Cool people doing cool things:
Meet Erika Veurink, writer, brand strategist, and founder of EV Salon
I met Erika at a brand launch party, and immediately knew that the Thingtesting community would love her. She's a brand strategist, writer, and founder of EV Salon: the networking event and gifting suite that EVERYONE is begging for an invite to. I chatted with Erika about the brands and products she'd love to gift at the next EV Salon, and trust me, she has great taste.
credit: McGuire McManus
COOL PEOPLE DOING COOL THINGS 🪩
Hi Erika! Introduce yourself to the readers:
I’m a writer and brand strategist from Iowa who lives in Brooklyn. I write a Substack called Long Live and host EV Salon.
Tell me about EV Salon!
It’s an invite-only space for handpicked connections. It started in my apartment and our last salon was for 90 women. It’s fun to work on a project that’s IRL and I often describe it as an intro email come to life, only times 50.
Highly curated gift bags are a key part of EV Salon. I take great pride in making sure the gifts guests walk away with have the EV stamp of approval.
Here are some of my dream inclusions from brands I use and love:
Tony's Chocolonely, Dark Milk Pretzel Toffee 42%
"I ride so hard for this particular chocolate bar and think most guests would feel the same."
Away, The Quilted Everywhere Bag
"I really didn’t know what I was missing until I got my hands on one of these bags. Work travel has been changed forever. Wouldn’t it be fun to gift everything in one of these?"
Negative, Whipped Baby Tee
"I wish everyone could experience the softness of this whipped material. I’d wear it exclusively if I could."
Haven’s Kitchen, The Aioli Variety Pack
“I’m not a food person, but I love food people. Haven’s Kitchen makes elevated weeknight dinners a breeze, even when calls go late.”
Saie, Slip Tint Radiant All-Over Concealer with Niacinamide
"I love everything about Saie. We’ve gifted some skincare before, but makeup would be a chic new category. "
Loftie, Loftie Clock
I’m famously uptight so it’s no surprise that I live and die by my alarm clock. The Loftie is the best on the market and I bet a bunch of overachievers would agree.
Flamingo Estate, Roma Heirloom Tomato Candle
"I’ll go on record saying this is my favorite candle. It’s perfect for a bath, divine for pre-dinner. In fact, maybe I should start burning these at EV Salons."
Shinola, Medium Hard Linen Journal
"Nothing gets the creative juices flowing like a new notebook. I love that Shinola makes it easy to monogram, and for an EV Salon, I can’t really think of a more apt takeaway."
Frank & Eileen, Shirley Oversized Button-Up Shirt
"The perfect button-up exists and it’s from Frank & Eileen. This is akin to the sisterhood of the traveling pants. It looks good on everyone. I take meetings in mine, sleep in it, and would love to see a fleet of my friends do the same."
Dualist, Balancing Oil-Serum
"This is as close to a miracle product as I’ve come. It’s hard to recommend skincare universally, but this product has replaced my moisturizer morning and night."
