Client Highlight - garb2ART

Dawn Andrews, 2014 Risk It Indiana First Place winner and 2014 Risk It Indiana Audience Choice winner, owns garb2ART, a cosmetic line packaged in recycled and upcycled materials. garb2ART (website)(Facebook page) is a full line cosmetic company offering new and creative packaging to raise global awareness for recycling. Dawn uses outside the box approaches that has allowed her business to grow exponentially over the last two years.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Dawn worked in banking, radio, and sales. In addition, she's always had a hobby of taking recycled items and making them into art.  

Dawn decided to open her own business because she wanted to continue to be creative. She knew she had an idea different from anything in the market, but at same time, she had a great product that she thought people would enjoy.

Dawn's mission for her business is to create awareness for recycling and at the same time, put out a great hand-made makeup line.

Dawn's favorite aspect of her business isthe ability to be creative with her products, displays, graphic art and packaging. She says that there's nothing better than a great photo shoot to tie new colors, or a new line together.  These are the things that keep her up at night - and she's okay with that.  Photo shoots often consist of recyclable items used to make clothing or props, and it really makes consumers stop and look twice.  Are they looking at a cosmetic ad - art - or both?

Not having enough help at times is Dawn's least favorite aspect of owning her business. However, Dawn does appreciate those who work with her on a daily basis and is extremely thankful to the stores across the United States that sell her products and make her dream business a reality.

When asked what challenges Dawn has overcome, she said, "One of the obstacles to overcome is the fact that we're doing makeup, and displays are made of newspaper. People didn't know what to think of our packaging in the beginning, but now they have grown to love it."

garb2ART opened in 2012 as a company that made recycled materials into art. garb2ART began focusing on makeup in 2013, and now Dawn's business has a permanent location in Columbus. Dawn's business is experiencing tremendous growth. Her makeup is sold in over 66 stores mostly in the southern states of the U.S.  From this time last year, garb2ART's sales have increased by 300%. For 2014, Dawn's overall sales are up right at 90%.

 
Dawn is very involved in her community and loves to give back. She gives donations to Turning Point, a domestic violence center. She's also involved with Columbus Service League, Bartholomew County Substance Abuse Council and Girls Inc. and speaks there. Dawn also regularly speaks at schools aboutwhat it takes to start a business, and that there's no such thing as a bad idea as long as you are willing to give it more than what you think you've got.  She also speaks about bad decisions she made as a teen and feels that sometimes teens need to see someone who has hit rock bottom and then see them rise back up. 

Dawn, a Southeast ISBDC client since April 2014, says, "The Southeast ISBDC is a great resource and support team for me. Being able to work with the ISBDC at no cost has been a great opportunity and life saver."

Southeast ISBDC Business Advisor, Laura DeDomenic, says, "Dawn Andrews took an idea she got on vacation and ran with it.  With garb2ART Cosmetics, Dawn created a unique and high quality cosmetic line.  Dawn hand mixes all of the products and colors herself to insure her product maintains her high level of quality.  She also bottles the lip gloss tubes and nail polishes here in Columbus.  Dawn has taken an idea and created a growing company creating jobs and opportunities locally."