Tell us about yourself:
Hi! I’m Kristin and I own Miss Design Berry @missdesignberry - and @shopkikiandmax.
I have lived in NYC for the past 9 years but when COVID hit, my husband, son and I moved out to Long Island, where we have been for the last year. And now we just bought a new home in Scarsdale, NY where we will start our next chapter in June!
I have a 2 year old son, Maximus, and a beagle, Brie. They are BFFs and you can see them in action together on our family brand account - @shopkikiandmax.
Tell us more about your business and what (or who) inspired you to become an entrepreneur? (ie. life changing event, mompreneur, the pandemic?)
I started Miss design Berry as a side hustle 10 years ago! Kiki and Max launched last year. My mom is an entrepreneur and both of my sisters are as well!
@missdesignberry sells custom illustrated artwork for couples getting married, as well as other special events and gifts. Our most popular products are our custom portrait guest book alternatives, signature cocktail signs, and custom pet portrait wood signs.
@shopkikiandmax also sells custom illustrated art, but for kids and families. Some of our most popular products are our Dog ABC prints and custom pet portrait wood signs.
How did you come to learn what you do? (self-taught, education, classes, books, mentors etc.)
I went to school for graphic design, and I’m self taught on all the business stuff! Worked with a coach for 18 months and have had a lot of help from mentors and friends.
What has been the most rewarding phase of your career / entrepreneurship? (ie. sold out stock, testimonials, IG following?)
My husband and I were able to buy a home in the Hamptons because of my income from my businesses. Jump forward 4 years and this house is where we live full time because of Covid… Truly amazing. And now we are starting a new chapter beginning in June in Scarsdale, NY.
What is the most challenging part about being an entrepreneur? (ie. time management, asking for help, juggling life, paying the bills?)
Always feeling like I’m out of time! And now I have a toddler, and also coach other entrepreneurs, and time management is a skill I have to constantly work on!
What do you do for inspiration? Do you ever hit creative roadblocks and how do you overcome them?
Take online classes and browse Pinterest. I do get stuck or unmotivated sometimes and I just have to step away and focus on a home project or have fun with my son for a while. Clarity often comes when we learn to take a step back.
What’s the secret to your success (personally/professionally/spiritually)?
Resilience. That’s honestly so much of it. Not giving up. It’s been a roller coaster - sales dropped over 50% last year because we are a wedding business during COVID. But, here we are. Still strong and ready to fight another day.
What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs just starting out? Do you have any tips or tricks you learned along the way that you’d like to share?
Ohhhh so many.
- Just do it and get started already.
- Don’t strive for perfection at first. Strive for just getting your idea or product out there in the world. You will perfect it as time goes on.
- As soon as you can, learn to prioritize. Then as you grow, learn to hire help and delegate. It’s really the only way to grow.
What do you think the #girlboss / creative female community needs right now?
Right now there is a lot of “look at my amazing business you could have this too” and i think it’s too unrealistic. We need to show the struggle, the ups and downs, and the fact that the “trick” is hard work and persistence.
What are you working on now and what’s in store for your business this year? Or do you have anything extra you want to share with us - business or personal related?
We are doing a social strategy overhaul this spring. We are working with an IG strategist, Pinterest strategist, tik tok coach, email strategist, and a blog expert. We have new products launching on both of our shops, I will be offering some new coaching and group coaching packages, and I am trying to learn how to use tik tok as a 33 year old so thats the real challenge for me...
