We were lucky to catch up with Tiffany Erskine recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tiffany thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

The letters in TREE are my initials, Tiffany Rochelle Elliott Erskine. In a way this was me building my confidence and a sense of pride in every design/product I create. So, that my customers know that their design was custom created and made by me with love and passion.

Tiffany , 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?

This journey really began as a passionate hobby. I loved DIY projects and decor. I began by party planning and creating custom shirts for my daughter and close family members. Soon, I increased my confidence and began offering my services to friends. Shortly thereafter, I took a leap of faith and went back to school to pursue a degree in interior design. This has been a passion of mine from a young age but I never thought it could be my career. Going to school and learning from interior designers and architects helped me see that I could make this dream a reality! After graduating, I gained experience through working at a flooring company as a design consultant. Here I was able to hone my design skills and gain experience working with different types of people and situations. I also began offering my designs to coworkers who supported me and my vision. After receiving encouragement and attending expos, Designed By TREE was born. Designed By TREE offers Custom t-shirts and decor, Interior Design consultations, and Event planning. All of which bring me joy in creating them and providing them to my clients. Designed By TREE is a business focused on service. I truly believe we are meant to help others in any way possible. Through my business I am able to help others create something beautiful when they aren’t able to fully paint the picture as well as helping those in need by donating portions of profits made to my non-profit, The BEE Effect. I think this is what sets me apart from others in the industry. I have previously struggled with being confident in my skills and capabilities and so my mission is to help others showcase their personalities and build confidence in their own creativity.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist/creative is getting the opportunity to inspire people, especially my children. It takes a lot of courage to be an artist and even more so to make it your career and share your creativity with the world. I know that by pushing myself to pursue my own business in design, I will be able to encourage my children to dream big and to not be afraid to go after those dreams. I hope that I am doing the same thing for others in my community.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I think most of us have a moment in time where they have to pivot from their current plan or current lifestyle. Mine happened in 2018. I was let go from my stable, corporate job. In a sense it was a blessing because I was miserable working there. However, it really threw my family for a loop. During this hiatus from being a working wife and mother, I took time to focus on myself, my mental health, and my non-profit organizations. I later found out I was pregnant! This threw a major curve ball in our situation. Not only did I not have a stable income, but I had no sure plan of how my little family of 3 would be prepared for a 4th family member in our small apartment. Thankfully God blessed my husband with a better paying job, and I was able to stay home with our new bundle of joy for a while. All of this helped me to be open to the idea that I could pursue my passion in design. That there was an actual pathway for me to change directions and chase my dream of being a real-life Interior Designer. I could have my own business! Though it wasn’t easy, and the trial was scary at times it helped prepare me for the good and the blessings that God had intended for me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @designedbytree22
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-elliott-erskine/
• Other: [email protected]