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

Hi Tina, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I’m always working to have a healthier more sustainable work/life balance. Being a small business owner can be extremely liberating for your time but it also requires a lot of discipline. People glamorize escaping the dreaded monotony of a 9-5 but you also have to be prepared to sacrifice nights and weekends as well as all of the unknown variables that come into play when working for yourself. For me owning a small business has been a constant ebb and flow of time periods where I am putting in a lot of work and others where I am able to relax and enjoy the pay off of all the work I’ve done. It’s a forever changing cycle as your business changes and grows you do too. When I have a healthy work/life balance I feel at peace and aligned, when I’m overworked and under rested I feel chaotic and overwhelmed. Its important to slow down and tune into what you need and not just always what your business needs.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My store is my art. Death Trip Vintage is both an online (www.deathtripvtg.com) and brick and mortar store, our boutique is located at 3940 4th ave in Hillcrest, San Diego. Our niche is vintage but we also carry eclectic second hand, designer and couture fashion. We believe clothing is genderless and non binary. People should dress to look good and feel good. Fashion should make us feel empowered to express both sides of our divinity, the masculine and feminine. As a person who’s always been plus size I know the struggle it is to find. clothes that fit good, look good and feel good and that can be even more difficult when it comes to vintage. Our collection is for every body all shapes and sizes. We promote sustainability, inclusivity and empowerment for all people. Our curated collection is forever changing, it remains timeless but also reflects the seasons and current fashion trends. Everything is hand picked to ensure the highest quality of vintage, couture, and designer fashion. We offer buy/sell/trade, personal/professional styling, wardrobe curation, and clothing/costume rental services.

My professional journey began down a path of health and wellness and after many years in that field I felt something lacking. Part of my soul wasn’t being fulfilled, while I was happy and loved what I did I wasn’t able to express my creative side through my work and I decided it was time for a career change. With that Death Trip Vintage came to fruition. I wouldn’t describe it as an easy transition but its not something I would change either. The juice was worth the squeeze.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as. a business owner is that you get what you put in, while talent is a huge factor to success you won’t get anywhere without putting in the work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my bestie came to visit here’s a list of all the local San Diego gems I’d take them to check out:

Food
The Joint
Hinotez
Turf Club
Golden Hill Cafe
Tacos El Gordo

Drink
Livewire
Starlite
Cordova Bar

Hang Out
Ocean Beach Farmers Market
Coin-Op
Liberty Station Public Market
Balboa Park
Belly Up
The Casbah
Encinitas Meditation Garden

Beaches
Sunset Cliffs
Garbage Beach
Blacks Beach

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shoutout my good friend who is a Florist Designer, Natalie Blooms. Natalie and I met a few years ago through mutual friends. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and while going through a lot of trials and tribulations of life and trying to start/manage/grow a new business. Natalie provided me so much love, support, and mentorship both in my personal and professional life. She is the first person I trusted and was able to receive support from with Death Trip Vintage. I am a very particular person and when starting a business its very difficult to allow others to help out of fear of it not being your vision. She opened me up to receiving help from others. She also believed in my vision and encouraged me to expand and dream big. She is such an amazing inspiration and I feel so lucky to have relationships with strong amazing women.

Another really good friend of mine I’d like to shout out is Sober Sport. Ryan is another vintage seller that I met through doing pop ups at markets and swap meets. We met at my first pop up event and he was my first friend in the vintage community. I’m super thankful for that relationship and everything I’ve learned from them about selling. Ryan is unique and one of a kind and his inventory reflects that. He shares my mentality that there’s enough for everybody to eat and everyone should get a seat at the table.

Website: www.deathtripvtg.com

Instagram: @deathtripvtg

Facebook: www.facebook.com/deathtripvtg

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/death-trip-vintage-san-diego-3

Other: https://deathtripvtg.com/pages/vintage-san-diego-ca

Image Credits
Maddie Barr @madelinebarrphoto, Arlene Ibarra @arleneibarra, Hanuit @hanuit, Jessika Christine @jessikachristinephoto, Sabrina Lynn @sabrinalynnphoto

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