Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dana, Owner of Jem and Cozy, located in Atlanta, GA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Jem and Cozy is an online stationery shop, perfect for snarky and encouraging gifts to yourself or others. Our customers enjoy punny play on words, animals, stationery, and stickers.
Tell us about yourself
I’m Dana, and I started Jem and Cozy in 2021 to share my digital and watercolor art as stickers. I’ve always enjoyed drawing, so I bridged my background in Psychology and healthcare with my art to create relatable self-care/mental health designs. Connecting with people motivates me the most. Many people leave comments during checkout and share that their order is for a birthday or a treat after a rough week. I love that I’m able to cheer people up and share laughter through my art the most.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As of today, going full-time with Jem and Cozy is something that I'm very proud of. I recently started a sticker and stationery club on Patreon, which has been very exciting as an artist as well.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Even as an artist, you’re a business owner first. We wear many, many hats to support shop management, social media marketing, and product design/production. Juggling all these hats is the most challenging aspect of running a small business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- You will never really feel 100% ready to open an online shop. It’s okay if you don’t have every little detail together before starting.
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Use email subscription lists and multiple marketing platforms to share what you have to offer.
- It’s okay to keep branding and package simple when you’re just starting out. You can easily change a lot of this as you grow and develop your brand!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://jemandcozy.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jemandcozy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jemandcozy/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jemandcozy
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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