Taneisha Gordon creates handmade gifts and decorative accessories, which includes notebooks, wine butlers, desk plates, lapel pins, magnets, stickers, and shirts
Sukhino Designs originated from successfully conquering and growing from a toxic situation riddled with depression, anxiety, stress, and mediocrity. Sukhino is defined as free from suffering and centered in happiness and joy, which translates to a lifestyle and business that wants to spread a positive light of freedom and happiness. It all started as an outlet to slow down and create meaningful wood gifts and accessories with time and care – it is now the goal of Sukhino Designs to help people take a breath and take time to use and create things that reflect their souls.
Sukhino Designs creates handmade gifts and decorative accessories, which includes notebooks, wine butlers, desk plates, lapel pins, magnets, stickers, and shirts. Sukhino also creates a ton of custom work – wall plaques, essential oil stands, signs, key chains, coasters, and more.
What is something you found MAIA to be useful for? Why do you think it’s important a platform like this exists?
In the time that I have been on the MAIA platform, there have been numerous businesses that have found my business on MAIA and reached out for custom products and/or opportunities to collaborate. It just surprises me that out of all the businesses in the database, people took the time, found the Sukhino Designs profile, visited the website, and connected with it in some way to want to take the time to write an email and reach out to me personally. Its great! I think it is super important that a platform like this does exist because not only does it expose you to other woman owned businesses, but it also allows you to discover businesses you wouldn’t have probably found from all different corners and parts of the country. I think empowering other women owned businesses is important and anytime I am working with a business I try to support and help out in any way I can because I know what it is like to be a room full of men and be denied grant money because they couldn’t see the potential in a business – but WOMEN see all the potential and growth.
What did you want to do/be when you were a child? Did anything changed since then? Why? Why not?
When I was a child my professions changed, but I wanted to be the first female president at one point, to a WNBA basketball player, then an artist. All during this time, I was the kid selling candy I got for free from Long John Silvers and drinks that I mom bought for me to drink at school. I would also sell key chains and bracelets and I was always scheming of ways to make money. I was also one of the top selling girl scouts in my district at one point – I’ve always had the hustle bone in my body. All along while I wanted to be all those things as a kid, my actions were showing that I wanted to be an entrepreneur that was going to find creative ways to get people to buy my products. And now here I am!
How do you generate new ideas to stay relevant on the market? Is it important to innovate in your space?
I get my inspiration from the world around me. I am constantly going out and about and seeing new ways to change things up. I also use the internet to my advantage and get inspiration from pinterest, Instagram, and facebook. There are so many people out here doing cool things and we all can serve as inspiration to one another to continue to make dope things!
I do think it is important for me to keep innovating in my space and coming up with new and fresh ideas that people love. If I don’t then people will eventually get tired of my products and not buy – so the goal is to stay relevant, but still true to my brand.
What are your short/long term goals?
Short term goals: Successfully build a business with a multiple branches that produce profitable streams of income that pays the bills, makes profits, and helps young girls to develop some key skills in business and making. I am about 1 year and half into my business and becoming more sustainable as the days pass. It’s only a matter of time until I hit my first million, which I project will happen in my 5th year of business!
Long term goals: Create a Live Free Live Happy movement all across the country, which shows itself through murals, Sukhino Designs stickers and tags placed everywhere, and seeing products (mainly my shirts) on people all across the country. I want people to share what makes them feel happy and free and remember to live a free and happy life. I want to spread that light everywhere I can. I can see it so clearly in my head and its coming!
What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?
The biggest sacrifice that probably bothers me the most is not being able to spend time with my family and friends like I want. I have 3 younger siblings that I am missing growing up and I visit home as often as I can, but sometimes I feel like its not enough and just overall I feel like I am missing a lot because I am in the grinding stages of my business, where I am have to put in major work. Other sacrifices are decreased trips, not as much fun time or outings (but I do have self-care time), and the feeling of failure as a daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter, and girlfriend because of time that I am putting towards my business.