Jan 25, 2021

Share Your Story: Taylor Elliott Designs

Taylor Elliott Designs is a desk accessory and gift company that specializes in colorful, motivational and fun-to-use products. Libby O’Regan, a marketing and public relations professional at Taylor Elliott Designs, shared its story with Gift Shop Plus.

With so many retailers facing similar challenges right now, we encourage you to Share Your Story so we may share your story and help other independent retailers.

Please describe your business:

Libby O’Regan (LO): Taylor Elliott designs colorful, motivational desk accessories, journals, pens, and stationery and wholesales them to over 600 independent retailers across the country.

The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime, or nearly a third of their life at work. Studies show how important workplace happiness is to overall health & wellness. Taylor Elliott, founder and CEO of Taylor Elliott Designs, is committed to enhancing overall work satisfaction for women in particular, by designing desk & stationery accessories to make things more fun. Her line of motivational pens, pom-pom pouches, confetti-adorned acyclic desk accessories, foil-stamped notepads and more are hard not to smile at. Taylor finds that she’s able to inspire and motivate women in the workforce to do their best and feel their best through colorful gifts & accessories. She knows that when you feel good at work, you do good at work and the rest of your life is a whole lot happier, too.

Do you offer any unique or special services to retailers? If so, please describe them.

LO: 2020 was a difficult year to say the least. Many people have just had enough. Taylor Elliott, founder and CEO of Taylor Elliott Designs, recognizes that what the world needs right now is a little kindness. That’s why she has designed a line of new desk & home accessories and gifts designed to promote kindness and so she is connecting with customers in light of the new retail environment through her product design.

From journals to pads to pens, this line celebrates a colorful life and encourages people to, “throw kindness around like confetti.” Her best-selling motivational pen sets are also increasing motivation and inspiring women in particular, to keep going. It’s not easy right now, but with simple reminders at your desk to stay kind and to stay on track with your goals, we will get through it.

Taylor Elliott’s best selling products are gifts for teachers. Teachers are real heroes right now; juggling online school, A/B schedules, in-person learning with PPE and masks and parents everywhere understand now just how much they do. (The spring was a great lesson in that!) Taylor has a line of beautiful gifts and accessories that honor teachers and their contributions.

Has your business modified online services to better serve retailers in today’s challenging climate? If so, please explain.

LO: For many designers and brands, “making it big” means seeing your products in big box stores. But Taylor Elliott, founder and CEO of Taylor Elliott Designs, doesn’t dream about end caps right now. Taylor’s business was built upon relationships with small businesses owners all across the U.S. and recognizes that her success has been fueled by these mom and pop stores. Especially in this climate, Taylor is anxious to see her retailers succeed.

Taylor grew up going to independent retailers and loves the personalized, individual attention and unique finds that you can’t get at mass market. For this reason, Taylor Elliott Designs has remained committed to strengthening the partnership between designer/brand and independent retailer stores. She now has over 600 wholesalers, many of which she knows personally or writes a handwritten thank you note to. It is this commitment to the small retailers that is a story worth sharing.

What is your marketing strategy moving forward to keep your customers informed?

LO: Emails, Social media

At what shows will you be exhibiting?

LO: Dallas

Do you have a retail tip we may share with other retailers?

LO: A positive attitude and commitment to success is what is necessary right now. Truly believing in what you do and working hard is what Taylor Elliott is all about right now.