Meet Phoebe Ping | Small Business Accessories Designer & Costumer

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

Hi Phoebe, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
It started as a gift idea for a family friend who was taking a trip to Disneyland. I work as a costumer/costume maker, so whenever I have time, I like to hand craft gifts for people, and I especially love making accessories. I had seen many artists on Etsy and Instagram who made and sold beautifully unique ears for Disney lovers to wear to the parks, and felt a certain desire to do something similar. When I went to make my first pair of ears, I thought of the person I was gifting them to; her style, the colors she liked, her general aesthetic. I also had this vision in my head of a style of ears I had not yet seen being sold at the parks but was something that I would want. Going off of that framework, I experimented around until I completed my first pair. But I felt like from there, so many more ideas for designs started rolling in based off of that first style that I wanted to bring to life, so one pair became several pairs and soon I had found my signature style and decided to create this small shop where I could share these designs with anyone else who might be interested in them. I think many creatives and small business owners might say the same thing: if you have a vision for something that you would like to have but can’t find it already in existence, then it’s up to you to realize those ideas!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Even though I’ve been running this shop for a few years now, in many ways I still feel very new to it. It’s really more of a “side hustle”, something that I can only work on outside my 9-5 job, but it’s what brings me joy because it’s something that I can call my own. My products are my ideas and my own handiwork from start to finish so that I know and am in control of how much care is put into them every step of the way. To be completely frank, I’m far from a “small business success story”. I haven’t made six figures as a one-woman show, and I certainly haven’t built an empire from the ground up. In fact, some months my day job takes over and my shop goes untended to for a long time. But I’m enjoying the process so far, and still am thinking about how to grow this business into something that includes a wider audience and feels even more personal to me. So it’s really only the beginning. I know many small shops become wildly successful with thousands of followers by this amount of time, but I’m hoping that someone out there reading this is able to relate to this struggle of wanting to do your own thing but also needing the live in the reality of working a full time job that affords you survival and healthcare. I just hope to let those people know that it’s ok to just go through that process slowly. It’s ok to not have made hundreds of sales in your first year, or have gained thousands of followers on social media. Set clear goals for yourself and take the time that you need to reach them at your own pace.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hmm. I live in Los Angeles currently but am originally from San Diego. I’d say we start in one city and road trip down to the other! Is it bad to say that I’m not actually crazy about the landmarks in Los Angeles? That being said, Los Angeles is a great place to explore and try foods from many different cultures. San Gabriel for authentic Chinese food, K-town for Korean food, Little Tokyo or Sawtelle on the West Side (my personal preference) for Japanese food, and pretty much every neighborhood in Los Angeles has great places to get some of the best street tacos ever. To get to San Diego, I actually recommend taking Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner train. It’s a pretty relaxing ride, away from the terrible traffic on the freeways, and it runs along the coast. Depending on the time of day, you might catch a stunning sunset view along the ocean.
Once we’re there, we have to head for the beaches! Don’t hate me Los Angeles, but I definitely feel that the beaches in San Diego are much prettier…
La Jolla was the beach that I grew up with, as well as La Jolla Cove if you’d like to observe tons of seals out in the wild. Torrey Pines offers some gorgeous hikes, and Pacific Beach for some fun vibes.
In terms of food, my family actually never went out to eat all that often. My father is a chef and believes that there isn’t much out there that he can’t make himself at home. Most of the time he’s right. So I guess whoever is visiting me and going to San Diego will be taken to my parent’s place for some nice home cooking!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are honestly too many to list. I truly believe that every person I’ve come into contact with in my life has impacted my life, career, and growth, no matter how often I interact with that person. I have many friends who are my motivators in the sense that their drive towards their own lives and careers inspire me. I have a loving partner with whom I’ve essentially grown up with, and who nurtures my emotional growth. My parents, who were immigrants who came to this country with hardly anything but gave me and my brother everything so that we could live life as we want to live now. I also want to recognize all the educators and teachers in my life. I come from a family of educators, and I have been one as well. We spend anywhere from 10-20 years of our lives in school. One to two DECADES of having teachers come and go in your life, and I believe that they’re often not given enough credit. I am absolutely where I am because I had the privilege to learn whatever skills I use today from the teachers I’ve had. But beyond just teaching skills, I believe many don’t realize that teachers sometimes have to wear many hats in order to effectively mentor a student. Sometimes they must take on the role of a parent, a friend, or even a therapist, as many factors will affect our ability to learn. A truly good teacher who selflessly embodies all these qualities is hard to find, but I’ve been very fortunate to have crossed paths with several.

Website: shopvioletpurple.etsy.com

Instagram: @shopvioletpurple

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