniversary along with Nirvana’s - crazy!

9. Rolling in the Deep > Adele

I think this is on everyone’s playlist!

10. Lights > Eli Goulding

I heard Eli over the summer and fell in love with her.

11. Seaside > The Kooks

Subway Special.

12. 4ever-The Veronicas

Last but not least the Veronicas performed at my NYFW presentation this past Sept.11th.

* Author's note:  Ten minutes was my estimate as to how long it will take to read this article....You might even give better tweet in LESS time if you're a speedy reader!  Exciting!

Twitter is an awesome and powerful "tool" in your entrepreneurial tool belt, and unless you've been living under a rock or on a self-imposed break from the information world for the past five or so years, you know this.  On nearly a daily basis I get a large majority of my information (breaking news, trends, scoop on what competition is doing, scoop on what my media contacts are up to, and more) via Twitter.  I form relationships about 3x faster with key media targets there, and the community itself is a powerful place to create and grow relationships with contacts whether they be in the media, potential co-branding partners, others in your field, stylists, celebrities - you name it!  Twitter broke down the physical and metaphorical walls that separated a lot of us and the space has become a powerful place for even the "littlest guy" to grow his or her brand.

That said, you'd think that when some people are asked to tweet you were asking them what they want engraved on their tombstone! The overthinking and "analysis paralysis" that goes on is astounding.  They worry so much about HOW to use Twitter in order to make the right impact that they don't use Twitter at all, meaning they make NO impact.

I know some of you reading this know the power of Twitter, but for those of you who may need a friendly nudge over to the Twitter-stream and inspiration to dip your electronic toe in it, I give you some easy ways to instantly get better at Twitter!  Even better, they are based on social skills you already have (here's hoping) and use regulalry at social gatherings.  That means that if you can make friends, you can make followers, so let's get down to business!

PRETEND YOU ARE AT A PARTY, HOW WOULD YOU CONVERSE WITH PEOPLE ?

Remember that Twitter is a conversation, just one that you're having online.  If I went to a party and kept saying "Hi I'm Sabina I'm from Tin Shingle come look at my website" or "Let me tell you more about ME" I can promise you my broken record routine and self-centered talk  about what I am up to would get old.  People would get bored with me and my conversation.  Sure people want to know what I'm up to but they want more.  They want to have conversations, have you contribute useful and interesting facts, anecdotes, replies to their comments, support for their statements and more.  If you use social media spaces to have a one-sided conversation you're going to be as popular as a party guest who only has one-sided conversations...which is not very. 

SO, BE A GOOD PARTY GUEST & ASK QUESTIONS, CONVERSE WELL....

This means that when you are on Twitter you should do one of the most powerful things you can do on Facebook & Twitter in terms of engaging your current and potential followers - ask them questions!  What a great way to generate discussions amongst your followers and get to know them a little better.  Now, this doesn't mean ask them what they had for dinner necessarily (unless this has to do with your brand) but try to keep questions within the framework of what you as an expert or you as a company/brand do....

For instance, if you're a DJ, you may ask them what their favorite music to unwind on the weekend is, or what their all time favorite album is.  If you're a chef you may want to ask if anyone knows what the origin of a certain dish is, or what seasonal vegetables they are including in their dishes lately.  At Tin Shingle, we ask our members and social media followers questions about how they work, what they are working on, business programs they use on their computers, how they stay organized....etc....etc...We ask them questions nearly daily and we get responses nearly as much.  People like to share, and we like to hear!  That is how a social media conversation is succesful!

So what if they don't respond, you ask?  SO WHAT?  Not every question gets a response, that doesn't mean you stop asking!  The system of asking questions on Facebook & Twitter is a proven way to engage your followers, and doesn't take too much time once you get the swing of it!  Still not sold?  When you are going to gatherings/parties/events this coming weekend or any engaging in any conversation with a friend or loved one this weekend try not asking them any questions.  Try just talking about yourself and see how far you get without feeling awkward.  It's just as useless to have one-sided conversations in the social media world.  After all - the key word is SOCIAL - so be social!

SHARE PHOTOS! 

You know how people love to whip out their phones and share pictures of their babies, friends, dogs, cool things they spotted when out and about, etc. when they are at parties?  People love to look at images when they are on social media! Again, it's important that you try to keep these images within the framework of what you are trying to accomplish.   If it's a personal Twitter and you're just trying to grow your own popularity/expert status/personal brand, sure it may be appropriate to share a photo of your shoes/dinner/view/dog/funny face.  If you are a designer maybe you want to share a photo of your jewelry making process or a new piece that you are revealing for the first time on Twitter. 

I'm a firm believer that people are more engaged and loyal to brands that they feel connected to, and pictures are a great way to reveal a more personal side of your brand or yourself!  A picture really can speak a thousand words!  They are also just more interesting! 

There are several places & programs you can upload photos to Twitter with, I personally use TwitPic OR at times I make it even easier by housing UberTwitter on my  blackberry and immediately uploading photos  after I take them on my cell phone if I think are a good match for my feed.  You can also set up a system that allows you to email photos to your Facebook fan page as well, using the subject line as the heading.  These make your feeds interesting and are proven to generate FIFTY PERCENT MORE IMPRESSIONS than posts without photos!  Once again, as with party etiquette guidelines, don't over-do it and don't share things you suspect your followers would have no interest in.... It's one thing to share a few photos of your tradeshow, it's another thing to post 50 play-by-play images of the set up that will simply clog your followers feeds.  Be picky and discerning the same way you would be when you were showing a friend your photos.

Finally, remember that once something is posted online it's ONLINE FOREVER.  Even if you delete a tweet or pic from your Twitter feed it's most likely floating out there somewhere in the Internet Universe, and in the blink of an eye a Tweet can be retweeted, re-posted and seen by thousands, so be careful and controlled when posting - especially if you are posting for your brand!

Use People's Names (Twitter Handles) when Talking (Nicely) about Them!  People love hearing their names, they just do!  They like hearing nice things about themselves as welll!  The same rule applies on Twitter.  A great way to connect quickly with the media/with potential partners/friends/interview subjects/celebrities is by making a statement on Twitter about them (a positive one of course) and using their Twitter handle in the process. 

Example:
I love the way @kjpixelated teaches her Tweetworking Class. She's such a pro & makes Twitter so much less scary!

Example:
I'm super excited about this week's upcoming @FreerangeReads event featuring stories about Peace & War Stories.

As you can see from the two statements above - I was not writing directly to either of those Twitter addrsses but if those statements were on Twitter, the people whose Twitter handles I posted would immediately see me writing about them.  This allows me to slowly connect with them (if we don't know each other), show them I know, acknowledge and like what they are up to, and may even result in a reply or re-tweet!  And THAT is often the start of a beautiful Twitter (and offline) relationship....

I encourage you to think about these party and Twitter tips this weekend and into the next week.  If you're a Twitter newbie try incorporating the concepts into your Tweets in the future, if you're an old pro, make sure you're applying them as well!  Heck if you're at a party be sure you're following the same rules - I bet you'll find new friends on and offline!

Happy tweeting!

Every Monday we share music to get entrepreneurs near and far started on the right foot, selections carefully chosen by our weekly guest "DJ's" who have ranged from editors from Wall Street Journal and Huffington Post to, well, real life DJ's.  This regular blog series has even been cited in the Wall Street Journal!

Have you had a chance to check out all of the past Motivation Mixes?  Be sure you see what gets other small business superstars moving HERE where we've linked to all past mixes.

As our mixes have grown in popularity, so have our request for Guest DJ opportunities.  We're always excited to have new Small Business rock stars on our virtual turntables, and welcome inquiries.  In fact, we're inviting members of Tin Shingle to join us and participate in upcoming Motivation Mix Mondays!

If you're a member of Tin Shingle and would like to be part of an upcoming mix, check your Ongoing PR Leads and follow the directions there.  As with every Mix, we'll not only be sharing a few of your own personal motivation songs, but we'll share who you and your business are with our readers as well!

Until then, keep on working, dancing at your desk and finding ways to stay motivated!

The title alone tells me that everything is going to be alright. I've run three types of businesses, and each of them faced questions that could grow them in big directions, and the question for me always came down to "Is that how I want to run my business?" The Big Enough Company is a new business book out by Adelaide Lancaster and Amy Abrams, co-founders of In Good Company and chief strategists of their own consulting company. I took the train in from "upstate" to NYC (Beacon) to attend their launch party at their beautiful shared workspace location for In Good Company, where I used to work sometimes to get a different atmosphere and mingle with other business owners when I lived in NYC and worked from my apartment.

The book is about how entrepreneurs start their business, and what becomes of that business in terms of how it grows. Sometimes the business grows beyond what the entrepreneur thought, and it becomes something unrecognizable or familiar, and the business owner is working for the business, instead of the other way around. Factor that in, with how women start and run businesses, which is the thread running through this book. The Big Enough Company features interviews with 100 women business owners who share their experiences and insight that will help you as you're growing your business, no matter what stage of growth, and no matter if you're male or female.

Adelaide and Amy set out to explore how successful female business owners have grown their enterprises in a way that sustains their own personal goals and needs, not someone else's standards.  Bo Birlington, editor-at-large of Inc. magazine and author of Small Giants: companies that choose to be great instead of big exclaims: "The Big Enough Company is loaded with invaluable tips, sound advice, hard-earned lessons, inspiring stories, and cautionary tales for women seeking to build a business they will love - and for men who want to know what's missing from traditional approaches to entrepreneurship. In the land of business books, it's a breath of fresh air."

The key phrase in Bo's review is "...for men who want to know what's missing from traditional approaches to entrepreneurship." When I've started my businesses, I've had different men, and women, give me comments that stay branded in my mind. They may not mean to, but it happens. Like this one from a dear uncle: "You're just starting as an entrepreneur. When I was in high school, I was selling candy bars to friends for $.50 and I'd buy them for $.10". Ok - so I didn't think to sell candy to my friends, but that didn't mean I had other thoughts or ideas on what I could sell, or how I'd sell it. In fact, in college, I had a love advice column and sold ad space to local businesses. Today, I continue to write editorial, interview people, and sell ad space, Twitter strategy, website designs, checkbook covers that I designed, etc.

Speaking of support, it was a delight to be - in such good company - of men and women who were there to celebrate the authors and the book. I talked to so many small business owners, and let me tell you - networking with women us *much* different than networking with men. That's a whole other blog post, but men dive in and get to the point and move on, and the women at this party actually came to me for the amazing tourmaline necklace I wore from Gemma Redux, and then we got into work and life and balancing kids with business. My necklace was a chic magnet!

I hunted for water with perfumer Jessica Dunne, founder of Ellie Perfume, and with Sharon A. Thompson, founder of Dream Workshop. Both ladies were fascinating, as I learned that Ellie created her perfume line after being enthralled with her grandmother's perfume collection, and having no background in beauty at all. Sharon is a tutor and educates children to realize their dreams, and how I wish I was in NYC to send Ruby to her! She also has a background in robotics, so bought a circuit board kit just for fun, and works that into some of her projects for kids to experiment with.

Julia Knight spotted my necklace from afar, and I learned about her many businesses, including her consulting business with arbonne. we talked about how SEO could help her arbonne website get above the rest, and how links from Tin Shingle as a pro-member could help that, but also a blog to start drawing traffic. Jessica Silverstein, Esq surprised me with her answer on what she does: writes resumes for attorneys.  Really? There's a market for that? Well sure there is, as resume writing is really hard (as I've recently realized...a person recently asked for mine, and I haven't touched that since...maybe ten years ago?). Watch for a workshop or article from Jessica on how to write a resume as an entrepreneur).

All around great night, and great book. I've ordered mine from Amazon, and you can too!