Episode 45: Realigning After Success with Kristen Ley of Thimblepress

Kristin Ley’s creative journey started back in Kindergarten where she dressed up as an artist for Career Day. She initially started a business that focused on marketing and branding before discovering her desire to create personal and beautiful things under the brand Thimblepress. Starting with an Etsy shop, she quickly gained success, attending craft shows and expanding nationally. A pivotal moment came when she created push-up confetti which lead to collaborations with major retailers and media features. Despite the rapid growth, Kristin acknowledges the importance of a slower and more sustainable approach and has learned a lot on her creative journey.

Realigning After Rapid Success
Kristin's life took an unexpected turn on the very day of her long-awaited product launch with Target. It was then that she discovered her business had been hacked, resulting in a devastating loss of money and triggering a downward spiral in her financial mindset. This experience, which she had never encountered before, forced her to confront the reality that money was not just a means of trade, but a crucial factor in meeting basic needs and obligations. Everything she had built seemed to crumble in an instant, leaving her in a state of despair and depression.

However, Kristin realized that this painful incident was perhaps a divine intervention, urging her to awaken from her self-consuming pursuit of earthly success. She had become so fixated on achieving external recognition and following the trends set by others in her industry that she had lost touch with herself and neglected her relationship with God. The hack served as a halt to her fast-paced life, giving her the opportunity to reevaluate her priorities and embark on a journey of self-discovery.

During the following year, Kristin found solace in reading the Bible, engaging in devotionals, and meditation. These practices not only provided her with a sense of comfort and guidance but also helped her realize the true purpose behind her business. She recognized that success was not measured by the size of her warehouse or the number of employees she managed, but by the alignment of her work with her personal values and God's plan for her. This revelation led her to make significant changes, including bringing her business operations back in-house and reconnecting with her true passion for art.

Grounding Yourself with A Mission Statement
Finding your why and defining your mission statement are essential for keeping your compass on track and avoiding distractions. Establishing core values for yourself and your company helps create a strong culture and provides a foundation for decision-making. Just like the scene in the movie Twister, where the main characters tie themselves to a pipe to stay grounded amidst a tornado, core values keep you anchored even when external circumstances shift. It's crucial to choose core values that resonate with you personally and professionally, and to hold yourself and your team accountable to them.

You Are More Than Your Business
It’s important to detach your identity from your business and recognize that it doesn't define you entirely. As a friend wisely pointed out to Kristen, what matters most is how you'll be remembered in the grand scheme of life. Striving for balance and acknowledging your roles as a friend, sibling, partner, parent, and more can bring a broader perspective. While you love and nurture your business, it's vital to remember that it's not the entirety of your being. Your business does not solely define you. Your business may not last forever, and being open to new opportunities and allowing yourself to pivot and evolve can lead to growth and fulfillment beyond what you initially imagined.

Trust and Courage
Trusting the unknown and having the courage to embrace new opportunities and make necessary pivots is an essential part of the creative entrepreneurial journey. It requires letting go of control and allowing the natural flow of circumstances to guide you. This shift in mindset is closely tied to trust and faith, particularly when the future is uncertain. Releasing the tight grip on your business and allowing it to evolve naturally, brings about a sense of ease and a smoother transition through the ebbs and flows of entrepreneurship.

Trusting in the process means relinquishing the need to know what the future holds. Instead, each day is approached with an open mind and a willingness to see where the journey leads. This surrender to the universe or higher power provides a solid foundation for making decisions and taking steps forward. It's about listening to intuition and recognizing the inner calling when it arises. This approach brings a sense of peace and a lighter burden, compared to trying to forcefully push a boulder uphill. Ultimately, trust is about acknowledging that you don't have to have all the answers or know what lies ahead. Instead, you focus on the present moment and trust that the path will unfold as it should. It's about embracing the unknown and allowing yourself to be guided by a deeper sense of purpose and intuition.

Tips from Kristen
-Set small, attainable goals and take one step at a time.
-Avoid getting caught up in the grandiose numbers and know what you need finanically.
-Find grounded and honest voices in the business community who can provide guidance and support.
-Success doesn't happen overnight. It's a series of small steps that lead to big achievements.
-Embrace mindfulness and positive thinking. The power of the mind is incredible.
-Take care of yourself and prioritize your health. Neglecting it can lead to burnout and long-term consequences.
-Set boundaries with social media is crucial.
-Don't be afraid to take breaks and detach from the digital world.
-Trust yourself and your business.
-Build strong relationships with customers. Exceptional service is invaluable. Remember that your customers want to feel seen and appreciated.
-In times of slower business, there's always something productive to do.
-Success lies in finding balance, trusting your instincts, and prioritizing the well-being of both yourself and your business.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Core values ground you and allow you to stay true to your principles even when external circumstances change.

• Remember that your business is not your entire identity.

• Being open to pivoting and shifting directions can lead to new opportunities for growth and personal development.

• Release control and be like jello.

• Prioritizing a vertical dream, one that aligns with your spiritual or higher purpose, can bring a deeper sense of fulfillment compared to chasing after a horizontal dream which is often driven by external validation or ego.

• Instead of aiming for grandiose numbers, break down your goals into smaller, achievable steps. Start with understanding your financial needs, budget, and expenses.

• Focus on making progress one step at a time.

• Believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your goals. Practicing positive thinking and visualization can yield powerful results.

• Neglecting your health, both physical and mental, can have long-term consequences. It’s important to prioritize self-care and be careful about neglecting your personal well-being while pursuing your business goals.

Kristen Ley is the founder & creative director of Thimblepress®. Thimblepress® loves to create products to help elevate & showcase personal style, make memories, fill a room with color, create smiles & deliver happiness. Kristen has been a prominent member of the art and design world for over 15 years. Her company, Thimblepress, is a nationally recognized leader in paper goods, greeting cards and party décor.

In addition to thimblepress.com, Thimblepress products featuring Kristen’s original designs are sourced to majorretailers across the world including Target, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters,Hallmark, Barnes & Noble and countless others. Thimblepress has been featured in magazines such as Oprah Magazine, InStyle, and Bridal Guide Magazine, and has received acclaim for its popular wedding products, including the Push-PopConfetti®. A link to Thimblepress’ extensive press coverage can be found here:https://thimblepress.com/pages/press.

Kristen is a sought-after speaker, consultant and mentor. She has been interviewed on dozens of podcasts, and has been a speaker at conferences for creative artists including the “Oh So Inspired” conference, Paper Camp by Katie Hunt and Stationery Academy Conference. She lectures extensively on topics such as product and brand development for creatives and small businesses, and regularly consults and mentors artists and entrepreneurs.

In 2018, Kristen was named one of Stationery Trends magazine “Top 40 under 40” in the gift and stationery industry, and one of Mississippi Business Journal’s Top 10 Women in Business. Recently, she was named by theladders.com as one of the 52 female entrepreneurs making moves in the US and was nominated by Rising Tide Society as a “20 On the Rise.” Kristen has been featured on Good Morning America and Extra with Mario Lopez, and is a past recipient of a prestigious Gold ADDY award issued by the American Advertising Federation.

In Kristen’s free time, she enjoys traveling, & hanging out with her husband, Bill Allen, and their two pups, Willow & Henry!

Follow along on social media at @thimblepress and @kristen_ley

Books mentioned in this episode were: “Essentialism”-Greg McKeown and “Hug Your Customers”-Jack Mitchell

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