Last year I signed up for a week long print design course, which was highly focused on packaging. #swoon.   I happened to be a lucky winner of a paper sample bundle, and I couldn’t be more excited about it! Ya’ll know I’m a big nerd, right?! Now that I do print design projects for small businesses and brands as my side hustle, I also know that making an extraordinary impact is all in the details. If a brand delivers with details that delight, they create a connection with the

Make sure your website is mobile-optimized.   Most businesses build their websites for desktop. But you need to ensure your website works great and looks beautiful on mobile, as well. If a visitor can't view or navigate your site easily, they're going to leave and find your competitor.   The best thing you can do for your online presence is to build your website for your audience. Your audience is on mobile. Your website is in their pocket. Here's a peek at my own website vi

While not clinically diagnosed, I’m 99% sure I have ADHD. Without a diagnosis, though, I’ve had to figure out strategies on my own over the years in order to finish projects, meet deadlines, and focus on priorities.   For me, this is list-building . I absolutely thrive on list building, and now I know it’s because of the dopamine boost I get when I check “done." Yes, I will totally write something I've already done, just to check it off. I’ve also learned to batch my days , s

One of my goals this year is simple, but not easy: put myself out there more.   Actually, my entire plan for the year is to do this across all my pillars of focus, seeking and developing relationships and collaborations across licensing, wholesale, and design. Screenshot of my Goal Planner Trello Board Over the years, I’ve learned that the kind of opportunities you want don’t usually fall into your lap. You have to go after them. But it’s easier to think you’re just unlucky.

After 10 years of being a vendor at artisan markets and bazaars, I am more than familiar with how local markets are their own scene, and that every booth sets the tone for how shoppers experience that space. But, we’ve all been there, wondering why shoppers aren’t stopping... I recently asked a handful of locals what makes them walk right past a booth, and their responses were brutally honest in the best way.   Hearing what shoppers actually notice makes it way easier to set

Here’s the wild thing about being a product-based small business: while the rest of the world is sipping iced tea and soaking up the...

A couple years ago, I won a brand photography session with Lena Lee Photography . At the time, I was equal parts stoked and nervous; I do...

During my Guest Artist talk back in April, I shared something that’s become core to how I run my small business:  having multiple revenue...

This month, I’m making a big shift that I’ve been talking about for half a year: I’m officially stepping away from social media. I have a vision of what this will look like for me and my business, and it feels like a breath of fresh air. But one of the most common questions I’ve been getting is: “ How will people find you now? ” or “ What will you do instead? ” These are great questions, especially if you find yourself also feeling burnt out by the scroll and looking for othe

One of the hardest truths to swallow as a small business owner is that you are not your customer. We like to think we are—we assume we...

If you’ve been paying attention to the small business buzz, you’ve probably heard everyone talking about email newsletters. And for good...

For many businesses, packaging is an added cost. But let’s flip the script on that way of thinking: packaging is an opportunity. Here’s...

To be a successful small business, you need to be passionate about your business, you need to offer solid products or services, and you...

Last month I ran a small poll on Instagram Stories about the importance of websites for businesses. The results are in, and guess what?...