Tina Roth Eisenberg
Tina Roth Eisenberg is a Swiss born, raised and trained graphic designer. In 1999 she came to NYC for a 3 month design internship and never left.
Over the past 13 years Tina started numerous side projects that have organically turned into businesses: a creative co-working community called FRIENDS, a global, monthly lecture series called CreativeMornings, a simple to-do app called TeuxDeux and Tattly, a high-end temporary tattoo shop.
She lives in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, with her two kids Ella and Tilo who are teaching her the art of making slime and building forts.
Tina is often referred to as Swissmiss after her popular blog. She likes that.
I can’t wait for you to hear this interview, that is how much fun it was. And I am still thinking about all the insights Tina shares from her own perspective and process.
If you are lacking inspiration or courage to move into action about an idea, you will not want to miss this interview.
You can find Tina, and all her amazing creations here:
blog: www.swiss-miss.com
lecture series: www.creativemornings.com
tattoo shop: www.tattly.com
to do app: www.teuxdeux.com
coworking space: www.friendsworkhere.com
Twitter: @swissmiss
Instagram: @swissmiss
Listen to the interview below or wherever you get your podcasts.
(Transcript of Audio Recording Below)
Monica:
Thank you so much. I'll just dive right in. Where I wanted to start, it was just to say that you really are one of my personal heroes and it's true. And, and, and part of that is because I see you make all of this cool stuff all the time. And I think that myself, and I know I'm not the only one, um, really struggle with putting our ideas into action and I suspect, you know, some things that we don't know. Right. And, um, so I just wondered if you could start by just telling us a little bit about yourself and what you do and then we'll launch into more questions.
Tina:
Okay. And do I need to do anything on my end about recording and stuff or are you all going,.
Monica:
oh, we're all good. All good.
Tina:
Okay, cool. Um, okay. Yeah, no, that sounds all good. I'm not sure if I have secrets, but, hey, let's try, you have
Monica:
you know, and that is what is really cool to see. I mean, I, you know, I just recently saw, you know, you created a choir and I just thought, of course Tina created a choir. This is so cool.
Tina:
Uh, you know, I think what it comes down to, is just I have a love for life and, there's things I want to see exist in the world. Like I have an idea for something like, "wouldn't it be great if this existed?", And then if that thing keeps me up at night, over and over, if that thing, if that idea doesn't go away, eventually I just give in.
Monica:
Wow. I love that. It's a great way to put it.
Tina:
And then I guess, you know, people, what would you say people say all the time, like how do you go from the idea to execution? And I honestly don't know what, what gene I have in me that just doesn't even think twice about it. Like to me there's not even a thought of I couldn't do it.
Monica:
Like, it doesn't occur to you.
Tina:
Yeah. Basically. Maybe I'm missing just some filters that will make me second guess like how in the world are you gotta pull this off? I'm just, I'm just barreling with my enthusiasm as a goal. And I think sometimes like with such an idealism, I really do think like sometimes I'm just adorably. naive and maybe, maybe that's the secret. Maybe I'm to be ignoring all of the signs that other people would go like, oh, up, I might better stop now.
Monica:
Right, right, right. Do you think where you always that way is that, does that feel just like a familiar way of being that, that you don't remember ever feeling differently than that?
Tina:
No, I've always been like that. Like especially, I mean, as a kid, I mean if you look at all this stuff I've done as a kid and then especially it came out during my high school time when I, um, uh, I, I started running the student council and then helped with the newspaper, you know, the student newspaper and I put on all the events and I mean, I finally had an outlet for like to make all these things, these ideas in my head happen and uh, Ya know, I think I've always been like that, but I mean, I'm just happy to see it. It inspires other people to, you know, execute on their ideas. I mean that to be honest, whenever I get, you know, oftentimes I get really heartfelt DMs and emails from people, hand written notes, like I just got back from vacation and there was like the most heartfelt handwritten note that apparently was dropped off a deal fits, just went into length of explaining me all the things he started because he was inspired by me. I mean that's really touching. And um, yeah, the box where I keep all of that stuff.
Monica:
Oh, I love that. Well, we'll add me to that box because I mean, that's how I've always felt about you and just, and, and honestly, I think that your courage gives other people courage. It's like, well, and, and just the way that you do it and sort of a, a lighthearted, warm, excited, enthusiastic way, um, is contagious. It really is. I mean, I remember when I told you about some of my ideas years ago, I mean, it only took me four years after that to start it. But, but you just immediately said, do it, do it. Go for it. And I, it was, it meant a lot to me to hear that from you. So I think that you, you do bring that into the world so much.
Tina:
Oh, that makes me happy. Oh. But you know, I do think Dota, there's so many cultural differences that I'm noticing. Like, I mean, I can't wait for my kids to be old enough to one day say I want to live in a different country and I'm going to tell them, do it. Cause I mean, I'm gonna say moving from, you know, having grown up in Switzerland, which has a lot of advantages and is really beautiful.
Tina:
Um, uh, but then moving to the states, which is actually the 20 year anniversary, uh, next month, um. Yeah, I do remember so vividly how the one big cultural difference that I appreciate so much is that I remember, you know, I was, this does Tina full of ideas in Switzerland and most of the time I just heard it's never gonna work. Why, what are you going to do if it's going to fail? Like there's a fear of it failing of a fear of you embarrassing yourself or a fear of sticking out too much or being too successful in Switzerland. And then I came here and I would sort of blurt out these ideas over drinks with friends and they looked at me and we'll go like, all right, you got to make this happen. And you know what, I have a friend who might be able to help me, let me connect to you.
Tina:
And the next thing I know is like, people are like literally giving me momentum. And I think that's really, I don't know if it's a New York thing. But, but I do appreciate that about the American culture.
Monica:
And, and that's, that does seem remarkable because I think the way you described the, you know, your experience of the Swiss culture when you were younger is kind of the way a lot of our brains work. Don't stick out too much. That'll never work. It'll be embarrassing. Um, so it's, it's remarkable that your experience was to come here, that that was sort of, you ran into something completely different than that.
Tina:
I don't think I could have started and successfully maintained and ran all the things I did here in Switzerland. And also the one thing I must say, like everything that has catapulted me in my, like in my life forward success professionally was something I started on my own.
Tina:
Interesting. Okay. Yeah. Why do you think that is? Do you think that it was just that there, there was no one to sort of, um, critique it and that you just kept moving forward with when you, you're doing it on your own or what do you think that was?
Tina:
No, I think it's that, you know, Seth Godin talks about this all the time. Don't wait to be picked. Just pick yourself and start that thing you want to start. And I really truly believe there's something about that. I mean, all the things I have just started because I wanted to see them in the world. Even just my blog, my blog has opened so many doors for me and I started at, at a time when blogging wasn't even a thing. And, uh, and just I have created, I guess it's you create respect and, and uh, and in just people seeing you having drive, being excited about something and just wanting to see something in the world and sticking with it.
Tina:
I mean to me personally, when I, you know, let's say I come across someone interesting. I mean just so yesterday or yesterday or two days ago, I asked on Twitter, I just want to see more wise creative, I want to put more wise creative women on my radar. So I asked like, who should be a moderator? And then the floodgates opened and a lot of people like so generously shared some people that some women they admire and I started clicking through these and like sort of clicking through to these women and their Twitter bio's and then from their tutor, you know, the to their, um, personal websites, whatever they link to. And I got completely lost in some of these women's what they've done like, and I guess I have so much respect for people that pulled things off on their own and he doesn't have to big, I just want to see somebody sticks with their idea.
Monica:
Yes, I love that. And to pick yourself, I've never heard that. I love that. Um, so you know, one of the things I've heard you say is, and this is sort of what we're talking about already, it's the best way to complain is to create things. Um, tell, tell, tell us about what that quote means to you.
Tina:
Yeah. Uh, it's by James Murphy from LCD sound system and I remember reading it after I started so many things that we was kind of like an epiphany of like, it's kind of my life motto. Yeah. I mean, you know, again, so again Switzerland beautiful, but they do, they do complain a lot. It's like complaining on a very high level. I, I've always been bothered by it. I don't think it's a complete waste of energy. And so I have created, as you know, like moving to a different culture to a different country.
Tina:
I sort of established my own personal rules of breaking out of certain patterns I don't want. And I told myself, Tina, you have a personal rule. If you find yourself complaining about something repeatedly, you have two options. Either do something about it or just let it go. And that personal rule, like if I see myself complaining about something that obviously I care about. Sure. Right. And I can't let it go. I will try to do something about it no matter how big or small. And that's how, you know, Tattly my temporary, my temporary tatoo company started because I couldn't stand the hideous temporary tatoos my daughter would bring home. And the next thing you know, what started as a joke, uh, is a business that chips tatoos around the world. And at the same way with creative mornings at lecture series, I run that.
Tina:
I just, I remember moving to New York City and just having such a hard time. I didn't know anyone and I had such a hard time breaking into just the creative world and finding my people. And then eventually when I had a co, uh, ran a co-working space and I realized, Hey, Tina, you actually have a space where you can invite, invite people in. I said, why don't I create this community that I wanted to exist when I moved here and you know, and there we go again.
Monica:
It didn't exist and you wanted it and you couldn't stop thinking about it and you made it happen. Yeah. Wow. And, and what's it like to see, um, you know, creative mornings and Tattly, you know, take off these ideas that came out of your own, um, you know, noticing a hole, right. And, and to see them take off, what is that like?
Tina:
It's beautiful and terrifying. I have this phrase that I, uh, uh, realized a few years ago when I made some kind of drastic, uh, life changes and I kind of, I call it, I started finally listening to my heart. I feel like there's been moments in my life where I took a leap. I, I was daring, I was like courageous in some way by starting something or let's say move to America. And then to universe, I call it the universe was cheering me on. The universe instantly sending me a signal that says "keep going." And I feel like that's been happening a lot in when I started something that was a bit, you know, against all the odds like Creative Mornings. And um, and I always tell my kids or even you know, people that, you know, that, you know, I have a lot of young people working for me and I try to always tell them like, try to pay attention to that: when the universe is cheering you on.
Tina:
When like doors open so smoothly and easily without you actually, you know, expecting much at all. And all of a sudden there's these opportunities to open up. And I, I, um, I started a, what I call a Win Journal. W I N okay. Tell me whenever, whenever stuff like that happens, you know, when unexpected little wins throughout today or you know, my life are happening, I started writing them down because it's a reminder to me whenever I'm feeling down and not feel like, Oh God, yeah, I look at that Win journal whenever I might myself. Like the universe is constantly cheering beyond. There's little signs all day long, every day that, you know, you just keep going.
Monica:
Yeah. I love that. And so that's a, that's a take on, um, like the idea of a gratitude journal that I feel like is, um, more accessible and a little bit of a way, you know, I love that idea of having your list of wins. Um, so, you know, we, we, we talked about this at the beginning and, and the gene that you're perhaps missing, right? Everywhere where everyone, um, you know, that so many of us, when we have an idea, we stall, right? Um, I see this in myself. I see it and people I work with, um, I see it and people I know just personally. Um, but you know, what propels you forward, you think besides missing this gene. Um, and besides saying, you know, I'm going to create things that don't exist, right? If I'm still thinking about it, I'm going to do something or I'm going to let it go. Um, what, what do you think that you draw on to, to give yourself courage?
Tina:
I'm not sure, but I do think it's, I get so incredibly excited about the creative process of building something new. I mean, that's, that's where I am the happiest. I am not happy in maintaining and that's where I need to find the people that care about that part. But the, I mean this is where I'm a designer at heart. Like I love the process of having an idea and then basically chiseling away with prototyping, uh, and seeing if my assumptions are right. And again, sort of see where does the universe like send me a signal as in that, that that assumption is right and there's going to be momentum. So it's probably that I get a lot of joy out of that process. The beginning process and, but then see my, my struggle is, but not that it looks like it is, but I actually do have a hard time with then the maintenance part of the shirt, right?
Tina:
Or actually deciding that maybe sometimes you should also just let go of them. I mean that is a part I can't, I cannot do at all, which I admire about other people.
Monica:
Who can sort of, you know, to, to let it go to someone else or let it move onto another part. Yeah. Um, you know, I think that's fascinating that you love the process of creating, cause I, I wonder and I'd be interested to hear what you think about this. Is that so, so often when we are thinking of an idea, um, you know, we being sort of me and the people I'm referring to, we're focusing on the outcome, right? And we're focusing on will it succeed? Will it fail? Will it resonate, will it not? And I think that is part of probably why we get paralyzed. Whereas sounds like you stay in the joy of, Gosh, this is a cool idea. Let me just tinker with it. Let me just enjoy the process of, of making it and see what that feels like and that, that seems like it automatically would eliminate a lot. The overthinking.
Tina:
I really do think that is what it comes down to, because I do enjoy the, I, it's, I think the perfect accent. But for me, I love, uh, planning dinner parties, parties in general that made it, the parties here. I'm kind of like, I want to go home. I like everything.
Monica:
Yeah. I can relate to that. Yeah. Yeah. That, that's the fun part is the planning. Yes. Great. Well, do you, do you ever get scared or have doubts?
Tina:
I mean, hell yes, all the time, every day. No, I mean, I mean, sometimes I look, you know, I look into room, I, I run Creative Mornings, and Tattly, which combined has I think, 25 employees. Uh, I run them out of this beautiful Brooklyn factory space and we're on one floor. And sometimes I walk in and I'm like, what the heck, Tina? Like I just see I overhead, then I instantly go into my Unicorn denial mode. I was like, no, it's all great.
Monica:
Oh Gosh. And in the Unicorn denial mode, like maybe that's a switch that I want to adapt. Um, you know, where do you go? Do you go to sort of the, at, you know, a mentally had sort of the Win journal or you go to, you know, what, just trusting like you said, that, that the road will rise to meet you or where, where do you think to those places?
Tina:
Yeah, I'm, uh, I mean, I, I've had quite a journey over the last few years because there was about, uh, four years ago. I, uh, I, uh, I separated from my husband and was a huge life decision and I underestimated just how much it would throw me off in terms of just my, my, uh, confidence that, I could do this all. And what I learned at the time isn't, I've never had this in my entire life. I've never not trusted I could figure things out. I've, I've completely lost sort of my groundedness that I apparently always had. And, through that really, really valuable experience, I learned how I had to stay in a place of trusting and groundedness and, and just also reminding myself that the universe has always delivered. There has never been a moment where things didn't work out. But when you when you spiral into fear. Yeah. You're energetically just, you are not attracting goodness anymore. Like what I've learned is like I had to constantly work every day. That's why I started a meditation practice every morning. That really helps me in sort of staying in a space of gratitude and, and just, uh, uh, sounds mushy but love. So I tried to show up as a, you know, loving, optimistic, grateful human every day. And if I fall into fear, like things literally start falling apart, especially when you're the, the founder of a company like you are the edited agenda, energetic source of this. It's like an entity, like a company. So I had to learn to always remind myself just that things are okay. But it's not just like saying like you have to literally feel it in your body and you have to,.
Monica:
It makes so much sense to me that you have to experientials sort of dwell or abide in that kind of idea of love and that it's okay and everything will be okay. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. No, I, I love that. Um, you know, what is one thing that you wish you knew, um, when you were starting out or, or even, um, you know, four years ago when, when this, when things really changed in your life that you know now?
Tina:
Um, that's a good question.
Monica:
It's a big question too. Maybe, it's too big of a question.
Tina:
No, no, no. It's not too big. It's a good one. Um, I wish I would have known that it all starts with me in terms of just self-love. I know this is a big word, but I though I f I feel like a lot of the problems or things that were difficult in my life had to do because I didn't work on myself and sort of went internal. I'm realizing the more I go inside of me and kind of work on that world, the more the world around me is falling into place in a very beautiful way.
Monica:
Oh, wow. Tina, I love that. I think that that's something that we all need to hear. Um, starting with self-love.
Tina:
Uh, but it's, it's a, it's a word that scares a lot of people.
Monica:
You think? I mean, I guess I'm so steeped in my therapy world that I'm like, I, you know, that's, that sounds like a, just that's an everyday you know, Tuesday word. Right.
Tina:
But I know I'm not, I mean, I keep, I kept hearing this all my life. Like you just, you gotta love yourself. You've gotta be kind to yourself. And I remember not being able to translate that into what does that mean? And just like really kind of hitting rock bottom and then starting to work with a, what I call energy coaches and, and, uh, really started showing where, where'd it is. So I have a lot of empathy for people that say like, all right, I rationally get this, but how do I get there?
Monica:
Right, right. Wow. And, and it has that been sort of this daily practice too of kind of choosing that and intentionally being in that space? Yes. Yeah.
Tina:
And I mean, that's where my meditation practice comes in. Um, and also the one thing that I wish I would have learned sooner is I feel like there's a lot of unconditioning on I'm, I'm going through in terms of, uh, just, you know, the things you, the patterns you learn as a child. Um, and, and also I think decent generational shifts that is not, it's not a criticism in my parents or I, this was called troches think there is a shift happening right now where, or at least maybe I'm in a bubble here in New York with the friends I have, but I'm starting to realize that I used to think I had to work 10 hours a day. I had to be exhausted and I had to be really hard. And then that was, uh, that wasn't successful day, right? Yeah. But I'm starting to realize there's such a more gentle way there is when I am, again, I'm going woo. And I'm like really centered and really grounded and I'm really in myself in a very harmonious way that then things, again, the universe starts opening doors to me that sometimes blow my mind where I'm like, oh my God, this just like this literally landed in front of me without me actually forcing anything or working really hard.
Tina:
And I think it again, it has to do with being really in yourself and being sort of aligned with where, where the universe wants you to go. And, and, and I, I'm just realizing that I grew up very spiritual with my dad being a totally bad ass entrepreneur, but at the same time, so being really, really spiritual. I mean we're talking, doing past life regressions in our living room every weekend. Yeah, very cool. But I kind of lost that part of, but it's very spiritual approach to life for quite a while. And I feel like I've reconnected to that and actually not only reconnected personally but actually started realizing that this is a lens that you can actually run your life just my entire life also your business under. So I've, I always, I always feel like I wish more people started realizing the sort of finding yourself and finding your place in the universe. And it all sounds so woo woo, like a lot of New York are probably cringing right now. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean,
Monica:
Um, well, um, one question I'm asking everyone is, you know, what's one event, um, or person that played a role in you becoming the Tina that we're speaking with today?
Tina:
Oh my, there's so many. Hold on, let me think.
Monica:
And you can chose more than one. I know that one, you know, one is, it doesn't have to be the only one or the main one, but just, you know, one or, or, or, you know, feel free to do more than one.
Tina:
Yeah, I mean, the one, the one thing that comes to mind right away is like, you know, there's t's pivotal moments in life. Uh, Where somebody just says one single, one small thing and like, it's like a door opens up. I remember one of them is when I was seven years old, I was in south of France on vacation with, uh, my very eccentric creative Aunt and her boyfriend who was a graphic designer. And I was like a very creative kid and I loved drawing and I watched him and he was an incredible, I mean he was just so talented and this is pre-computers and I watch him make what looked like a poster and I mean he could draw like no one else. And he was drawing type. And I was like, dude man, what are you doing? And he says, I'm working. He was kind of, matter of fact, I was like, what do you mean working? Your making money with this? Like you're drawing, you're making money. And he says, yeah, I'm a graphic designer. I make money. I remember like I had like this explosion in my head. I can make money being creative. So that was wow.
Monica:
Yeah. It shifted what was actually possible.
Tina:
Yeah. And then, and then I had several attempts of coming to New York City, um, and, and then finally when I was 26 and I graduated from graphic design school and I said, I am just going to New York for three months. I am doing this. And within 12 hours of arriving, I had one job interview lined up in a small design studio and Matthew Waltman, who was just very generous to just take time and sit down with me within five minutes of talking to me, he looked at me and said, Tina, you're never going to leave New York. You got yourself an internship and also you're going to marry a tall Jewish man. And I remember sitting there going, what the heck just happened here?
Monica:
All of it. Wow. That's crazy.
Tina:
But, but again, and I always talk about it, I always tell, uh, especially my younger team members, I never forget who opened doors for you. Like it's, I feel like there's, or you know it's the teachers of course. I mean I have so many people who I feel like have been like these pivotal moments in my life. And I mean, Matthew, I keep talking, I keep saying it all the time. Like without him, I don't know if I would have been able to, you know, cause you had to, you know, a few weeks later he offered me a full time Visa and a full time job and um, and you know, and again, that's like universe cheering you on right there, right? Yeah. That, that, that there,
Monica:
You're in the right place and here's an open door for you. Yeah. Yeah. Wow, that's amazing. Um, thank you so much, really for the time and just your insights and um, your, your energy and your kindness is just contagious. I mean, it's true. I mean, I, I, you know, I remember when we got to have dinner, um, I just, it, I, I remember thinking, I don't know if I've ever met someone as energetic and, and as open. Um, so yeah, it just, it's really contagious and I think that your courage gives clearly with these not, it's not just me, it's so many, many people. Um, courage. So thank you.
Tina:
Thank you for saying, I guess I don't realize, but that makes me happy.