The Art of Rolling - Papers + Ink

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Carolyn Chu, Founder of Papers + Ink, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Papers + Ink Studio is bringing style to smoking by challenging stigmas around cannabis usage with fashion-focused, printed rolling paper kits and stylish accessories for the sophisticated smoker. The AAPI woman-owned brand incorporates artistic designs which draw inspiration from nature, fashion, travel, and social activism with classic accessories in the cannabis industry for smokers to make a statement while enjoying plant-based medicine. The brand creates designs in-house and in collaboration with artists to print onto 100% organic hemp papers and often partners with fashion and cannabis companies for brand collaborations.

Tell us about yourself

I founded Papers + Ink Studio because I wanted to build an entity that celebrates creativity and inclusivity through design and is a vehicle to support the community. I've always loved consuming plant-based medicines like cannabis, from both a medicinal and recreational standpoint, and joints have always been my favorite way to consume, and joints were so boring. I noticed that there weren't any high-quality, well-designed, and consciously produced rolling papers made in the United States that celebrate uniqueness. I was motivated to create a line of high-quality and stylish rolling papers and accessories for people that like to have fun, are aesthetically inclined, and seek luxurious experiences without forgoing function.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I have experienced some of the stigmas around being a female smoker. I hope that by encouraging women to take pride in their herbal medicine use, a greater shift can be made throughout society. I created something that celebrates inclusivity, diversity, and unapologetic authenticity. One of our taglines is, 'Papers as unique as you,' and we keep this phrase at the forefront of all products and their designs. Attitudes toward cannabis are changing dramatically, so we see an opportunity for growth in our business. However, we know there is much more work to do in normalizing cannabis use and other forms of herbal medicine, especially for women. We hope that by offering stylish and fun accessories and tools like cone-rolling machines, we can help show that cannabis can be casual and accessible to all!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Creating awareness can be challenging because cannabis accessories are considered a "higher risk" business. We have similar restrictions as cannabis companies regarding what payment providers we can use and how we market the products even though we don't sell cannabis. So it's been a lot of word of mouth and labor of love to spread the word. We are excited that the quality and design of our products have a broad appeal; they are carried in boutiques in 25+ states and internationally and featured in publications like Vogue and Forbes.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

I wish I knew that it is an extremely tough space to be in, but the community you get to build within means everything! My advice to others trying to get into this industry is to keep going! Get advisors, speak the truth on the archaic propaganda of the war on drugs, and fight for people who are targeted and imprisoned for nonviolent drug violations from a legal plant in over half the states. It is an industry with so much opportunity and so many ways to get involved in advocating for these issues! Oh, and also find a good therapist!!! Entrepreneurship can get isolating, so it's important to have a community of support around you.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://papersandink.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/papersandinksesh
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/papersandinksesh/

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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