Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Townsend.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My inspiration was and still is, the feel of living by the sea here on Cape Cod… the colors, the sights, the salt air. My very first product was my Sea Glass Ornaments. I had this huge sea glass collection that I added to over many years and a few spools of silver wire so I just started wrapping the glass with swirls of the wire and gave them away as gifts one year for Christmas. Everyone loved them so much that I decided to try a craft fair the following year in the fall and sold out of them within an hour. I then added soaps and greeting cards to my collection and the business were born. Today, the ornaments have evolved, the card line added to, and many more products added like our new roller perfumes and wrapping paper. I really love pattern and product/package design, which I feel really reflects in my products. I design and create everything in my seaside Studio here in Truro, way out on the tip of the Cape.
I always say that sand, sun and salt water can cure almost everything, that we all have an inner sparkly mermaid and that drinks with tiny, colorful umbrellas always taste better… especially at the beach. And that the beach life, is the best life. This is my philosophy and one that I keep in mind when designing new products. My daughters are also a huge influence for me, beach bums since day one! And I think they believe they are both part mermaid!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not always a smooth journey! I started the business in 2003 as a way to make some extra money while being a stay at home mom. It started out small and grew quicker than I expected. By 2005 I was selling my products to about 250 shops across the US and still handmaking everything myself. There were many late nights and little sleep, but I loved every second of it. In 2010, I went through a divorce which forced me to recreate my life in a way, so I had to dissolve Seaside Designs for a bit while I built my life on my own. It truly saddened me to leave this company that I had literally poured my blood, sweat and tears in to but I knew I would come back to it one day. In 2015, I dipped my toes back in and re-launched. I was welcomed back by many of my old stockists with open arms, but social media had really taken hold during my down years and that was a true eye opener! I was faced with marketing in an entirely new way but this also meant showing much more of my processes and designs to a very large audience, which resulted in many copycats. They say that copying is a form of flattery, which is easy to say by someone who has never been copied! Honestly, though, this only forced me to become more creative and more on top of design trends… to work harder.
My advice for young women starting their journey is to be unique… find your niche and your audience. Do something that hasn’t been done and does it well. You be you and work it! There are thousands of card companies, thousands of soap companies and thousands of home good designers out there, all trying to make a living. I have found this niche of this beach lifestyle brand that creates products for many aspects of living, that evoke a particular feeling for my customers… the feeling of the beach, whether it’s with a particular scent of my perfume or soap or a funny pun on one of my cards. I think women, starting out, need to find their “feeling” and one that will resonate with their customer.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Seaside Designs – what should we know?
I love design… I love taking a doodle or a thought to a finished product. I love seeing and hearing reactions from my customers and hearing how a product of mine has brought back a memory or was “the perfect” gift for a loved one.
My product line has changed a lot over the years, but the core of it, my cards and soaps, have remained top sellers. This year, I added in our new roller perfumes in coordinating scents with our soaps and they have become this whole new, best-selling category for us. I am looking to expand our fragrance line this coming year with home scenting products.
I am most proud of building this brand from nothing other than a feeling. The feeling of beach living. This inspiration, whether it be the colors, scents or images, has been my biggest push in creating my brand.
Which women have inspired you in your life?
My mom has been my number one supporter, inspiration, cheerleader and worker! She is always there to bounce ideas off of, to sleeve cards in the wee hours for a big order, to encourage me when I feel defeated.
My two daughters, who are now 17 and 19, are also a huge inspiration to me. They thought me to play in the sand again, to surf the waves to explore and inhale my surroundings. They both really help with my designs in that they bring a (younger) fresh eye and let me truly know what they think about a new product… which is great! They also are my social media IT department! 🙂
Pricing:
- Products range in price from $5 for our greeting cards to $18 for our perfumes
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.seaside-designs.com
- Phone: 774-383-0803
- Email: ahoy@seaside-designs.com
- Instagram: @seasidedesigns
- Facebook: seasidedesigns
Image Credit:
Rebecca Townsend
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