Erin Perkins, current editor of The Scout Guide Northern Virginia, shares her go-to items for transitioning from lunch meetings at the Waterfront Market & Café to hitting the streets to discover and connect local businesses.
Some may find it hard to transition from the spotlight to a supporting role, but Erin Perkins welcomed the change of pace. After spending four-and -a-half years singing and dancing in regional theater productions and her own cabaret show in New York City, she decided to shift her focus towards an area with more of a community vibe. Having always loved discovering local shops and eateries, she found herself right at home learning the value of hard work, connectivity and the trials of small businesses while managing locally owned Periwinkle Boutique.
It was there that Perkins met the previous editor of Scout Guide Northern Virginia, a publication aimed at showcasing local businesses, and quickly found herself agreeing to become the editor of volume three, published in June.
“Editor is a loose term; it’s basically the CEO or director of sales. You are the person in charge from conception to delivery,” she says. After spending months networking, Perkins was able to secure 32 businesses for the 50-page guide and execute 28 photo shoots in two months with the help of photographer Dan Chung and stylist Kathryn Martin.
After hosting a successful launch party at Decorium Home and Design and afterparty at Virtue Feed & Grain in Alexandria, Perkins aims to continue the momentum by providing networking opportunities throughout the area to help distribute the 20, 000 printed copies of the guide. Despite having an incredibly busy year, she remains excited and passionate about bringing the focus to the area and “what makes our little place of the world unique and special.”–Angela Bobo
(August 2014)