Name and Professional Title:
Robin Spence-Vanderford, Owner/Designer
Business Name and Location:
RSVdesigns, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Years in Business:
14 years
What’s your story?
I lost my wonderful husband 14 years ago. The loss was sudden and unexpected. Within the blink of an eye, I found myself without my best friend, husband, father of my children, and provider. The days were long and grueling. In prayer, I asked God to lead me to something that would occupy my mind, give me purpose and provide financially for myself and my young kids, while allowing me a flexible schedule.
My prayers were answered and God led, I followed and He blessed me! I picked up an old laptop that I once used to publish a local magazine. I started designing things for my kids’ parties and holidays for school. Individuals and businesses in the community started seeing these things and would request similar products. That was the beginning of RSVdesigns.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration all around me, literally. When I’m traveling, it is not unusual for me to be delayed. There are times that I have to circle back to snap a picture of something that I passed by or I have to stop to sketch something real quick so that I remember it later. Just today, I saw a sign on the wall in a restaurant and designed an entire project at the table in my head.
What are a few of your favorite blogs or podcasts? I am unable to read blogs and listen to podcasts on a regular basis due to my workload. I do make time to read TOG’s blogs as I enjoy reading articles about others in the stationery industry.
What’s your favorite dessert?
LOL, recently, I have been a fan of a good ole PayDay candy bar. I am not sure what is happening to me, as I have loved chocolate for years.
How do you use TOG.ink?
I use TOG for all of my foil, letterpress, deckled edge projects, and for a lot of my digital print orders.
What do you like most about working with TOG.ink?
The list is long…
● how easy the site is to navigate
● being able to price jobs quickly and easily 24/7
● the stocks are great at a great price point
● the blog, tips, and resources
● offering me the ability to meet the price point of a wide array of clients
● the extensive product offerings
I could go on and on!
Any advice for someone just starting out with TOG.ink?
My advice to others would be to order the sample kit when it becomes available again. It is a great tool that allows one to best serve clients. Also, scroll around the page and read the cheat sheets, the blog, and the additional information provided about the processes, etc. Even if you’ve ordered hundreds of products, I am confident you will learn even more just by reading the available resources on the site.
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