NET Nights at Moore: Interview with Lindsay Duggan of Girl.Bike.Dog

NET Nights at Moore

A new program for students and graduates of local art and design colleges to network with peers and heads of area business associations and arts organizations as well as build relationships with other young professionals.

These lively evenings feature guest speakers, workshops and seminars designed to help Philadelphia artists and designers make creative contacts in our community.

Presented by The Galleries at Moore in cooperation with The Locks Career Center and Moore’s new Business Scholars in the Arts student leadership program.

2010-11 NET Nights at Moore are supported by Your Part-Time Controller and Moore College of Art & Design.

2009-10 NET Nights at Moore were supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Business Scholars in the Arts (BSA)

The Business Scholars in the Arts is a new program at Moore College of Art & Design that supports a select group of transfer students. The program supplements the students’ art and design training with business-related experiences outside of the classroom. Our group is particularly interested in entrepreneurship. We encompass a wide range of majors, from Graphic, Fashion, and Interior Design, to Illustration, Art History, and Art Education.

Our goal is to acquire the skills necessary to network within the professional art world, which will ultimately aid us in opening our own businesses or taking on leadership roles in a company or organization. The first year of the Business Scholars program stresses this networking process. To that end, we have established a collaborative relationship with the Galleries at Moore to provide support for NET Nights. These lively evenings feature guest speakers, workshops and seminars designed to help Philadelphia artists and designers make creative contacts in our community.

The purpose of this blog is to continue the conversations started at NET Nights and to provide resources that will enable emerging artists and designers to profit from the expertise of the speakers. Look to our blog for our interviews with speakers, our suggestions for interesting upcoming events and links to useful web-sites.

The BSA Students:

Laura Bonvini

Amber Callahan

Melissa Chancer

Amanda Corropolese

Samantha Edmonds

Christine Ferri

Chriztie Kaufmann

Sara Stanton

Haoren Yu

NET Nights Advisory Committee

The NET Nights Advisory Committee is comprised of local artists, designers, curators and arts administrators, business professionals, professors and students from various disciplines and backgrounds. NET Nights programs are the product of thoughtful discussions between these committee members, sharing ideas, insights and suggestions to stimulate new relationships and networking between emerging artists and designers and business and arts professionals in Philadelphia.

Click here for Advisory Committee Blog

Founder Lindsay Duggan and her main designer Caroline Steinberg of Girl.Bike.Dog, specialize in fully custom messenger bags, bike accessories and dog accessories. Their newly minted store front business on 23^rd and Bainbridge Streets in addition to providing custom made wares helps support the Philadelphia art community, showcasing and selling work by local artists and designers. Lindsay was interviewed by Laura Bonvini and Christine Ferri, two of Moore's BSA students.

LB & CF: What has it been like establishing a business in such a poor economy?

LD: We were lucky; my landlords own the building so I knew the spot was available. Business tripled with the store opening, and many more people know about the business now. As the economy improves, the business will improve as well.

LB & CF: What is your inspiration?

LD: Seriously, sometimes you just have to do it to pay the rent. But I do get a lot of inspiration by working with other artist. I love helping my friends with blowing glass and working in new mediums. I get inspiration when I am faced with new material, new designs, new appliqué.

LB & CF: Owning your own business must be stressful at times, what is the most difficult situation or task you have overcome so far?

LD: Hiring friends as employees. It is very difficult to balance the relationship between friend and boss. Also, making money. Sure, everything is paid for but you have to sacrifice a lot. You don't really make ends meet for at least 2 years.

LB & CF: If the opportunity to rent a space did not present itself, what would you be doing now?

LD: I would still be working out of my living room. I was always looking for spaces to rent but everything fell into place when I found this location.

LB & CF: Do you have any advice for others who want to open a small business?

LD: Be dedicated! Love what you are doing, I gave up a lot and started up the shop on my own without the help of loans. Make sure you are serious and it’s definitely what you want to do. I knew what was going to happen, a lot of work and time. Expect to work very hard! Eventually the hard work will pay off and you'll make ends meet!

LB & CF: How do you keep yourself motivated?

LD: I ride my bike out to Fairmont with my dog and swim in the river. Other interests are gardening, cooking, dog walking, hanging out with friends, reading, and watching movies.

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