NEW Business Cards!

A new collection and e-commerce site means new business cards! Since I began working on my new line, I fell in love with so many of the fun patterns that I had created. I thought it would be exciting to incorporate one of those designs on the back of a business card, but I couldn't just pick one pattern! I came up with an idea that let me have my cake and eat it too! So, I switched things up and designed a batch of mix and match business cards featuring my favorite patterns from the Brittany Lauren Design collection! 

I can't wait to hand these out!

Have a happy day :)

-BL

P.S. The online shop is coming September 17th! 

Staying Present

In the past 6 months, I have finally have allowed myself to relax and enjoy the journey of my stationery brand. I decided to focus on my goals and clarify my vision. It sounds easy, but life gives us so many little distractions that misdirect us. There are times when I have to reassure myself not to over think everything hovering around in the back of my mind, and just be in the moment of whatever I'm doing. When I design, I design. I put in the hours because it's my passion. But, I also learned to break away so that I can focus on other things that matter just as much. Staying present breeds focus.

At one time, I would check my e-mails on date nights and answer them when I should have been giving my husband full-attention. I would get puzzled over something business related on a Saturday, when I SHOULD have been focusing on enjoying my weekend. I completely believe that, the more distracted we are, the longer the distance is of reaching our joy.

Spend the afternoon at the beach with your kids — savor every blissful moment with your family. Don't allow work, phone, e-mails or any other distractions to invade your quality time. It's a difficult concept to achieve because of daily distrations we have. Being an entrepreneur myself, we wear a lot of hats: marketing, shipping, accounting, design and everything else that comes up. Because we don't always work a typical 9-5 schedule, we have to relearn to take those hats off after hours.

Putting the No Hat Policy in effect after hours has allowed amazing things to happen professionally and personally to me.

Stay present. Pour your heart into every thing you do and become obsessed with being in the moment.

-BL

Making Things Happen Starts Now…

Last month, I attended the Making Things Happen Intensive in NYC not only for my design/stationery business but also to create a personal growth plan. In that room we cried, laughed and poured our heart out. By 5 o'clock, we all had a journal filled with taking action and bringing our authentic self out. I really learned that "action has magic, grace and power in it."

In my journal, I filled two entire pages of things I want more in my life. Here's a little sample:

Saying Yes:
Embracing change
Spending more quality time with my husband
Family outings
Random adventures
Settings business hours
Designing from my heart
The great outdoors
Less social media and more face to face conversations
Outsourcing my business needs
Specializing in things that fire me up
Not being everything to everyone (big one for me)

Less clutter

Swimming

After attending MTH, I challenged myself immediately to take a break from social media. For  the whole month (yes, really!) of May, I replaced scrolling thru my Twitter newsfeed & Facebook interactions with real life moments. Life sure gets busy but I would rather play a game of Monopoly on a rainy night with my husband than let technology come in between us. Twitter can wait. I don't' want to live with wasted minutes. It's so easy to get distracted with work and forget about the person standing right in front of you. Lara, Emily and Gina really helped me understand the value of my time and how to use the hours/minutes/seconds effectively in my life. I appreciate having them push me towards owning my schedule. I feel fresh and renewed, even if it was only for a short break. Trust me, it was scary not to check my social media sites all the time. I felt like I was missing out on something. Maybe I did, but there will always be more opportunities to catch. I am reconnecting to what is really important in my life. I can't tell you how amazing that feels to actually write that. I encourage you to take a break, even if it's just for the weekend!

30 days later, I think my heart is just about to burst thinking about how much energy and passion was in that room a month ago. Every single person was remarkable by putting themselves out there and taking a risk to make action happen. I can't wait to see all the amazing things they will do!

Another tour is planned for the Fall on the West Coast! Be sure to check out more details for this engaging intensive at http://makingthingshappen.com.

In the next few months life will be changing fast. I'll be sharing my story very soon. 


I'm ready for the light to turn green… and GO!

-Brit

Getting the Right Balance…

In the beginning when I started out as a stationery designer, I created till my heart's content. The more products you have in the shop the better, right? Trust me, I couldn't see the light anymore. I wanted to create a little of everything to please everyone! It's also a great way to quickly burn out. I lost track of my brand's sense of style. I had no choice but to break it down and focus on quality NOT quantity. When I talked to my husband about it, he compared it to a fast food restaurant vs a sit down experience. Would you rather quickly serve something or take the time you need to build your stationery brand? So I began breaking my work down into collections. This really helped! Instead of launching everything at once or randomly because the excitement took over, I now focus on one thing at a time. That feels so good to write! A week or two before I launch, I closely inspect everything and double make sure I stamp it with my approval. My mind is always racing with new ideas and sometimes I feel overwhelmed to do them all at once. But instead by:

1. Allowing each collection its own personal attention to detail. Distraction has no home here.
2. Assigning each collection a due date. Deadlines work for a thriving business!
3. Finish them. Take your due date seriously. Burn the midnight oil!
4. Giving attention to each launch by promoting instead of moving on to the next idea so quickly. Allow the same time you worked on your designs to equal the same amount of time to market it. Be committed.

There is no doubt about it, multiple projects can be stressful when you don't have a system that works for you. By spacing my collection launch dates, this allowed my stationery business to grow and also helped me narrow down on finding my signature style. I feel more relaxed in my personal life because I started following this set of guidelines. This plan also paved the way to give me time and full attention for my branding clients as well!

Have you found balance in your work life? Share your tips friends!


-Brit

The Three Ps of Success

"Dream the impossible dream, Fight the unbeatable foe, Strive with your last ounce of courage, to reach the unreachable star." -Joe Darion

The three P's of being successful at what you do are: Passion, Persistence, and Patience. I keep these words very close to my heart not only for my business, but also in my personal life as well.

 1. Passion - If your heart isn't into it, don't do it. I think that we reach our potential when we are working on something that fires us up! Find the heartbeat in your business and let it be your core. 

2. Persistence - Keep plugging away. Even when things happen unexpectedly in your life, don't give up and don't give into fear. What are you doing to be persistent? Are you updating your blog frequently? Are you connecting with people in your industry?  Push for what you have worked so very hard for and if one door closes, another one will open! You will miss many opportunities if you're not active and open-minded. Believe in your business!

3. Patience - Always, ALWAYS be patient with your business. It's your baby, right? You have planted the seed, but it takes time to nurture it and let it grow. Don't worry so much about finding the "right" path. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. 

Are there any characteristics that you have found helpful in running your business?

-B

Fine Tuning My Craft

Work isn't fun unless you love what to do, right? It starts with passion. When I get an email at midnight, or I'm on the search for something my client is asking for, I don't drag my heels. I work hard, and I'm involved wholeheartedly because I absolutely love what I do. I wake up ready to design and go to sleep thinking about design. It is just in my nature.

As my passion evolves, I learn what makes me happy and what I do not want to pursue anymore. I started out designing greeting cards. I had fun exploring all types of printing techniques like silk screening and letter pressing. I'll never forget being SO EXCITED about letterpressing my first card. Little hearts were coming from my head as my husband would explain it. I even framed it :)

But I was still trying to find my niche. As much as I loved greeting cards, I got more excited when a client would email me to make an invitation for their event. Having made so many personalized requests in the past two years, I really wanted to form my own collection. This lead me to design and launch Brittany Lauren Party Invitations Collection this past winter.

I've decided to discontinue my greeting card line and stick with what I'm really passionate about, personalized paper goods. The remaining cards will be sent to some vendors that sell my designs. At first I didn't want to let it go, thinking I had to stick with it because that's where I began. But to be honest, I am proud that I evolved and gained focus on what pushes me as a designer. 

Find your passion, work out all the kinks and let it grow organically.

-B

Through Obsession Comes Perfection

I started out as an entrepreneur that wanted to deliver the best to my clients by creating high quality paper goods. It wasn't about delivering sale after sale. My focus has been on using the right tools that would give my customers luxury in the paper world. I feel honored when they come back again for another special event in their lives. I value each person that has worked with me, and I continue to provide them with excellence.

Before I jumped into my stationery business, I searched day and night to find the best printer that would deliver that high quality I was looking for. It sure wasn't easy, and I wished that there were more resources available at the time when I was on the hunt! Through my obsession, I've narrowed it down to these top three printers that have helped run the studio and give my clients superior quality.

Epson 1400: (inkjet) Great as a backup, small projects and excellent for envelope printing. Awesome part, it directly prints on CDs!

PIXMA Pro9500 Mark II: (Inkjet) Beautiful at photo printing and the colors are so vibrant when using the right settings. I've gotten thick 140lb paper to print from this beast.

HP Color CP3525dn Printer: (Laser)

The best laser printer I think on the market. However, if your looking for a laser that prints bleed, I'm 100% sure at this time there is nothing like that on the market. It would be pretty amazing if it could! I do believe this model is being updated as of 2012 and being replaced by Enterprise M551.

Something I'm still researching and would like to own for my studio is the HP Indigo printing press. It's going straight to the top of my wish list for Brittany Lauren Design!

Have you found something else that works for you and would like to share?

-B

The Beginnings…

Where did my love of design start?

I remember playing outside in my sand box when my grandpa came over to me and said "Look at what I have for you." He pointed to the patio with 5 sets of Crayola crayons laying on the table. "Grandpa, 5 boxes?"

He replied with a smile, "I want you to have an unlimited amount of creativity and just keep drawing." 

When I got older, I started playing with Fine Artist, (*almost like photoshop but for kids). I made banners, illustrated stories and countless things for my family. My mom used every single magnet on the refrigerator to hang my work!

The funny thing is, I never thought about making what I loved into a career. When my husband was in college, I used to make him memory booklets to send to him when he missed home. I would spend hours making the layouts and picking out pretty fonts. One time he told me that I should design for a living. I was flattered, but I brushed it off. At the time, I was thinking about becoming an elementary school teacher. I loved working with children, but I couldn't keep my mind off design. I knew that I had to do something about it...

My passion was right in front of me all along, but I didn't know that I could turn what I loved into a business. When it was time to choose my major, I picked Graphic Design with a concentration in Interactive Media. (I dabbled in web design for a few years but print was what made me truly happy). I haven't looked back since. I had incredible professors who were also entrepreneurs and loved sharing their experiences of owning a design business. After I graduated from Ramapo College, I quickly discovered that the corporate world wasn't fulfilling. I was still so passionate about design, and I wanted to express my style which lead me to create my own brand of stationary goods. Things have changed, but the fire burns bright.

I started with crayon drawings for my family, and before I knew it, I was printing my wedding invitations. When I opened my creative services, my sister made a beautiful frame containing all of the paper goods that I designed for my wedding. Inside she wrote a quote that I keep in my heart:

Love and Support Brings Success

I will always be thankful to my parents for never stopping me from being a dreamer. When I was a little girl, I always felt that I could do anything if I pushed myself. When I got married, my husband became my biggest support system and gives me a big push when I need it. Without support from family and friends, my dreams would feel like they were orbiting the stars in Andromeda- twenty-two million years away. 

Your loved ones are a source for inspiration, advice and help. Owning a business is a big journey, and you can't take the ride alone. You make the decisions and call the shots, but having positive voices in your life keeps you focused and motivated. 


Last summer, I began to create personalized stationary. I was up to my ears in paper, and I needed to get opinions from people who saw 80 and 110 pounds as free weights in the gym, not as paper weight! I had my husband and family members test out five different kinds of paper to see which one they liked for thickness/higher quality. Getting opinions from people who aren't in your industry, but care about you as a person, can really push your business forward.


Albert Einstein attributed his success to the people that made innovations in his field before he arrived on the scene. Professionals in your industry can also be a great resource to learn from. Peer-to-peer collaboration is great for networking and sharing experiences. Find friends in your industry who have similar goals, and aren't afraid to share their mistakes so you can learn from them. 


Recently, I found the Lets Talk Stationery boards, which is a group of stationery designers offering advice on production issues and valuable resources in the paper world. Professional forums can help you overcome moments of frustration by reminding you that you that you weren't born with knowledge, you acquired it. 


A dream is only a a fantasy in your head until you put it out into the world through practice, collaboration with others and a whole lot of love and support! Find people who give you encouragement and renew energy. Love, support and friendly advice really does bring you success.