'Real Stories' From Vistaprint Alum: Jera Foster-Fell, Founder, The Social Media Saloon
Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint to grow, adapt, and evolve their business.
As part of our Create & Cultivate x Vistaprint Brand Campus, we’re sharing all the ways that Vistaprint can help you grow, adapt, and evolve your business. Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint as a one-stop-shop for all of their small business marketing solutions.
Whether you’re sourcing a physical product, seeking digital design services, or simply looking for inspiration, Vistaprint is the marketing partner that enables small business owners to elevate their brands – at every stage of their journey. Read on to discover how real business owners use Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product selection to help their businesses grow organically—and how you can too.
Jera Foster-Fell, Founder, The Social Media Saloon
What do you love most about having your own brand/ business?
There are three things that I love about having my own business: First, I love being my own boss. This means I craft my own schedule, play by my rules, and work towards my own goals. 2. I get to build what I am passionate and excited about. 3. I have the ability to choose who I want to work with and have a direct positive impact on their life, which is incredibly fulfilling!
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and establish your own brand/business?
Let me rewind back to April 2015 to first give you some context. I was a graphic designer, which is what my degree was in, working at various startups and doing a bit of freelance work. Truth my told, I was absolutely miserable. I was working so hard, yet severely under-appreciated and underpaid, to the point where I developed a bald patch on my head due to extreme stress and exhaustion. I had also recently found out I was struggling with social anxiety. I had no friends and zero social life. It was definitely a dark time for me.
It was then also in April of 2015 I made a decision which had a profound impact on my life: I decided to download a 12 week PDF workout guide I had discovered through Instagram. On that same day, I decided to create an Instagram account to hold myself accountable throughout the process, because that’s what I saw so many other women doing.
This was the beginning of my social media career in regards to content creation! I absolutely fell in love with instagram. Through this platform I found community and creativity, which was so very needed at the time.
From 2016 to 2018, in addition to working on my instagram, I was also a SoulCycle instructor, but in 2018, I left to pursue being a full time content creator. By mid 2019, I knew it was time to think even bigger. I was a successful influencer on Instagram, but I wanted to figure out what more I could do from a passion standpoint, as well as what more I could do to develop an additional stream of revenue.
Towards the end of 2019, I began developing my social media strategy business, and in the beginning of 2020, I ran my first ever Social Media Saloon program, which is my three month social media group coaching course where I teach business owners and content creators how to master instagram. Fast forward to current day: I’ve taught over 100 students and I am about to launch the fourth round of The Saloon!
What challenges have you faced in launching your brand / business? How did you overcome them?
The absolute biggest challenge hands down was imposter syndrome. I have taken so many pivots over the years from graphic designer, to fitness instructor, to content creator, to now social media coach, and each time a new path is begun, it’s so easy to let fears of inadequacies or voices that say “who are YOU to be doing this?!” creep into your mind.
What I’ve come to learn is though is that imposter syndrome is something we all feel, and at the end of the day, no one has it all figured out. No one knows exactly what they are doing. We are all figuring out as we go.
The biggest thing is to continue to take action and to continue to show up despite feelings of self doubt, because that is when people usually quit. Instead of saying “why me?!” I’ve learned to replace that with “why NOT me?!”.
“Vistaprint...has been a one stop shop for all things printing and promotional, so I can easily log on, select what I need, upload my designs, and voila! ”
How has Vistaprint helped you grow, evolve, or adapt your business? What are some of the tools and services you have used and how did they help you?
Anytime it comes to making decisions for my business whether it be for marketing, development, or finances, I try to be efficient as possible. Vistaprint has absolutely fulfilled that need for me as it has been a one stop shop for all things printing and promotional, so I can easily log on, select what I need, upload my designs, and voila!
One of the most important parts of my program, The Social Media Saloon, is the community aspect. Over the course of the three months, the students really bond and develop a camaraderie which is beautiful to see. I want to add to that collective energy however I can, so I decided to develop some merch for my students: sweatshirts, hats, notebooks, pens, and post-it notes. Sending off these packages of Social Media Saloon items has been a wonderful element of surprise and delight for the students when they embark upon their social media journey!
How do visual elements play a role in your branding? How are they important to your overall marketing strategy?
I would say that the bulk of the visual elements that make up my business currently are the ways in which I present my brand via social media, so think photography, videography, graphics, etc. Coming from a creative background, these visual elements are an important representation of what I do, and in a more laid back sense, they’re an expression of myself as well. I absolutely love taking creative photos, trying new photos, or incorporating props. I also really enjoy creating short form videos, whether they be for TikTok or for Reels. The rise of different things like trends and transitions has really unlocked a new way of creating for me and has pushed me to think of new ways to show up in social media in a visual sense.
“Don’t wait until things seem perfect or when you feel totally ready. Take messy action. We learn from doing, creating, and making mistakes.”
What tips would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs to help them launch or scale their businesses?
Comparison is the thief of joy. Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s 57. Everyone started somewhere, and just because someone is “further along” than you doesn’t mean you can’t throw your hat into the ring.
Don’t wait until things seem perfect or when you feel totally ready. Take messy action. We learn from doing, creating, and making mistakes.
Invest in yourself. Sometimes it’s necessary to spend money in order to get to the next level. Investing in a business coach a year ago was one of the smartest decisions I’ve made for myself. It was the most money I’ve ever shelled out before, but it was a pivotal decision in me taking action to create my business.
You’re not here to please everyone. The quote from Dita Von Teese has always resonated with me: “ You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.”
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Remember to find the humor in the everyday and to laugh at yourself along the way.
What would you like to see change for the next generation of female entrepreneurs?
Here’s what I would like to see for the next generation of female entrepreneurs:
To inherently believe in their worth
To fully step into their confidence and voice
To always push boundaries and stereotypes
And lastly, a society that encourages and supports more female entrepreneurs
Jera Foster-Fell went from drowning in a soul-sucking job with no defined purpose while suffering from social anxiety, to dominating the lifestyle sector of social media and owning a multiple six-figure social media coaching business. She has crowned herself the queen of pivoting: from graphic design, to SoulCycle instructor, to content creator, to social media coach. She has built her community to more than 170k on Instagram and 1 million on TikTok (in less than a year!) and now Jera's current passion is teaching all that she's learned to others with her signature course The Social Media Saloon and with her one-on-one clients. Jera coaches on the ins and outs of creating your own personal brand online, the secrets to building a loyal and engaged community, and all the steps that it takes to use social media as a power + positive tool for your business.
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'Real Stories' From Vistaprint Alum: Cass Dimicco, Co-Founder, Aureum Collective
Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint to grow, adapt, and evolve their business.
As part of our Create & Cultivate x Vistaprint Brand Campus, we’re sharing all the ways that Vistaprint can help you grow, adapt, and evolve your business. Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint as a one-stop-shop for all of their small business marketing solutions.
Whether you’re sourcing a physical product, seeking digital design services, or simply looking for inspiration, Vistaprint is the marketing partner that enables small business owners to elevate their brands – at every stage of their journey. Read on to discover how real business owners use Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product selection to help their businesses grow organically—and how you can too.
Cass Dimicco, Co-Founder, Aureum Collective
What do you love most about having your own brand/ business?
I love that everyday is a new challenge. Our team is very small so I’m constantly developing new skills in every area of the business. One day I’m tapping into my creative side designing new pieces or coming up with our next campaign, the next day I’m strategizing business development or coming up with a marketing plan.
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and establish your own brand/business?
I’ve always been someone who isn’t afraid to think differently and take some risks. When I decided to launch Aureum I believed in myself and what I was capable of. I think it’s important to take it one step at a time and trust in your abilities to learn as you go. Sometimes the greatest lessons can only be learned through firsthand experience, so I was not intimidated by not having a formal business background.
What challenges have you faced in launching your brand / business? How did you overcome them?
Right now, our biggest challenge is expanding our team and scaling. Finding the right people is key to growing your business but it’s not always easy to find people with the same level of passion. I’ve been asking my peers who have experience building a team for advice – never be afraid to ask for help.
“Aureum has always relied heavily on visuals to tell the story of our brand. We love being able to utilize the Vistaprint postcards to add campaign imagery and a note from the founders. ”
How has Vistaprint helped you grow, evolve, or adapt your business? What are some of the tools and services you have used and how did they help you?
Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product options have enabled me to personalize my product experience and made the customer unboxing experience Instagram-able, which has helped my business grow organically. We include a postcard made with Vistaprint in every one of our orders. It’s the little touches that make a customer want to come back and purchase from you again.
How do visual elements play a role in your branding? How are they important to your overall marketing strategy?
Aureum has always relied heavily on visuals to tell the story of our brand. We love being able to utilize the Vistaprint postcards to showcase our latest campaign imagery and include a note from the founders. Exciting visuals encourage customers to share their purchase on social media which has been vital to reach new potential customers. We pride ourselves on having strong campaign imagery and it is one of the most exciting parts of running the business and building our brand. Vistaprint helps make it all possible.
“Don’t always follow the playbook of how things are supposed to be done. Sometimes having no experience is the best way to be innovative and think from the customer’s perspective instead of a business owner.”
What tips would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs to help them launch or scale their businesses?
Don’t always follow the playbook of how things are supposed to be done. Sometimes having no experience is the best way to be innovative and think from the customer’s perspective instead of a business owner.
What would you like to see change for the next generation of female entrepreneurs?
I haven’t gone through the process of raising money for Aureum but when I hear how low the percentage of VC funding goes to female entrepreneurs it’s really disappointing. I hope for the next generation I see more opportunity for women to raise capital to fund their businesses.
Cass Dimicco is an entrepreneur and digital talent. In September 2019, Cass founded jewelry brand Aureum Collective alongside her fiancé, Matthew. Aureum is a jewelry brand of statement pieces designed to elevate the everyday. The brand has quickly grown into a 7-figure business and has been seen on countless top influencers and celebrities, including Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, and Hailey Bieber. The pieces range from plated to demi-fine and are made in the US and designed by Cass DiMicco herself.
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‘Real Stories’ From Vistaprint Alum: Mary Orton, Entrepreneur, Investor and Influencer
Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint to grow, adapt, and evolve their business.
As part of our Create & Cultivate x Vistaprint Brand Campus, we’re sharing all the ways that Vistaprint can help you grow, adapt, and evolve your business. Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint as a one-stop-shop for all of their small business marketing solutions.
Whether you’re sourcing a physical product, seeking digital design services, or simply looking for inspiration, Vistaprint is the marketing partner that enables small business owners to elevate their brands – at every stage of their journey. Read on to discover how real business owners use Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product selection to help their businesses grow organically—and how you can too.
Mary Orton, Founder, Owning the Interview and Memorandum
What do you love most about having your own brand/ business?
Between my husband and I, we run several businesses and find entrepreneurship to be both incredibly challenging and hugely rewarding. Controlling your own schedule and having the independence to build a business you’re passionate about makes the grueling hours entirely worthwhile. I’m also an unusual mix of right and left brain, so I love that entrepreneurship often provides opportunities to use both business analytical skills as well as creative skills. As someone who started her career on Wall Street, I know that I would not be personally fulfilled by a job that only allows me to utilize one side of my brain!
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and establish your own brand/business?Yes, I’ve definitely always had the entrepreneurial bug. In addition to Owning The Interview, Memorandum, and our other businesses, my husband and I are angel investors and are constantly talking about new, disruptive businesses and industries. Even when we were fresh out of college and both working for large investment banks, we were constantly discussing business ideas.
In many cases, I think the best businesses arise from a challenge you’ve experienced firsthand. Our most recent endeavor which is our digital interview course, Owning The Interview, was born out of our personal experience on both sides of the interview table and our realization that there was a huge hole in the market. We’ve seen repeatedly that even the most qualified candidates are often overcome by nerves, stumbling over the smallest details in the interview process. Yet, no one was providing people with comprehensive interview training that went beyond the superficial “sit up straight and make eye contact” and really dug into the strategies and psychology that make a candidate stand out. We decided to take our combined 30 years of experience on both sides of the interview table, along with insights from dozens of executives and hiring managers from Fortune 500 companies, startups and everything in between to create a comprehensive, universal interview course that provides the real insider tips to approach any interview with complete confidence.
What challenges have you faced in launching your brand / business? How did you overcome them?
I think one of my biggest professional faults is the tendency to be a perfectionist. I’ve learned over the years that when you’re starting a new business, the desire to work on something until it’s “perfect” is often counterproductive. It’s more important to get your product (or service) out in the market, solidify product-market fit, and get customer feedback.
For example, we began working on Owning The Interview almost two years ago and in early March of 2020 we were solidifying a production studio in NYC to help us film all of the course videos and content. Days later, Covid hit and we have spent the entire pandemic at our home in Wisconsin. While it was far from ideal, we had to adjust our plans for the perfect studio setup and professional film crew and create a makeshift studio at home during quarantine, filming everything ourselves. In the end, it worked out beautifully. Maybe our set design isn’t as perfect as it could have been had we filmed in a professional studio in NYC, but our course sales and feedback speak for itself, surpassing our wildest hopes. People have found immense value in the content and the rest just didn’t really matter. Ideally, style and substance go hand-in-hand, but when it comes down to it and you’re pressed against a wall in a pandemic, substance over style wins everytime!
“Vistaprint has long been our go-to for marketing materials, branded merch for our team or personalized items to send to business partners.”
How has Vistaprint helped you grow, evolve, or adapt your business? What are some of the tools and services you have used and how did they help you?
Vistaprint has long been our go-to for marketing materials, branded merch for our team or personalized items to send to business partners. Whether it’s business cards, t-shirts or even fun items like mugs and water bottles, we know we can always rely on the quality of Vistaprint products.
How do visual elements play a role in your branding? How are they important to your overall marketing strategy?
A strong visual brand is hugely important for any business. It engenders trust in the company, makes your business memorable, facilitates referrals and so much more. Especially in the digital age, visual branding that is weak or inconsistent can significantly undermine your credibility, no matter how spectacular your product or service. Strong visual elements, executed consistently wherever your business is represented, can be one of the best ways to communicate with current and prospective customers.
What tips would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs to help them launch or scale their businesses?
You have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and tackle anything that comes your way. No task is too small and no job is beneath you. For example, when I was starting out, I knew nothing about how to create a website and didn’t have the budget to hire a web developer. There also weren’t nearly the same resources online for creating inexpensive, visually-appealing websites as there are today. Instead, I had to spend many late nights researching HTML coding and figuring out how to take a basic wordpress template and make it my own. Would I have preferred to focus all of my energy on the big-picture tasks in building the business? Of course. But especially when starting out, you have to be creative and as the saying goes, there’s no substitute for hard work. Entrepreneurship is not glamorous, despite what social media might make you think!
What would you like to see change for the next generation of female entrepreneurs?
As investors, my husband and I are particularly interested in helping underrepresented founders and this certainly includes female entrepreneurs. Throughout my career, I’ve been in countless meetings where investors ask me questions that they would never ask my husband or other white male business partners. The biases that exist result in female and BIPOC founders receiving disproportionately less funding to start businesses. I certainly hope to see this change for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Mary Orton is an entrepreneur, investor, and the influencer behind fashion and lifestyle blog, Memorandum. In late 2020, she launched Owning The Interview, the premier online interview course helping every job seeker learn the insider tips to land their dream job. Before starting her own businesses, Mary worked for many years in investment banking in NYC and is a graduate of Georgetown University.
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'Real Stories' From Vistaprint Alum: Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik, Co-Hosts & Co-Founders of Almost 30
Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint to grow, adapt, and evolve their business.
As part of our Create & Cultivate x Vistaprint Brand Campus, we’re sharing all the ways that Vistaprint can help you grow, adapt, and evolve your business. Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint as a one-stop-shop for all of their small business marketing solutions.
Whether you’re sourcing a physical product, seeking digital design services, or simply looking for inspiration, Vistaprint is the marketing partner that enables small business owners to elevate their brands – at every stage of their journey. Read on to discover how real business owners use Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product selection to help their businesses grow organically—and how you can too.
Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik, Co-Hosts & Co-Founders of Almost 30
What do you love most about having your own brand/ business?
Krista: Where do we even start? We’re grateful for so many aspects of having our own brand, but what we love most is that we get to be completely true to ourselves and share our own voices. When we feel called to create or share something, we get to follow that intuition — without being blocked or influenced by others’ opinions or objections. When I was in the corporate world, I felt like there were a lot of barriers to creation and innovation. As the leaders of our own brand, we get to remove those barriers (for ourselves and our team) and do what feels right to us.
We also love that the brand evolves as we do. We’re not the same people we were four years ago when we launched Almost 30 (for starters, we’re past 30 now!), so the podcast and brand has grown and matured along with us. We’ve gone through several visual rebrands, new logos, and changes to the podcast to reflect who we are now. Having our own business allows us to have that evolution.
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and establish your own brand/business?
Lindsey: Yes, we have both always been entrepreneurial. Before starting Almost 30, I was an actress and singer, and I worked as a bartender, fit model, and a senior SoulCycle instructor, among many other jobs. Krista worked in marketing in the corporate world, but also had side hustles as a blogger, starting a travel business, nannying, and serving. We both always knew there was “more” for us — that there was a more impactful way to share our gifts. We met when I was an instructor at SoulCycle and Krista was auditioning to be an instructor. We were transitioning from our 20s to 30s, and we both felt really lost. We started having deep conversations around growing up, purpose, fear, and rejection. We thought we couldn’t be the only ones having these feelings, so we brought our conversations to a podcast. It took a LOT of work (we recorded for 7 months before putting anything out there and balanced full-time jobs with podcasting for 2 years), but making that leap was the best decision we ever made.
What challenges have you faced in launching your brand / business? How did you overcome them?
Krista: We launched our show before podcasts became really mainstream, so there was no blueprint for how to do this. In fact, some people told us we were crazy for putting so much of our blood, sweat, and tears into this thing that no one else was doing. That was our first big lesson to tune out unaligned feedback and follow our own intuition — and we always come back to that lesson.
In the beginning, we had to figure out in real time how to record quality audio, grow our numbers, get sponsors, and structure our pricing. We didn’t have a lot of other people to look to and model ourselves after. That turned out to be a huge blessing because we got to follow our gut, experiment, and figure out what worked for us — and that paid off in a big way.
“Vistaprint has helped us express our creative vision in so many different ways”
How has Vistaprint helped you grow, evolve, or adapt your business? What are some of the tools and services you have used and how did they help you?
Lindsey: We love that Vistaprint has helped us express our creative vision in so many different ways. We used Vistaprint to create thank you cards to send to our podcast guests, which adds a personal touch that helps us build authentic relationships with our customers. When we were on a worldwide tour to meet our community in person, we used Vistaprint to create beautiful signage that made the events feel even more special. And most recently, we launched a line of sustainable slow fashion merchandise. We used Vistaprint to create stickers and postcards that we sent with each product. We were able to translate the branding and aesthetic of our merchandise onto these postcards and stickers, and it added a special touchpoint when customers received their purchase.
How do visual elements play a role in your branding? How are they important to your overall marketing strategy?
Krista: Visual elements are hugely important to our brand — they help us express who we are, how we’ve grown, and what we represent. Whether it’s graphics on our website (we just rebranded it with a new look!), social channels, downloadables, merch packaging, or podcast art, our look conveys our vibe and it helps attract the people who resonate with us.
“I hope that the next generation feels more free to express themselves openly, take risks, and try things that have never been done before.”
What tips would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs to help them launch or scale their businesses?
Lindsey: I would tell them, before you do anything, get really clear on the intention behind your business. Why are you launching this? Why are you passionate about it? Who is it serving? Having this idea in your head isn’t enough — speak it out loud, write it in a mission statement, infuse it in your branding and marketing. This intention may change over time, and there’s absolutely no shame in change (that’s called growth!), so revisit your intention every year or 6 months to make sure it still resonates.
What would you like to see change for the next generation of female entrepreneurs?
Krista: I hope that the next generation feels more free to express themselves openly, take risks, and try things that have never been done before. I think they’ll be fortunate to have a lot of amazing role models from this generation of female entrepreneurs, so I hope they learn from us but also do things in a completely new way that keeps us all evolving.
With 400+ episodes and more than 20 million downloads, the Almost 30 Podcast has been hailed as “The Best Wellness Podcast to Listen To Right Now” by Covetuer and nominated for “Best Wellness Podcast” and “Best Spirituality Podcast” by iHeart Radio. Hosts Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik are your virtual best friends, impactful female founders and seasoned event speakers as seen on the stages of Create & Cultivate, BlogHer and POPSUGAR Play/Ground to name a few. Almost 30 is the go-to place for heart-centered, hilarious conversations and real, raw, impactful interviews with brilliant guests. In each episode, Krista and Lindsey dive deep into everything from modern spirituality to health and wellness, aliens to entrepreneurship, and social justice to self development. Almost 30 also hosts life changing events and retreats, as well as provides courses, workbooks and programs to assist in your spiritual and emotional evolution.
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'Real Stories' From Vistaprint Alum: Remi Ishizuka, Founder of RRAYYME, Co-Founder of HōmeBodies
Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint to grow, adapt, and evolve their business.
As part of our Create & Cultivate x Vistaprint Brand Campus, we’re sharing all the ways that Vistaprint can help you grow, adapt, and evolve your business. Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint as a one-stop-shop for all of their small business marketing solutions.
Whether you’re sourcing a physical product, seeking digital design services, or simply looking for inspiration, Vistaprint is the marketing partner that enables small business owners to elevate their brands – at every stage of their journey. Read on to discover how real business owners use Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product selection to help their businesses grow organically—and how you can too.
Remi Ishizuka, Founder of RRAYYME, Co-Founder of HōmeBodies
What do you love most about having your own brand/ business?
I love coming up with fresh new ideas for content, setting goals and figuring out how to achieve them. I also love connecting with like-minded individuals and brands, all while empowering others on their own journeys!
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and establish your own brand/business?
Growing up, I saw my dad run his own business, but I never thought I had it in me to do the same. I was working corporate jobs 9-5, but I felt unhappy and unfulfilled. It wasn’t until I made a decision to better my own wellbeing from the inside out (exercise and eat healthier) when everything changed.
I started sharing a different breakfast recipe each morning on my Instagram, mostly to keep myself accountable. Without realizing it, I started impacting the people around me. Looking back it was the consistency of posting something of value every single day and connecting with others that led to more opportunities. Eventually I quit my full-time job in corporate, became a content creator, and now a co-founder of a popular at-home fitness program called, HōmeBodies.
What challenges have you faced in launching your brand / business? How did you overcome them?
At the beginning of the pandemic, my boyfriend and I hopped on Instagram every single day at 9am and led a full body workout on IG LIVE. During this uncertain time, people following along met us every morning on their mat. It was how we connected during a time of isolation - It created a sense of normalcy.
We became a super tight knit community, and after 3 months of free workouts, some technical setbacks, and people wanting a better experience, we decided to launch our own subscription-based fitness program.
The challenge we initially faced was the push back that came from turning a free service into a paid one. I learned that we can’t make everyone happy, but we sure as heck will try! While we knew our price point was on par with what we were offering, we wanted to give as many people as possible the opportunity to benefit from our program. One week later, we added a different package at a lower tier so people who wanted to join HōmeBodies, but couldn’t afford the full program could still weave in creative movement into their schedule 3-4X a week.
“The process was a breeze, the quality was amazing and all of our customers were so excited about it.”
How has Vistaprint helped you grow, evolve, or adapt your business? What are some of the tools and services you have used and how did they help you?
Vistaprint's wide selection of product options has allowed us to connect with our customers and enabled us to personalize the customer experience for our very first physical product launch, Deck of Cards! We created custom stationary through Vistaprint and included a handwritten note in every order to elevate the unboxing experience. The process was a breeze, the quality was amazing and all of our customers were so excited about it, which is exactly what we wanted.
How do visual elements play a role in your branding? How are they important to your overall marketing strategy?
I’m huge on aesthetics. Visually, I wanted HōmeBodies to feel luxe and unisex, but most importantly minimal since that is our bottom-line philosophy. Branding is important because it’s a direct reflection of not only the product, but the community you cultivate. When someone visits our website or unboxes a product from us, we want them to immediately feel what HōmeBodies embodies, if that makes sense? People should feel empowered to make incredible changes on their health journey, while also feeling accepted and welcomed as they are. Their power comes from within themselves and HōmeBodies helps them realize they don’t need to take excessive measures to get there.
“What you focus on, thrives. If your heart isn’t in it, your audience will know (sometimes even before you do). ”
What tips would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs to help them launch or scale their businesses?
1. What you focus on, thrives. If your heart isn’t in it, your audience will know (sometimes even before you do!). Don’t build or sell / promote something you don’t 100% believe in.
2. Social Media is free marketing, so use it, but remember you don’t own the platform AKA - it could go away tomorrow - we have no control over algorithm changes or guideline updates. Make sure you start to gather your communities’ emails. Create a free offer with SO much value that they want to sign up and give you their email. Oh, and keep offering them value. If you offer killer FREE value, they will trust you when you decide to create something they can buy. I missed out on that for years until the launch of HōmeBodies .
What would you like to see change for the next generation of female entrepreneurs?
This has already started happening, but I can’t wait to see more and more content creators turn into entrepreneurs in their own right. Creating their own products, growing their teams and using their platforms to solve problems and inspire their communities!
Remi Ishizuka is an LA based health and wellness expert. Remi shares relatable tips - making her channels a place for her community to access her daily workouts, healthy recipes, skincare tips, and love for her pups. She is also Co-founder of HomeBodies a successful virtual online workout program that consists of 365 unique workouts a year.
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'Real Stories' From Vistaprint Alum: Whitney Rife Becker, CEO/Founder, The Retail Therapist
Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint to grow, adapt, and evolve their business.
As part of our Create & Cultivate x Vistaprint Brand Campus, we’re sharing all the ways that Vistaprint can help you grow, adapt, and evolve your business. Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint as a one-stop-shop for all of their small business marketing solutions.
Whether you’re sourcing a physical product, seeking digital design services, or simply looking for inspiration, Vistaprint is the marketing partner that enables small business owners to elevate their brands – at every stage of their journey. Read on to discover how real business owners use Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product selection to help their businesses grow organically—and how you can too.
Whitney Rife Becker, CEO/Founder, The Retail Therapist
What do you love most about having your own brand/ business?
I love being my own boss and that I have been able to create a lifestyle that I love. I get to be a wife, a mom, I get to travel and experience life, and most importantly, I get to make women feel good about themself and express themselves daily with the cutest clothes, accessories, and shoes on any budget.
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and establish your own brand/business?
Yes, it honestly started with selling food in a play kitchen, then in 4th grade, I made staple necklaces and bracelets, and sold them for $0.25 each. My parents both work hard and own their own business so I learned a lot from them. I have worked for as long as I can remember and had always wanted to own a boutique one day. I loved shopping and my mom had always dreamed of owning a boutique as well. It is so fun to get to do it alongside her and with the help of my brother we have turned our little dream into a big reality. I had no idea owning my own boutique would turn into becoming a Fashion Blogger/Social Media influencer as well and then open the door to owning a tanning salon as well – but that’s the fun!
What challenges have you faced in launching your brand / business? How did you overcome them?
In every business there are always challenges and curve balls thrown your way. Going to the Apparel Market the first time was overwhelming and I could have planned better for it but it only took one trip to learn what works best for us. There were days we had a negative bank account and some days we didn’t know how we were going to pay our employees. What I did know though is that this was my dream, my baby, and we were not giving up. Beyond the first year, 2020 as a whole was really tough for any small business. Thankfully with our online store and the power of social media we were able to adjust and keep going.
“ Vistaprint is essentially an extension of my business, and my go-to source for all of my marketing and packaging needs – business cards, flyers and sale flyers, pens, masks, and more.”
How has Vistaprint helped you grow, evolve, or adapt your business? What are some of the tools and services you have used and how did they help you?
I have used Vistaprint since The Retail Therapist opened online almost 8 years ago. Vistaprint is essentially an extension of my business, and my go-to source for all of my marketing and packaging needs – business cards, flyers and sale flyers, pens, masks, etc. Each order from the boutique gets a cute postcard as well, designed right on Vistaprint. You name it, Vistaprint has always been there for us. I’ll never forget the day I was able to order personalized bags from Vistaprint for our storefront.
How do visual elements play a role in your branding? How are they important to your overall marketing strategy?
I love to update our packing based on whatever season we are in plus sometimes like to include special discount codes plus features and highlight customer photos or influencers we are working with. If it is Christmas, every order gets a Christmas card, if it’s summer, you may get a cute summer card with return policy + if you tag us in a picture on social media, you may even see yourself on the mailer. It is so nice to be able to depend on Vistaprint to update all packaging plus ship in a timely manner and be so affordable. Every penny counts when owning a business and I am thankful Vistaprint is always cautious of that.
“YOUR time is now. While you’re waiting, someone else is already a step ahead of you.”
What tips would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs to help them launch or scale their businesses?
DO IT! Quit searching for answers to questions you may have. Not every business is ran the same and you have to do what is best for you and your business. In today’s world, it’s so easy to compare your start to someone else's middle, especially with social media. STOP doing that and just start. You can’t wait on someone to get back to you with an answer that you just sent a question to via DM. You may always be waiting. YOUR time is now. While you’re waiting, someone else is already a step ahead of you.
What would you like to see change for the next generation of female entrepreneurs?
I would like to see females not worry about being a female. I started my business over 8 years ago when females were not as far along as we are now. Women clearly deserve to have CEO after their name and I’d love nothing more than for another female to never have to worry again IF she can do it all because SHE CAN.
Whitney Rife Becker is the every girl's girl. As a wife, mother, and entrepreneur, Whitney documents her love of fashion, food, and daily real-life experiences as a working Mom on her blog and other social media outlets. Coming from a small town in Virginia where she owns a women's clothing boutique and tanning salon; Whitney now resides in Murrells Inlet, SC with her husband, Shawn and son, Bo. After starting her blog in 2011, Whitney has reached over 400,000 followers across her social media platforms. Her signature style mixes high end designer pieces with everyday affordable styles. You can find her boutique storefront in Tazewell, VA or shop online at www.shopretailtherapist.com
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'Real Stories' From Vistaprint Alum: Jaclyn Johnson, CEO and Founder, Create & Cultivate
Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint to grow, adapt, and evolve their business.
As part of our Create & Cultivate x Vistaprint Brand Campus, we’re sharing all the ways that Vistaprint can help you grow, adapt, and evolve your business. Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint as a one-stop-shop for all of their small business marketing solutions.
Whether you’re sourcing a physical product, seeking digital design services, or simply looking for inspiration, Vistaprint is the marketing partner that enables small business owners to elevate their brands – at every stage of their journey. Read on to discover how real business owners use Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product selection to help their businesses grow organically—and how you can too.
Jaclyn Johnson, CEO and Founder, Create & Cultivate
What do you love most about having your own brand/ business?
The ability to make decisions quickly – especially in 2020 when things changed overnight. We were able to pivot quickly and decisively, which in turn saved our business and grew our brand exponentially.
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and establish your own brand/business?
No! Despite the fact that I grew up with an entrepreneurial family, I found myself in the corporate rat race early on. I was laid off from my corporate gig and left to figure out what I wanted out of my next career move, and accidentally fell into starting my first company – it worked out for the best.
What challenges have you faced in launching your brand / business? How did you overcome them?
We are a completely self funded entity with high growth, and scaling has always been a challenge. From knowing when to hire to when to invest in technology, it’s always a game of chance. For us, a major shift in our business happened when we brought on our COO, who really helped create systems and processes that gave us the runway to grow productively.
“Vistaprint makes it easy to create and customize marketing with easy-to-use digital tools and design-templates!”
How has Vistaprint helped you grow, evolve, or adapt your business? What are some of the tools and services you have used and how did they help you?
Vistaprint makes it easy to create and customize marketing with easy-to-use digital tools and design-templates! We have been wanting to design Create & Cultivate merch for awhile, and it felt like an arduous process with large minimums and high costs. Vistaprint, made it easy to test drive different products – from totes to hoodies – to see what our audience liked most!
How do visual elements play a role in your branding? How are they important to your overall marketing strategy?
BRANDING is so important when you are building a BRAND! The visual representation is part of your brand’s DNA from day one. Create & Cultivate’s signature pink/beige color has been our guiding principle throughout our design and in many stages of the business over time. It has become a signature of the brand, to the point where people will say “that’s so C&C!”
“Create your own momentum. Don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing.”
What tips would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs to help them launch or scale their businesses?
Create your own momentum. Don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing. Focus on your brand mission, and keep on creating from there.
What would you like to see change for the next generation of female entrepreneurs?
I would love to see more women having access to capital, whether its venture capital or angel investing. Women need money to see their ideas through, and need to be in the rooms where deals are being made.
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'Real Stories' From Vistaprint Alum: Hayet Rida, Founder, That Hayet Rida
Explore ‘Real Stories’ from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint to grow, adapt, and evolve their business.
As part of our Create & Cultivate x Vistaprint Brand Campus, we’re sharing all the ways that Vistaprint can help you grow, adapt, and evolve your business. Discover "Real Stories'' from Vistaprint Alums, and learn how entrepreneurs use Vistaprint as a one-stop-shop for all of their small business marketing solutions.
Whether you’re sourcing a physical product, seeking digital design services, or simply looking for inspiration, Vistaprint is the marketing partner that enables small business owners to elevate their brands – at every stage of their journey. Read on to discover how real business owners use Vistaprint's design capabilities and wide product selection to help their businesses grow organically—and how you can too.
Hayet Rida, Founder, That Hayet Rida
What do you love most about having your own brand/ business?
My favorite part about having my own brand and business is the connection to the community. As an entrepreneur, we tend to think we are just selling ideas or products – but our businesses are really an avenue to connect deeper with the community.
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and establish your own brand/business?
I would say, yes – I have always been entrepreneurial. When I was about seven I started making bracelets out of beads. I had no idea what ‘business’ was but I understood at some level that I was making something other people would want, and that I could sell it to them. It took me a bit longer to cultivate the confidence to make the leap to full solopreneur, but I’m glad to be where I am now.
What challenges have you faced in launching your brand / business? How did you overcome them?
The greatest challenge I faced launching my business was getting out of my own way. I would overthink everything, wondering what if it didn’t work – but what if it did work? What if I don’t have enough time? What if nobody likes my product? At the end of the day I realized that I did not have the answers to those questions. And the only way I would be able to get the answers to those questions was if I gave it a try.
“I trust Vistaprint to help me create quality products that reflect and elevate my brand.”
How has Vistaprint helped you grow, evolve, or adapt your business? What are some of the tools and services you have used and how did they help you?
For one of my businesses, Aïya Candle Co., I wanted to convey a luxury experience to our customers with beautiful visuals in our shipping boxes. I used Vistaprint to design beautiful, high-end campaign cards, which really helped to elevate the entire experience. As for my other business, my blog, I like to keep stationary on hand to surprise my supporters with a handwritten thank you note from time to time. Through Vistaprint, I was able to create a quality set of ‘thank you’ stationary, which not only reflected my brand and my business, but my relationship with my community.
How do visual elements play a role in your branding? How are they important to your overall marketing strategy?
Visual elements are the key to branding. It’s not just the imagery and the photography, but how you communicate your brand message all the way down to your notepads, the stationary, the product packaging, and all of the things in between. I trust Vistaprint to help me create quality products that reflect and elevate my brand, without having to worry about ordering high volumes.
“We don’t always have to have these big audacious ideas. Sometimes the true value lies in the smallest idea executed by the smartest people.”
What tips would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs to help them launch or scale their businesses?
My only advice to other business owners and entrepreneurs, especially women, is to get out of our own way. Often we seek other people to help nurture us into the confidence to launch our business. But the sooner we realize that though we must work together, believe in each other, and share a vision, ultimately the chance is ours to take. And last but not least, know that it is OK to fail. Failure is a part of growth. When you fail, you learn, you adopt, you grow.
What would you like to see change for the next generation of female entrepreneurs?
I hope the next generation of female entrepreneurs is not afraid to share and build their ideas – even if they seem silly or obvious. Some of the best ideas are low hanging fruit and we wonder why someone hasn’t done it already. Well, the reason why nobody has done it, is because it’s for you to do. We don’t always have to have these big audacious ideas. Sometimes the true value lies in the smallest idea executed by the smartest people..
Hayet Rida
When I was starting this brand, I wanted it to be more than just a product, but a full experience that was built on not only my vision, but a strong team of black women. In every production, and visual decision I chose to hire 100% black women. Every product is the labor of our own vulnerability, trust in ourselves and desire to remind our customers that they deseve black owned luxury.
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