Featured indieNC Designer: Tamara Galiano Bagnell, Modern Radar
Tell us a little more about your business and how you got started:
When I started Modern Radar about two and a half years ago, I was really thinking of it as more of a hobby. I learned to screen-print while I was in art school in the late 90’s, and started sewing when I was about ten. In my late teens and early twenties I sold hand-sewn screen printed clothing at a vintage store I worked at, but after I was done with school I moved around a lot and it became difficult to keep up with. It wasn’t until my husband and I bought our house in Durham that I had the space to set up a good printing studio. Right before we moved into our new home, I also found out about the online marketplace Etsy, where I could easily sell my designs. I quickly registered with them, although it took me another six months to finally open up shop. I had basically no budget to get started, so it was helpful that my old screen-printing teachers approached the process in a very do-it-yourself way. I was able to take what I learned from them and build my own printing equipment for less than $200.
My first designs were my “hello bird” and “cupcakes” cards (the cupcakes are still my number one seller!). Back then Etsy was much smaller, so I found I got noticed and made sales right away. I quickly expanded to making tote bags and pouches as well. I also started receiving wholesale inquiries from small shops in the U.S. and overseas. Luckily, because I had done some of the buying for a retail shop years before, I already knew a lot about wholesale and was able to say yes right away. Finally, I quit my day job this time last year to see how I would like running Modern Radar full-time.
What projects are you currently working on?
Actually, my biggest project right now is redesigning the Modern Radar website, which is probably not too exciting for anyone but me. One of the things about running a very small business is you end up taking on tangential jobs like web designer (which I luckily enjoy doing also). Other than that, I’ve got one new floral design that I have been experimenting with and should have products ready over the next few weeks. It is mostly a matter of deciding what items I want to make (pillows, bags, etc…?) and testing the colorways. My plan is to have at least one other new design for this spring, although lately I find myself becoming more picky about what I put out there. The design process takes a lot more time when limit my ideas to only the ones I am really enthusiastic about, and sometimes I can have a favorite drawing that won’t lend itself well to screen-printing, so there are those factors to consider too.
What advice do you have for other designers who want to sell their products?
Let’s see, I would advise you start out small and try selling in a few different places, such as sites like Etsy or local designer’s markets, to see what works best for you. That way you can test the response to your products and get the hang of things before making any big investments. Also, if you are new to selling, make sure to find a good book about the business side of being a designer. Knowing how to price your items, keep proper sales records, and good customer service practices are essential to being successful. After selling for a period of time, it will become apparent whether or not your venture might turn into a full-time job. I am going to be honest and say that being a full-time designer can be very difficult at times. While some people launch their products and their business takes off rather quickly, most of us commit to years of patience and perseverance. Sales can fluctuate a lot from season to season, so I’ve definitely learned to live on a tight budget! To help during slow times, I’ve also found that it is good to keep your eyes open for opportunities that might come up, such as selling wholesale or licensing your designs (depending on what you make, of course), contests, etc. These opportunities can help advertise your brand and/ or supplement your income. Regardless of whether designing becomes your full-time job or remains a hobby, it is a great, supportive, growing community to become involved in. Definitely worth all the hard work!
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