Business Babe: Laura Drayton Creative

It's time to create and celebrate with Laura Drayton! Literally, such a perfect Business Babe feature because she is involved with everything! From designing to baking Laura Drayton makes everything cute and perfect. We love her story and simply could not wait to share!

Tell us more about yourself and your business?

My name is Laura Drayton, and I am the owner of Laura Drayton Creative, LLC.  I have quite a few occupations: designer, baker, blogger, traveler, and I manage a small online boutique of fun party supplies and office accessories (www.shopld.com), but my background actually doesn't have much to do with any of this!  I'm currently a full-time grad student at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine, pursuing a Masters in Public Health.  As a way to fulfill my creative passions while in school, I started a small Etsy shop that sold organizational printables and designed stationery on the side. Eventually, I got to a point where I had way too many ideas and too little time. Finally, at the beginning of 2014, I sat down and decided to finally merge all of my creative passions into one place, and the Laura Drayton Creative brand was born. I had no idea that my little shop would soon grow into my own brand, but I am beyond thrilled that it has turned into a job that inspires and excites me.

What is your day to day like? 

Day to day, I really have to admit that I don't have a set schedule.  With such a long list of occupations, I am packing and shipping orders one day, and composing a blog post the next.  Almost every day, I fill in some time with design work and creating something fun (like cupcakes or a project).  I find inspiration from my daily life, but my favorite place to draw inspiration is from my travels.  I love bringing home new ideas (and recipes) from all of the countries I've been able to visit.

What is next on your agenda?

Looking forward, my main priority is focus.  My creative mind often runs wild, and I find myself with too many ideas and too little time (which is where the long list of occupations come in).  I struggle with what to give up in order to put more time into pursuing the things that are most important.  One of the most important things I want to focus on in helping others, which is why I launched my Love in Motion project.  If I can do what I love while helping others, I'm happy (and so extremely lucky!)

Website, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram

Like A Pro: World Traveler

Chloe Johnston loves fashion and travel. So she decided to combine the two to create the Chloe Johnston brand. They provide customized city tours ranging from New York City to Paris. We don't want any Piqued PR lovers to look like tourists on their next trip, so we asked Chloe for a few expert travel tips!

Hydrate

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Be sure to drink plenty of water the day before travel as well as the day of. Hydration will help with fatigue, jet lag, and making your skin look radiant.

Pack light

Remember you will be shopping wherever you go. Bring a few key pieces that can easily be mixed and matched. Adding scarves and statement jewelry to simple ensembles help to create completely different looks. For fall/winter, my jacket is key! I always bring something thats warm, waterproof, and chic. It's the first thing everyone sees after all!

Try new things

Immerse yourself in the culture. Keep an open mind and always try new things. It’s not only what you pack, it’s what you bring back!

Blogging Babe

I'm not even sure how blogger/entrepreneur Mae Badiyan and I met but it definitely was thanks so social media. After months of tweeting, emailing and Instagram "liking" we finally met in person at Pepperologie and I must say she truly is a sweetheart, with a great sense of style and serious business skills. Her latest venture you ask? Oh besides being a lawyer and a teacher she just opened The Blo Bar in her hometown! Read on to find out about her love for blogging...

Why did you decide to start blogging? 

Similar to my love of fashion, my love of the blogging world developed from a desire to foster more creativity in my life. I was living abroad, working in a professional environment that didn't leave much room for personal creativity, so I started reading a couple blogs and next thing I knew I was playing around with my own. I loved the idea of having a little corner of the Internet that I could style!

How did you choose the name for your blog? 

Originally, my blog was named after me & my mom. But I began to rebuild and rebrand and now it's just my name. Boring I know. But, I've built my entire brand around my name so my blog is now an extension of that.

What motivates you to keep blogging? 

Pretty pictures! And all the lovely people I have met, connections I've made and things I've learned. It's seems like everyday a new opportunity pops up, or someone emails or something cool happens all because I decided to start a little ol' blog back in 2010. Those little things keep me motivated.

What are some qualities you believe a blogger needs to posses? 

Be nice. Be flexible. Be original.

What do you consider your greatest success? 

I just opened a blowout bar in my hometown! That was (and still is!) a lot of hard work. I did everything from designing the space, to hiring stylists, to overseeing the legal & business aspects to now running our marketing & social media and even answering phones ;)

But now that we're up and going, it is truly amazing. Women come in, get (even more) beautiful and walk out with a smile. I really couldn't ask for a cooler job. That's a huge success in my book.

What’s your social media outlet of choice and why? 

Instagram! I love to look at all the lovely snippets and scenes people share. It's a big source of inspiration. And unfortunately, sometimes I'm too busy to blog so really it's a lot faster to snap a couple IG pics during the day. I still stay connected with my blogging community and it satisfies that blogging need.

Thanks Mae! Be sure to check out her blog and if you're ever in Stillwater make sure to get a fabulous blowout or lash extension at The Blo Bar.