Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Corrie O’Neill. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Corrie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
When I originally decided to start my own company, I named it C.O. & Co. Events.; “C.O.” being my initials. As I continued to build relationships with event planners and vendors in the industry I found that many thought that I myself was an event planner due to the name. So I decided it was time to rebrand and change it up! ‘Sadie Bean Designs’ ended up being a no-brainer. It’s named after my daughter, Sadie. She has many nicknames as well but the main one being Bean deriving from her middle name, Bernice. Bernice was my late grandmother who meant the world to me! These two names have such meaning to me and I felt they were the perfect mix of elegance and a little playful charm. When I started my calligraphy journey, I knew I wanted my business to feel personal, warm, and full of love. What better way to do that than by naming it after two of my favorite people? Sadie represents creativity and joy, while Bean adds that little extra spark of personality – which also happens to describe my daughter to a tee.
Plus, I felt ‘Sadie Bean’ sounded like a brand that is classic & memorable – just like the work I create for my clients.
Corrie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
So I am Corrie & I am the creative force behind Sadie Bean Designs! I specialize in luxury calligraphy & engraving for weddings and brand activations. I am based on Long Island but service Connecticut and New York as well! I work with couples, wedding planners, and brands to bring their visions to life with elegant, customized details that make a lasting impression. For weddings, I take care of all the stunning details—hand calligraphy envelopes, seating charts, welcome signs, menus, place cards – you name, we can create it. For brands; I provide live calligraphy and engraving that turns an ordinary product into a luxury rememberable experience. Think fragrance bottles, leather goods, wine bottles – again, the options can be endless!
My journey into calligraphy wasn’t exactly planned—it was more of a happy accident. I’ve always had an affinity for handwriting and organization so when I got engaged myself I knew I wanted to create specific details for my wedding. I decided to take a calligraphy class so I could learn how to address my invitations. From that point on, I fell in love with the process and art of calligraphy. What started as a personal passion and hobby quickly grew into this business. Family and friends continued to ask me to create items for their weddings and I truly loved being able to continue and grow this ‘hobby’ and now here we are!
At Sadie Bean Designs, I focus on creating a stress-free, seamless experience for my clients. Whether it’s wedding signage, custom stationery, or live on-site engraving for luxury brands, my goal is to take the pressure off my clients and handle every detail with care. I know how overwhelming planning a wedding or event can be, so I make the process smooth and enjoyable—because let’s be real, no one needs more stress when planning a big event!
I believe what sets me apart is the experience I provide. I don’t just create beautiful calligraphy; I create a journey where my clients feel heard, understood, and taken care of from start to finish. I love translating someone’s vision into something tangible and meaningful. With the live engraving and calligraphy activations; an extra layer of personalization is introduced that people absolutely love—it’s an interactive, luxurious touch that makes brands and events unforgettable.
One of my proudest moments would be when I decided to take the leap to take Sadie Bean Designs full-time. I had been part of corporate America for fifteen years when one day I was let go from my corporate job out of nowhere. I did not know anything outside of the 9-5, needing to request PTO, steady paycheck world; so when this happened I was in a little bit of shock and quite scared of what was to come. Taking Sadie Bean Designs full time was a big, scary step, but if there was ever a time to try it was then. Now, every time a client tells me how much they love their signage, how their guests were wowed by the live engraving, or raves about the process I know I made the right choice!
I love what I do & I take great pride in every part of it. It might sound cliche, but I am so honored that I get to do what I do for a living!
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
Sadie Bean Designs started as a hobby that I took up after getting engaged myself and then slowly but surely started to turn into a side hustle. As noted previously, when I got engaged I knew I wanted to create details for my own wedding which led to me taking my first calligraphy class. I ended up addressing our invitations, creating our seating chart, table numbers, and place cards! Our wedding actually ended up getting featured in an anniversary issue of DIY Weddings Magazine! Before I knew it friends and family and their friends were inquiring with me; asking me to create details for their weddings and events. At first, I was juggling all of this alongside my full-time job, working late nights and weekends to complete orders. Soon I realized this wasn’t just a hobby anymore—it was turning into a real business. Many friends and family kept saying that this is what I should do for a living but I was never brave enough to take the leap.
I graduated college with a degree in Psychology thinking I would take the route of becoming a therapist. Fast forward 15 years working in the financial industry, I was let go from a role I held for over eight years. I was shocked to say the least. It was then that I heard all the voices in my head of friends and family and even myself; that this was the time to take this side hustle full-time. I think this was the true turning point of my mindset and the direction my business took.
From there, I dove all in. All of the sudden the pressure of what this meant started to settle in and I knew I needed to kick this into gear. I started to go to networking events (which scared the heck out of me), I started to build relationships with vendors in the wedding industry, I enhanced my website and started to truly build my portfolio. Slowly but surely, people started to trust me to take on jobs. I participated in styled shoots in order to meet more folks in the industry and to create new designs. Eventually I invested in business classes and coaches! Learning from people who have been in your shoes before is truly invaluable. Recently I have been working on improving my client experience and the backend of my business. There is never a point where I am not learning or trying to improve my skills or my process.
I never thought I would be a successful business owner but I am so proud of how far I have built this side hustle and the future of the business.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Building my audience on social media wasn’t an overnight thing and I still have a lot of growing to do! It took consistency, and eventually a strategy, and of course a whole lot of trial and error.
Instagram is the main social media platform that I utilize in my business. I sprinkle in a little TikTok and Facebook as well; but I feel the true connections are built on Instagram. I will say, that I used to think the amount of followers was the most important thing when it came to getting clients and my name out there. I would see vendors with 10k+ followers and truly wonder how they got there. I still am not close to that – but I also know that just because they are a follower does not mean they will be a client so I try not to place as much importance on that number anymore.
When I first started Sadie Bean Designs, I treated Instagram like a digital portfolio, just posting pictures of my work without much thought. I quickly realized that social media isn’t just about showing your work—it’s about connecting with people. That’s when everything changed.
I started focusing on content that spoke directly to my ideal clients—engaged couples, wedding planners, and luxury brands that would benefit from my specific services. Instead of just posting pretty photos with a meaningless caption, I shared behind-the-scenes glimpses, tips on wedding signage, and the ‘why’ behind what I do. I also made sure my personality came through so people could connect with me, not just my work.
I think on of the biggest game changes has been showing up consistently. Even when it felt like no one was watching, I kept posting, engaging, and refining my content. I leveraged what Instagram had to offer to bring my audience into my world—whether it was a time-lapse of me engraving a perfume bottle or sharing wedding signage tips. I was also so scared to show my face – for quite some time! I put it off and made excuses but eventually I slowly started to show my face whether in a behind the scenes reel or a quick story and it all of the sudden became very easy!
If I were to offer advice for anyone starting up, I would say know who you’re talking to. If you try to reach everyone, you’ll connect with no one. Speak directly to your ideal audience and their needs. Be consistent. Even if you don’t see instant results, keep going. Social media rewards those who show up regularly. Engagement is important. Don’t just post and ghost! Comment, DM, and build genuine relationships.
Show yourself! People connect with people, not just products. Share your story, your process, and what makes your work special.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sadiebean.com
- Instagram: @sadiebeandesigns
- Facebook: Sadie Bean Designs
- Linkedin: Corrie O’Neill
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sadie-bean-designs-brightwaters?osq=Sadie+bean+designs&override_cta=Get+pricing
Image Credits
Headshots: Katherine Nunez Photography Engraving Photo: Brooke Walsh Photography Welcome Sign: Par la Mer Photography Envelope: Vanessa Yen Photography Hanging Tags: Isabelle Stowik Photography Mirror Seating Chart: Jill Sahner Bells: Sabrina Licata Photography