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We discuss all of the research and decisions it took for Jessie to create fine art prints of her paper flowers. Learn what it takes to sell digital art. ****** Branching out your paper flower business can bring more financial stability and keep you excited creatively. The world of fine art prints can open an entirely new world of possibilities. In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted about how Jessie has expanded her business from paper flower commissions, to writing a book, and now offering fine art prints. The amount of work that went into digitally creating the art, choosing a printer, and figuring out how to ship to customers is quite staggering. But that’s why we’re sharing what Jessie learned along the way so that you can more easily explore how to offer prints of your work.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► All about Jessie’s new limited edition print collection.  ► How to work with and select printing and shipping companies for fine art. ► What to think about when expanding your product line. ► How Jessie created her digital artwork from photos of her paper flowers. ► Tips for the best frames for Jessie’s art if you purchase prints.   If you can’t listen right away, here are some tips that apply to expanding your paper flower business in any direction.   Research the Unknowns  As Jessie shared on the podcast, she did a lot of research for her new venture. Which size should she choose? Which paper? There are a million options and they all make the art look a little different. Which company meets the right quality standards for printing fine art? Do they ship directly to the customer?  If you’re looking into creating your own prints, this episode is the perfect place to start your own research! Jessie shared so much useful information about these questions.  We’ve also covered many other topics on this podcast about areas that many paper florists explore. Learn about building a YouTube channel in Episode 112, what it takes to run a brick and mortar shop in Episode 110, or creating digital magazines and writing books in Episode 102. Search our archives for a plethora of topics that can get you started. Whatever new direction you’re contemplating, start researching now!   Learn New Skills Paper flowers are a fairly new industry. That means you’re probably really good at experimenting and learning new skills as you grow as an artist and business owner. We wear many different hats, and as you expand your horizons, you’ll wear even more.    “That’s where your creativity grows, when you push yourself to those limits, when you challenge yourself with doing something more.” -Jessie Chui   Jessie shared in the episode about how she had to learn new things in Photoshop as she created her digital art. It took time. That’s okay! What’s fantastic about this new skill is that Jessie can definitely use that knowledge again.  This could be an important consideration when deciding which direction to push yourself. Which skills would you need to be successful? Will those skills be useful for other projects? If you’re not sure, it can still be worth it to pursue your idea. If your new knowledge will help you in other areas of your business, that’s even more incentive to put in the time and effort to learn.   Share Your Work  Putting yourself out there can be scary, especially if it’s art you’ve put your heart and soul into. Will anyone buy it? Will anyone even like it? Is it worth the time, energy, and money?  You should weigh the pros and cons of any decision. You should make sure that you’re not pouring so much into a new venture that it will make it impossible to recover if things fail.  All that said, go for it! If fear is holding you back, take a leap of faith. Maybe no one buys your work, but you’ve learned something new and put your art out into the world. As Jessie shared, even if no one buys her new work right now, they now know that she offers that product. It can open new doors later. You never know what will happen, so try! ****** Learn more about Jessie's first art print collection, Paper Flower Art Collection, on her website.  Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support!

Season 6 will get back to the basics of our craft. We’ll debate the best tools, materials, and techniques to use when making paper flowers.    At the end of the day, we’re here because of paper flowers.  On this podcast, we’ve talked about a wide variety of subjects to support paper florists on their journeys. For Season 6, we’re getting back to the heart of the matter: the actual paper flowers!   In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we gave a sneak peek at what we’ll be discussing in Season 6. What we’re most excited about is getting more opinions from people like you! We want to know which tools and materials you prefer and why. We want guests who disagree with us. As Jessie explained:    “It’s going to be a really interesting season. We’re used to using what we like, using what we’ve always used. But there’s so many other ways of making paper flowers, and so many other situations as well.” -Jessie Chui   Be sure to join our Facebook group where we’ll be posting polls about which techniques and materials you prefer, and please email us at info@papertalkpodcast.com if there is a topic you are super passionate about. We’d love to have you on the podcast as a guest!   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► Some of the topics we’ll discuss in Season 6. ► Why the variety of opinions we include on the podcast is so valuable. ► How to build a creative business that’s manageable. ► Why it’s okay to make your own rules for marketing.   To get you started thinking about your opinions, here’s a peek at some of the topics we discussed on the episode.    Which Crepe Paper Is Best? Back in the day when we got started in the paper flower world, crepe options were limited. Now crepe paper is more available and more varied than ever before.  Do you prefer Italian or German? Do you love Chinese crepe? Which weights do you go back to over and over again, and why? We already know our answers to these questions, but we want to learn from you! There aren’t right or wrong answers.     Which Glue Should I Use? Jessie shared in the episode about her experience using three different types of Aleene’s Tacky Glue at her recent workshop. One of the attendees had poor eyesight and couldn’t see where she was applying the clear glue.  This is the sort of situation that we hadn’t thought about before. This is why we want to have more guests on the podcast to share their experiences and preferences.  Again, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer here. We want to bring you as much information as possible so that you can make the right choice for you.   “One of things that we really love about our platform is that we’re very sharing. We want to share as many tips and advice as possible to grow you as an artist, to expand your tools and knowledge for how to make better paper flowers.” -Quynh Nguyen   Which Camera Should I Buy?  When it comes to sharing images of your paper flowers, there are a ton of options. Many of us start out snapping pics with our phones, which is great. Some photos are better than no photos.  But if you’re looking to up your picture game, investing in a professional camera is something that many paper florists do. Your creations are beautiful; you want to showcase them in the best light possible. For those of you who have taken that step, do you love your camera? Do you swear by Nikon? Are you Canon all the way? Email us if you’re passionate about your camera! (For tips on photographing your products, check out our archives! Episode 60 with Caroline Tran is a great place to start.)  ________________________________________________________________ We’ll cover all of this and more in Season 6 of Paper Talk, so stay tuned! Start chatting with us now on our Facebook group. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like Season 6. Thank you for your support!  

We wrap up our season about finding your why as a paper florist. Learn why it can be beneficial to shift your artistic and business direction as you hone in on what matters to you. Making changes is difficult, but necessary. Shifting direction can help you uncover your why and get closer to what will bring you true joy. In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we wrapped up Season 5 by talking about how our whys have shifted and how we made changes accordingly. You don’t have to keep doing the same thing out of obligation or because you think it will get better with time. Even small tweaks here and there can make a world of difference. If you never change, you’ll never discover something new that could get you closer to your why. If you’re still struggling to hone in on what exactly it is that draws you to paper flowers, spend some time with our Why Worksheet and listen to the episode for tips about making those difficult changes.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► How our whys have shifted over time and why that’s a good thing.► Even more about what you can do to find your why, if you haven’t yet.► How to focus your work to find joy and avoid burnout. ► Recommended listening and reading for finding your artistic vision.   If you can’t listen right away, know that you’re not alone in struggling to figure this all out! You will get to your why, and these three tips will help.  Break Out of Imposter Syndrome You may look at other established paper florists and think they have it all figured out. We bet that’s not true. Even after spending a lot of time and energy to uncover what makes her happy, Quynh shared on the episode about how she’s still struggling to figure out which direction to go. “It’s so hard when…you go around in this eternal circle asking yourself, ‘Am I doing the right thing?’ And imposter syndrome comes up because you’re circling back and forth. And I’ve been in that place before, and sometimes you just need to stop and you need to work really hard to get out of that cycle.” -Quynh Nguyen Most of us will feel imposter syndrome at some point. If you get caught up on “I shouldn’t be here; I don’t deserve this,” then you’ll never get to your why.  Stopping those thoughts is easier said than done, but you can listen to Episode 80 about Overcoming Imposter Syndrome for even more help. Talk to a Friend or Mentor Talking through your struggle is a vital part of this journey! That’s one reason why we started Paper Talk. We wanted to share what we’re going through with you because it’s beneficial for everyone to hear about these difficulties. We have also relied heavily on mentors to guide us as we make changes to our businesses. Their advice is invaluable. You really can’t fake experience, but a mentor can offer a bit of theirs to help you along. You might not be in a position to find or pay for a mentor, but you can find someone who can listen. Your partner or spouse or sibling might not fully understand the world of paper flowers. That’s okay! Sometimes simply saying things out loud can help you find clarity. Know Your Why Is Waiting You might not yet recognize your why, but it’s there. On the podcast, we talked about some of the guests we’ve had on over the years and how their focus has changed over time. “Three years ago [our podcast guests] would have had no idea they would go in this direction, and yet it is to some extent consistent with their core why. It’s just their why is manifesting itself in different ways.” -Jessie Chui  Some of those guests knew what their why was three years ago. Some didn’t, but it was still there. There is a reason you are drawn to paper flowers. You just need to narrow down what exactly it is so that you can pursue it. Listen to the episode to hear even more about how to uncover what it is about the various aspects of being a paper florist that brings you joy.  Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

Rebecca Grant shares how she built an incredibly successful and well-respected wedding planning business, in large part due to networking. Many of us rely on word of mouth to advertise our paper flower businesses. Clients are going to trust a friend’s or event planner’s advice over a random ad any day. But where do you start? How do you connect with people who can recommend your work? In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we talked with Rebecca Grant of New Creations Weddings. She is a very recognized and respected wedding planner in the Seattle area, but that wasn’t always the case. Like all of us, Rebecca had to start her business from scratch.  She shared fantastic advice for anyone building a creative business. Listen now to learn how to cultivate a positive reputation as you navigate difficult decisions, adverse situations, and that often feared yet crucial piece, networking.    Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► Rebecca’s journey to becoming a well-respected wedding planner.► How to evaluate if you should take that next big leap with your business.► What to think about when investing money in your business.► How to network successfully, even if you’re an introvert!► Why and how Rebecca is partially pivoting to wedding venue ownership.   If you can’t listen right away, here is a peek at our conversation. Rebecca shared four specific reasons to evaluate when thinking about quitting your day job and jumping fully into your creative business. The last one was, as Rebecca said, “Network, network, network, network, network, network.”  A great way to build up your paper flower business is to network with other people in the wedding industry. Here are three things you can do to better connect with other professionals at networking events: Network with Friends Start with who you know! On the podcast, Quynh recommended bringing a friend along to networking events. If you’re new to these types of events, or you’re on the introverted side, a friend can help you feel less awkward and alone.  It’s also much easier to gush about your friend’s accomplishments, and vice versa. Chat to your friends in the industry to see who would be willing to go with you. Make sure that you know all about their work and they know about yours.  “It’s great to have friends that push you and are constantly driven themselves. It’s just really fun to be a part of their energy and push you to the next level, too.” -Rebecca Grant Take Networking Notes As Rebecca shared on the episode, the wedding networking events that she attends frequently draw in well over fifty people. Even if you only meet half of them, that’s still a lot of new faces and details to remember.  The solution? Take notes! Add their contact info to your phone, and attach a photo of their business card and a quick note of who introduced you and what you talked about. Also include a photo of them so you don’t forget what they look like. You can look for a headshot on their social media or website, or you can ask to take a selfie—and don’t feel bad about that request! Rebecca told us that she loves promoting these networking events on social media, because it encourages other people to join in later. She would gladly take a photo with a small group and that gets tagged at the event on Instagram. When individual businesses are built up, the entire industry benefits. Those with more experience in the wedding industry or other creative fields know this, and they will more than likely be very happy to chat and take a photo with you. Follow Up  If you meet somebody and they make an impression on you, message them. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You want to strengthen the connection you made so that later on you can reconnect more easily.  Your message can be as simple as this: “Hello! It was great meeting you at [the event]. I enjoyed connecting with you about [subject]. I’d love to chat more sometime and work together in the future. Hope you’re doing well!”  Rebecca receives many emails from various businesses wanting to work with her. As she said in the episode, she’s not going to recommend a business she doesn’t know to her clients. But by following these simple suggestions, you can network with people you want to work with.  “If you want to work with me, meet me! Get to know me.” -Rebecca Grant Learn even more about networking and taking that next leap with your business by listening to the episode now. Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free. ********** About:  Rebecca Grant is a tenured wedding planner in the Seattle market, planning weddings now for almost two decades. She is currently serving as President on the WIPA Seattle board, has been previous Chapter Director for Wedding Network USA, a featured contributor on King 5’s New Day NW, along with countless other features through Seattle Times, Lynnwood Times, Event Pros, and so many more. She was also one of four wedding industry pros that worked with the Governor’s office through the 2020 pandemic to fight for the safe reopening of weddings and events with WSWEA.  She and her husband are the owners of Twin Willow Gardens, a wedding and event venue based out of Snohomish, WA. When she’s not working, she enjoys time with family and friends, plus spending time with her two golden retrievers, Barley and Ginger. Learn more about: WEBSITE: newcreationsweddings.com INSTAGRAM: @newcreationswed FACEBOOK: facebook.com/newcreationsweddings PINTEREST: pinterest.com/NewCreationsWed ********** Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

Susan Beech shares how she knew that being a paper florist was the right career path for her. Plus, hear about the publishing journey of her new paper flower book.  Do you ever worry that you’re committing time and money to the wrong job?  Even if you know that you love paper flowers, how can you be sure that you’re in the right specialty within our industry?  How can you avoid investing too much in a path that is ultimately a dead end? In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted with the lovely Susan Beech of A Petal Unfolds. She told us about her process of putting together and publishing her new book, and she shared her journey of discovering which artistic medium was the right fit for her.  We’re all about finding your why this season, and a huge part of that is being in the best job for you. Listen now to hear how paper flowers clicked for Susan and how you can evaluate which industry or speciality within paper floristry is right for you.    Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► How Susan knew paper flower making was right for her.► Details about her book writing and publishing process.► How your unique background plays an important part in your career.► Where to find the best visual references when you can’t access fresh flowers.   If you can’t listen right away, start with these three tips to get you thinking about whether you’re in the right place for your career.  Push the Boundaries In the exciting world of paper flowers, we’re pushing boundaries all the time. In the episode we chatted about the amazing growth that we’ve witnessed in our industry in a very short period of time. Discovering new uses of paper flowers happens because people like you try something! On a personal level, you will also benefit as you explore new areas of our craft. You won’t know if something works until you try it. You won’t know if you love something until you roll up your sleeves and do it.  To get to that excitement stage, try something new. It’s how we all discovered paper flowers initially. We weren’t born making them. We had to push the boundaries of what we knew first.   Practice New Skills As you navigate new areas of your career, pay attention to whether something is simply not for you or if it’s really just beginner’s nerves. Susan touched on this when she told us about how she began teaching. “When I first started teaching, I wouldn’t say I was a huge natural at teaching—standing up in front of people and teaching a class. But over the years I have had quite a lot of experience with teaching workshops, so I have built up my confidence quite a lot. I can run a class now without getting nervous.” -Susan Beech  Trying something new is uncomfortable. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not for you. While you don’t want to invest too much into a pursuit that’s not right for your business, do give yourself enough time to get comfortable with the skills needed for it.  Find ways that you can practice a new skill like teaching without putting too much time or money on the line. We’re creatives, so get creative! Give Time to Self-Reflection Once you try that new skill, you have to give yourself time to think about it. This is where the sometimes difficult work of untangling your feelings comes in. Will you like teaching if you get more comfortable with it? Or will it always feel like a drag?  In the episode, Susan told us about her experience trying new tactile mediums. You can hear more on the podcast, but in short, she could feel that paper flowers were special. “It felt different. I think it’s the excitement thing. I could see potential, and I could see opportunities, and it was exciting to make as a creator.” -Susan Beech If Susan hadn’t been paying attention to how she felt, she wouldn’t have worked this out. We’ve talked a lot about self-reflection this season because it’s such a critical step to focusing on your why. Sometimes we’re so busy and stressed out that we can easily miss what our gut is trying to tell us.  Listen to hear even more about how Susan could tell that paper flowers were right for her, and how you can discover the best path for your career.   Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free. ********** About Susan Beech:  Susan Beech is a paper artist with a degree in Fine Art from the University of Brighton. She is the founder of the studio A Petal Unfolds, teaches paper flower making workshops in London and Paris, and has taught for brands and institutions such as at the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Financial Times. Her commercial clients include Liberty London and Martha Stewart Living.  Learn more about Susan Beech: WEBSITE: https://www.apetalunfolds.com/ INSTAGRAM: @apetalunfolds ********** Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

Learn from successful paper florist Eileen Lim about how she transformed from bitter to blooming with happiness by following her why. Do you feel excited to start your day?  Do you look forward to your work? Do you feel fulfilled?  If you answered no to any of those questions, you need to follow your why back to the person you want to be.    In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted with Eileen Lim of Miss Petal & Bloom. She was a delightful early guest on this podcast. We couldn’t wait to have her back again to talk about her new book and her why. She beautifully told us how she got back to her true self by making paper flowers and running her business. You’ll glean useful tips on how to become the best version of yourself, as well as a peek at the process behind photographing and writing a craft book.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► How to express your best self and your best qualities in your job.► What Eileen’s why is and how she found it.► How she found her aesthetic and showcases her style.► Details about what you can learn from Eileen’s upcoming book.► Why taking your own photos can be a strength and how to do it well.   If you can’t listen right away, here are three things we discussed about how Eileen built her career so that she loves who she is as a person. Read her advice and hear even more on the episode. Take Time to Reflect We’ve mentioned it before this season, but finding your why takes time. You can’t sit down and figure it all out in an hour.  On the podcast, Eileen reiterated this piece of wisdom. She had to take the time to dive deep into paper flowers in order to find that she loved it. She had to try things out. She had to fail and succeed at different times. And very importantly, she had to reflect on what exactly she liked along her paper flower journey. But it’s worth it! The hard work of self-reflection can lead you down the path that’s right for you. It will avoid costly detours and lead to a happier life. “I do like the person who I am when I’m making flowers and when I’m my own boss.” -Eileen Lim Ask for Feedback Eileen shared how she was so miserable at her first job out of college that her parents could notice a big change in her demeanor. She wasn’t her regular cheerful self.  Our loved ones can often see what we can’t. Ask what they’ve noticed. Do you seem more relaxed in certain situations? Do they notice something that really stresses you out? Listen to their feedback.  Do keep in mind that one person’s opinion isn’t necessarily what you should do. But if multiple people are noticing the same thing, that’s a good opportunity to sit down and think about how exactly you could incorporate their advice.  Simply talking it out with a friend can help you get closer to your why, even if they don’t offer any concrete feedback. Find someone you trust to talk about your paper flower journey with. Make a Change Once you’ve done the difficult work of self-reflection and eliciting feedback from loved ones, you need to take action.  Taking that leap into the unknown can be scary! You might not be ready to jump into the deep end, but you should make changes where you can.  You’re going to make mistakes. That’s okay. We all do. You can learn from them and do better in the future.  “Even though it’s challenging and even though I make mistakes, at least I can say that I stay true to myself and I’m happy with who I am.” -Eileen Lim  Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free. ********** About Eileen Lim:  Eileen Lim is the paper artist behind her whimsical online moniker ‘Miss Petal & Bloom.’ Based in Singapore, she is a full-time, self-taught crepe paper artist and has crafted blooms for brands such as Gucci, Bvlgari Parfums, Jo Malone, The Body Shop, Keds, Coach, Olivia Burton, and many more. She loves to teach and hopes to share the joy of crafting through her online courses, as well as her new book 'Crepe Paper Blooms, Bugs and Butterflies' (to be released May 2022).  Learn more about: WEBSITE: www.misspetalandbloom.com INSTAGRAM: @misspetalandbloom  ********** Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

Jessie and Quynh discuss the various weights of crepe paper, including their strengths and limitations. We share lots of tips for how we use them and how to experiment with crepe.  The world of crepe paper has grown so much in recent years.  Paper florists are being seen and celebrated outside our industry, and supplies are becoming ever more accessible. That includes changes to which crepe paper is available. In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted all about the foundation of our craft: paper! We discussed where the newish 90 gsm Italian crepe fits in, how to improve colorfastness, and lots of tips for how to use all of the weights. Listen now to get back to the heart of what we do and what we love about crepe paper.    Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► Some big places outside our industry that have featured paper flowers recently.► How we use each weight of crepe paper and practical tips for each.► Where to start with coloring crepe paper and preserving color.► Why experimentation is so vital to paper flower making. If you can’t listen right away, here are three reasons why you should start experimenting. Learn through Experience Experience is the best teacher. We and other teachers can guide you in the right direction, but trying it yourself is going to give you the most encompassing and useful knowledge.  “It’s so satisfying once everything falls in place and you’re like, ‘That paper’s good for this. I know the properties of that paper. I know the qualities. I know what it can do, what it can’t do. What are its limitations, what are its strengths.’ And I think that requires you to get your hands on it and work with it and also fail.” -Jessie Chui Get your hands on the different weights of paper. Experiment! Make mistakes! You’ll learn something valuable with each project that will make your future work even stronger.  You can hear what we’ve learned through experience with crepe on the episode. Discover Something New Breakthroughs in how we use crepe will never happen if we don’t experiment! Paper artists are constantly innovating because they try new things. Our industry would be static if we didn’t. There’s no creativity or joy in doing the same thing over and over again without any innovation. “That’s the fun part about paper flowers. Just like in nature, none of my paper flowers are exactly the same.” -Quynh Nguyen We all benefit from this as we share our discoveries with one another, as well. You don’t have to do all of the experimenting on your own. When we all take on some of the experimentation, our entire industry benefits.  Do keep in mind that you don’t have to share everything you learn. As Jessie said on the podcast, she doesn’t want to share how she makes her pansies. They are so important to her signature look, that she wants to keep what she’s discovered about making them to herself. That’s completely fine! Do consider where you can share and don’t keep everything to yourself. Fill Your Unique Needs No two paper florists are the same. All of us will prefer different papers, flowers, glue, techniques, and on and on. That’s how it should be. We aren’t a factory trying to make all of our paper flowers come out the same.  That does mean that no one else can figure out what works best for you. You have to experiment with various crepe paper to see what you like and what will look best for your aesthetic. This takes time and practice, but the results are completely worth it.  As we discussed in the episode, you can become a more well-rounded paper florist by understanding all of the weights and how they best work for you.  Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free. Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

Marlena Colazo shares how she learned to create felt flowers when other artists weren’t open to sharing knowledge. Hear how she used personal experience and connected with other industries to grow. How do you learn when no one will talk to you?   How do you build up an industry when no one trusts one another?  In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted with Marlena Colazo of Blossoms by Marlena. We are always so struck by her confidence. She shared all about the challenges that have helped her forge that confidence, plus how she has built her knowledge and grown her business even when doors were shut in her face.   Even if you feel alone, you can make progress by looking in different places and trusting yourself to keep growing. Marlena went from novice to being featured by Bloom TV Network. She did this by following a unique path that only she could forge, and you can do the same.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► Marlena’s journey from engineer to felt flower artist.► How she learned skills when other artists wouldn’t share knowledge.► The ways she’s built up trust in her own industry.► How felt has been an important part of parenting her son with autism.► Which hot glue gun Marlena recommends (a must for felt!)   If you can’t listen right away, here is a look at just a few of the things that Marlena has done to find her own path and help others on theirs.   Learn from and Share Your Experience One of the best teachers is experience! It’s always nice when you can learn from an expert, but sometimes that’s not feasible. Marlena tried asking other felt artists about things, and they frequently worried that she would copy their work.  So she learned on her own. She ripped flowers apart. She tried new kinds of felt. Through trial and error, she figured out what worked for her.  Along the way, she found her unique style. Having that distinct look means that she doesn’t worry about others copying her. You can hear in the episode how she now shares the knowledge that she wished she had back in the beginning. “I don’t mind sharing some of my providers, because I know I have my own style. Even if I give you the exact felt, you can buy it, but you can’t create what I do. I’m not afraid of you copying me, because even if you go with the color, it’s not going to be the same as me. Always, people will know which one is the copy.” -Marlena Colazo Respond to Criticism with Kindness  Putting your work out into the world means exposing your art to criticism. Sometimes you can learn from this. Oftentimes, it’s just plain mean.  When Marlena encounters mean comments, she responds. She thanks the person for sharing their opinion, and then she moves on. She keeps in mind that for every negative person, there are multiple people who do love and buy her work.  You can hear more about how she responds and some of the benefits of doing it this way by listening to the podcast. Learn from Other Industries Marlena has tried her hand at other artistic endeavors. She tried paper flower making, and she’s currently in a class creating edible flowers for decorating food. These undertakings are not always successful. “I never learned how to make paper flowers, because I was ripping the paper up. I was like, ‘No this is not for me. I need to go back to felt.’” -Marlena Colazo That doesn’t mean that Marlena didn’t learn anything, though! As we discussed in the podcast, we frequently use sewing and painting skills for creating our paper flowers. The same holds true for felt artistry or really any skill. You will be stronger if you draw experience from outside industries. That’s how innovation happens, and that’s how you can learn when doors in your own community aren’t opening. Listen to the episode to hear more specifics about how Marlena joined and learned from other groups, as well as how she started to build more trust in her own felt flower community.  Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free. **********   About Marlena Colazo:   Flowers are always a good Idea.   That’s my phrase every time someone asks me why. I’m Marlena, mom of 2 who stumbled upon and started making some of my favorite flowers with felt. Some could say I breathe flowers, and I spend too much time buying wool felt. I use the flower making process as a way to tamp down stress and worries of everyday life.  My life around Autism and my journey learning a second language complements who I am as a person and what I transmit to you with my flowers.  Find me over at @bloomtvnetwork. I have a channel with them, and I’m part of the team  experts. I teach you fun DIY and my ways to use felt and make easy flowers! Hope to see you there! Use code: marlenac2022 to save when you subscribe!    Instagram as @blossoms_bymarlena  Pinterest @blossomsbymarlena  Facebook @blossoms by Marlena  Fb group @blossoms by Marlena & Friends    Learn more about Marlena Colazo: WEBSITE: blossomsbymarlena.com/ INSTAGRAM: @blossoms_bymarlena    FACEBOOK: facebook.com/blossomsbymarlena PINTEREST: pinterest.com/blossomsbymarlena/_shop/   ********** Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

Deane Bautista shares her paper flower journey and how the winding path was essential to finding what sparks her creativity and joy. Is it taking longer than expected to find your why?  Is your paper flower business growing more slowly than you’d like?  Do you feel like you’re making too many mistakes? Maybe it’s time to stop and smell the roses. In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we spoke with Deane Bautista of Deaney Weaney Blooms. Her paper flower journey has been a winding path, not a straight road, but she doesn’t regret that! Those twists and turns helped her discover her why and focus on what would most bring her joy in her work.  Whenever we chat with Deane, we’re always amazed at how much grace she has when faced with stressful situations. As our conversation revealed, a big reason why she is able to do this is because she embraces the journey.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► How to take your time and enjoy the journey of finding your why.► Using your creativity to conquer business and administrative issues.► Why it’s okay if you can’t completely jump into your paper flower business right away.► How to create more written content with less work.   Listen now if you need encouragement about your winding path and take the equivalent of a deep breath with Deane. Here’s a preview of some of the things you’ll learn to do on the episode: Take Your Time We often expect teenagers to have a solid idea of what they want to do for a career. As many paper florists can attest, what we study in college or our first adult job very often isn’t what we are doing now. And that’s okay! You can take your time. “It took years for me to realize that this is what I want to be when I grow up.” - Deane Bautista Deane shared how she knew years ago that she wanted to make paper flowers, but it didn’t happen right away. She couldn’t drop everything and focus only on her small business. She took small steps that added up over time.  Listen to the episode to hear what those steps were and which ones were absolutely crucial to building her career. Embrace Learning Opportunities Sometimes we do things that end up being a bad fit for us. That doesn’t necessarily make it a mistake, though.  Deane shared about the corporate day job that she worked while starting her paper flower business. The corporate job wasn’t a good fit, but she doesn’t regret it. Without it, she would not have figured out just how important being creative in her work is to her. That’s her why!  On the podcast you can hear more about how Deane’s day job helped her paper flower journey flourish in the long run. It’s okay if you can’t jump completely into your creative business right away, as Deane’s story illustrates so beautifully. You can use it as a learning opportunity and a jumping off point. Reframe Your Fears Many of us just want to “make, make, make,” as Jessie put it in the episode. The business side of things can be tricky for creatives who just want to create! Sometimes, the best choice is to work your way around an issue. It might be worth it to pay someone to write your blog posts, for example. Other times, however, you might need to reframe your fear.  Deane told us about her initial fear of interacting with people at craft shows. Like many creatives, she’s an introvert. Chatting with people about her art sounded daunting. But she tried it and ended up loving it. She discovered another piece of her why: “The affirmation from people who see it, they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s beautiful.’ That’s what adds to the spark or the joy of my why.” - Deane Bautista  You can reframe your fear as a skill that needs to be learned, rather than something that will always be terrifying. Listen to the podcast to hear our discussion about when you should push yourself to try something you fear and when it’s okay to avoid something that just isn’t for you.   Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free.   **********   About Deane Bautista:  Deane (Dean) Bautista is the designer and founder of Deaney Weaney Blooms, a paper flower studio based in Rochester, NY that offers beautiful handmade paper flower decor and blooms, as well as paper flower workshops and digital templates.  After years of working as a visual merchandising and exhibition designer, she explored and fell in love with the craft of making paper flowers when she moved to the U.S. from the Philippines five years ago.  When she’s not making her flowers or designing a flower template, she’s either chasing her two-year-old daughter, Sofi, or binge-watching Korean dramas.   Learn more about Deane Bautista: WEBSITE: www.dwblooms.com INSTAGRAM: @deaneyweaneyblooms FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/deaneyweaneyblooms   ********** Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

Learn how Amy McGee has mentored us on our paper flower journeys and helped us refocus why we run creative businesses. Where do you go from here? What’s next for your paper flower business? How do you want to grow? If your mind goes blank or you feel anxious when thinking about these questions, it might be time for an outside perspective.  In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted with Amy McGee of Botanical Brouhaha. She’s been a guest on the podcast before, and she’s been an even more integral part of Paper Talk behind the scenes. We felt overwhelmed. We didn’t know where to focus our energy. Amy stepped in as our mentor and has helped us refocus on what we want from our partnership and for our individual businesses.  No matter what point you’re at with your creative business, you have growing to do. A mentor can help you focus on where you want your journey to take you and how to get there.    Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► Questions to ask yourself to find the right path for your future.► Why an outside perspective on your business is so important.► Qualities to look for when choosing a mentor.► How to make business partnerships work well.► Amy’s new program, Circle, and how it differs from other programs.   If you can’t listen right away, here’s a peek at three reasons why a mentor can help shape your business. Hear even more on the episode. Save Time As Amy said on the episode, you could organize your pantry on your own, but there’s a reason why people pay others to do it for them. They realize that it’s just not going to happen anytime soon!  A mentor can do the same thing for your paper flower business.  “That’s part of what’s really great when you talk to someone on the outside of your particular business… It helps us cut to the chase and expedite the whole process.” - Amy McGee A mentor will force you to carve out time to think about difficult questions. They push you to make decisions. They help you get back to that why we’ve been talking about this season. Listen to the episode to find out what you should look for in a good mentor to make sure you find someone who will do all those things and more. Get Out of Your Own Head You can read self-help books and take classes. You can set aside time to think about important questions. And you can make real progress on your own.  But sometimes you hit a roadblock and need to get out of your own head. If you’re stuck on a hamster wheel of constant work, you can miss a lot. An outside perspective can help you zoom out and see the bigger picture.  Amy has helped us do exactly that. You can hear more about the specifics on the podcast, but to put it simply, she helped us put into words what we really want. It sounds simple, but it’s so difficult to do without that outside view.  Be Celebrated This reason might not seem very important on the surface, but having your decisions validated can make a world of difference. It provides motivation to keep going, and it just feels good.  We are social creatures. There’s a reason why it can be so fulfilling to build a partnership or community. A mentor can be another cheerleader in your life, one whose opinion often means even more to us since they have more experience. Being celebrated by someone who you admire is a fantastic feeling.  We discussed Amy’s new program, Circle, on the podcast, and how important it is to find people who can celebrate you. You’ll want to hear all about what makes her program so special for fresh florists and what you can implement on your paper flower journey.  Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free.   **********   About Amy McGee:  Amy McGee has a broad range of experience in the floral industry. She entered the industry when she began growing and selling cut flowers from her first home-based business, The Cutting Garden. Her love of floral design blossomed while providing arrangements of her locally grown flowers to an upscale bed and breakfast. This venture eventually led her to open Bliss Flower Studio where she focused primarily on weddings and events, but also delivered custom arrangements and operated a floral subscription service. Amy made the difficult decision to close Bliss Flower Studio in 2008 in order to spend more time with her family, but could not completely leave the “flower people” she had come to love. In an effort to stay connected to the industry, she started Botanical Brouhaha in 2009.  In 2017, Amy joined forces with Maria Maxit and Landon McGee to create the Botanical Brouhaha Podcast which highlights the stories behind the floral industry. When Maria went on to pursue other ventures, Maggie Bailey joined Amy as co-host of the podcast. Amy's latest venture, Bloom Trust Co, launched in 2020 with a mission to bring floral resources and community to floral designers, farmer florists, and hobbyists. Amy has two grown sons and currently lives and gardens in Texas with her husband.    Learn more about Amy: WEBSITE: botanicalbrouhaha.com and bloomtrustco.com INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/botanicalbrouhaha FACEBOOK: facebook.com/botanicalbrouhaha PINTEREST: pinterest.com/bbrouhahablog  PODCAST: botanicalbrouhaha.com/botanical-brouhaha-podcast   ********** Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

Learn about The 100 Day Project and how Quynh is participating, plus the strategies that are helping her achieve her goal. How do you stick to a goal and see it through to the end?  It’s really hard! We all want to build new habits and skills, and we all have projects we want to finish.  In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted about how Quynh is participating in The 100 Day Project. It was founded by Lindsay Jean Thomson as a way to commit people to working on a specific project daily for—you guessed it—one hundred days.  Quynh’s goal is to work on video: shooting, editing, sharing, all of it. You can hear more about how she’s doing this, including lots of tips that you can use for editing and posting your own videos.    Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► What The 100 Day Project is, and how Quynh is participating.► Tips for using Instagram Reels.► How and where to edit videos, including stabilizing shaky video.► What to look for in a camera and what to avoid.► How we’ve been pampering ourselves lately    If you can’t listen right away, get started with these three things we love about The 100 Day Project that you can use to accomplish goals and finish projects. Be Consistent  To reach the end, you have to take lots of steps. If you don’t want your project to take years and years, or never get finished, you have to make consistent progress. The 100 Day Project is great in that it pushes people to do something everyday. That’s how habits are formed. That’s how you move steadily towards the finish line. “I think that’s one of the biggest things about creating, is being consistent. So everyday doing something.” -Jessie If you have something you’d like to work on, setting a daily goal is a great start. Quynh committed herself to taking a video everyday. That’s a flexible goal that doesn’t have a huge time commitment. You don’t need to set aside hours and hours a day if you’re being consistent daily. Make a Public Commitment Quynh uses the hashtag #The100DayProject to tag her progress on Instagram. Everyone else participating does the same thing. If you miss a day, people might notice. That pressure can be a useful tool when trying to accomplish something. It motivates you to keep up. “It’s so hard to be accountable just to yourself.” -Jessie  In your own life, you can find ways to build in this accountability. For example, we have long leaned on each other for advice, collaboration, and very importantly, a way to keep each other on track. When someone else knows about your goal, you’ll be much less likely to skip out on those smaller steps since you’ll know they’ll ask about them soon!  Keep Practicing Your music teacher was right. You need practice! “I just know in past things that I’ve done, the more that I do it, the more time that I touch and repeat it and practice and practice, the better I’m going to be at it.” - Quynh The more you work towards your goal, building in consistency and accountability, the easier it will become. Practicing those good habits will lead to them feeling more natural, just a regular part of your day. And as you work regularly towards a goal, you’ll get better at that skill! It’s a win all around. Listen to the podcast to hear more about the skills Quynh has been building on her 100 day journey, plus lots of tips she’s picked up along the way. Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free. ********** Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

How can you stay true to the why behind your art and grow your business at the same time? Janna Willoughby-Lohr chats with us about how she’s done both.  Artists need to eat.  While we create paper flowers because we love our art and touching people’s lives in a unique way, we also have bills to pay. Can you do both? Yes! In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we talked with Janna Willoughby-Lohr of Papercraft Miracles. Starting back in her college days, she set the rules for being an artist and building a successful business at the same time. As she put it, “I wanted to be an artist, and I didn’t want to be a starving artist, because that’s terrible.”  Janna made the right choices at the right time so that she could take advantage of opportunities that stayed true to her why and made financial sense. Listen now to get a shot of confidence for how you can do the same thing.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► Jenna’s paper flower journey and the why that’s fueled it.► Why being open to new opportunities is critical for building a business. ► How Jenna made her appearance on a discovery+ TV show.► Her advice for where to start when trying to grow your business.► How Janna became a meme.   If you can’t listen right away, here are three things we discussed on the episode to get you started.     Be Open to Opportunities One way that Janna has helped her business grow is by being open to new kinds of opportunities.  She has received many requests over the years for things that were outside of her norm. That’s how she discovered paper flowers! A client asked if she could make them, and she said yes knowing that she’d have to learn something new. That led her to discover yet another medium that she now loves.  You can listen to the episode to hear many more examples, from being on a discovery+ show, to fulfilling an order for half a million seed bombs for Lowe’s. Each time she pushed the boundaries of what she did, and doing so paid off in big ways in the end.  Focus on What Will Work When a potential client comes to Janna with a crazy request, rather than thinking about all the ways it won’t work, she focuses on what might work.  Maybe she’ll try something that fails. Then it’s just back to the drawing board. Maybe she’ll try something that ends up being fantastic and leads her somewhere even better. “I really try not to be that person who thinks of all the reasons it’s not going to work.” -Janna With a positive attitude and a problem solving mindset, you’ll face more challenges—which means you’ll overcome more challenges! Your skill set will grow, and your business will grow.  Give Your Business Time No business is built in a day. That’s especially true when you’re forging a new path, which many of us in the paper art world are doing.  On the episode, Janna told us that she didn’t pay herself until very recently. Every penny of profit she made went back into building up her business. She avoided debt and was able to invest in things that helped her paper business grow in the long term.  You might not be in the right financial situation to do that, and it simply might not be the right choice for you. However, being patient is definitely the right path for all of us. Even if you were somehow able to work on your paper flower business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it would still take time to grow into what you envision.  Listen to the podcast now to hear even more about how Janna has focused on her why all along her journey, and how her business is all the better for it. Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free.   **********   ABOUT Janna Willoughby-Lohr:  Janna Willoughby-Lohr is an artist, poet, musician and entrepreneur from Buffalo, NY. Her company, Papercraft Miracles, specializes in handcrafted paper art that brings meaning to people's lives. She was awarded a $25,000 Ignite Buffalo Grant in 2018 and was named 40-Under-40 from Stationery Trends Magazine in 2019. She’s worked with large brands such as Twitter and Capital One. In 2021, her team created 500,000 plantable seed bombs for Lowe’s Spring Garden Giveaway event. Janna was also a contestant on Meet Your Makers Showdown, a new crafting competition TV show that is streaming now on discovery+.  She is the host of Reach the Stars Podcast—which features inspiring stories of persistence, passion and purpose. Janna leads the membership committee for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO’s) Buffalo/Niagara Chapter and is a founding member of their Diversity & Inclusion Task Force. She has also served two terms on their board of directors. Janna's home and studio are in an old department store in Buffalo where she lives with her husband and three little kiddos. She likes bright colors, giggling, and things that are small.   Learn more about Laura Richey: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/papercraftmiracles FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/papercraftmiracles WEBSITE: www.papercraftmiracles.com COURSES: www.papercraftmiracles.com/workshops PODCAST: www.youtube.com/channel/UCD-Jz9RgAwJGfd0x_vm-Cwg   ********** Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

Juggling multiple brands as a small business owner can be tricky. Listen to how Laura Richey manages marketing, aesthetics, and customer service with her paper art brands. You have a fantastic new paper idea. It’s innovative. People are going to love it.  The only problem? It’s a little off-brand for you. It relates to your paper flower business, but it’s different enough that you’re not sure if you can market it all together.  You might need a brand new brand.  Next problem? How in the world do you manage more than one brand? In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted with Laura Richey of Pucker Up Paper Lips and 2 CLVR Designs. On top of her paper flowers and lip sculptures, she has also started creating paper portraits. Her art is all related, but appeals to different audiences and needs to be handled accordingly.    Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► Laura’s paper journey and how it led to sculptures and portraits.► How to get found by big brands who want to work together.► How to source paper despite shortages and shipping problems.► Laura’s process for frequently checking in with customers to ensure they’re happy with the end product.► How to tell when it’s time to pay for marketing or other outside help.   As a little sneak peek, here are three things to get you ready to branch out with multiple brands.  Be Prepared for Opportunities As we chatted with Laura, we noticed a thread running through her work. She is a cardstock paper artist. She has over a decade of experience working with that medium. That expertise is invaluable when opportunities arise.  On the episode, Laura explained how Pucker Up Paper Lips took off. Without spoiling the entire story, her circumstances changed, opportunities arose, and she had the experience to be prepared to seize the moment. The paper lips were still related to what she is skilled at (working with cardstock), but different enough to warrant a new brand.  “Why can’t I do that with paper?” - Laura If you’re waiting for your break, or you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, keep innovating. Keep learning new things. Better your skill set. You want to be as prepared as possible for when an opportunity does come up. Otherwise, it doesn’t really matter if you get a chance if you’re not ready for it. Be Available in Many Places With three brands comes three audiences. Some of those clients will overlap. Some come from more niche markets. Even within a single market for one brand, customers are individuals. As Laura pointed out on the podcast, some people are more comfortable with emails, others with Instagram DMs, etc.  If you’re looking to expand your sales, then you need to meet people where they are. Your paper art should be in more than one place on the internet, and you should get your work physically in front of people.  To find the best places to be, you should understand your target customer base. On the episode, Laura discussed how her clientele differs for her various brands. Listen now to better understand who you should be seeking out. Get Outside Help When Needed Laura shared that she is now working with a PR company to better market her businesses. This wasn’t an easy decision for her to make, and as we discussed, it isn’t the answer for everyone.  Sometimes, however, you simply don’t have enough time to run your business, or you don’t have the skills for a particular need. That’s when it’s time to hire someone. You of course should be mindful of what you’re spending, but if you do this well, you’ll keep making money even while outsourcing some parts of your business. “Taking a leap with your business is definitely something I recommend.” - Laura Listen to the episode to hear Laura’s very sound reasoning for why she decided to work with a PR company, and how to know when it’s time to hire someone to help your small business grow.  Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free.   **********   ABOUT Laura Richey: Hi, I'm Laura. I started my business during the Covid pandemic in mid 2020. I needed a business that was flexible and that I could manage during online schooling and taking care of my son, who has ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). I created the Paper Lip business from the ground up. I have seen so many amazing makeup artists doing lip art that I thought, why can't I do something like that in a form of lip sculpture? Pucker Up Paper Lips was born.   Learn more about Laura Richey by following her on social media: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/puckerup_paperlips and www.instagram.com/paper_portraits_2clvr_designs FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ByLaurax0x0 and www.facebook.com/2clvrDesigns WEBSITE: puckeruppaperlips.com and www.2clvrdesigns.ca   ********** Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider donating on our website to help us keep producing great content like this. Thank you for your support! www.papertalkpodcast.com

We chat with Chi-Chi Nnakwe Whitley about her journey from biology to paper flowers and how her unique skills has helped her succeed and build our community. A lawyer, a biologist, and a marketing and finance specialist sit down and talk about… paper flowers? If you’ve been in our community for a while, this won’t sound shocking. But if you’re newer, you might be surprised at just how wide ranging paper florists’ backgrounds can be. While many of our stories about discovering our love of paper flowers are very similar, our journeys before that point are all over the map.  And that’s really where our community’s strength comes from.  In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted with Chi-Chi Nnakwe Whitley of AfroBloom Art and Design. She is a PhD trained biologist, app creator, and joyful paper florist. Her unique set of skills has helped her succeed on a path that is just right for her and has strengthened our community in a way that no one else could.  So how can you use your unique talents to help your paper flower business flourish? Listen to the episode to learn from Chi-Chi’s experience, and use these three tips that we discussed on the podcast.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► Chi-Chi’s journey to becoming a paper florist.►How her why has guided her through academia, paper flowers, and more.► How our community has helped her, and how she’s giving back now.►Why Chi-Chi chose her business name, AfroBloom Art and Design.►How to save on her app, Crafty Notes (spoiler: Use code PAPERTALK2022 to get a discount on an annual subscription for one year)    Chase Your Interests No paper florist is simply a paper florist. We have interests that are wide-ranging. These outside influences are what give us inspiration to do new things. They cultivate new skills. They keep us motivated as we stay curious. “Once I started down that path, I really couldn’t let go because the flowers brought something to me that I felt like I didn’t have, which was a sense of creating beauty.” Chi-Chi told us about how she didn’t know what she wanted to major in at college. She took a wide range of classes, and some of them just clicked. So she chased them. She took more science classes. She narrowed down her focus to studying things at a cellular level. She loved observing the little details.  See the connection with paper flowers, recreating little details? In a totally different subject, Chi-Chi discovered something about herself that later translated to a love of creating paper flowers. She found a skill that weaves through different areas of her life.  Lean on Community While we each have unique skills that will help us succeed, we also need to lean on other people’s strengths at times. By supporting each other, we all can do more.  In the episode, Chi-Chi shared the story about how she created her app, Crafty Notes. It is something that could only come from her, but that doesn’t mean that she didn’t get help with it. She got inspiration from our Makers Meetings. She took a class about how to create an app without coding experience. You can hear the entire story on the episode, but in short, she leaned on community to help her achieve her goal. Listen to the podcast to hear all about how this app is perfect for paper florists or any creator needing to organize their ideas and projects. We’ve been very excited watching Chi-Chi’s work on this project. Follow Your Why Yes, we’ve been talking about this a lot, but that’s because it’s so important! Throughout your life, in any area, your underlying why will guide you and keep you energized enough to keep going.  “There’s that inner pride and joy that comes from creating a flower, and it’s addictive.” As Chi-Chi shared on the episode, “To push through times when that ambiguity is there, you have to come back to your why and your motivation.” She said this while talking about earning her PhD, but it’s applicable to any part of your life.  Keep listening with us this season to focus on your why and find what will motivate you long-term to succeed.  Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free.   DISCLAIMER: Chinonye Nnakwe Whitley is participating in her personal capacity.  Her participation does not constitute an endorsement by any federal agency or the United States Government. * * * * * * * * * *     ABOUT Chi-Chi Nnakwe Whitley:  Chinonye Nnakwe Whitley (Chi-Chi) is a self-taught mixed media artist that finds joy in color, florals and afrocentric prints. Her aesthetic is romantically bold, feminine and whimsical. She builds community by teaching her distinct style in in-depth tutorials and building tools that empower emerging artists.  She created the Crafty Notes Pro app to quickly capture thoughts when inspiration strikes, for talking to clients, for use when creating art work, and for recreating past projects.    Learn more about Chi-Chi Nnakwe Whitley by following her on social media: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/afrobloomart WEBSITE: www.afrobloomart.com WEBSITE (Crafty Notes Pro app): https://craftynotes.afrobloomart.com/   * * * * * * * * * *  Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider supporting us through a donation so we can continue to produce great content like this. www.papertalkpodcast.com

Ashley Reagan chats with us about how she finds and chooses which shows to sell her paper flowers and other art at. Learn how to choose the right audience and diversify your income. As this pandemic has stretched on, paper florists and artists like us have had to become more flexible than ever before.  Revenue streams that we relied on have dried up. Guessing what events will look like in a month’s time feels as accurate as guessing what they’ll be like in fifty years.  Now more than ever, we have to diversify our income so that whatever happens in a week, month, or year, we will have something to rely on. In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted with Ashley Reagan of ibleedheART about how she has diversified how she sells her art—including the things she tried that are definitely not for her. Listen now to hear our discussion about the many different ways you can earn income from paper flowers, and how you can choose which ones are true to your why.  If you’re interested in selling at craft and art shows, you need to hear Ashley’s advice on navigating how to find, choose, and evaluate which shows are right for you. Her expertise in this area is really fantastic. Here’s a little taste of what you’ll learn with three things you should look for when researching shows.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► How Ashley finds and chooses which shows to sell at.►Why having different sources of income is so important.► How to pick the right audience to sell your paper flowers.►What happened to the white lily installation from the Tulsa Massacre Memorial.    Choose the Right Audience Different art or craft shows attract different audiences. Ashley spoke about why she felt her paper flowers didn’t do well in certain venues, and it boils down to the audience.  What are their expectations for this event? Did they come here planning on buying bespoke, slightly expensive, handmade goods? Or are they looking for a bargain?  “Paper flowers became a way to honor my granddad, because he was an avid gardener. He loved gardening. He would always tell me which flowers we were passing wherever we were. So one of the first flowers that I created from my own template was a marigold because he always grew marigolds in his garden.” - Ashley This doesn’t mean that you can only sell at shows specifically catering to your specialty. As Quynh pointed out on the podcast, our past guest Stephen Brooks quickly sells out of paper peonies at a show mostly focused on fresh peonies. Interest in your work can come from adjacent industries. It might take some trial and error to figure out which ones, but if you pay attention, you can start to better anticipate which audiences will be more receptive to your paper flowers. Look at Past Marketing If Ashley finds a show that she might be interested in, she looks for their home on the internet. Search for websites, Facebook pages, or news articles that mention it. You can see how the show has been marketed in the past, and that will let you know how it will probably be advertised in the future.  Marketing a show is essential to your success. More eyes walking past your booth means more potential sales. Good marketing will also reach the people who are most likely to be enthusiastic about your art. Marketing should not be the artists’ responsibility. The event coordinator should be spreading the word. Researching all of this is easier if the art or craft show has been held in the past. If it’s a new event, you will probably have less marketing information to work with. Their current internet presence will hopefully give you a small glimpse into how they plan to present the show in their marketing materials and how they will go about reaching the right audience. Research the Event Coordinator As Ashley shared in the episode, the event coordinator makes or breaks how successful a show will be. The coordinator is responsible for planning and marketing the show. We touched on why marketing is important, but keep in mind the organization piece as well. A well-organized event is going to run smoother. You won’t waste time figuring out answers to questions that should have already been answered. You won’t waste time problem solving issues that arise because things weren’t planned out well in advance. “The lilies made such an impact…Sometimes we think about why do we do this? It must be for something greater than ourselves. Why do we make paper flowers? If anything, one little act can create such an impact on someone else’s life. I don’t know about you, but isn’t that powerful?” - Jessie Do as much research as you can on coordinators you aren’t familiar with. Chat with friends or colleagues who know them. Reach out to them with questions to get a feel for whether or not they’re on top of their game. In the end, you will have to take a leap of faith when it comes to trying out new craft or art shows, but these tips will steer you in the right direction. Also, be sure to listen to the episode to hear how Ashley sets herself up for success at the shows and how she systematically evaluates the events afterward to continually improve her experience at shows. Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free.   * * * * * * * * *   ABOUT Ashley Reagan: Ashley Reagan of ibleedheART is inspired by nature and creates feather and butterfly wing jewelry from embroidery thread, crepe paper flowers and plants, and hobbit door shelf sitters. She started making earrings after wearing real feather earrings and trying to find a solution to not have to readjust the earrings in the Oklahoma wind, so she came up with a method that still had the look of a feather, but had just enough weight to stay put on its own, but still be very light weight. Crepe paper flowers came along several years later as a way to honor her Granddad's love for gardening and realizing the green thumb wasn't passed down to her. Proceeds from each hobbit door sale goes towards one day building a human sized hobbit house to live in and one to rent out!   Learn more about Ashley Reagan by following her on social media: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/ibleedheart FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ibleedheart WEBSITE: www.ibleedheart.com ONLINE STORE: www.etsy.com/shop/ibleedheart   * * * * * * * * * Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider supporting us by making a donation on our website so we can continue to produce great content like this. www.papertalkpodcast.com

Learn more about how trying many different things will focus your purpose and bring you happiness on your paper flower journey. Understand the reasons behind your why. What will bring you happiness and fulfillment as a paper florist?   You won’t know until you try it!  In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we discussed the importance of trying new things in order to find your why. Finding your why is the entire focus of Season 5, and we’ll be helping you better understand the purpose in life and paper flowers that will make you the happiest. We highly recommend our Why Worksheet to get you started. Be sure to listen to this episode as we dive deeper into ways you can hone in on your why. In the meantime, here are three tips on exploring new avenues on your journey to finding purpose and contentment.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► How to dive even deeper into the reasons behind your why and better understand it.► Why trying new things is so important to finding fulfillment.► More about Quynh’s journey refocusing on her why.► Why talking with someone else is essential to self-reflection.► How long it takes to find your why.   Explore Our Industry The paper flower industry is as varied and wide ranging as the people in it. We have paper florists who only work on big events. Some start teaching and love it. Others move in the fine art direction, or prefer to scale up into selling kits through retail stores.  “I really couldn’t have done this without practically talking to Quynh on a weekly basis.” - Jessie We explored many of these outlets in our Paper to Profits course. If you haven’t had the chance yet to join us for that course, you can get a good idea of the many different directions you can go by talking with other paper florists. Dig through the podcast archives and listen to what others are doing. Follow them on Instagram. Join our Facebook group to chat with others. And then try something new! If you haven’t made flowers for a wedding, try it! Never made a big installation? Try it! Teach a class. Partner with a store. You don’t have to commit to doing it forever, but you should dip your toes into different areas. You may be pleasantly surprised by how much you enjoy it. Try Other Creative Outlets Over the course of four seasons of Paper Talk, we’ve asked many paper florists and other creatives about their journeys. A very common story is starting in one creative field and finding your way into crepe paper flowers. And sometimes paper florists find their way from crepe to other things, as well. You don’t have to be just one thing! Quynh shared on the podcast about her long journey to focusing back on her why. One important aspect is that her why threads through her entire life. Cooking, marketing, and running a podcast all tap into something that energizes her. On the surface those things don’t look connected, but they all feed Quynh’s creativity and her need to help others.  Listen to the episode to hear even more about Quynh’s journey and how she’s pivoted to her marketing work more recently.  Lean Into Community  Building a community is essential as you branch out and explore. You can bounce ideas off trusted colleagues. You can collaborate on big projects that would be impossible to do on your own (like this podcast!). Your friends can cheer you on and help you when you hit a bump in the road and have to slow down for a bit. “What drives me is knowing the responsibility I have to [Jessie], the Paper Talk community, and the people who we’ve mentored.” - Quynh As Quynh said, “What drives me is knowing the responsibility I have to [Jessie], the Paper Talk community, and the people who we’ve mentored.”  Our entire reason for building Paper Talk is to help our community grow and flourish. That work is incredibly satisfying because of the relationships we’ve been able to build with listeners like you.   Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free.   Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider supporting us for even more great content like this. www.papertalkpodcast.com

We discuss how to find the why behind our creativity and our businesses. Learn how to get back to the joy and fulfillment you first found in paper flowers. Is the joy that you first found in creating paper flowers missing? Does the stress of your business override the fun that you used to have as a paper florist? You need to refocus on your why. For this new season of Paper Talk, we’re getting back to the heart of our purpose: our whys. When you focus on your why, you’ll be happier. You’ll be more balanced. You’ll have the confidence to make decisions. And yes! You can find your why and achieve all of this.  In our latest episode, we discuss our whys and how you can get back to yours. Now, this isn’t a fifteen-minute process. That’s why we’ll be spending Season 5 talking to a fantastic lineup of guests who will help us on this journey. For now, we’ve put together a worksheet to get you started on uncovering your why. You can also get a jumpstart on what we discussed in the episode by thinking about the questions below.    Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation: ► How we’ve refocused on our whys.►Tips for narrowing down what your core why is.► How to decide whether or not to say yes to a new project.► Why time to reflect is crucial to staying energized and happy.► How to beat FOMO.   Does it energize you? In the episode, Jessie shared how draining it is for her to teach more interactive courses where she has to talk with students face to face, over and over again. She can do it, but it leaves her running on empty. That means no energy left for the things that actually bring her more joy.  Every paper florist is different. There are many of us who feel energized after teaching a class and chatting with a dozen students. Others draw energy from sitting quietly and letting creativity flow.  “Just looking back and understanding why did we even start it, and then asking that particular question the entire time that we’re doing the podcast is still making us happy.” - Quynh Think about what energizes you. There is no one right answer here! Now dig into that. Ask yourself what exactly about that thing you find energizing. Our worksheet will help you reflect more on this, but simply recognizing your energy drains and avoiding them is a great first step. Do you have time for reflection? As Quynh has discussed before, she pulled back from her monthly paper flower tutorials at The Posey Box. There was always something to do to get ready for the next box. She had no space for creativity or reflection. She wasn’t fulfilled doing the same things month after month. So she made a change.  She did the same with the podcast by hiring a team to edit the audio for her. As she said in the episode, “Taking that huge workload off has really given me a refresh, a real joy in recording the podcast.” By giving herself space to reflect on what she really wanted, she was able to make changes. She gave herself room to be creative in the avenues that bring her greater happiness.  If you find yourself constantly scrambling to get things done with no time to just sit back and think, carve out some quiet space. You may have to drop a project or hand something off to someone else. It will be worth it. Do you have space for your personal life? Getting back to your why means finding what really matters to you beyond paper flowers. It focuses on the core of who you are. Being a paper florist should complement and support your personal life, not trample all over it. Otherwise, you’re going to burnout and regret losing time with those you love.  Jessie shared how she got back to her core why this past year. You can hear the entire story in the episode, but in short, she lost focus of her main why for a time. She quit practicing law to be more present for her children, and then had a wake-up call that paper flowers were starting to do the exact same thing that she had been trying to avoid. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to stop, and I’ve got to choose my projects that align with my why.’ Part of my why is having that flexibility and that mind space to be there with my kids.” You need space for self-care. You need space to nurture the relationships that matter most to you. Finding your why should help you create that space and support those goals.  Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free.   Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider supporting us for even more great content like this. www.papertalkpodcast.com

We reflect on the past year of the podcast and our paper flower businesses. Learn how we’ll focus on the heart of our craft moving forward, plus what goes into building a successful partnership. Season 4 is over! We can’t believe it! Thank you to our Patrons who have made it possible for us to keep making this podcast. In our last episode of Season 4, we reflected on what went well and what didn’t last year, as well as what kind of changes we’re planning on making for the podcast and our paper flower businesses. We agree that our big focus for 2022 is getting back to the why: the heart of why we keep wanting to be paper florists and share our love of paper flower making.  We highly recommend taking time like we did on the podcast to reflect on your challenges and triumphs. But who has the time or energy for that? You can find the space in your mind to ask these difficult questions. Here are just a few ideas we shared on the episode. Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation:► How we balance our personal lives and paper flower businesses. ► Why leaning into your strengths is the key to avoiding burn out. ► Practical ideas for giving yourself space to focus on the big why and direction of your business.► How to build a successful partnership, even between two very different people. Find Space to Reflect If you’re overwhelmed with your work, you won’t have the ability to think deeply or widely about where your paper flower business is and where you want it to be.  As Quynh shared in the episode, she scaled way back on The Posey Box last year because of this very reason. She felt like she never had time to reflect or do anything different. There was always something with an urgent deadline to take care of. She felt burnt out. You can hear the entire story on the podcast, but in short, she decided to focus on other things and is all the happier for it.  We shared some practical tips in the episode on how you can find space. Every paper florist has different circumstances, so there’s no one size fits all answer here. But if you are feeling unsatisfied or overwhelmed, start by carving out some space for yourself. Say No Sometimes Jessie put it well: “Just because you have these great ideas, or opportunities come knocking, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they're the right ones for you. And some of them are really tempting! But they might not get you to your why.”  You need to master the art of saying no! We had an entire episode of Paper Talk dedicated to this subject, because it’s just so powerful. (Listen to Episode 85 here.) It’s hard to do, but the more you practice this skill, the better you’ll be at it. Once you find the space to think critically about where you want your business to be, you have to focus on it. That means saying no to opportunities or ideas that don’t lead to it. Build in Accountability You can’t build a paper flower business alone. We all get help from family, friends, peers, and mentors. These relationships are essential for giving you someone to bounce ideas off of, to cheer you on, and very importantly, to keep you accountable. When you share your goals with someone, you’re going to have more motivation to work on them because that person is going to ask about them. Our partnership in particular has been absolutely critical to our success both with Paper Talk and our individual businesses. And as Quynh said, “If you haven’t collaborated with another paper florist, I highly recommend it. The energy and the happiness that you get talking about paper flowers is just so fun.”  “If you haven’t collaborated with another paper florist, I highly recommend it. The energy and the happiness that you get talking about paper flowers is just so fun.” - Quynh  We talked a lot in the episode about how we’ve built our partnership so successfully. It isn’t always easy! But it’s completely worth it. You can also hear about our mentor for the podcast and how that has shaped our path for Paper Talk.  Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider supporting us on Patreon for even more great content like this.

Dive into the details of what it really takes to offer paper flower kits to your customers. We talk packaging, shipping, client expectations, and more.  Many paper florists end up teaching our craft. People want to know how you created that amazing paper flower! And once you start offering tutorials or classes, you are inevitably going to be asked about where to source our specialized materials like a crepe. One answer to this issue? Offering kits with your tutorials. In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we dove into what it really takes to offer kits to your customers. If you haven’t put a kit together before, there are lots of issues that you probably haven’t thought of. Here’s just a few to get you started. Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation:► How Quynh began teaching and creating kits. ► What goes into creating, packaging, and shipping paper flower kits. ► Whether you should ship internationally or not. ► Managing clients’ expectations around ordering and shipping.► How to manage preorders and why they could help your business. Packaging Wholesale Items If you’re going to make a profit from selling kits, you should definitely look into buying items wholesale. That said, you can’t just throw a bunch of unmarked wholesale wires and crepe paper into a kit. “I don’t think people are going to be hard on you because you’re not offering international [shipping]. They might be disappointed, but I think it’s totally understandable why. It’s out of your control.” - Jessie Many customers who are buying paper flower kits are new to our craft. They bought your tutorial and kit because they often don’t feel equipped to find the items themselves. It’s all so new to them! So they aren’t going to recognize the difference between a 22 gauge and a 16 gauge wire. You need to repackage these wholesale items in a way that customers can easily understand. We discussed much more in the episode about packaging kits, including how to best present your product to make it a magical experience for the customer. Presentation matters! Storing Products Safely Buying all of those wholesale items means that you are going to need space to store them all. But you can’t shove them just anywhere. As we discussed in more detail on the podcast, you have to make sure that these items won’t be damaged by crushing weight or by the elements, and that they will still be fresh if you don’t ship them out to a customer until months later.  One way to avoid some of these issues is to offer preorders, meaning that customers buy something that won’t ship to them for some time. In the episode, we talked about how we used this method for our Awesome Blossom! workshop series, and everything you need to think about when offering preorders.  Shipping Costs Many small business owners don’t take into account all of their shipping costs. They ultimately end up losing money because they didn’t account for all of their expenses. When you put together paper flower kits, you need to take into account the shipping costs for buying wholesale items, as well as what it will cost you to ship to customers. Kits can be heavy or bulky depending on what you include! You need to know how much a kit will cost to ship before you sell it at a set price that won’t cover this expense. “I think that’s really key when you’re selling things to other people. You want to make it appealing. You want to make it look pretty.” - Quynh And this gets even more complicated with international shipping. Quynh has had international customers request her kits, but it isn’t as simple as them offering to cover the increased costs. On the podcast, you can hear our discussion about the pros and cons of shipping internationally, and how to deal with the guilt that might come when you turn down international customers.  Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider supporting us on Patreon for even more great content like this.

We share our best tips for packaging and branding products and how to safely ship paper flowers. We also check in with a longtime friend of the podcast, Mike Benson.   As the holidays near, everyone’s got shipping on their minds.    How do you package your paper flowers to withstand being tossed around in the back of a truck? How do you save money on shipping costs? Just how bad are these shipping delays we keep hearing about? In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted about all this and more. Longtime friend of the podcast, Mike Benson, gave us an update on Carte Fini, including how he’s handling delays in importing crepe paper and other supplies from Italy and beyond. We also shared some of our best tips for branding and packaging your products safely, as well as how to make sure your shipping costs don’t eat into your profit.  Listen now to get ready for all of your holiday shipping. In the meantime, here’s a peek at three things you might not have thought about that we discussed in the episode.   Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation:► What is new and available now at Carte Fini. ► Discussion of the different weights of Italian crepe paper. ► How to charge for the handling part of shipping and handling. ► Our best tips for branding and safely packaging your products for shipping.► How to cultivate reasonable shipping expectations from customers. Create a Product That Can Ship We make delicate paper flowers, but that doesn’t mean that each bloom can withstand the same amount of abuse in a shipping box. If you’ll be shipping a bouquet or flower, make sure that it is as sturdy as you can make it.   “I’m always trying to make it better. I’m going to try to in the coming months improve some of the ways that you can shop so that it’s easier. The line has grown over the years to where I don’t want people to be frustrated with trying to find the color they want, so I want to add some features.” - Mike   As we shared on the podcast, that means that certain materials like fine crepe paper should be avoided. Why? As Jessie said, “You can’t expect your customer to know how to fluff [a paper flower] up.”   No matter how beautiful your packaging is, your client will not be impressed if they pull out a flower that looks like it wilted. Make something that can withstand being jostled.     Share Tracking Numbers with Customers Some apps will automatically send out this info to clients who purchase from you. If your shopping platform doesn’t do this, you should be emailing the customer with the tracking number as soon as you have it.   Why? First, your customer will feel like you haven’t forgotten their order. You’re maintaining your relationship with them. Second, you will save yourself some work. If they email you asking about where their product is, you’re going to look up the tracking number to see where it is. That’s something that your client can easily and willingly do. Lastly, it shows that you held up your end of the deal, and now the package is out of your hands. This might seem like a really obvious thing to do, but when you’re a creative small business owner with often varying volume of orders, it can be easy to forget little things like sharing tracking numbers.   Throw an Aftermath Party You should be evaluating your sales long after they have arrived to your customers. This postmortem lets you better plan for the future. When it comes to shipping, that means keeping track of your packaging and shipping costs, as well as trying to figure out what wowed your clients.   As we shared in the episode, that could mean emailing a customer to ask if your paper flower arrived, what condition it was in, if they are satisfied, etc. Obviously this should all be done in a friendly and not overbearing way. But if they liked your art enough to pay for it, they will probably be happy to share what they think.   “It boils down to your aesthetics and the presentation you want to present to the customer. Are you going to be eco-friendly? Are you going to be over the top—when they open it, it’s going to be the most magical and wonderful experience?” - Quynh   Once you have all of the info about how things went, you can dive into the details of what needs to change. Did you charge enough to cover packaging costs? How much profit did you actually make once you added on shipping? Could you change anything in your packaging to save money or improve the experience for your clients? Ask the tough questions, and your next sale will be even better.   Join our Facebook group where you can share, connect, and grow with us. Please also consider supporting us on Patreon for even more great content like this.