We had the good fortune of connecting with Sydney Stone and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sydney, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
The only way to truly be happy in your career is to do what you love. Adjust your lifestyle so that you can do it for the most joy instead of the most money.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always been obsessed with fashion…especially vintage. I started selling vintage clothing over a decade ago on eBay and other second-hand sites like Poshmark. But then I became frustrated with the lack of seller support that these online brands offered. I decided to open my own online store where I could control everything. My potential customer pool was much smaller, and I had to do a lot of advertising on Google and through social media, but I ended up with a higher quality of buyers and was able to increase my average sale price. I actually started VINTAGE fashion magazine as an advertorial for my shop, and now it’s grown into a quarterly publication. None of it was easy, and I had to learn a lot of lessons along the way. But owning my own store and magazine and being my own boss was worth every little setback…every little frustration.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I used to live in Little Five Points, so whenever I’m back in Atlanta, I still like to go there. My friend Kevin Davis and I always went to Cafe Intermezzo, so I’m glad to hear that spot is still open. Also, I was an actor back in the mid 90s and did several plays with organizations like Onstage Atlanta and Horizon Theatre. My friend Dewayne Morgan has a weekly gig at Atlanta Eagle, so I’d definitely take someone there. And Piedmont Park. Always Piedmont Park!

If someone came to New York, I’d tell them to skip Times Square at all cost and just head to the Upper West Side. Go immediately to Zabar’s for a bagel and iced coffee, then walk over to Central Park to just people watch. And maybe end up at Jake’s Dilemma. It’s my favorite bar on Amsterdam and 81st Street, and it’s where I met my husband back in 2001.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have been influenced by so many powerful women throughout my entire life. When I was young, I wanted to be Helen Gurley Brown. Then Candace Bushnell and Sex and the City came along and I knew I wanted to move to Manhattan and live that lifestyle. In New York, I worked for several different startup tech companies where I learned to code, do graphic design, and write content. It was the tech industry that gave me all the skills I needed to start my own e-commerce store and self-publish VINTAGE fashion magazine. Of course, my #1 supporter and biggest fan has always been my husband, Carlos Diaz. He encourages me to pursue every creative endeavor that pops up on my radar. He’s definitely my biggest cheerleader.

Website: https://sydneystone.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/stylaphile

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneystone/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@VintageFashionMagazine

Other: VintageFashionMagazine.com

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Image Credits
All images are my own

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