Story & Lesson Highlights with Tristen Bailey of Portage / Kalamazoo

Tristen Bailey shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Tristen, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A day in my life is definitely not boring, it’s a little bit of everything all at once! 🌸 While I’m a proud business owner, I also work a 9–5 and I’m in an MBA program (yes, I stay busy 😅). Mornings start with my remote job, but the second I get a break or a quiet moment, I sneak into my art room, it’s my happy place! 🎨💐

The art room is always buzzing with projects: floral preservation pieces waiting to be designed, resin to be poured, molds to pop out, or shiny top coats that need sanding and finishing. ✨ On top of that, I always make time for the gym during lunch, because health is wealth and I love that little reset in the middle of the day. 💪💗

When my 9–5 slows down, I’ll squeeze in school work (hello, MBA grind 📚) or tend to my art business. After work wraps up, I usually circle back to finish any business projects I didn’t get to earlier. Then, it’s chill mode: watching a show or playing video games to unwind before bed. 🎮🍿

Basically, my life is a colorful mix of business hustle, creative fun, fitness, and school goals, busy, but full of things I love! 💕

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Triste B, the proud owner of Tristen’s Trademark, you can find me on Instagram at @tristenstrademark or at TristensTrademark.com. I’m a resin artist, and I’ve been creating with resin since 2019. What started as a simple idea of making coasters (with dreams of eventually creating tables) quickly grew into something so much more meaningful.

Over the years, my work has expanded into a wide range of projects that capture some of life’s most precious, and sometimes bittersweet, moments. I’ve had the honor of preserving flowers from weddings, graduations, and funerals, creating memorial pieces with pet ashes, and even designing breastmilk jewelry to celebrate new motherhood. Each piece tells a story, and being trusted with those memories is something I hold close to my heart.

What makes my brand special is not just the art itself, but the peace and purpose I’ve found through this journey. My dad and sister were the first people I shared this dream with, and their belief in me gave me the courage to grow this into the business it is today. For me, Tristen’s Trademark is more than art, it’s about preserving love, memories, and milestones in a form that can be cherished forever. 💕

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My dad. That man believed in me long before I ever believed in myself. Ever since I was a little girl, he saw my ambition, my eagerness to learn, and my drive to dream big. He always told me I could accomplish anything I set my mind to and encouraged me to grow into the woman I am today.

Even now, I know when he looks over me, he’s proud, and he knows I’m capable of even more than I’ve already achieved. My dad supported every part of me: my music, my business, and every dream in between. I miss him every single day, but his encouragement lives on in everything I do.

He and I share the same artistic spirit, and that bond has always run deep between us. Even before I knew I would one day own a business, he somehow knew I would always find my way back to the arts. That flow of creativity connects us still, and it’s a legacy I’m honored to carry forward.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me resilience in a way that success never could. Success feels amazing, but it can be fleeting, it celebrates the outcome. Suffering, on the other hand, forces you to sit with the struggle, to grow patience, empathy, and strength you never knew you had. It taught me how to appreciate the small wins, to find beauty in the process, and to see failure not as an ending but as a lesson. Most importantly, it gave me depth and compassion, because once you’ve walked through pain, you understand others on a whole new level.

t’s not always about how fast you finish the race, it’s about the fact that you finished it. Every step forward counts, no matter the pace.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Haha, this question made me smile so big! The public version of me is absolutely the real me, I’m authentically and unapologetically myself everywhere I go. I’ve always been a “take it or leave it” kind of person. I don’t hide behind fake niceties or get caught up in catty behavior. I march to the beat of my own drum.

I’m bubbly, silly, strong, and passionate, and I’d give the shirt off my back to support someone else. I truly believe that when you show up as your authentic self, those who judge you are often the ones still struggling to get in tune with themselves.

Being genuine in every area of life creates space for a different kind of respect and care from others. At the end of the day, I am who I am, and the only changes I’ll ever make are for my own growth, not to fit into someone else’s mold.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I knew I only had 10 years left, the very first thing I would stop doing is worrying about how the world sees me. Even though I strive to live unapologetically as myself, there are still moments when the discomfort of judgment creeps in, both in how people view me and in watching others struggle to embrace their own freedom and joy.

The truth is, you only get one you, and everyone else is already taken. Yet judgment can feel heavy, and even when you know it often means you’re different, in the best way, it doesn’t make the experience any less uncomfortable.

I would also stop second-guessing my worth, stop overthinking what I “should” be doing, and stop putting energy into people or spaces that don’t nurture my soul. Instead, I’d pour even more into the things and people that light me up, my art, my loved ones, my health, and my dreams. Ten years isn’t forever, so I’d want every day to feel aligned, joyful, and true to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tristenstrademark.com
• Instagram: TristensTrademark

Image Credits
The wall piece within the felt would be – ICON Sign Company / Notre Dame