Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor McPherson.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m Taylor Morgan McPherson, the creator of Current Events. At Current Events, the parent company to The Sustainable Sparkle Bar, we specialize in creating unique event experiences. When I first started the company in late 2016, it wasn’t immediately The Sparkle Bar. I was doing all different types of events; charity events, house parties, yoga events.
Very quickly, I realized that I needed something different to make my event planning company stand out. How were we different from all of the other event planners out there? The answer to that was glitter. Glitter and sparkles have always been unique to me. I’m a sparkly person and I love being covered in glitter all the time, like all the time. I’ve been putting glitter in my hair every day since 2013. I’m one of those people that just always has glitter on, now I just have a legitimate reason as to why. Then in the summer of 2017 I decided to box up all of the glitter that I already owned, it was not biodegradable glitter at this time. I took it all to an event and charged $5 to “Get sparkled up!” On the 4th of July I made more money in one day that I would have in a week at my current part-time job.
That’s when I knew there could be something to me turning glitter into a business. Throughout that summer and holiday season I did multiple events in New Jersey, sort of feeling out what The Sparkle Bar could become. By the next summer I set my sights on music festivals and larger scaled events. That’s when I booked Bottle Rock Music Festival which takes place in Napa Valley of Memorial Day Weekend. Next, I booked SUR Restaurant in West Hollywood for LA Pride. That was a huge opportunity for me which eventually got me on Bravo TV. Now, in my third summer with The Sparkle Bar I’ve created my own line of biodegradable glitter called #GlittahDimeBags. I package the glitter up into small “dime bag” sized bags and I’ve named all of the colors after strains of marijuana. The cannabis connection goes over very well at music festivals.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been easy, but nothing worth having is easy. One of the biggest challenges I first faced was trying to do something different in area that didn’t and still doesn’t understand what I was doing. Turning a Sparkle Bar into an evergreen, year-around business in New Jersey would have never happened. So first, I had to realize that and then I had to move. After only being in business for a little over a year, I moved myself to Los Angeles. The next challenge I faced was having to recreate my business in a whole new city. While LA is a way better market for a glitter business, it’s very hard to be new in such a large market. Another challenge that I’ve faced since starting the business is people not taking me seriously. It’s hard to be taken seriously when your business is glitter, something that is usually synonamous with children and partying. But I continue to push through that and let my actions speak for myself and how serious I am about my business.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Sustainable Sparkle Bar – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
At The Sustainable Sparkle Bar we use biodegradable glitter and gemstones to create custom body art and festival-style makeup designs. We also sell biodegradable glitter in our #GlittahDimeBags. The colors are named after strains of marijuana. After dark, especially at music festivals, we specialize in blacklight painting which is more tribal and war-paint-like. On Instagram, I’ve created an IGTV series called Sparkles On Tour that follows my team and myself from festival to festival, all around North America.
Current Events hosts and plans creative event experiences. We worked with Soho House to host a holiday ornament making party last winter. New for summer 2019, we started offering hair braiding at our events and festivals alongside The Sparkle Bar.
I’m most proud of the fact that my business makes people happy and brings people joy. I’m not saving lives but I am creating memorable and lasting experiences for people and making them feel special. When people get sparkled up by our Sparkle Queens they become the best versions of themselves. We read each person’s glitter aura, that’s what sets us apart from other companies, the experience that we create and the way we make you feel. Also using biodegradable glitter sets us apart from many other business attemping to do the same thing.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love that LA is a city of artists and creatives. Being around so many other creative people who are following their dreams and achieving their goals is inspiring. Some of the people here are overly entitled, pretentious and fony. I don’t like the fact that they feel they can act a certain way because of who they are or where they live.
Pricing:
- #GlittahDimeBags are $10 each available on my website.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sustainablesparklebar.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SustainableSparkleBar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CurrentEventsNJ/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurrentEventsNJ
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/taytay_fierce/
Image Credit:
Allie Jest – the photo with the heart eye makup, Michael Scruggs – the other photos
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