Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Burgess.
Kristin, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was working in visual merchandizing for an independently owned art gallery when the business went up for sale. It wasn’t the right time for me to purchase it, as I had hoped, so I found myself in a part-time position using my English/journalism background, writing about weddings. I had always wanted to start my own business and it occurred to me, while planning my own wedding, that event design is essentially merchandising someone’s love story. So using my creative art background/visual merchandising experience combined with my new found knowledge about weddings, I launched By Emily B.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
In some ways it has been easier than I would have imagined but in other ways it can be very difficult. I would say the hardest part has been finding a balance between work and life. I saw something the other day that said “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,” except “never work a day in your life” was crossed out and it said “kinda work all the time” instead. “Do what you love and you’ll kinda work all the time.” And it’s true. In the current landscape, with technology always at our finger tips, people know they can always reach you. If you own your own business and do what you love, then you are basically always working. And that can be a struggle. I have a hard time setting work aside to truly give myself a break.
Please tell us about By Emily B.
By Emily B. is a New England and Caribbean-based boutique design collective. We specialize in event, brand, and life styling with unique and personalized creative direction. Whether it’s a wedding, business, an editorial shoot, or an interior, we help build and execute the vision, telling your story through the details. I am proud of the ways in which we’ve been recognized for not only what we do creatively, but how hard we work. We are always willing to go above and beyond for the client to deliver what we believe is the product they deserve. All of my work comes from my heart and our clients see that, we are respected for that, and that makes me proud.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I may have chosen a different name for the business since everyone calls me Emily. We are named for Emily Bronte because Wuthering Heights is my favorite love story, I put the “By” on the front because of my love of literature, just like a novel is written “by” an author. But now everyone assumes my name is Emily!
I would also have quite my second job, which I now love too much to leave! Working part time for Hawthorn Creative and running my business can be very overwhelming most of the time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.byemilyb.com
- Phone: 603-969-4011
- Email: kristin@byemilyb.com
- Instagram: byemilyb
- Facebook: facebook.com/byemilyb
Image Credit:
First four images: © Lindsay Vann Photography
Last four images: © Rodeo and Co. Photography
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