We were lucky to catch up with Gianne Presa recently and have shared our conversation below.
Gianne, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
Whatever your definition of success looks like, to become successful, I believe you need to have a strong sense of self, know when to say no and to always keep learning. On top of talent and perseverance, having a strong sense of self is vital to becoming successful – and maintaining your success. The things that make you, you – your personality and quirks, likes and dislikes, beliefs, morals, strengths and abilities, and things that motivate you all contribute to your self-image and identity. A strong sense of self allows you to accommodate the ebb and flow of business and life in general; you’ll be rooted and grounded to overcome any storm.
Even when your self-confidence takes a blow or you’re trying to push through imposter syndrome, you’ll still be able to shut out unnecessary external influences that may attempt to sway you off course. Believing and loving your true self is impactful because you are more equipped to handle challenges, have the ability to pivot when necessary and most importantly – you know when to say NO to things that will not serve you, your purpose or your journey. To maintain your sense of self and continue to cultivate self-awareness and self-confidence, you must also continue to learn, grow and evolve.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
My name is Gianne and I was born and raised in Southeast San Diego, California. My love for all things DIY began in childhood. For me, creating is a form of self-expression and self-care. It’s an outlet for me to relieve the stressors from my demanding career as a Registered Nurse.
My mission with GIANNECREATIONS is to create luxe and unique goods while embracing the creative process with clients. I specialize in personalized handcrafted gifts and décor ranging from my own calligraphy/hand lettering on different media, jewelry, home goods, party décor and favors, acrylic signage – a little bit of everything for any celebration. Everything is truly handcrafted with love including the little details, handwritten notes and level of personalization.
Select GIANNECREATIONS products are sold locally in various San Diego shops and boutiques and are also available to be shipped domestically and internationally via Etsy and Instagram. I also welcome custom inquiries and freelance projects.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
For me, word of mouth is everything. I have often times reached out to other small business owners, creatives and like-minded individuals that have resulted in referrals and the chain continued from there. As an entrepreneur/business owner, you learn that you need to know your market and target audience. You do – but I think you should occasionally challenge that. To grow clientele – you have to risk, put yourself out there yet still be authentic and true to yourself. I’ve experimented by trying different sales avenues – consignments, online sales, markets, pop-up events in different locations with new audiences. This is where having a true sense of self flourishes. You can still find the right client in places you didn’t think you needed to look.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Being able to transform an idea from concept to an actual physical product is such a process that you pour your heart, soul and energy into. Even though you risk being misunderstood, heartbroken or worry about not having any sales, creatives still enjoy the process. I enjoy the process because creation is art… it’s a language of expression. When you create something that elicits joy or a positive reaction when you share it with others, it’s the best compliment. It’s the feeling of being profoundly understood that makes all past failures worth overcoming. Because you pour so much of yourself in the creative process, sometimes you need a vacation from it too. When a creative is burnt out or is having creative block, they need to recuperate and recharge just like an extroverted introvert who attended a social event. I personally have to be in the right mood to create and have occasionally said no to projects for two reasons – 1) I won’t enjoy the creative process and 2) I won’t be able to create a quality product. Now knowing this, I hope non-creatives understand why creatives set prices for their craft/services/products the way they do – it’s a culmination of a creative who knows their worth, who knows it took years to develop their skills. It’s the process from concept to market and allowing someone to purchase a small part of their heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://poplme.co/
giannecreations - Instagram: @GIANNECREATIONS
- Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/giannecreations. fb/ - Other: GIANNECREATIONS.ETSY.
COM
Image Credits
SQVLINA MEDIA, SANDRA YVETTE PHOTOGRAPHY