Stephanie from Baba Souk on her typical workday, getting inspired and the best creative biz advice she’s ever received

1. In a sentence or two, could you tell us what you do?

I’m the founder and curator of Baba Souk, an online boutique for creative cool cats, indie design & craft lovers. Baba Souk is a fun hub where you can find inspirations and all sorts of handmade treasures designed by talented indie artists, my precious collaborators and me or sourced from the colorful souk markets of Morocco.

2. How did you get started?

I am trained as a graphic designer and was a fashion designer for a Canadian retailer for several years. Let’s say I did my homework before taking the plunge! I was looking for a meaning in what I do for a living. I have this infinite admiration for indie designers and craftspeople. I wanted to celebrate them in some way, Baba Souk is my answer.

3. What three words best describe your personality?

My BFF says : Honest (sometimes too much, ha!), Fun (apparently even funny) and Hardworking.

4. What character {from a book, movie or television} do you most relate to? Why?

When I think of my journey, I can recall feeling like Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada. The fashion industry might sometimes cast a disastrous spell on some fashionistas. Thank god she ends up realizing that’s not really what she wants even with all the piles of sumptuous free clothing at her feet!

5. What’s your favorite part of your creative business?

I absolutely adore collaborating with talented designers and together, coming up with new product designs and ideas. I think collaboration is such a rich & growing experience.

6. What’s a typical workday like for you?

I hit snooze about 3 times trying to jump out of bed way earlier than my body wants to. Make a big bowl of latte and directly hit the computer. Can you believe mornings are my favorite part, when I’m about to start working? I feel so lucky to be able to work from home at the moment. And then I work work work! Emailing, creating blog posts, shop updates, copy writing, FB, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, prep for next shoot, hunt the web for new finds. It’s a never-ending quest! Seriously I could work every minute of my life and not ever be done. I think I love it a bit too much…and then when I really need a break, I go just around the corner and step into our fabulous local market and indulge in its visual feast for a few minutes… or I go for an hour of spinning. I feel like a baby afterwards….and so I can start working again!

7. Where do you get your inspiration?

I feel inspired about 20 times a day. Images are a huge source of inspiration for me and Pinterest has been my favorite tool for a while now. I call it my “inspiration oasis!” I can’t even think of how I did it before it existed. I remember having a pin board with layers and layers of pinned images on them and not wanting to throw any out. I also adore treasure hunting in boutiques, markets, craft fairs and Moroccan souks have a very special place in my heart. I have the immense opportunity of being able to go to Marrakesh a few times per year and visit with family over there.

8. How do you balance family and business?

Ohhhhh, (cough-cough) Oh my, let’s say I am happy to have found a passionate scientist who totally gets how badly I am in love with what I do!

9. What advice would you give to someone who would love to do something similar to you and sell an array of creations from pillows to jewelry?

Be true to your own style and voice! Keep it real ladies!

10. What’s the best creative business advice you’ve ever received?

This advice I heard from many different people and at different stages of my life and I get it now more than ever. It is so simple but yet, it takes all it’s meaning once you actually apply it: “Everything flows from taking action.”

11. What’s been the most difficult thing about building your creative business?

Doing it all by myself has been a really big challenge! There are so many hats to sport as an entrepreneur, you absolutely have to be passionate, I think. Or else you would crash because of the workload and cry!

12. If you had to pinpoint one thing that has helped your business more than anything in the past year, what would it be?

Guest blogging has been my secret weapon to get some traffic in my shop!

13. What books or magazines are you currently reading?

I have a huge pile of business books and self-growth books waiting for me on my bedside table (geek alert!) I am just about to start reading “The Fire Starter Sessions” by Canadian fellow Danielle Laporte for the second time around, because it’s just that good.

14. What are your top three favorite blogs?

I’ll be forever grateful to Bri Emery of DesignLoveFest for giving me my first weekly blog gig when I was a total stranger to the blog world, especially since DesigLoveFest was my first ever blog read. Lately, some new fresh blog loves for me are Studio DIY and Jojotastic. All these ladies are not only talented, but they are generous, kind souls!

15. What are you currently working on? Anything new coming up that we should look out for?

There are so many new colorful things coming! Some great new handmade products and collaborators! I am also working on a rad new line of products signed Baba Souk. You should definitely stay in the loop! (Hint, hint! Subscribe to my newsletter, all you creative cats!) 

{All photos provided by Stephanie from Baba Souk}