Meet Tiffany Todd of Tiff’s Tuk Tuk in The Cedars, S. Lamar Street

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Todd.

Tiffany, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My story starts with travel but fast became about the people I met along the way. I’m a flight attendant, which has afforded me the opportunity to feed my wanderlust to far-flung destinations. I could not have experienced the incredible international locales I have without my advantageous day job, which I’m truly grateful for.

I became fascinated with the interesting artisan products I encountered on my travels and figured I could combine my love for travel, shopping, and design into a small, but inspiring boutique. When I envisioned my store, I saw my customers having an immersive experience in the cultures and communities where the products originated from.

I read a book on the import/export industry and began to think in new ways. I started saving money, developed a name and logo, and launched my LLC. My first buying trip was to Morocco. I traveled around with an amazing socially responsible tourism company called The Village Experience and hand-picked items from artisans along the journey. One of the highlights was visiting a community of Berber women in the Atlas Mountains producing unbelievable hand-loomed rugs. The talent and passion I witnessed moved me to support them and showcase their work in my store. I then spent time sourcing products in Marrakesh. I fell into a rhythm learning this new culture and making friends while getting lost, literally, in the artisan souks. Business is conducted in a completely different manner than what I’m used to, but I thrived in this new environment and in the relationships I was building.

I began as a vendor at markets and events, but my newest venture is my brick and mortar store in the Cedars neighborhood of Dallas where all of my unique finds are showcased.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Everything is trial and error, but I was ready for the challenge when I began. It’s crucial to dive in and take the first step. It’s important to be flexible in all of the different directions you may be led. The biggest obstacle in my journey has simply been life. Both of my aging parents have needed my attention as their health issues increase. My job is demanding and has me in the air the majority of each month. And trying to balance work/life/passion project is always a struggle… to find enough time, money and energy to make it all happen.

Another struggle is asking for help. While I may excel in creative aspects such as styling and shooting products, I lack the expertise needed for essential elements such as accounting and web design. Finding the right people and the budget to fill in the gaps is always a battle.

One of my founding principles is to give back. I intend to share 10 percent of all sales with non-profit organizations such as The Village Experience, Daughters of Cambodia, and Samaritan’s Purse. This means that every day I have to wake up energized and determined to market and sell my products to ensure I am doing my part to make a difference in this world.

Please tell us about Tiff’s Tuk Tuk.
I specialize in handicrafts personally selected from artisans around the world. I focus on supporting women-owned businesses and fair trade as much as possible. Fairtrade is important as it works to ensure artisans are paid a fair living wage and preserves artisan crafts and culture that have been practiced for generations.

I love how much I learn from each buying trip and from the wonderful people I meet. I’m always very excited to share their stories. They leave impressions upon my heart and mind, and I hope that my photography brings this connection to life. The more you travel and connect, the more walls come down, literally and figuratively. We quickly learn that we are really not that different.

I pride myself on bringing my customers beautiful, one-of-a-kind items. I love that the money I pay for each item goes directly to the artisan and their family and values the work they have done.

I have an interesting array of small home goods, jewelry, and accessories. You can find Moroccan kilim pillows and leather poufs for your living room. Browse beaded baskets made by the Masai tribes of Kenya and hand-rolled clay beads from a woman’s cooperative in Nairobi. Check out sterling silver earrings with Berber symbolism from the Moroccan mountains. Covet block-printed scarves made from girls learning vocational skills in India.

I’m also available to help you source home goods for your design needs. Some cultural tourism may be around the corner as well. Come travel with me!

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I definitely would have been more organized from the beginning. It’s much easier as well as time-saving to create a system to follow from the start than to go back and reorganize. But, you know, there are many creatives with curvy roads on their imaginative paths. I’m one of them! Every day is a new chance to learn more productive ways.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1210 South Lamar St. #1114
• Website: www.tiffstuktuk.com
• Phone: 214-564-0009
• Email: [email protected]

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