Cayetano Legacy Collection: February 2012

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Photoshoot {Behind the Scenes}

Co-founder, Christine, knows how to balance her life between being a full-time nurse and running a business. She was recently interviewed for a feature in "Scrubs" magazine on how she does it all. Be sure to pick up the May issue of Scrubs when it hits the newstands. But in the meantime, here are some behind the scenes photos of Christine looking fabulous whether its in her chic office or in her scrubs.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Tales from an Entrepreneur

Photo Credit: Keri Kaba-Dien of Kabahead Kreations

Gail Cayetano

Co-founder of the Cayetano Legacy Collection

Consultant for ShopTalk LA

We often give you peeks into fashion and the latest trends here on our blog, but behind the scenes we frequently get asked many questions about building our business, and the entrepreneurship element of CLC. So, we wanted to share a piece of that side of us with you. Gail recently spoke at Career Synergy, a professionals group located in Santa Monica. Here are some points from her talk. – Karen

"I was recently invited to speak at a meeting for the professionals group Career Synergy, and I happily agreed. I was first introduced to the group by fellow Boston University graduate, Clare Gillmore, who had nothing but great things to say about how inviting this group was, and how she has benefited from the knowledge that comes out of their discussions– something that doesn’t always stand out when I attend any type of professional gathering (and why I typically don’t make much of an effort to attend many).

I’m always impressed by new business owners; I think it’s tough to be able to stand out there on your own two feet without the comfort of a steady paycheck. Because of that, hearing about other entrepreneurs, freelancers, contractors, etc motivates me. I was in the company of many entrepreneurs at this meeting, and I was happy to share with them points on how to ‘Form Strategic Partnerships That Elevate Your Brand’. Here are a few tidbits I shared with my fellow entrepreneurs:

· Developing partnerships with other companies, brands, individuals, etc will help grow your own business quickly, effectively and legitimately. While you may not necessarily have the credibility of a larger company when you’re first starting out, partnering with one that does can only help your reputation (as long as you do your research on them!). Collaborations will take you far.

· Form a Board/Advisory Committee/ Mastermind Group, enlist Mentors = fill your life with experts in both your industry and in business in general. Not only will they have the experience and knowledge to educate you, but once they’re emotionally connected to your brand, they will be your best brand ambassadors and greatest cheerleaders.

· Offer value to all of these partners in your life (your ‘Life Partners’). Don’t just take and take, squeezing all of their advice and contacts out of them. No one will want to work with you. Instead, offer them value as well, whenever opportunities appear. When you read articles that they may enjoy, email it to them with a short note. If you have this type of cash flow, bring them into your Lakers’ box seats and watch a game together. Or, if you’re like me and that’s not possible, here’s an example of something I did: a friend of mine had authored a children’s book, so I got him to sign a few and I mailed it to people in my life that have children. No matter what the experience is, they’ll appreciate the thought and will continue to think of you as opportunities arise on their end.

· Ping, ping, ping. Or Touch base, touch base, touch base. Reaching out to someone you don’t know but would like to work with is intimidating. Chances are they won’t answer that random blind email that you sent to them. But try to follow up a week later with a quick message checking in to make sure they received your note, and you’ll have an even larger chance of them responding. And then later on, check in a third time, because by now they recognize your name and you have reached the acquaintance mark.

· Be authentic. It’s tough to have a ‘used car salesman’ attitude anymore, thankfully, where the objective is to say whatever needs to be said to make a sale, even if it involves lying. The world’s so transparent nowadays – people can complain about you on Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, etc and in seconds any bad experience can go viral. So when recruiting these Life Partners, be honest in telling them about your business and goals. They’ll appreciate the sincerity as you share this piece of your life with them.

For complete audio of the entire talk, click here. Just kidding. There’s no recording. I’m not that fancy yet."

Gail

Friday, February 17, 2012

Our Pinterest Winner {Valentine's Edition}

We are so happy with the responses we've received for our first ever Pinterest Contest {Valentione's Edition}. Thank you so much for your support and for taking the time to make these fabulous boards.

Our guest judge, Chandra, had a tough time deciding between all of the submissions we've received. To show you how tough of a decision it was, we're going to share her top 3 picks below. But we can only have one winner, so of the top 3, the winner of our CLC Pinterest Contest is:

Ms. Joyce Del Rosario

http://pinterest.com/shsbbylove/love-spell/

According to Chandra, "Joyce del Rosario, has a great mix of pins that really give you a sense of her day and what makes her smile. I especially like how she took the time to makes outfits with the necklace that still match the theme of the board, even the red velvet ice cream matches her outfit."

Congratulations Joyce!!!

And here are the other 2 boards that struck Chandra's eye. Check them out and we're sure you'll see why:

http://pinterest.com/adegregorio/valentine-s-day/

http://pinterest.com/christine_rillo/blue-valentine/

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!!

We just wanted to thank you all for the wonderful and creative boards you submitted for our Pinterest contest!!! We'll be announcing the lucky winner this Friday, February 17, 2012.

In the meantime, we wanted to wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Our Pinterest Judge

As you know, we're running a fun, Valentine's Edition, Pinterest contest and we've asked designer, Chandra W of The Designski to be our guest judge. She was the very first person to introduce us to Pinterest and we've been hooked since. (Not sure yet whether to love her, or hate her for that :) )

CLC sat down with this design power house to learn more about what keeps her going. Here's our summary of Chandra along with a tidbit from our Q&A with her.

Chandra, who hails from Alexandria, VA by way of Marlborough, MA, is the uber-talented Graphic Designer & Small Business Owner behind Designski. She works with a wide range of clients, from the corporate sector to the nonprofit world to the excited brides, on a wide range of design needs. According to Chandra, "It is very rewarding to learn about the client, develop a strong visual foundation, and see them grow and succeed."

She describes her style as creative prep. "I am very practical and tend to wear a lot of classics, but also like to add my own creative touch. I often do this through accessories – it’s an easy and fun way to add creative, personal elements. I especially love pieces with a story behind them..."

What’s your favorite part of the work that you put out?

CW: Getting to really know each client is a perk of my job. Not only do I get to be creative every single day, but I get to help people out – that feels great. This really comes together when developing branding for a start-up. It is very rewarding to learn about the client, develop a strong visual foundation, and see them grow and succeed.

How would you describe your personal style?

CW: I think of my style as creative prep. I am very practical and tend to wear a lot of classics, but also like to add my own creative touch. I often do this through accessories – it’s an easy and fun way to add creative, personal elements.

I especially love pieces with a story behind them -- whether that’s wearing a silhouette Etsy necklace from my sister, my great grandmother’s vintage sapphire ring, or a handmade piece like a Cayetano Legacy necklace. There is something special about all those pieces and it makes me proud to wear them.

Pieces that are versatile and can quickly be dressed up or down really work for me. For example, simply switching out necklaces or going from flats to heels to have a more refined look. The Anna necklace is one of my new favorite pieces. I can wear it with a thick cable knit sweater for a day look or a simple black dress for a wedding or party.

What attracted you to Pinterest?

CW: Pinterest saved my desktop. As a designer I am always looking for inspiration, and every new project requires research and observation. I previously kept inspiration folders, just like the different Pinterest boards, on my desktop for all my different projects and interests. Now, it’s incredibly easy to catalog and reference these images. Looking at an entire board, I can quickly see the connections and patterns among the pins. I’ve started testing it out with a few wedding clients and it’s been an effective way to collaborate and clearly establish their look.

What I also really like, as an observer, is that Pinterest is a great platform for small businesses. You’ll see a piece of art, accessory, or a design that isn’t on every single blog -- seeing that repined again and again is inspiring to me. I love seeing and sharing beautiful, funny, meaningful, and interesting things.

I knew there was no turning back when instead of “Google-ing” something I started searching Pinterest.

Check out some of Chandra’s work, and get to a know even more about her, here: http://thedesignski.com

Pin to Win - Pinterest Contest {Valentine's Edition}

If you're just as addicted as us to this phenomenon called "Pinterest, " then this contest will be a lot of fun!

Score a new, exclusive CLC piece for your wardrobe, in celebration of one of our favorite loved-filled holidays, Valentine’s Day! It’s super simple:

1. Follow us on www.pinterest.com/cayetanolegacy .

2. Create a new board related to Valentine's Day. It could be awesome ideas for your Valentine's day outfit. It could be your favorite DIY Valentine's inspirations. It could be all things pink and red. The sky's the limit!

3. Be sure to pin a pic of your favorite Cayetano Legacy Collection piece; one that fits your board’s theme the best.

4. Pin any other stylish/funny/colorful/rousing pics related to the holiday.
5. Send a link to your completed board to our facebook page: www.facebook.com/cayetanolegacy

On February 14th, designer Chandra W of Designski (who was the very first person to introduce us to Pinterest, way before anyone else has heard of it) will judge your boards and choose her favorite based on creativity. The lucky winner will receive a one-of-a-kind CLC necklace inspired by the holiday – one that can’t be found online or in stores.

Last day to create a board for this contest is February 13, 2012, 11:59pm EST. Winner will be announced via email, facebook, and twitter on Friday, February 17, 2012. Ready, set, pin away!!

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Here's some fun tidbits about our guest judge.

Chandra, who hails from Alexandria, Va, is a Graphic Designer/Small Business Owner for Designski. She works with a variety of clients, from non-profits to consulting firms to brides, with a wide range of design needs. According to Chandra, "It is very rewarding to learn about the client, develop a strong visual foundation, and see them grow and succeed."

She describes her style as creative prep. "I am very practical and tend to wear a lot of classics, but also like to add my own creative touch. I often do this through accessories – it’s an easy and fun way to add creative, personal elements. I especially love pieces with a story behind them..."

Check out her work at http://thedesignski.com . And here's a peek into Chandra's world on Pinterest:

Happy Pinning!!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Statement Streetwear

Love all these looks on the street. Love how they each incorporated a statement necklace into their look. Its amazing how innate one's fashion sense is.