We had the good fortune of connecting with Grace Kennedy and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Grace, how do you think about risk?
The biggest risk I took was definitely building my company from scratch after the company I worked for started to have financial difficulty. I had never wanted to own or run my own company before, but it became almost a necessity for my income. Despite my hesitations, I still managed to take the leap, and I’m simply having the most fun I’ve ever had doing what I love. It has been completely rewarding and fulfilling to build relationships with clients creating exactly what they want, and being able to support their ventures as well.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I pride myself on my skills as a printer, marketer, designer, AND artist. My brand is unique because I am essentially selling myself, along with the products I’m able to create for my clients. My tagline is “A Creative Director at your beck and call!” because that is essentially what I can do for clients. They can come to me for branding from the ground up starting from just a logo, and I can produce their business cards, uniforms, swag items and online marketing. My favorite part is and always will be, direct-to-garment printing, and my Mystery Shirts are where I really stretch my design legs. My skills and experience are far-reaching, and there’s very little I don’t know about my business. It allows TeeLaine to offer unique items, and I haven’t even reached my potential with the machinery I already know how to run.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would definitely check out Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs, which happens to also be where I live. I love the community, and part of my business model is wanting to work with the businesses there. Of course, Deep Ellum is a great place to take non-Dallasites and I love Punch Bowl Social. The Dallas Farmers Market would be great for a weekend too!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to thank my old boss, Deanna Reed, for encouraging me to strike out on my own. She helped me believe in myself and my skills, and I never could have done this without her.
Website: www.TeeLaine.com
Instagram: @tee_lainetx
Twitter: @teelainetx
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/TeeLaineTX/
Other: TikTok: @tee_lainetx