Creativity Meets Strategy: Behind the Brand with inSync Design’s Iris Saar Isaacs
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This week on the Retail Success Series, I’m joined by the incredibly talented Iris Saar Isaacs – the designer and founder behind inSync Design. Iris' story is a brilliant example of how creativity and strategy can co-exist to build a business that’s not only successful but deeply fulfilling. From selling 70 brooches at a local market to becoming stocked in over 90 museums around the world, her journey is packed with lessons for creatives and retailers alike.
We chat about how Iris pivoted during the pandemic from a wholesale model to a direct-to-consumer approach and the steep learning curve that came with going digital. Rather than outsourcing everything, she took control – teaching herself digital marketing, managing her SEO and Google Ads, and building an 8,000-strong database of loyal collectors. Her take on organic marketing is refreshingly real, and she shares how structure and batching help her make space for both her art and her audience.
Iris also gives us a peek behind the scenes of her marketing engine – from a monthly content calendar and regular emails to ambassador programs and collaborations. Her secret? Staying deeply connected to the people who love and wear her work. She features her collectors in her socials, rewards loyalty through a points-based club, and creates content that reflects real people – not models or polished campaigns.
We also dive into the challenges creatives face when it comes to wearing all the hats – maker, marketer, and manager. Iris shares how she’s built systems that support her creativity rather than squash it, and why staying organised is the real key to making it all work.
Whether you’re a designer, retailer, or creative juggling the demands of a small business, this episode is packed with practical strategies and smart marketing ideas that will inspire you to take a more intentional approach to growth.
- Explore her stunning pieces at insyncdesign.com.au
- Follow her on Instagram @insyncdesign
Connect with Iris on Linked In:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iris-saar-isaacs-17279637/
Instagram: @theretailmarketers
Website: theretailmarketers.com
YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@theretailmarketers
69 episodes