Today we’d like to introduce you to Lyndsey Simpson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Where to start…I moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina in July of 2016 after my family and I found it on a map. We had never been here before and our entire move from deciding to jump to being here was only 45 days.
I graduated from Flagler College (Saint Augustine, FL) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and a minor in Advertising. After having worked in many different arenas – studio artist at an ad agency, marketing specialist at a newspaper, and art director for a retailer, I knew I wanted to open my own business and work for myself. For the last 10 years, I’ve operated LS Creative, a graphic design agency specializing in branding and print design. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many small businesses and nonprofits throughout the area, and recently have switched to exclusively working with only nonprofit clients. I enjoy helping them create their vision and communicating their mission & values to potential donors and clients. It’s rewarding to see the impact these organizations make in our community and to know that I had a little part in helping them.
And, because I didn’t have enough to do, in 2022, I opened Hendersonville Toy Company. Our local toy store was for sale and I could not imagine Hendersonville without it, so I thought who better to own it than us. I had worked in retail previously, but I had never owned my own retail store. It is much different than the service-based offerings of LS Creative. Since then, the dream of Hendersonville Toy Company has expanded, and we hope to open a play cafe in addition to the toy store. My goal is to provide a true community gathering space built exclusively for families and children. As you can imagine, the holidays are a special time for Hendersonville Toy Company, and it brings me great joy to help our local families create holiday magic and memories.
Additionally, since living in Hendersonville, I have run for City Council and have had the opportunity to serve my community as a City Councilwoman since December 2019. I also served as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Hendersonville from 2021 to 2024.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ha, owning a business, let alone two, is never a smooth road. The biggest struggle with any new business is funding – it can be really hard to access the capital needed to begin, and it usually takes a lot more than you think it will. Additionally, no one tells you how many hats you have to wear. I’m the bookkeeper, the merchandiser, the social media manager, the CEO, and so many more things in both of my businesses. Thankfully, I’ve learned a few new skills along the way. And, it’s important to be able to pivot and problem solve when times get tough. I do love a good puzzle!
As far as City Council is concerned, juggling a political position while also working and being a Mom can be quite a balancing act. Three months after I was first elected, COVID hit, so there was a lot of newness for even seasoned government officials. Having never served in a municipal position before, I was not only green for the everyday concerns of the community, but I was now helping to triage a public health crisis. There were definitely ups and downs along the way, but I would not trade this opportunity for anything.
And, as you know, Hurricane Helene devastated our area in September 2024. This was especially hard to navigate given the lack of communication in the beginning. Hendersonville Toy Company and LS Creative are still trying to recover from the effects of Helene as our community continues to rebuild.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At LS Creative, I specialize in branding & print design and love to work with my clients on a variety of project types. Utilizing my over 15 years of experience in graphic design, LS Creative is committed to developing beautiful designs for all of my clients. With an eye for clean, modern design, I work with a client’s goals to create impactful brands and effective, informative marketing materials.
Branding is my most favorite thing to work on because potential customers and donors are making snap judgments about an organization based on their brand and the marketing materials they put out there. If the materials are not telling the right, or whole story, they may choose to not interact with the organization. I love working with my clients to ensure that every element of their marketing is telling the most compelling and accurate story.
I think what sets LS Creative apart of others is our dedication to our client’s mission. Sure, nowadays, you can work with Canva or ChatGPT to create designs, but they are all based on templates. Our brands and marketing materials are created from a blank page. I ensure my client’s branding is not going to look like the people down the road. It’s important for each organization’s branding to be unique and really communicate what they’re about.
Hendersonville Toy Company is a small boutique toy store where we carry items that you cannot find in the big box stores. Our goal is to encourage kiddos to use their imagination and to foster intergenerational play between family members. We carry items that are sustainably-made, STEM related or somewhat otherwise unique. We serve our customers through our brick and mortar store in Hendersonville and online at www.HVLToyCompany.com.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
My most important lesson is to not be disappointed when things don’t work out exactly how you envisioned. Part of owning a business, and being creative, is to be open to the flow. There is always a new way to think about a solution and a new avenue to try out to ensure you’re doing your best work.
Additionally, I’m still trying to learn that you cannot please everyone, and that’s ok. This one is taking a lot longer to learn though.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hvltoycompany.com / www.lscreative.studio (new site under construction)
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvltoycompany/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HVLToyCompany
