We were lucky to catch up with Arielle Zorger recently and have shared our conversation below.
Arielle, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
If you would have asked me 4 years ago if I was confident or had good self-esteem I would say NO-WAY! I had no professional art training or experience in starting my own business, but I knew that I loved creating new designs + products and I never wanted to do anything else. It was all I could think about, it was all I wanted to do – any free moment I had. It did however, take a few years to get past the “imposter syndrome” of not being good enough or well known as other Judaica artists. I was always shocked when I would get an order and then I would stress out from the moment it was placed until they received it in hopes they “actually” liked it. It took a complete change in my mindset to finally gain the confidence of my Jewish lifestyle brand to have the potential to be as big as I dreamed. As soon as I started believing in myself, and believing I was good enough, and believing in my products the self-esteem followed suit.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I have created a modern, fun + colorful Jewish lifestyle brand that paints the Joy of Judaica into our every day lives! All of my products are made from my original artwork in hopes to bring happiness to the holidays + Shabbat year round.
This all began, when I was a new mom + was always looking for modern Judaica and I could never find any that appealed to the modern Jewish home, so I decided to make my own. The rest is really history!
I am most excited that I have been able to work directly with so many Synagogues, independent Judaica shops, Jewish organizations + museums nationwide. My work can also be found online with Jewishly, ModernTribe, and PeaceLoveLight Shop.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
– Know your data, it’s yours, learn it and understand the numbers – don’t be scared of them! – Figuring out how to properly manufacture your products + working with suppliers
– Make lots of lists, and stay organized!
My best advice would be outsource anything that you do not know how to do, and don’t be afraid to ask for help! Focus on your strengths + understand that you won’t be good at everything when running a business. It’s OK to delegate, create a team and delegate tasks that in turn will support your end goals and make your life easier.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
Fear is My Homeboy by Judi Holler.
I have struggled with my mental health for as long as I could remember, I was always fearing – fear itself. I was scared of my own shadow, and all the “what-if’s” in life. I always felt like I was never living my life to its full potential, because I would never leave my comfort zone. After reading this book, I realized that it was OK to invite fear “to the party” + there is a way to live life with it, and not constantly fighting it.
It taught me that changing your mindset can change your life. Realizing that you don’t have to spend your time trying to get rid of your fear, but actually overcoming the things you fear the most will make you even stronger.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: @ariellezorgerdesigns
