Meet Tina Caye of Clover Collective!
Hey, babe! Make yourself comfortable because, ‘cuz we’ve got an epic Founder Feature ahead for you. I’m over the moon to introduce you to the incredible Tina Caye of Clover Collective! Tina is a mom, wife and CEO based in Washington, D.C.
Tina started Clover Collective in the summer of 2019, just 6 months before COVID hit. Starting a business is an exciting, but challenging venture. Now take launching a brand new business and add a global pandemic! Although it was a tough road, it was also a great opportunity for her. Clover Collective, a women-led, full-service marketing and branding agency that firmly believes in the power of community.
Tina also doesn’t belief in fluff or clichés, so you’ll see the heart of the human experience in the messaging she & her team craft for the brands they work with in industries like healthcare, finance and government services. Let's dive into this incredible woman’s story below!
Tell us about yourself and what you do!
I am the Founder + CEO of Clover Collective - a branding and creative agency for small businesses. I am a person who values authenticity above all else. I crave adventure and novelty. I have an awesome husband who is in the Army (Brian) and we have a 2.5 year old daughter (Quinlin). I love to crack jokes and make a fool of myself. I believe in being a leader that fosters inclusion, wholeness, and lifting up the team to reach their potential and goals both professionally and personally.
How did your business begin?
While I was working for in-house creative teams, in healthcare IT, Government consulting, and Capital One’s Small Business brand team, I worked with countless creative agencies that would just throw creative work “over the fence” with less collaboration and transparency than was needed for real success.
So, Clover was born with community, collaboration and authenticity at the core. We are here to see empathy and emotion brought to life. In an industry full of tired clichés and rhetoric, they strive to get to the authenticity that drives human experience and build brands that resonate.
What's 1 challenge you've faced and how has it effected your business? What did you do to overcome it?
Well, Clover opened about 6 months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and business was slow and rocky for that first year much like it was for everyone, but we had a bit of an advantage in that I started Clover with the idea of being fully remote from "go". So, while everyone else was scrambling to figure out how to work from home, I realized this was an edge for us. We had been doing branding workshops remotely with great success and used that as a key selling point for some of our clients - "hey, we can help bring your team together in a remote way that feels connected, genuine, and engaging".
Those first 2 years were rough, but making any money during the height of the pandemic as a new business feels like success to me.
What's 1 success you've had since you’ve created your business? How do you feel when you look back on it?
I still get really teary-eyed when I think about the signing of our first 6-figure contract with a client. It was a big, emotional moment for me that felt like reassurance that we were doing something right and all the hard work was paying off.
What's the best piece of advice you could give someone looking to start a business?
The path to success is winding, varied, and never what you think it will be. Set your sights high but don't be so rigid in your outline of what that will look like that you can't be flexible to where the market takes you.
What's a pivot you've made in your business?
I've really opened us up to new kinds of work. We had a pretty specific set of services we were offering that were great but didn't allow for some of our smaller businesses to be able to take advantage of our skills and didn't connect the full spectrum of brand experiences. We've pivoted to offer branding packages that are more quick-turn and at a lower price point for small businesses as well as some culture work that allows for the employee experience to be considered as a key part of the brand as well.
When are you at your happiest?
When I'm traveling to a new place for the next big adventure and set to immerse myself in a new culture and people. My business means a lot to me but it's a bit of a means to an end for me to be able to travel, meet new people, experience the world, and have a real impact.
What do you tell yourself when things get difficult?
Most things in life are temporary. Remember that this day will end and there will be a new one to try it all over again.
Also, growing up in poverty, it's always helpful to pause and have some perspective and gratitude for where I've been and where I am.
Whats 1 personal goal you've set for yourself this year?
Get back on the travel wagon. My husband and I usually take at least 1 international vacation every year. COVID stole 2 years of foreign travel from my family and I have to reclaim it and get my daughter out in the world with us.
What's 1 business goal you've set for yourself to accomplish this year?
Create opportunities to align Clover with causes and organizations that can have an impact larger than our own. I want to ensure our clients are as mission-driven as we are.
What's the first thing you do on a Monday morning and why?
Make a list for the week and the day. I have to clear my head with lists and notes so that I can be present with the work I'm doing or the people I'm with.
Where can you be found + what will you typically be up to on a Friday night?
Friday night is date night for Brian (my husband) and I. We try very hard not to miss it every week. Usually that entails dinner and a brewery or bar with live music (as a singer I'm a sucker for live bands), or something fun like putt-putt or zip-lining. We're both adrenaline and fun junkies, so our dates are not very often just dinner and a movie. :-)
Finish These Sentences:
My go to karaoke song is... “Don't Stop Believin’” –Journey
My signature drink is… Gin and Tonic.
My favorite quote is... "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." –Antoine de Saint Exupéry
Disclaimer: Tina is a member of Babe Crafted (at the time of publishing).
