Community Magazine March 2019

58 Community Magazine Please meet Stacey Gindi, wife, mother, accomplished graphic designer, and owner of S. Gindi Design Studio. In today’s fast-paced and digital environment, graphic design is a vital tool any business owner or organization can utilize to communicate and market their brand, services, and mission. I first connected with Stacey in 2016 when I was writing a profile article about Eileen Mizrahi of Treats by Eileen Gourmet Granola and I needed Stacey to send over Eileen’s logo. Recently, I clicked on Stacey’s website, sgindidesignstudio.com , and saw her wonderful portfolio, which featured reviews from successful community entrepreneurs and professionals. Let’s get to know Stacey as a child, teenager, and young woman, and see how her experiences helped to shape her into the woman she is today. Growing Up Stacey is the daughter of Stella and Morris Sitt. Stella was born in Brooklyn to Anna and Michael Mansour, a”h . Morris came to Brooklyn after a daring escape from Aleppo, Syria. At age nine, he hid in a car that crossed the border from Aleppo to Beirut, Lebanon. With him were his parents, Selim and Sophie Sitt, a”h , the daughter of Rabbi Yitzchak Dayan, whose lineage is traced all the way back to David HaMelech. Stella and Morris met in Bradley Beach, New Jersey, married, and moved “out of town” to New Haven, Connecticut, where Morris owned two stores. They had three children - Stacey, her brother, Sammy Sitt, and her sister, Alyssa Tawil. There were six Syrian families living in Connecticut, and being among this close-knit group is what gave Stacey a strong sense of community. When Stacey was eleven years old her family moved back to the larger Syrian community in Deal, New Jersey. Stacey is happy to say that she’s been a “Deal Girl” ever since. “My love for color and design began in childhood,” Stacey relates. Growing up she could either be found coloring or in ballet class! Stacey was selected to the yearbook committee in both elementary and high school. Stacey has been creating flyers since the ninth grade when she first drew one by hand to promote a teen event. She moved on to designing playbills and newsletters for the original Deal Sephardic Youth Center. Stacey studied fine art, design, and photography at New York University (NYU). Family Connections Stacey and her husband, Michael Gindi, have five children, three sons, and two daughters. Stacey lovingly proclaims that her parents have been her life mentors, teaching her the importance of family, hard work, and the ability to see the good and laugh through all of life’s ups and downs. She also recognizes the love and support from her in-laws, Tootsi (Sylvia) Gindi, and Irving Gindi, a”h . Stacey’s family and friends describe her as artistic, positive, honest, and organized. She manages to juggle family life with all her work responsibilities and somehow appears so calm. Stacey runs her business as she runs her life: with gratitude to Hashem first and foremost. Striving for Work-Life Balance – A Graphic Designer is Born A passionate designer and entrepreneur, Stacey declares that along with running her own business, her priorities are being a dedicated wife and mother, and lovingly raising the next generation. “I’m a big believer in family first.” Stacey maintains that wives can work and partner with their husbands to earn a parnassah for their families without sacrificing their responsibilities as mothers. Her drive, positive energy, flexibility, and love were evident in Stacey’s story, particularly when her children were young. She nurtured her kids as well as her creativity by attending art classes and even launching a hand-painted baby gift business called Confetti. Confetti became another creative outlet for Stacey while opening her eyes to becoming an entrepreneur. A few years later, Stacey was recommended to a local magazine looking for a designer. “Knowing I was the creative type, the owner handedme a computer design program called CorelDraw, and told me that if I could learn it, I could design his publication, The Source of Deal .” Stacey accepted the challenge and taught herself the software tool, eventually moving on to becoming an expert in other professional design programs. She studied and worked many hours at home while her Woman Woman to One on One with ELLEN GELLER KAMARAS “ I love all things creative. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a sketch pad and pencils with me. When a creative idea hits, or something sparks my imagination, I literally take note. Initial doodles have turned into logos. Whether I’m producing a coffee table book for a publisher or a promotional piece for a community business, I invest the same passion and excitement.” Stacey Gindi - Stacey Gindi