Morning Nicole, How are you?
Awesome. I’m eating one of your Turmeric Chocolate Cookies. Is that acceptable at 10am? They’re so delicious! It’s hard to have just one. In all fairness I’ve been out working, so they are my late morning treat.
How would you like your name listed in the interview?
Nicole
In what part of town do you all live?
We live in Pinecrest.
How long have you lived in the area?
We have lived in Pinecrest since 2014, and before that South Miami.
Where are you originally from?
I grew up mainly in Houston, Texas.
What brought you to town?
I had an older sister who was living here. When I graduated from college, I moved here and started working. And then, met Danny, who was from Miami. So, we made this home.
How did you and Danny meet?
We met at work. I was working at Ocean Drive Magazine and Danny was working with a Swedish clothing brand and they came in for a meeting. So, we met in a conference room.
Would you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a mother. I have 3 kids. I love to dance. I take a dance class. I love people and I love parties. I like to stay positive, good vibes, good energy, and just keep moving forward.
You recently started a new job, would you share about that?
I started working with Sign Gypsies, the yard greeting company. They’re based out of Dallas, Texas. Any reason you have to celebrate, we’re there to help. I cover their Miami territory.
How did you get involved with them?
An influencer, that I follow, from Indiana of all places, used it for her daughter. I had been following them for some time. Danny said, you should reach out and see if anyone has Miami and if not, you should do it. That’s basically how it started. My first job was March 13th. The following Monday was the day that they announced school was canceled.
How did the closures affect your business?
Boom! One word. Within two weeks, I couldn’t keep up with the demand.
We have noticed a lot of yard signs since the lock downs began, how have you scaled the business?
We’ve grown our team. That was the biggest thing. And, we’ve grown our inventory. Sign Gypsies is a rental company. So you contact us, tell us what your reason for celebration is, and we put together an assortment and put it up for you.
Do you custom make the signs for each job?
No, we’re not a printer. The company that we work with provides us with a product catalog with hundreds of designs and then I purchase inventory from them.
What are you enjoying about this work?
It’s a really positive experience because you’re helping people celebrate someone they love. People are really excited and really grateful. It’s nice to be able to work with people in that capacity.
Do any of your celebrations stand out as favorites?
I have put up signs at hospitals. I worked with Mercy, Kendall Regional, Jackson South, and Mount Sinai so far. We’re donating signs to for their healthcare departments. And we’re talking with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital about something for the kids, like a monthly birthday celebration.
You mentioned dance classes, what kind are you taking?
It’s called Video Sync. There’s normally a class at Body and Soul in Coral Gables. Anyone who’s into it, is pretty die hard. They choreograph different dances and you pick it up as you go. It’s really fun, high energy and fast paced. The room is blacked out. They have lights and loud music and it basically feels like you’re at a club at nine o’clock in the morning. My middle daughter loves to come with me. There’s a definite sense of community and many of them end up getting Rainbow Smoothies after.
Have you all enjoyed the drive through popups since the market was closed?
Danny has kept their Rainbow Smoothie Sundays alive by driving to you and picking them up. Normally on Sunday’s, Danny gives me that time to myself, to go to my dance class, enjoy a little bit of time after, and then we always regroup as a family at the market after.
What makes the market special?
We miss seeing our friends. I think that obviously having a variety of vendors is really nice. I’d also say access to the playground afterwards with all the families that come, is great. Week after week, you see so many of the same people. You become friendly and then your children play. And I feel like it’s a way for the adults and kids to enjoy the day.
What else do you enjoy doing with your kids during the quarantine?
The quarantine is about everyone’s new wheels. My son started skateboarding, the middle one is rollerblading, and little one’s trying to get the training wheels off her bike.
What restaurants or stores have you been supporting during the quarantine?
We love Sage, we pick up from there quite often. Milam’s has been a complete lifesaver for us because they’ve done such a good job of keeping everything super clean and encouraging safety. And, Joanna’s Marketplace. We also got the veggie green box from Aloha, but their season has ended.
What restaurants are you looking forward to going back to?
When we dine out it has lots to do with social. So, if we’re going to dinner with friends we try to pick a new spot. One of my all time favorite places is Mr O1 Pizza. The one we usually go to is in Wynwood. They also have one in Brickell and one on the beach. The story goes that the chef came from Italy on an O1 visa, which is basically when you have a special skill or talent. His was his pizza making abilities.
Do you have a favorite pizza?
They have one with coffee grinds sprinkled on it with honey and a spicy pepperoni. It is so good. Their ingredients are so fresh and their combinations are really cool.
What’s Miami’s best kept secret?
One of my favorite places to go is walking to the Chinese bridge and then ending up at the People’s dock. It’s always so quiet and peaceful and gives you that little moment. The view is beautiful. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll see a dolphin.
What’s a worthy splurge for you?
A nice trip. These days, that’s priceless.
What’s a good rainy-day activity?
Before all of this, it was the ability to stay home with no plans. It’s the opposite of what everybody’s feeling right now.
Where’s the most romantic spot in Miami?
Any beach at sunset.
What community groups or philanthropic groups are important to you that you might like to promote or share?
Meals for Heroes Miami. They deliver food for the front line workers at the hospitals from great Miami restaurants. They’re really cool. And the Birthday Party Project. They are based out of Dallas and help kids in need celebrate birthdays. With signs, I get to be one part of their birthday celebration.
How do people contact you if they’re interested in having signs?
The best is through our website SignGypsies.com
What question would you like to ask us?
(NL) How did you and Adena meet?
(W) We met as kids. My dad was their rabbi, and they were the farmers in our havurah that always brought fruit to share. I moved away for college and had not seen Adena for 15 years. Adena is a trained chef, and on my dad’s 70th birthday, my mom asked Adena to help cook. I was in town from New York and we re-met in my parent’s kitchen.
(NL) So maybe the kitchen is the most romantic place in Miami!
(W) Or, the conference room.
What question or challenge would you like to pose to the community?
Black Lives Matter. I feel like Miami can often be quite segregated. We need to find any way to bridge that gap and become more inclusive. Even within our community at the farmer’s market, how can we open it up and make it more diverse?
How can readers get in touch with you?
@SignGypsiesMiami
Nicole
