15 Gifted Women: Isadora Frost
by Meredith Schwartz -- Gifts and Dec, 11/9/2009 12:00:00 AM
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| Shonnie Bilin |
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| Frances Gravely |
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| Jenny Hammons |
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| Anne McGilvray |
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| Maxine Burton |
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| Susan Roghani |
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| Joan Ulrich |
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| Wendy Rosen |
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| Anna Griffin |
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| Barbara Baekgaard |
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| Andrea Grossman |
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| Andrea Sadek |
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| Ande Rooney |
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| Marian Sullivan |
Isadora Frost
Owner
Isadora & Mizrahi
Isadora Frost was born and raised in Brooklyn and graduated from the New York High School of Performing Arts. She began working with her husband in the leather business, selling and merchandising to the shoe, handbag and garment industry. After a few years, they opened their own handbag company, Baron International, which was carried in major department stores and won several industry awards. Soon after, Isadora joined the buying office, Van Buren Carr, and was responsible for keeping members such as Jenss and Nordstrom’s abreast of the latest trends in gift and home markets. More than 25 years ago, Isadora and her then business partner, Michael Mizrahi, started Isadora & Mizrahi, which is now located in 7 West New York. (Michael has since left the firm.) The company represents decorative accessory, candle and gift lines such as Edgar Berebi, Franz Collection, Fringe and Spring Street.
Gifts & Decorative Accessories:What have your biggest challenges been?
Isadora Frost: The gift industry may have experienced tiny dips in different periods of economic distress, but this year has been the greatest challenge for me yet. In my 25 years in the gift business, I have never really suffered until this year. And the challenge was, and continues to be, conducting business in the same manner with the downturn in the economy. Up until this recession, the gift business was not affected because people didn’t stop spending — people need to give gifts. That changed for a while, but based on current traffic and interest, I do believe that things are looking up.
G&DA: What have been your greatest successes?
IF: In general, we tend to represent companies that are just starting out and then nurture them through their growth. This formula has been our greatest success, as some of the small companies we represented have become, over the years, well-known name brands such as Edgar Berebi, Fringe, and Spring Street, and major resources in the industry. We are very proud of our newcomers to the showroom: Jeremie, who, although a very successful company in the rest of the country, hasn’t yet established an East Coast presence; and Patience Brewster, which took all of its licensed manufacturers and put them under her umbrella and is going to be responsible for all her manufacturing and distribution. At any one time, there are 15–20 manufacturers represented in our New York, New Jersey and Connecticut territories, and we like to keep the showroom eclectic and fun.
G&DA: Do you think that as a woman you approached doing business differently?
IF: Definitely. I think that I — and the people who work with me — am more nurturing and caring; we will not take a product we do not wholeheartedly feel is wonderful. I think that is a very female approach.
G&DA: How has being an executive affected your personal life and relationships and how do you deal with it?
IF: I deal. I have to. I mean, what choice do I have? I always make time for the people in my life. The fact that it is my own business gives me a lot of latitude. My family over the years has become an integral part of the business. There isn’t a single client who hasn’t heard about my children and my grandchildren. I also have a tremendous support system among the people I work with at Isadora & Mizrahi and most of them have been with me for many years. I can’t do this without them.
G&DA: How and why did you get into the business?
IF: My partner Michael and I were shopping the gift building one day and, afterwards during our lunch, decided, “Wouldn’t representing gift manufacturers be a fun business?” We proceeded to get a showroom; line up manufacturers; and, like Topsy, just saw it grow.
G&DA: What advice would you give to a woman starting out in the business?
IF: I would give the same advice to a woman as I would to a man, because in this business climate, I don’t think it makes too much difference, especially in the gift industry. My advice would be to have the courage of your convictions and go out and try something new.
G&DA: What is the best –- or most memorable — gift you ever received?
IF: What a great question! My husband over the years for various occasions gave me thin gold bangles, which you wear as a bracelet. Then, shortly after my grandchildren were born, my children got together and had gold discs engraved with each grandchild’s name and birthday. I then had the discs attached as charms onto the gold bangles, and I wear all of my bangles with great joy and love.
For more interviews with the Gifted Women, please click on each woman's image at right.
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