Meet Natalie Tallant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalie Tallant and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natalie, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for Tallant Design Co. came on somewhat naturally but took a while to finetune. As a Fashion Merchandising and Marketing major, a creative path was always in the cards. From as long as I can remember I was the girl always creating something, DIYing a project, or wanting to go all out for a party even before parties were what they are today. As I got older my love of entertaining only grew and pretty soon my sisters and I had our own supply of backdrops and other various party supplies with me behind the scenes creating the little details- first with a Cricut, then a CNC machine and a basic laser machine. Although I love planning my own events, I never wanted to take on full event planning and the ability these machines gave me to create all the little details I love so much soon started to turn into something more than a personal hobby! Before I knew it friends, family, and even a local event planner were reaching out for party signage and details and I knew I had it! This new little niche I had found seemed like the perfect fit. So I took the leap upgraded my laser to the C02 machine I have today and officially launched Tallant Design Co. last April!

Now a little more than year in, it was the best decision I could’ve made! Having a creative outlet, getting to be a small part of so many special events, being able to turn all those designs in my head into tangible items that my clients and their guests get to enjoy, and meeting and working with some of the best in the industry has truly been a blessing.

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.
My professional background is extensive in both marketing and product development. Given my major, straight out of college I initially wanted to pursue a career in the fashion industry first working at a marketing and styling house and then an online start up before I realized a 9-5 desk job was not for me. I needed something that was a little more hands on, mixing both the inevitable desk work with other elements that allowed me to be more creative. I was thankfully able to make the switch to the interior world where I still to this day work as an independent contractor for home decor companies helping develop product lines for national retailers such as Homegoods, World Market, Nordstrom and more. This switch allowed me to still use my creative energy while also getting to have a fairly flexible schedule which was very important to me as I started my family. I’ve now been in that industry for over 11 years and while I enjoy the retail world it can be volatile and rapidly changing especially depending on the economy which is one of the many reasons I wanted to branch out into something different.
Although I am still juggling both careers Tallant Design Co. has become my passion! My background definitely helped me when starting this company and I think is one of the things that allows me to stand out in my field. As someone who has worked both in fashion and interior design, you have to see the vision as whole and I’d like to think that that’s where I excel. Whether I’m creating one menu for a client or every detail for their entire event they can trust that what I produce is going to be cohesive to the overall look and help tie all the other pieces together—and that is my favorite part! Seeing something I’ve created tie in seamlessly to an event but also make a huge impact. To me it’s the little details that help turn even the smallest of milestones into memorable ones and I love getting to be a small part of that for my clients. I’ve been creating for myself and my family for years but seeing this business come to life this past year has been so rewarding but definitely not without a lot of ups and downs. As with anything new there is always a learning curve, whether learning how to work various pieces of machinery and actually physically bring my ideas to life or the feelings of doubt that creep in with things aren’t going just right. Worrying about getting exposure to new clients and then on the flip side having to learn when to say no. As a work from home mom, it’s also been a huge challenge trying to navigate the various parts of my life and find the right balance. I think one of the biggest things I’ve learned along the way is that when something isn’t quite working, it is to walk away for a bit, clear your head and come back to it. The amount of times that I have spent hours and hours trying to force something when I should have taken a step back has caused a lot of frustration and so much wasted material! Another lesson I’ve learned is that it’s ok to make mistakes because they are inevitable when starting something new but to also take the time to reflect on those mistakes or decisions that didn’t turn out so well and learn from them so you do differently the next time.
This journey of starting a new business hasn’t always been easy and there are definitely days when you feel like its not worth it but you just keep pushing through one day at a time and slowly it starts to feel like things are falling into place and all the hard work and sleepless nights begin to pay off. I look back at how far I’ve come in just a year, the personal growth I’ve made, the events I’ve been able to be part of, the other vendors I’ve met who I can now call friends and I am so excited to see how this journey evolves. For anyone who’s been playing with the idea of starting something new my advice would be to try it! If at worst you end up back in the same place you are today, at least you tried!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Being a native Southern Californian I have to admit that I typically try to avoid all the touristy parts of LA but I am a beach girl through and through! If I had a friend visiting for the first time we’d most likely find ourselves spending at least a couple days in Santa Monica enjoying the sun, people watching, and eating and drinking our way along the coastline. Downtown is always a fun experience with so many new restaurants and bars popping up there’s always something new to try. Possibly a concert at the Hollywood bowl and if we’re up for something outdoorsy maybe head to Griffith Park.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I come from a family that loves to entertain! We love to celebrate all the moments big and small and I think that’s a big reason why I love doing what I do! They have always been there to support and cheer me on in everything I do. I also couldn’t do what I do without my husband Justin who I joke is my unofficial employee, he is always there step in and help whenever I need him. My two babies are also huge sports given that I am always running around working on a thousand different projects!

Instagram: TallantDesignCo

Other: hello@tallantdesignco.com

Image Credits
Teresa Ann Photo
Always Kind Creative