[quote style=”boxed”]If you stop being involved you run into a mess later especially if you are in the beginning stages of your business.[/quote]
Entrepreneur Tamara Leuty, has spent over 14 years in the fashion and beauty industry as a photographer. Her love of functionality and her high fashion photography experience led her to develop the Glass Handbag, the first purse with a flexible purse light inside.
Tamara attended Trade School in 1987 following her schooling she then was employed with Toni and Guy Hairdressers which involved Make-up Artistry, Manicurist, and photography for the company.
In 1988 Tamara started her freelance career as a professional stylist and hair and make-up artist for fashion and advertising working with: Avon, JcPenney, Frito Lay, Mary Kay Advertising and Catalogs in Dallas TX and New York City.
But most of all, this woman was afraid of not doing what she really wanted to accomplish with her life – Leave a Legacy for her daughter to be inspired and to express herself in her own individual way.
As the result of Tamara’s tenacity and love for all things beautiful and functional, she used her high fashion photography experience to develop a classy Glass Handbag with an incredibly flexible purse light inside! Nobody before her did anything like that!
Tamara also believes that her personal example of being driven and achieve her goals has a positive influence on her daughter. “I encourage creativity in myself and in my daughter daily! This is the only way to allow your really great ideas to become a reality.”
What are you working on right now?
The Glass Collection clothing line, and men’s bags and briefcases.
Where did the idea for Glass Handbag come from?
The idea of having a light come on inside my purse when I opened it was inspired by my frustration to find what I was looking for in my bag for years.
How do you make money?
Through the website. Small Boutiques and online stores.
What does your typical day look like?
My days are never routine.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I get ideas on a regular every day basis with invention and design and when I keep thinking about a particular idea I have to write it down and draw it, so I can refer back to that idea later. Then I research how to make it materialize.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
I get very excited when I come up with a new trend I do not like to follow trends, I like to create trends, that makes me excited.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
The worst job I ever had was working with a miserable boss at a hotel restaurant, then I learned self-employment was the thing for me.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
Nothing, I learned valuable lessons from past mistakes.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
As an entrepreneur, in my category of business, never keep your eyes off the ball. Being involved in every aspect of your business, production, advertising, accounting, etc. If you stop being involved you run into a mess later especially if you are in the beginning stages of your business.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
Too new to be a failure as of yet.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I have always wished for a fast food place that was based on healthy food that tasted great, affordable and as popular as McDonalds. When you are on the go all the time you tend to compromise and grab anything quick, which in turn makes you unhealthy.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be and how would you go about it?
I would make schools and education a top priority on all fronts of politics. Our future is very dim with the way education is perceived. They do not have school books anymore, so your kid goes online for homework and watches You Tube instead.
Tell us something about you that very few people know?
Cleaning my house calms me.
What are your three favorite online tools or resources and what do you love about them?
Google search, Fashionmag.com, Ebay. I love the information I can get from them.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
“The Rules” it’s about dating, however it teaches you a great tool for everything in life. Stay busy, and don’t wait around for something to fall in your lap.
Three people we should follow on Twitter and why?
Richard Branson, great innovator of new ideas in the luxury business. Karl Lagerfeld, karl.com, a creative renaissance man in every way. That’s all I got right now.
When was the last time you laughed out loud? What caused it?
I laugh constantly, and its usually me laughing at myself or my family.
Who is your hero, and why?
My partner, because he believes in me stands by me.
What is the perfect marketing formula in today’s retail world?
It’s trial and error, there is no such thing, that I know of.
Connect:
Glass Handbag’s Email: [email protected]
Glass Handbag on Facebook:
Glass Handbag on Twitter: @GlassHandbags
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.