Recap: A Stylish Evening with Mr. & Mrs. Elements of Style

Andrew & Erin Gates 

The vibe at Twelve Chairs set the mood for a good discussion on style.

Last night, the JUGs co-authors (Meredith, Suzanne, and I) went to a fabulous event featuring one of our blog-idols, Erin Gates of Elements of Style. The event was hosted by Boston Design Salon at Twelve Chairs shop in the up-and-coming Seaport District. Not only were we thrilled to hear Erin speak, we were also excited to meet the other ladies of the Boston Design Salon, which is an all female monthly networking group of design professionals. Since starting Boston Green Blog three years ago, I've been to quite a few  networking events in Boston, but this was my first one focused on design. Last night's audience included quite a range of experience; there were wedding photographers, interior designers, graphic designers, shop owners, scarf/handbag designers and more. It was so cool to be immersed in such a diverse group of artists and businesswomen.

Erin and her husband Andrew spoke about "selling" a brand without being pushy or overly salesman-like. The couple have very different perspectives on what makes a successful startup business, and it was great to hear the well rounded he said/she said discussion and debate. Seeing how the two meld their perspectives was a great way to start Valentines week! Here are the top five entrepreneurial sales tips we took away from the event:

1. Be honest in order to gain your (potential) client's trust.

2. Don't read sales books, read business and marketing books.

3. Know your audience.

4. Find a balance of humility and confidence.

5. Be good at what you do; become an expert. 

Checking out the Boston Design Salon was a great way to kick-off the new Just Us Gals brand! We look forward to attending more events and bringing more of Boston's style & culture to you!

- Cameron