Rooted in Rosemary: from wig making to floral design
We met Ashleigh Watts to talk about her career 180 and the ups and downs of being a floral designer.
When Ashleigh Watts decided to take a leap of faith and leave her wig making job to train as a floral designer, she not only indulged her creativity but also fulfilled a dream she shared with her late mother: owning her own business. Now running a successful flower studio in Oxford, Rooted in Rosemary, Ashleigh puts her artistry into every single detail of her brand – from flower arrangements to Stickers.
We met Ashleigh to talk about her career 180, her inspirations and the ups and downs of being a floral designer (spoiler alert: the ups prevail).
Tell us a bit more about yourself. Where does your love for flowers come from?
Would I say I became a floral designer because of my love of flowers? I don’t think I would. I think I’m a creative first and foremost. And I know this is what so many people say, but it’s true, I always have been. Ever since I can remember, working on something that excites my creativity also excites me as a person, so choosing a career that follows an artistic path has always been an aspiration of mine.
I’m a creative first and foremost.
I have a fickle love of color, falling for every new color palette I create, and I’m not ashamed to say it! I’m obsessed with textures, I have a keen eye for detail and I’m an absolute perfectionist, sometimes to the detriment of my time (and my sanity). Couple that with a love to design, research and curate ideas, and being a people person who can talk for England, I suppose a love of flowers wasn’t so much a driving force but more of an outcome from taking the leap to try something new.
On a personal level, I’m a total ambivert, showing off my extrovert nature one day, but finding the need to take some time out on another. I thrive on being around family and friends, I love a party, and becoming a first-time dog mumma to my little fur-monster, Ralph, has been one of the highlights of the past 12 months.
Your career did a 180. How does one go from being a wig maker to becoming a floral designer?
Although the answer to my first question confesses my creative passion, I was actually a little late to the party when it came to following my lifelong dream of having a creative career. And transitioning from wig maker to floral designer wasn’t actually my first big career change either. At the age of 20, I quit my job as an advertising sales executive, went back to college, started uni, and got myself a degree in media hair & makeup. This was the beginning of my artistic career and I am so happy I did it. From there I went on to do some amazing things as a hair & makeup artist including eventually ending up as a wig maker, hair inserter and department supervisor at the Madame Tussauds studio in London. There, I met some amazingly talented people, honed a somewhat unique skill, and learned what it’s like to be around like-minded creatives with a passion for art.
I handed in my notice […] and set out to learn, experience and try all things flowers with the end goal of starting my own business.
However, sadly, in 2017 my mum, Treenie, passed away suddenly after being diagnosed with breast cancer for the third time, and this is where my journey to becoming a floral designer really began. My mum and I had always dreamed of owning our own business, with her ideas ranging from property development to owning a café that only sold jacket potatoes, soup and sandwiches (I didn’t say they were all good ideas). So after her passing, and realizing that life really is too short, the rat race just didn’t seem to be my calling anymore. In January 2019, I handed in my notice, enrolled on a 4-week floristry career course at the London Flower School, and set out to learn, experience and try all things flowers with the end goal of starting my own business.
Now the cheesy part of me wants to say “and the rest is history” but I won’t. “The rest” is now, I’m a small business owner, muddling through a pandemic, learning as I go, and loving every challenging minute.
Did you face any obstacles on the way when creating your own floral studio?
I feel this is the perfect opportunity to say that owning your own business, as I’m sure you can imagine, doesn’t come without its ups and downs. Especially starting said business at the beginning of a pandemic, with little to no business experience and being a tiny team of one, a one-man-band if you will, means that almost everything you do is down to you. This is by no means a sob story, I love owning my business and my own time and wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s more of a flash of reality that without the hard work behind the scenes, things don’t get done, things fall behind and it’s not all Netflix and chill, however much you want it to be.
You are everything. CEO, designer, customer service, cleaner, administration, customer support, laborer, and delivery driver
Like a lot of first-time business owners, I took the decision when starting Rooted to complete pretty much everything myself from branding to building my website, marketing and social media. You name it – I did it. I spent hours googling how to build a website, learned the basics of Photoshop and Lightroom, pestered my partner to take photos of my work day and night so I could figure out my style, went through multiple attempts of designing a logo, business cards, and identity… and that’s just to get going. From there, you are everything. CEO, designer, customer service, cleaner, administration, customer support, laborer, and delivery driver – and it is knackering. Honestly, I spend half my time totally cream-crackered, and without the support of my partner, family and amazing friends, I’m not sure I would have made it. But once you’ve got your head around it, it’s totally worth it. I promise.
What do you find the most rewarding about managing your own flower studio? What’s the most difficult?
Ha, there are so many, but for me taking control of my own artistry is certainly one of the most rewarding and satisfying parts of the job. Having complete control of my own designs from concept to creation, showcasing the ideas in my head and making them a reality really is second to none for any creative. Of course, following a client’s ideas and brief is of paramount importance, but the joy of seeing your own work come to life brings a smile to my face every time. Couple that with seeing smiles on your client’s face when they see your work makes the long hours of hard craft completely worthwhile.
On a personal level, one of my goals when starting up was to make sure I manage my time to suit me. I’m definitely a night owl, often finding that I’m most productive late afternoon through to early morning, so a normal 9 to 5 job never worked to my strengths. As a floral designer, early mornings are a must, but I try to work my time to my advantage, often getting the necessities completed early, then taking the middle of the day as personal time and picking things back up, working late into the night on the more creative aspects of my work. This is perfect for me, and the freedom of working the clock to my personal advantage is a huge bonus to being your own boss.
Taking some “me time” is absolutely essential
But just like the positives, there tends to be a huge amount to complain about when running your own floral studio, too. When managing your business alone, it can seem like the world is on your shoulders. The to-do list continues to pile up, there’s never enough time in the day to get everything done, and taking time out for yourself can seem impossible. But in order to run Rooted in the best way I can, taking some “me time” is absolutely essential. Finding time to do this can seem like a mission but now I’m pretty strict with myself, and for my own sanity, I try to abandon reading my emails at least one day a week and give myself one day where I’m just Ashleigh (cheesy, I know). Admittedly, during lockdown its been more difficult to find things to do with that time, so they mainly consist of walking the dog and binging TV series after TV series (I’m pretty sure I’ve completed Netflix) but without it, I would have been a huge hot mess a long time ago. Taking that time for myself has been a lifesaver.
Weddings seem to be your speciality. How have you adapted during the pandemic?
With great difficulty. In December 2019, when I first decided on the concept of Rooted, I distinctly remember saying that the way a “traditional florist” worked was not for me and that owning a physical shop or doing bouquet deliveries just wasn’t for me. But *hello* 2020. A business in a pandemic is like no business we’ve known before. Starting up at any time was always going to be hard but beginning a fledgeling business in the weddings and events industry just before the start of a global pandemic is borderline insane.
Adaptation, resilience and perseverance were going to be the only way to get through.
As the months progressed, it was clear this was no longer a realistic business goal and adaptation, resilience and perseverance were going to be the only way to get through. And truthfully, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. It was time to rethink my day-to-day business and in April last year, we launched our first online shop selling a small collection of dried flower bouquets. In May, we began monthly fresh flower bouquet deliveries showcasing our florist’s choice across Oxfordshire and posting our signature eucalyptus and rosemary shower bouquets nationwide. From there, there’s been no turning back. We now offer shower bouquets on a weekly pre-order basis, deliver fresh flowers every Friday and Saturday across the county, stock small grab’n’go bunches in our local farm shop, and have just launched a new dry flower Pick’n’Mix collection for nationwide postage. And I love it. Honestly, although it’s been a difficult past 12 months I don’t think I would be where I am without the Muhammed Ali takedown of 2020 to force a splash of positive change our way.
How do you prepare for a flower design project? Where do you find inspiration?
Researching and designing are two of my favorite things to do. Not only do I love to spend hours scouring the internet and magazines, but I also try to apply inspiration from cultural influences such as music, art, architecture and fashion into my work. I believe a good working relationship is key to the success of my designs, so giving my clients a bespoke, personalized experience from start to finish is one of the most important aspects of the business. Hours, if not days, have been spent tweaking my design proposal template in order to portray each concept in the best way possible, with every design tailored to every client. To further help clients visualize the concept, I try to bring my designs to life before the big day with personalized mood boarding and hand-drawn illustrations for that custom-fit approach.
Prepare for the unexpected and nothing will be beyond your reach
As for preparation, in my personal life, it is definitely not a strong point, but when it comes to business the more prepared I can be the better. Understanding your client and their needs as well as cementing a good design concept is the first crucial step. Working ahead of time and having a great team behind you are the backbone to successfully completing a project to the best of your ability. Although officially it’s just me behind the name, I couldn’t do what I do without the support network and team of freelancers I have beside me to help. Teamwork makes the dream work as they say.
Lastly, every job you undertake becomes a learning curve. So more than anything prepare for the unexpected and nothing will be beyond your reach.
Rooted in Rosemary’s branding stands out compared to traditional florists. Can you tell us more about how you developed your brand identity? What do you want to convey with your branding?
This is so lovely to hear. All of my branding was actually designed by myself. I learned how to use the basics of Photoshop in order to collate my branding ideas and make them a reality. I always had a clear idea in my head when it came to how I envisioned Rooted in Rosemary to look. I wanted a personable, relatable brand with a contemporary minimal edge that could be rolled out across all platforms.
My branding is an extension of me
I feel my branding is an extension of me and my style, so it had to be something that I loved in order for me to feel comfortable with using it. I always knew what things in my business would develop and adapt as time went on. This included my approach and style with regards to my floristry, and I’ve always kept this in mind when it comes to my branding. The two need to marry, and if one doesn’t match the other then you will never be ahead of the curve. However, your brand is much more than just a logo. Finding out the answers to those key questions is so much more difficult than you would ever expect. Who is your ideal client? What are they looking for? How do they see your business? There are literally so many questions to be answered that will help you on the journey to discovering your brand identity, but I truly believe that you also have to be true to yourself. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t and my best piece of advice I could give is to stick with it. You’ll get there in the end, it just takes time.
How did you approach your promotion strategy as a flower designer?
So when answering these questions, I procrastinated for a long time over how to answer this one without sounding like a fool. But I think honesty has to be the best policy: I didn’t have a promotional strategy when I started and to a certain extent, I still don’t have one now. As a self-confessed creative, business strategy isn’t really a strong point of mine. It’s taken a lot of digging deep and learning to really get to grips with managing my business in a way that is effective and efficient but that works for me, too.
I started promoting Rooted in Rosemary with the basics, a large supply of business cards and a mobile phone. I also constantly took pictures of my work. Reading a post by Tanya Shaw from Oh Flora Studio, Sydney, in which she talked about her own journey into floristry, spending hundreds of dollars on buying in flowers for her to experiment with her style and stating that “the best investment you can make is in yourself”, really struck a chord with me. I suppose it led me to my main promotional “strategy” (and I use that term loosely). I immersed myself into getting creative, taking photos and posting on social media about my own floral journey. That’s it. It was that basic.
I have met some crazy talented people through social media, especially Instagram, and through these connections, I have managed to take part in some super exciting projects which have allowed me to connect with more people in the industry, create content and get the Rooted name out there. It’s only now, after 15 months of running Rooted, that I’ve really started looking more in-depth at how I can promote my business effectively. With the help of my partner, Simon (a technical whizz compared to me), promotion for Rooted has taken a step up. You would think after working in advertising sales I would know what I’m doing, but as we’ve both discovered, the world of marketing is a minefield and it’s one we’ve just started wading through, one cautious step at a time.
How do you use MOO to create a memorable brand experience?
I’ve used MOO for almost all of my marketing, promotional and stationery needs. Each one of my bouquets comes with a Business Card, gift message, care card and Sticker, and MOO has helped me with all of them and so much more. Every step of the way, it’s been easy to upload my designs, including multiple variations of the same item, and they make it so easy to edit and reorder previous items too. Again, it all comes back to making every Rooted in Rosemary purchase an experience. So from our gift message cards to the ‘Stay Safe’ Stickers we use on all our postal boxes, making every item that our customers receive that extra little bit special is so important – and MOO has helped every step along the way.
Do you have any projects coming up you’d like to share?
Not quite upcoming, but I am so excited to talk about our new Dry Flower Pick’n’Mix range that launched earlier this month. It’s a passion project of mine that I’ve been planning to get out for such a long time but for one reason or another, it’s taken until now to do it. And so far, it’s received such an amazing response! Unlike many other dry flower suppliers in the UK, The Pick’n’Mix range is a colorful collection of mini dry flower bundles, designed to give you the freedom to create the color palette of your choice. We currently have 12 color options for you to choose from, with each mini bunch consisting of one color choice, allowing you to pick multiple bunches in the colors of your choosing and combine them (or keep them separate) to create the perfect color scheme for you. Since launching, it’s been amazing to see people really connecting with the collection and it’s already got me thinking about new color options that I could add to the range in the future.
It’s so lovely to be speaking to couples again and hearing the optimism and excitement in their voices
And of course, I couldn’t go without saying that with the new COVID “exit roadmap” rollout in place in the UK, one of the most exciting things I have to look forward to is the fact that weddings and events are now back on the horizon – and I cannot tell you how excited I am. It’s so lovely to be speaking to couples again and hearing the optimism and excitement in their voices. I know there’s still some apprehension but with a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, we’re back to doing what we love, researching, designing proposals, and planning ahead for what is hopefully a super exciting, wedding-packed future.
Any advice for people wanting to take the leap and make a big career change?
Do it. My life-changing decision happened as a result of the worst time of my life when my Mumsie passed away. But if I think back to before that, I still wasn’t happy. My lifestyle didn’t suit me. I hated the daily grind of travel, work, eat, sleep, repeat. I struggled to find time to sleep, I had two jobs to pay for the rented property I was in, and with the few hours I had left in the evening after squeezing in exercise, cooking, cleaning, and socializing, I was exhausted, burned out and unhappy. Something would’ve had to change eventually.
I took a chance and did something about it
But it didn’t happen overnight. Even after my mum’s death, it took me a long time to discover that the way I was living wasn’t right for me. But once I did, I took a chance and did something about it. I think it’s worth mentioning that I was in a very lucky position where Simon was able to support both of us financially and this gave me the freedom to really focus on me and my journey but I understand everyone’s situation is different. As I said, I honestly think eventually, something would’ve had to give and I hope I would be on a similar journey to what I’m on now but just in a different way. A small business owner, working hard, treading the water to get my business off the ground and I couldn’t be happier.
Ready to take the leap? Get your business started with MOO’s custom marketing materials.
To celebrate this year’s World Book Day, we’ve reached up onto the MOO bookshelf and picked out a few of our team’s favorite business related reads. From insider insights and page-turning tales, to practical tips and advice – it’s all here.
Information Doesn’t Want to Be Free
The creative industries have faced huge changes in recent years. Non-fungible tokens are (possibly) revolutionizing the art world. Musician’s are seeking financially viable alternatives to current streaming services. The old models are being challenged like never before. This book sets out the pitfalls and opportunities for anyone with a stake in the future of the arts. It was originally published in 2014, but many of Cory Doctorow’s thought provoking points are even more relevant today.
Creativity, Inc.
Pixar didn’t just rewrite the rules of animation – they ripped up the usual management rules, too. Here, co-founder Edwin Catmull reveals the hidden forces that can derail teams, and methods that every business can use to bring out the best in employees. (Illustration skills, optional).
Shoe Dog
No tips, or checklists here. Instead, strap in for a rollercoaster of real-world business lessons from Nike founder Phil Knight. His memoir gives a refreshingly honest account of Nike’s messy journey to mega success. The story is full of mishaps, flaws and lucky breaks. But deep down (like all the best sports dramas), it’s about a plucky team of misfits with an unbreakable belief in their mission.
Purpose
If you think “purpose” is a fully aquatic mammal, it’s time to read this (and then get a decent dictionary). In Do Purpose entrepreneur David Hieatt uses his experience to guide you through all aspects of building a purpose-driven business – the type of company that doesn’t just make a profit, but makes you feel something too.
Ship It Journal
Seth Godin’s brilliantly simple workbook is designed to help you ship, launch and bring your vision to the rest of us. With inspiring prompts from Seth and expertly crafted design from MOO (our product team are blushing), this step-by-step guide can take you all the way from idea to “I did it!”
Put your big plans (and meeting doodles) on paper, with MOO Notebooks and Journals.
Your brain is a bit like a muscle – it needs exercise to stay in shape. Without stimulation and a healthy dose of challenge, it can be easy to get stuck in your comfort zone and revisit the same ideas over and over again. Thinking outside the box is all about challenging the obvious and digging deeper to unleash your mind’s potential.
Want to boost your creative thinking? Follow our tips to think differently and become more innovative at work – and in your everyday life, too.
Identify your comfort zone
To step out of your comfort zone, you need to know what your comfort zone is. Each one is different, and you have to start with some introspection to identify yours. Innovative thinking doesn’t fall from heaven. It’s the result of rigorous self-knowledge and an effort to tame your own fears, in order to let your curiosity and creativity flow freely.
The world exists beyond your strengths
Look at what you’re good at and what you know best. Identify your strengths and study your go-to responses when it comes to problem-solving. This will help you define the outline of your comfort zone. It’s the place where you feel most confident and least challenged. A great place to feel secure about yourself, but less so to be innovative and think differently. This doesn’t mean you should abandon your strengths and dedicate yourself to the unknown. It means the world exists beyond your strengths, and you shouldn’t make them the boundaries of your universe.
Take the time to think twice when you’re addressing a business problem – or even a personal issue. Are you leaning towards a specific solution because it’s the right one, or because it’s easier to you? Push yourself to be more curious and don’t be afraid to explore something new you know nothing about. This, as they say, is where the magic happens.
Channel your inner child
Children are the best unconstrained thinkers. They don’t worry about feasibility or practicality, so take some lessons from them. Don’t be afraid to think big! It doesn’t matter if it feels unrealistic or crazy. Brainstorming freely is the best way to let your imagination run wild and surface your most creative ideas. Creative thinking is all about being bold and unapologetic. Don’t censor yourself before you’ve even expressed an idea. Limiting yourself at the brainstorming stage is as pointless as trimming a shrub while it’s still just a seed. Let your ideas grow before you frame, analyze and adjust them.
This approach is also known as “divergent thinking”, a way to explore a variety of potential solutions to a problem in a free-flowing way. In design thinking, it’s combined with convergent thinking, a way of structuring the information into a logical process, to help boost creativity and identify the best solutions resulting from a brainstorming session.
Talk it out
Steve Jobs, Nikola Tesla… Despite the common myth of ‘the genius’ who comes up with a revolutionary idea all on their own, the great innovators were not hermits. Innovation is most often the fruit of collaboration. Discussing your ideas with colleagues, friends or experts in the field is a great way to get a fresh perspective on a problem, and identify potential obstacles or opportunities you hadn’t considered before.
Thinking outside the box doesn’t have to be a lonely job. From your potential future clients to your current customers, suppliers and collaborators, there’s a myriad of people who could help you explore new avenues of innovation and creativity. And if you can’t talk, listen! From forums to the comment sections of blogs and magazines, there are many sources of inspiration to feed your creative thinking.
Adopt a new angle
With a new perspective comes new ideas. Whether you’re looking for your next venture idea, launching a new product or designing a website for a client, changing your angle will help you get some distance and discover new ways to explore the problem. Take a few steps back, turn the canvas around a few times, and you’ll know if anything’s missing. This Bob Ross-worthy tip applies perfectly to innovative thinking. You might have a very clear idea of a problem in your head, but it’s essential to question your perception by looking at things through a new lens if you want to truly think outside the box.
Changing your perspective can be as easy as taking a break, and looking back at your idea again a couple of days later. It can also mean putting yourself in your customers’ shoes, trying to use the service or product you’re hoping to revolutionize. Think about all people and entities that are related to a problem. You thought about the customer, but did you take into account the point of view of the supplier, transporter, seller? The key here is to be empathetic, and open to surprises.
Draw inspiration from unexpected sources
You’ve done your research, your benchmark, and you’re all caught up with industry trends. While this is an essential step to know your target and understand your environment, it might also constrain your innovative thinking. Inspiration can come from surprising places, and looking at different fields and domains could help you uncover opportunities you wouldn’t have thought about otherwise.
This can mean looking at a completely different industry to draw lessons from their products and methods. Looking at the beauty industry, for instance, can help you rethink the way you design the takeaway packaging of your restaurant. But you can also find inspiration in even more unexpected places. Biomimicry, for example, is a term coined by biologist Janine Benyus to describe innovation inspired by nature. LED light bulbs, wind power, planes… Many innovations we use in our everyday lives were inspired by the natural world. Why not yours too?
Get your creative juices flowing with MOO Notebooks and Journals.
The vintage trend is far from new – but a global pandemic has further reinforced our craving for those simpler times. Celebrating eras associated with authenticity, slow-living and free-spirited creativity, the popularity of retro aesthetics keeps on growing. Its influence on design is undeniable. Fashion, music, interior design… creatives are embracing nostalgia and adding their own modern twist, for designs that reflect the aspirations of our time.
Looking for some retro inspiration? From retro stickers to vintage type, get inspired with five brands and creatives who embraced vintage aesthetics.
Fig & Date: celebrating authenticity
Partners in life and work, Melissa and Rachel are the creative minds behind Fig & Date, an illustration studio specializing in pennant flags, prints and cards. Based in Portland, Oregon, the two illustrators and makers draw inspiration from their Pacific Northwest life, but also from their love of the beautiful imperfections that make handcrafted goods so unique. Hence their love of vintage aesthetics: “in the digital age, we find ourselves even more drawn to handmade items. We feel like they have a story in all their imperfections just like vintage items hint at their history.”
To provide their customers with a unique unboxing experience, Melissa and Rachel designed Business Cards and Thank You Cards to slip into every order. Their idea? Creating cards that would evoke the design of a pennant flag, with a matte finish for a more authentic feel (plus, their vintage logo is an absolute treat). They also left the back of their Thank You Cards unlaminated to add a personalized note. “Our favorite thing about our cards is that we can write handwritten notes for our customers. As a small business, it feels so good to have a personal touch to every order we receive. We also love the overall feel of them – the matte finish just makes it feel so smooth and a tad more unconventional than a glossy finish or even organic paper feel.”
Sad Girl: groovy goodness
British artist Amy Cecilia Leigh describes her brand Sad Girl as a one stop shop for kink-friendly art, colorful floral prints and sassy feminist illustrations. With a keen eye for colors and a razor-sharp sense of humor, Amy creates bold illustrations which marry fun designs to important topics like feminism and mental health. Playing with typography and illustration in intentionally busy designs, her eclectic style aims to illustrate mental illness and societal issues. “When designing, I listen to a lot of music, podcasts and audiobooks on varying subjects including cats, politics, cults, feminism and true crime to name a few. I write down words or colors that spring to mind on pieces of paper or at the back of a notebook. How a song makes me feel or a phrase from a book can become the starting point for my designs.” Retro and vintage aesthetics are also a source of inspiration for the artist: “I am drawn to the vintage aesthetic because it is warm and bathed in yellows and oranges, every time I listen to something new it offers an escape to me, like being in an old film. You can go from seductive sadness to becoming wrapped in a warm romance.”
Amy made the best of MOO’s StickerBook with a range of quirky, colorful retro stickers with cute illustrations and sassy quotes in a funky vintage type. She believes Stickers are a great way to make art more accessible. “When I was younger and extremely broke, I would go to a lot of exhibitions and see so many beautiful pieces of art that I could never afford. Everyone should be able to experience and afford art in all of its forms! Surrounding yourself with art is so intrinsically linked to happiness and stickers are such a good way for people on a budget to purchase a piece of art! You can completely personalize your surroundings with stickers because they’re so small and versatile.”
Her own colorful Stickers perfectly found their place in her online shop – and personal life. “I decorate gift-wrapped presents with them, add them as extras in my Etsy shop orders, and now I even sell them as sheets due to their popularity. […] My favorite thing is that they take on a whole new life when sent to someone else! People generally put them on laptops and phones alongside other stickers which transforms them into their own works of art! It is about transforming everyday objects into things of joy, whether it is a motivational phrase or a picture of a cat!”
Abby Leighton: a journey back in time
Visual artist Abby Leighton lives in the red rocks of Utah, where she thrives on capturing the beauty and character of National Parks, the West, and nature as a whole. A creative at heart, she likes to explore these themes through illustration, but also graphic design and film photography. In March 2021, Abby gathered her vintage-inspired, illustrated maps of every single National Park in America in a unique book entirely written, illustrated and hand-lettered by her. Her nature illustrations and map designs are reminiscent of vintage travel guides, with a great instinct for color, font and composition she elevates with her very own art style.
“Researching vintage postcards and maps from the 60s-80s really inspire me in my designs. There is a timeless feel to them, and they feel authentic, straight to the point, and handmade. Incorporating hand typography into my designs is really important to me as well because it ties the illustrations typography together. Older designs resonate with me because they don’t follow any trends and were designed with purpose. In the current world of low-cost and cheaply-made items, it’s important to me to draw inspiration from a time where everything was made to last – including the quality of my products.”
Abby uses MOO’s Soft Touch Postcards and premium matte Posters for her prints. “I love making my Postcards and prints bright, inviting, and approachable, but with a classic feel to them. I like them to not only be used as Postcards but also as little art prints that people can collect and use for decoration. Making them cohesive and having the ability to mix and match them is also super important to me!” It’s simple: we want them all.
BirdDog Partners: nostalgia in colors
Based in Colorado, creative director and designer Allison Bozeman specializes in branding, packaging, surface pattern and website design for – in her own words – outside-of-the-box makers, movers and shakers in the small biz universe. Inspired by her beloved dog, she founded BirdDog Partners, a creative agency that aims to be a brand’s best friend.
For Teaspoon Willie’s, Allison designed a series of colorful vintage-inspired patterns to illustrate how the brand’s Everything Sauce goes with… well, everything. Drawing inspiration from the brand’s quintessentially retro logo and their old-school American cartoon style, she created a set of inspiring compositions. “For the Teaspoon Willie’s cards, I had designed a series of patterns based on all of the recipes and foodie styles that [they] serve – meat lovers, vegans, vegetarians, sea-foodies and more! We wanted to infuse [the brand’s] timeless style of family home cooking, recipes, ingredients and how it all comes together in these cards.” Just like Teaspoon Willie’s signature sauce, these retro designs have a memorable quality. “My favorite thing is that the detail and mix-match patterns never allow them to become something someone tosses out. They tell a story and invite a conversation. They are memorabilia.”
Allison used the Printfinity option to translate the design concept into mouth-watering Business Cards with three “pick-your-flavor” styles and colors with a shiny Silver Foil accent to evoke the brand logo’s giant spoon design. “I wanted to offer multiple backs with these bright colorful patterns and also couldn’t resist adding a nod to the silver spoon with the silver foil option. The smooth velvety texture of MOO’s signature card stock is a bonus too – like a great sauce, no?!”
Studio Retrospective: wavy 70s
Studio Retrospective founder Eva Berthière is nothing if not passionate about retro aesthetics and future-minded sustainability. The French fashion history-lover thrives on hunting hidden treasures and uncovering the history of the garments she curates for her vintage clothing shop – with a mix of French flair and British exuberance. While craftsmanship and historical value are close to her heart, sustainability is also a key element for Eva. She believes that second-hand clothing is the future of fashion. To her, vintage fashion is a way to express our creativity through fashion in a responsible way. What she loves most about it? “Life shouldn’t be boring and it simply can’t be with vintage aesthetics – it brings your inner free-spirited child out in creative and merry fashion. The bold, joyous, sunny mix of colors and patterns – psychedelic, floral, geometrical…– simply makes me feel joyful and alive.”
Eva has a soft spot for the small details that make all the difference. That’s why she designed Round Stickers and Square Postcards with her wavy vintage logo to include in every order. “My Cards and Stickers are the perfect way to express the personality of my shop (and my own) through the handwritten notes I can write at the back of the thank you card. A personal touch that can be missing from digital shopping and that reminds you there are individuals behind the clothes – buying from a small business owner is a more intimate, human experience than buying from a big online retailer.” Inspired by one of her favorite vintage 1970s jumpers, she combined a wavy design and a retro palette with a bold Serif font to convey her love for retro and vintage aesthetics in a few lines. For her thank you Postcards, she used the matte, textured Luxe paper to add handwritten notes for each customer, with a bright orange seam to match the main design.
Give your retro designs an authentic, quality feel with MOO’s print materials.
Dropshipping – where you provide a storefront while a wholesale partner fulfills the orders – is a low-cost way to start a business. But is it right for you?
Find out the ins and outs (and pros and cons) of starting a dropshipping business with a wholesale partner with our pocket guide to dropshipping.
What is dropshipping, exactly?
With a dropshipping business model, you run an online store. But unlike a typical ecommerce retailer, you never deal with stock or deliveries, and you don’t have to spend any money on inventory. Instead, you work with a dropshipping supplier (or suppliers) who ship the goods directly to your customers. You only pay for the items when they sell, and your markup on the wholesaler’s price provides your profits.
Who are the main dropshipping wholesalers?
In the last few years, we’ve seen increased connections between global businesses. Wholesale marketplaces like Alibaba or the smaller, more start-up accessible Aliexpress make it simple to do business with low-cost manufacturers from China, Taiwan, India and beyond. They’re a go-to choice for many dropship newbies, though by no means the only option.
You can work with dropshipping wholesalers just about anywhere, selling just about anything. Modalyst and Oberlo have also become popular options for dropshipping businesses. One option is to sign up to a wholesaler directory like Doba, Worldwide Brands or Salehoo, or you could search Google for wholesalers of the dropshipping products you’d like to sell.
What’s the catch?
Dropshipping sounds like a dream – all the opportunity of starting up a business with far fewer risks. But there are pros and cons to working in this way.
Dropshipping pros
- There’s a low barrier to entry when starting a dropshipping business – you don’t need to invest a lot of money in products and inventory storage before you begin
- It’s a really simple business model. You sell, the wholesaler fulfills, job done.
- Your risk is relatively low. If things don’t sell, you’re not out of pocket or left with a lot of stock to get rid of at a discount.
Dropshipping cons
- It’s a very competitive niche (due to that low barrier to entry) and the dropshipping model means you may have to accept very low margins to keep up with other companies on pricing.
- You don’t have a lot of control of the customer experience in terms of delivery, packaging or product quality. (There’s no opportunity to create a beautiful unboxing experience or even drop in a Sticker or Postcard).
- You may have to set customer expectations around long shipping times, especially if you’re dealing with long-distance deliveries.
- Keeping track of stock availability can be tricky. And especially tricky when you’re dealing with more than one dropshipping supplier.
- Some wholesalers charge fees, either per order or per month. There may also be minimum order requirements, with charges to pay if you sell less than expected.
Dropshipping tips for success
Ready to start your own dropshipping business? Keep these tips in mind to grow your business effectively.
Automation is your friend
Hurrah for data! There are plenty of digital tools that can ease the burden of keeping up with your dropshipping wholesaler, sharing stock availability data and even product descriptions automatically with your site. Some of these, such as Inventory Source, do double duty as wholesaler directories. Others, like Spark Shipping, can automatically handle order processing and tracking.
Choose dropshipping suppliers wisely
It almost goes without saying, but choosing reputable, reliable wholesalers to work with can make the difference between happy and unhappy customers. Make sure you’ve thoroughly inspected the dropshipping products and have service level agreements in place for shipping times and methods.
Factor in returns and shipping costs
If there’s one defining factor of the modern online consumer, it’s the expectation of free shipping and returns. If you’re going to offer free or subsidized shipping, make sure you factor this into your profit margins, especially if you work with multiple wholesalers. After all, if the customer selects items from different providers, they won’t be happy to receive two shipping charges from what they perceive as a single source.
Your returns policy also needs to be carefully thought out. Consider if you’re able to offer free returns, and if not, what you’ll do about faulty or damaged items customers may have the right to return. Having a good relationship with your wholesaler is key here.
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Agile, disruptive, innovative… Design thinking is one of these buzzwords the modern business world is so fond of. But what exactly is design thinking? Far from an empty trend, this problem-solving methodology aims to put people back center stage to design more effective solutions.
Find out more about the design thinking methodology, its key principles and how to use it to grow your business.
What is design thinking?
Before we get to the definition of design thinking, let’s make one thing clear: design thinking is not just about design. It’s a people-first approach centered around solving problems in a creative, inherently human way. The design thinking process is all about iteration. It’s a constant flow of testing and learning to create innovative solutions focusing on people’s evolving needs, from products to services, processes, and organizations.
The principles of design thinking
The design thinking approach is characterized by a few key principles which drive creativity and innovation.
Put yourself in their shoes
The design thinking methodology aims to put people’s needs at the root of ideation. David Kelley, founder of design firm IDEO and creator of the Stanford d.school, and his brother Tom Kelley theorized this in their book Creative Confidence. They define empathy as the core of the approach, with the objective of better understanding people’s needs – be they customers, businesses or town residents. Rigorous observation and measurement of the target population’s behavior leads to more effective solutions that answer existing physical, emotional and psychological needs.
Keep an open mind
Keeping an open mind and challenging assumptions are two essentials for effective design thinking. Thanks to a better understanding of customer and user needs, design thinking aims to redefine problems by basing the brainstorming process on facts and data rather than assumptions. Listen to what the data has to tell you about your subjects instead of trying to use it to confirm your predictions.
Alternate thinking processes
The concept of ideation in design thinking is characterized by its reflectivity. It alternates between two thought processes called “divergent” and “convergent” thinking to identify innovative solutions.
- Divergent thinking explores a variety of potential solutions to a problem in a free-flowing manner. It’s your typical, joyfully chaotic brainstorming session.
- Convergent thinking is the organization of relevant ideas and information to assess their relevance in answering a specific problem. The process consists in structuring the information into a logical process, and then identifying the most appropriate solution.
The combination of both processes leads to a variety of both creative and relevant solutions.
Test and learn
Iteration is one of the most important principles of design thinking. First, the “winning” solutions generated during your ideation process will need to be prototyped, tested and retested until they become a suitable contender for implementation. But the design thinking process doesn’t end once ideas are translated into solutions. Testing and retesting solutions, measuring results and drawing lessons from them is at the core of the process. The design thinking approach puts the focus on continuous evaluation and learning.
The 5 steps of design thinking
1) Empathize
Collect data about your target population. Use analytics to better understand who your user is and what matters to them. You can also use reviews, customer interviews and panels to better understand your audience.
Looking to launch a new chocolate bar for millennials? Find out what their favorite flavors are, what they love about other products on the market – and what they dislike, too. You should also learn more about the narratives they’re most attracted to and what they care about. Forget about your assumptions – you might be surprised!
2) Define
At this stage, you should get a clear idea of who your target is. Based on the data you collected, define what their needs are. That will allow you to frame the problem you’ll be answering with your product or service.
If you’re running an e-commerce business, you might want to understand why shopping carts are full but your users never complete their purchase. Is there any pain point along the way you weren’t aware of? Do they struggle to understand what to do next? Defining the problem is the first step towards a solution.
3) Ideate
You have the user. You have the problem. Now, it’s time to let your creative juices flow and imagine it better. Brainstorm freely to come up with a variety of creative solutions. Don’t be afraid to think big! Innovation starts with imagination. Use divergent thinking to recenter and assess the relevance of your potential solutions.
Say you’re launching a new money management app. Do your users need a breakdown of their expenses? Do they want cashback on their most used services and products? Do they want to share expenses with friends? Generate new ideas with your team with a “yes…and?” attitude.
4) Prototype
Make it happen. Build a representation of your chosen solution(s) – and show it. Whether it’s a prototype, storyboard or mockup, it will help face your idea with reality. Keep it simple – you don’t need to have an almost-final product to share it and get feedback. What works? What doesn’t? Don’t be afraid to fail, and learn from your mistakes to iterate quickly.
Designed a new website for a client? Show a rough mockup before you get started, and collect feedback. Do people understand each function? Can they identify where the key elements are? How easy is it for them to find information? Their perception of your draft will help you iterate quickly and solve potential problems early on.
5) Test
The prototype is built, and your team is happy. But what about your target audience? The design thinking approach starts and ends with people. Share your prototyped solution with the end user to assess its relevance to their original problem. Do they understand what it is? Does it feel necessary to them? Listen to them, and use the learnings to refine your product.
Imagine you’re a flower delivery service and you want to add candy to your offer. Make the option available to a small subset of customers and see how much they purchase. Ask them for feedback: did it seem relevant to them? Do they like the packaging? Should there be vegan options? Don’t hesitate to run more customer interviews to better frame the problem and how to implement these learnings into your product.
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With their prophetic name, Lydia Makepeace seems to have been destined for social justice. The New Orleans-based urban sketcher and artist-activist believes art is an invaluable tool to educate and fight against inequalities. Their latest project, Affirm Black Women, aims to give some incredible women their rightful place in the spotlight – and in history.
We met Lydia to talk about their journey as an artist and activist, the role of art in social change, and the importance of questioning the status quo.
Tell us about yourself and your background as an artist.
I’ve made New Orleans my home but I was born and raised in a little white house, in a Midwest town surrounded by cornfields. My passions growing up were reading every book I could get my hands on and drawing the world around me. I was fortunate to have parents who nurtured creative curiosity. They believed my creativity was a gift and expected me to use those skills in service of a greater good.
How would you describe your style? How did it evolve over time?
The notion of creative style makes me squirm a bit because I feel pressure to have a consistent linear evolution. I’m kind of this squirrel-rabbit hybrid. I see something bright and shiny and rabbit trail from one topic to the next tucking away a stash of what I discover along the way. Novel connections between seemingly disparate topics can yield some unexpected work. From the outside, that work may not appear to have a commonality. Sometimes I’m the only witness to the connective journey.
You describe yourself as an urban sketcher and artist-activist. How are the two of them connected?
Urban sketching is an international community of artists dedicated to sharing and documenting everyday life. The only parameters are that sketches be made on location without the use of photos. The goal is to record directly from life so as to bear witness and tell the stories of the places we live and travel to.
Each of us contains a history
As an artist-activist, I interrogate the histories presented as gospel truth, the histories that mainly live in photographs and stories of people long dead. But history is a living and breathing, vulnerable being. Each of us contains a history. Some histories are valued more than others. Some histories are intentionally hidden. My current portrait series is a way to record and bear witness to the history of each person I paint.
In what ways do you think art can be activism? What do you think is the role of art in social change?
Nina Simone believed that “an artist’s duty is to reflect the times.” In response to the murder of Medgar Evers and the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, Simone wrote Mississippi Goddam. Billie Holiday sang about white violence and the lynching of Black people in Strange Fruit.
Which stories are centered matters.
Art historian and painter Samella Lewis asserts, “Art is not a luxury as many people think — it is a necessity. It documents history — it helps educate people and stores knowledge for generations to come.” Recording daily life can be activism. It contributes to the historical narrative. History is composed of the stories we tell ourselves and future generations about who we are and what we value. Who tells these stories matters. Which stories are centered matters.
You describe yourself as someone with invisible disabilities. Can you explain what that means? Have you faced any obstacles in your career as someone with disabilities?
Who do you imagine when you think of a disabled person? Are they using a wheelchair? How old are they? How do they behave? In public, you probably wouldn’t notice anything amiss about my presence. You wouldn’t see my mental illness or chronic fatigue. In fact, you wouldn’t see me at all on the days when taking a shower is so exhausting I collapse onto the couch afterwards. Invisible disabilities can encompass a whole range of chronic illnesses and disorders that aren’t immediately evident.
Many obstacles exist because this world does not value disabled people and views them as disposable, something the pandemic has made more apparent than ever.
Access to life-saving care has been costly and painful. I can’t create if I’m using all my energy to barely survive. It doesn’t have to be this way. Many obstacles exist because this world does not value disabled people and views them as disposable, something the pandemic has made more apparent than ever. Accommodations like working from home, distance learning, virtual medical visits suddenly became doable, almost overnight, once the able-bodied population needed them.
A year into this pandemic, I am thinking of Louisiana disability activist April Dunn. During a work trip advocating for accessibility, she contracted COVID-19. Like many disabled people Dunn was more vulnerable to complications, something she addressed in her last Facebook post stating, “Only the vulnerable will be at risk. Your ‘only’ is my everything.” April Dunn died on March 28th, 2020 at the age of 33 from COVID-19. She should still be here. This pandemic is creating a wave of newly disabled people. I desperately hope this pushes us to dismantle the obstacles preventing everyone the access they need to thrive in their communities.
Your work often (if not always) has an educational goal. How do you go about researching your topics?
My research always begins with a question. The further I dig into a topic the more questions I discover. The questions guide the journey. I get to be a detective searching for clues and it’s thrilling!
When I paint someone’s portrait, it’s important to dig deeper than a list of accomplishments. I want to learn what makes that person who they are by studying their work and the experiences that shaped them. I read their novels, poetry, and autobiographies. I watch interviews and documentaries. I listen to their music. The research is immersive.
Can you tell us more about your project Affirm Black Women? How did you come up with the idea?
The Affirm Black Women portrait series is named after a call to action on social media in October 2018. A protest intended to bring attention to gendered violence was encouraging women to participate in a social media blackout. In a world that already seeks to silence and erase their voices, Black women spoke about the violence of being asked to be silent in the face of oppression.
Abolitionist Elisabeth Epps proposed an alternative action that asked white women to amplify the content of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other women and femmes of color. She urged that action be followed up with payment for their labor and a continued commitment to affirm Black women. Anti-oppression activist Regan Byrd explained, “Black women are targeted in a way other women of color are not and this is due to colorism, and anti-Black racism, so this effort is one way to call attention to that specific situation and highlight those who endure it.”
On October 3, 2018, I posted an illustrated stack of books written by Black women who have taught me new histories. The next day, I painted a portrait of one of the authors of those books, Roxane Gay, and included a quote. The day after that I painted a portrait of Tracee Ellis Ross, followed by a portrait of Fannie Lou Hamer… It’s 2021 and the series is at 67 quote portraits and counting.
As exciting as it is to see this project resonate and grow, it’s important that I both amplify Black women’s work AND find ways to pay them for their labor. The sale of prints enables me to donate to Women With a Vision, a non-profit created by Black women to fight the injustices oppressing New Orleans’ most marginalized women. I’m also able to support with direct giving to activists and by donating resources to educators.
What did you find most surprising about bringing the project to life?
What I’ve learned should be no surprise — white supremacy is insidious. No facet of our lives is immune to its violence. Some of the Black women I’ve painted were subjected to online harassment and death threats for the truths they’ve spoken. On the other hand, I, a white woman, painted their portraits with those same truths and have been granted opportunities — like this interview.
Good intentions don’t matter if they are causing harm.
Good intentions have not prevented me from doing harm. Unthinkingly, I painted one Black woman’s eyes blue as a stylistic choice because of the lighting in a reference photo. She felt honored, but distressed that her brown eyes had been made blue. Instead of an affirming portrait, I’d created one with anti-Blackness. In Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye a young Black girl prays for blue eyes. American culture prizes whiteness and tells her black skin is ugly. She internalizes this anti-Blackness and believes that only those with blond hair and blue eyes can be happy, loved, and beautiful. Good intentions don’t matter if they are causing harm.
How do you use MOO for your art?
I love that I can print a different portrait on each of my Business Cards. The cards become conversation starters about the women on them. I also use MOO for my Medium Postcard prints. They’re versatile prints that customers can pop in frames, gift, or washi tape to a home office wall. It’s rewarding to see customers create a gallery wall of portraits they find meaningful.
Most recently I created The Phenomenal Black Women Memory Matching Game with MOO Business Cards and Stickers. I wouldn’t have been able to afford the cost to print such high-quality playing cards with so many different images at this point in my business without MOO’s Printfinity option. Thanks, MOO!
Any projects coming up you’re looking forward to?
SO many! I have sketchbooks and a brain overflowing with ideas just waiting for the energy to match my ambitions. When my health and schedule allow, I plan to dive into a picture book about grief and resilience that’s been simmering on the back burner of my brain. I’ve always wanted to write and illustrate picture books.
What piece of advice would you give to artists who want to put their creativity at the service of activism?
Wrestle with difficult questions. Whose stories are being told? Why? What stories are missing or neglected? Are you the best person to be telling a specific story? Are you talking over someone whose lived experiences make them the expert the world needs to hear from? How can you use your skills and resources to support them? Is your silence violence? Are your good intentions causing harm?
We live in unprecedented times. Your imagination is needed to build a life-affirming world that leaves no space for those who seek to deny someone’s full humanity.
Tell your own story through print with MOO.
Stickers are ideal for branding up boxes and adding personality to your packages. But that’s not all they can do: with MOO’s unexpected new range they’re now giving humans a boost throughout the day, too.
Made from the same durable material as MOO’s regular custom Stickers, each one is infused with Big Sticker Energy (patent pending) and works gradually over a 12 hour period. Just peel off. Apply to any dry and clean area of the body. Then feel the benefits throughout the day.
There are currently four Sticker options to choose from. Each designed with the busy life of entrepreneurs and multi-tasking business owners in mind.
Filing Pro
Filing is a much prized organisational skill. One that takes focus, a goal orientated mindset and a great deal of time consuming effort. But, if that’s not your thing, it’s now available in a handy (and design conscious) Sticker form.
Design skills
Many designers spend thousands of dollars in tuition fees and just as many hours learning their craft. Sure, that is one option. Or you could just pop this discreet Sticker on your skin and feel the design skills pulse through your novice fingertips in a matter of seconds.
Incredible copy
No way with words? No problem. With this Sticker your sentences glide across the page with the elegance of Shakespeare on ice. Tears of joy will greet your timesheet emails. Stampedes will follow your meeting requests. Co-workers will await your financial report with the fervor of Harry Potter stans anxiously hoping for a new release. Use the power wisely.
Creative thoughts
Great ideas can come from anywhere. With this Sticker, they’ll definitely come from you. This hard-wearing vinyl Sticker will turn Brian’s usually lacklustre brainstorm session into a creative hurricane with your name on it.
Interested in seeing what the power of Big Sticker Energy can do for you? Join the waiting list, or try our equally impressive range of custom Stickers and Labels.