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Cap Region Creatives in Quarantine: David Reali

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Creatives in Quarantine is a segment that highlights creative professionals across the Capital Region during this period of isolation due to COVID-19. We have developed some questions that will allow our community to share experiences and learn from one another during this time. 

Meet Entrepreneur & Fashion Designer, David Reali.

David, introduce yourself.

I am David Reali. 34-year-old, Schenectady born creator who now lives and LOVES TROY, NY. I am just a human with some dope ideas looking for the best ways to execute them. I am the creator of LYF SUPPLY, a clothing brand…no, as of today, it’s officially become a PASSION PROJECT, a brand that has evolved from just a hat and embroidery brand to a lifestyle choice, which is represented by garments that reinforce the idea of self love. Even if the items themselves don’t refer exactly to self love, hopefully those who are familiar with my story know that this brand operates and lives on the confidence I have in myself and my ideas and my passion for creating opportunity and expressing yourself via art in some form.

I recently began a brand extension called UPLFYTED which consists of thrifted items, upcycled into 1-of-1 pieces that also include LYF SUPPLY signature embroidery in addition to some really cool transformations. In addition, I provide embroidery for many of the local businesses in Troy that sell their own DOPE A** MERCH, SO CHECK THEM OUT (Superior Merch, Little Pecks, Joan Kelsey Silver Lining, YESFOLK TONICS, POOR DEVIL PEPPER CO., etc). I am also currently working on music. I won’t get too in depth yet, but I will have some really great tunes lined up for everyone’s enjoyment.

What does your workplace look like, and is it working for you?

I currently work in my home in a very, very small room. I have two machines now, so for my larger orders, I take my equipment to Electric City Barn in Schenectady because it has a lot of room and I get to socialize with other creatives and the staff there which I often miss out on when I’m working from home constantly. Working from my home gets to be a bit stressful because my workspace only has room for one embroidery machine. I plan to invest in a Commercial Embroidery machine which will require a lot more space than I have.

Electric City Barn also has a space for screen printing and I am currently learning that skill. Long story short, my space is working but I really need to be in a bigger space that accommodates everything. I AM BLESSED though because I could still be working in an office which I dread, so shout out to the universe for putting me in position.

More can be found on www.lyf.supply

How are you coping with this new reality?

It hasn’t set in yet. The lack of socializing has made it very difficult to focus on work and creativity. It does remind me of being a kid again though. I was the only boy in my family and also the youngest, so a lot of my time was spent creating stuff and ideas, typically with my wrestling toys, etc.

Back in the 90’s, the best part about things not being as advanced as they are now was our need to create our reality within our limited amount of space and time we had available due to curfews, bedtime etc. So in a way, I’ve been going back into my mind finding that kid that would re-enact the battle of Fort Wagner from the movie Glory in his living room or plan out an entire Pay-Per-View wrestling event with all of my wrestling toys, which always gave me something to look forward to when I got home from school. I would be in school thinking about my makeshift wrestling event literally all day (lol). So with these circumstances, I try to allow myself to be that kid again, but with access to the internet, an embroidery machine and a sense of self awareness that may not have existed then. Also, LOTS OF FACETIMING WITH FAM AND MY GIRLFRIEND!!

Have you started adapting and/or innovating your business model to operate under these conditions? Please explain.

So, that is still something I am working on now. Luckily my operation has been via my online store so sales haven’t been really interrupted but I am aware that after all of this madness is over that LIFE will be different so LYF must become an evolved version of itself. I have proposed the idea of TROY NIGHT IN which is a take on Troy Night Out but in this instance, creating a one stop shop for people to have access to every creative person, small business etc. in the form of a live feed which gives a direct to consumer, pop up-like event using social media. I planned to do pop ups once a month, independent and collaboratively, and free from any groups or affiliations that we would have to get permission to do so but the Coronavirus happened. I think having a place online where people can get direct contact and access to the creator and their services and goods would be very convenient and user friendly for the consumer and help continue to build the creative economy here in Troy despite the circumstances. I am open to suggestions as to how to make that work effectively.

How have you seen the local creative community band together to support one another? Do you feel like there are additional resources/tools/strategies that you need to succeed under this circumstance?

www.lyf.supply

Honestly, It is amazing at how fast everyone came together to support one another during this time. It has been great seeing people and other businesses really show support for one another by posting each others stuff. I hope that all of this love and generosity continues when this is all over because this showed us how resilient we can be and also how much we actually do love and need each other. As far as support, I have seen a lot of different business grant opportunities by way of Facebook and other mediums.

Understanding your consumer is always important. A lot of my customers may have lost their jobs or have their income cut, so I have created discounts on products and reduced the cost of embroidery services for regular clients because I know it’s hard and I rely on them for my well being. I also had to take some time and rid myself of shame of selling items despite the fact that we are in quite difficult times. I’ve still gotta make a living and while doing so, I help when and where I can. We are only week two into this and I haven’t suffered enough yet to offer anything outside of what I have already done pre-Coronavirus, but I would say to reach out to others, get help when needed and allow yourself to evolve, even if it means letting go of something/someone/somewhere to make room for what you need.

Are you thinking about ways that you’ll change the way you do business in the future?

Absolutely. With all of this social distancing, it makes me really miss the ability to be around people. I get inspired by people randomly. Whether it’s a beautiful face, or song by a local artist I accidentally stumbled into while getting a drink or my current friends, I miss being inspired by people so I want to use that inspiration and include people in the communication aspect of LYF SUPPLY. I want to tell the story better and more clearly, from a multi perspective instead of just my own because as I said, I am inspired by people and LOVE.

Do you see any long term changes to the way people work coming out of this situation?

HELL YEAH!!! Honestly, that’s all I have been thinking of. Especially the workers who are deemed ”ESSENTIAL,” I really hope they are getting paid for what they are worth now and moving forward. Hopefully during this period, people can find a passion or something that they can freelance at and create opportunity for themselves. 2020 has been dookie so far but I do hope that people who have the spirit for entrepreneurship take a chance. No, take several chances, to see the world from a different perspective and become something more than what they may have settled for. Sitting in an office for eight hours a day for five days a week is becoming obsolete and this is proof of that, because if it weren’t the case then work that needed to be done in an office setting would be on complete pause right now but it’s not because it doesn’t have to be. For those with office jobs that are working from home…take time to reflect and think about who you are and what you want for yourself. There is so much opportunity available but there is so much more opportunity that has yet to be created and discovered. Now’s the time to explore.

Can you share a final note of positivity with our readers?

Bet on yourself. Invest in yourself. Love yourself. Hold yourself and others around you accountable. ALWAYS BE CURIOUS. Go after more than what is just available to you because there is a great chance that there is ALWAYS MORE than what OTHERS are offering. NO ONE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU so you have to do it. For those who are transitioning from a job to their own thing, the hours you’re putting into what you’re working to get away from should eventually cease and not EXCEED the hours you put into what you’re working towards. ESPECIALLY IF YOU LOVE IT!!

Connect with David:

David, eating vegan nuggets, in Quarantine

Cap Region Creatives in Quarantine: Konrad Odhiambo

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Creatives in Quarantine is a segment that highlights creative professionals across the Capital Region during this period of isolation due to COVID-19. We have developed some questions that will allow our community to share experiences and learn from one another during this time.

Allow us to introduce our first feature, Konrad Odhiambo.

How are you coping with this new reality?

Now that most of us are stuck at home with possibly no income, times are tough. But we can use these times to our ‘advantage’ and do things we normally wouldn’t do or don’t have time for. I have been finding time to work on self improvement and find a balance between family and work.  Looking at relationships between friends, parents and siblings and making sure no one feels left behind.

Have you started adapting and/or innovating your business model to operate under these conditions? Please explain.

Lots of us are super busy and often don’t have time to update our website. Now we do! Basic stuff like updating my site with most recent work and in general, make my website look good for potential future clients.

How have you seen the local creative community band together to support one another?

I’ve seen the community come together and do virtual meet ups as we normally would in person. There is a lot more communication happening online and people checking up on each other. The Power Breakfast Club has been holding its meetings online and using Zoom Cloud Meetings to keep the engagement going. I’ve seen the 10 push up challenge where friends challenge each other to stay fit while indoors. 

Are you thinking about ways that you’ll change the way you do business in the future?

For my business, I’ll be working on improving my internal processes when it comes to client acquisition, booking and follow up after the fact. In these times I’d like to start offering more tangible options such as albums, prints and gifts cards to keep a positive cashflow.

For printing, my online gallery has a direct link to my vendor. Once orders are placed, my printer will drop ship the order directly to my clients. Vendors include White House Custom Color and Nations Photo Lab.

Do you see any long term changes to the way people work coming out of this situation?

I believe it’s essential to start planning long term and make sure you have a six month safety net in case anything happens. Now more than ever creatives who solely rely on one stream of income will have to diversify and have multiple sources of income.

Now is a great time to sharpen your skills. There are plenty of tutorials online that you can use to improve your workflow in shooting and editing. With all the extra time, now is a good time for self improvement. I’d like to participate in tutorials geared toward post production and financial planning.

Get in touch with Konrad:

Konrad’s Work

Freelancer Feature: Jade Warrick of TrashKid Art

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Last but certainly not least, we present our fourth Freelancer Friday highlight, Jade Warrick. 

Business Name: JW Media/TrashKid Art 

Artist Name: TrashKid

“ALWAYS charge what you’re worth. It is ok to have a sliding scale for certain areas, but never undercharge your talents. Working for exposure is DEAD.”

  • Where are you from? I am originally from Los Angeles, but I moved to Albany from Houston about 4 years ago.
  • In what year did you start freelancing? Oh boy, I’ve been freelancing since I was about 13, ha. But I really got into doing more creative freelance work in college to help stay alive and not eat ramen every day for three years.
  • What inspired you to start? My passion for design and entrepreneurship, but more importantly it lets me give my talents back into the community. Money is nice too of course, but it was never truly my main goal.
  • What’s your favorite thing about freelancing? Probably some of the cool requests I get. Weird murals. Intense designs. Doing thoughtful work for local non-profits. Freedom to work for yourself and being the owner vs. employee is a nice feeling as well.
  • What’s the most difficult part about freelancing? Sometimes the stress of heavy workloads can become intense. I want to get everything done with high-quality standards while being empathetic of my time and the clients. It is a balance. Another one would be people taking advantage of your time and talents.

Jade also says, “Never stop marketing yourself, especially when you’re swamped with clients. When you stop feeding your funnel, the work will eventually dry up and you’ll find yourself in a scramble trying to get more work when revenue drops. Dedicate time every single week to marketing until you build a solid base.”

Check out this video – CollabCast by The Collaborative Episode #19 with Jade Warrick / TrashKid!

Contact:

Email: dekudekunuts@gmail.com

Instagram: @trashkid_art

Comics Featured on The Collaborative


Freelancing in Portugal with ACE Executive Director Maureen Sager

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I did not exactly plan to have a working vacation during Freelancing February. I’d booked this trip to Portugal last year, long before I knew that I’d be up to my elbows in the Regional Brand project (it’s a new initiative that we’re launching in the fall — more about that soon!). I also didn’t know at that time that I’d be traveling alone (I’d had the trip planned with a friend). I was tempted to cancel. I’d never taken a major trip by myself, let alone a two-week excursion to a foreign country. But here’s what I thought about:

  1. I’m in no position to go on a two-week vacation right now because of work commitments, but what if I worked part-time from Portugal? My official contract is for 7 hours a day. If I worked two hours in the morning and 90 minutes at night, that would still leave me plenty of time for touring.
  2. In my ACE (and now the additional Regional Brand role), I sometimes spend more than 20 hours a week driving to and from meetings. What if I didn’t drive for two weeks?? I’d potentially have more “desk time” in Portugal than I have in the Capital Region!
  3. The price was right – plus, my Airbnbs were all booked and my flight was paid for, so I’d lose over $800 if I canceled this trip. Off-season prices in Portugal are fantastic – wonderful apartments in perfect locations for less than $30 per night. I could swing that.

So, should I stay or should I go?

The answer is, I decided to go. I’d freelance, on a part-time schedule for two weeks, from Portugal. Crazy? For sure. But, why not give it a try.

I started my trip in Lisbon on a Sunday, after a super-easy, five-and-a-half-hour flight from JFK. It took less than five minutes to know that my month of studying Portuguese had not done much good at all, because they speak way too fast, and it’s a notoriously difficult language to begin with. It all worked, though. I got a $15 Uber to my apartment, and within an hour of landing, I jumped onto email, just to make sure I was set. Everything worked.  I spent the day walking up the ridiculously hilly streets, and took an “Airbnb Experience” tour, where local people show you their city. It’s much more personal than a corporate tour. I’ve become quite enamored of them.

Monday was the moment of truth – would I be able to work? I woke at 8 a.m. and  worked for two hours as planned, making cappuccino in my lovely apartment. By the time I finished my “shift”, it was 10 a.m. in Lisbon, and 5 a.m. in New York. I headed out for an amazing day, then came back after supper and worked 90 minutes til 9 p.m.  By the time I finished, it was 4 p.m. in New York. I’d spent about the same amount of time working as I do on a normal work day, if I’d had two meetings that were 30 minutes from my home.

While working and doing email, I rarely mentioned that I was in Portugal unless it was pertinent to the conversation – it actually didn’t matter where I was. I scheduled phone calls at mutually convenient times, and used WhatsApp when it was someone who knew I was away. 

I’m on Day 11 of my working vacation. The usual things go “wrong” and need to be worked out, same as any other work week, AND I’m in my fourth Portuguese city — it’s in the south, called Evora. I’ve also been to Lisbon, Coimbra, and Porto. All have been wonderful. 

Like I said, I did not plan this as a working vacation, or my first big solo trip. Life just happened that way. It’s been a life-changing experience. I feel brave and competent and bad-ass, because there have been some damn challenging moments – like driving the wrong way down ridiculously narrow, cobbled streets — that totally worked out.

This working vacation NEVER would have happened if I’d not become a freelancer. I wouldn’t have had the imagination and gumption for it. It’s been fifteen years since my last traditional job. Fifteen years without health insurance, paid vacation, or 401K. And it’s been the best fifteen years of my working life, AND my personal life. Here’s to Freelancer February! Freelance forever. That’s my goal and motto.

I’m very happy to share travel tips on Portugal – it’s been absolutely gorgeous, stunning and affordable! Hit me up, and share your travel stories with us! maureen@upstatecreative.org

Freelancer Feature: Aaron Moore of Acting with Aaron

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Aaron Moore started “Acting with Aaron,” in 2012. Born, raised, and still living in Albany, he started teaching acting when he came back to Albany after college and noticed that there were a lot of youths in the area who were interested in the performing arts but didn’t have an outlet for it. He wanted to give back to the city and fell in love with doing it. Aaron says, “Giving my knowledge to others and getting to see how it affects them is a true gift.” 

  • What’s your favorite thing about freelancing? My favorite thing about freelancing would be the freedom that it gives you. You can make your own hours, create your own projects, and set your own networking opportunities. I’m able to work on multiple projects at the same time. 
  • What’s the most difficult part about freelancing? I would say that the most difficult part of freelancing would be the lack of stability that a regular 9-5 job has. 
  • What’s your advice to a freelancer just starting out? My advice to folks starting out would be back sure you have a full understanding of your business plan and create realistic long and short term goals. Look for networking opportunities when you can, and always get things in writing. 
  • What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started? I wish I knew I didn’t have to say yes to everything, that planning ahead does wonders, and to have set up my prices before starting out.  
  • Your most exciting project to date? I’m working on my first written production “When the Sun Rises and the Walls Come Down.” Putting a play together from scratch has been most exciting, and stressful. 

Aaron said that it’s great to be a freelancer in the Capital Region because the region has started on a creative renaissance and it’s still growing and shaping. As the city grows, so does the opportunities for freelancing. 

Contact:

Email: actingwithaaronmoore@gmail.com

Facebook: @actingwithaaronpage

Instagram: @actingwithaaron

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