The Countdown Begins...

Today I read a blog post by Lara Casey, someone whom I’ve never had the joy of meeting but constantly admire, that was just beautiful. I can’t even sum it up for you in my little blog, but I hope you’ll go to hers and visit it. Especially if you’re a Southern Weddings magazine fan… especially if you own your own business… especially if you are working one job to pay the bills and another to complete your heart’s work… especially if you’re young and ambitious and have an idea you can’t wait to run with.

As 2009 begins to draw to a close, I honestly can say I have no idea where it went. Somehow, in twelve short, short months I’ve started a business, changed its name, learned more than I ever thought I would need to know about business, balance and all things paper, celebrated my one-year wedding anniversary with my best friend, adapted to a new home while deeply missing my old one and somehow survived. I can only think that 2010 will bring even more change and excitement for me. Emily Ley Paper started as a small idea… maybe an Etsy shop… maybe a few weddings for friends… and somehow grew into this crazy business called Goodpaper that has brought me so much joy. It’s almost like my child… it’s changed countless times, grown into its own and continues to morph into something bigger than I ever dreamed. I. Cannot. Wait. To. Share. It. With. All. Of. You.

But at times, I find that it sincerely takes over me. I work, for those of you who don’t know this, at the University of South Florida Foundation – handling all development and fundraising as the Assitant Director of Development for the Women in Leadership & Philanthropy program from 8-5. From about 5-midnight/1am, I run Goodpaper… and at least 1/2 of my weekend hours are spent doing the exact same thing. When I wake up in the morning, I go for quick 30 minute run (this is a new habit), then get ready for the day – while reading through emails I missed during the last 5-6 hours. I inhale a kasha granola bar, fill up my coffee cup and head out the door to beat traffic. One thing I can say is that while I am at USF, I devote my time and attention to my program. But instead of lunch dates, I’m typically at FedEx shipping wedding orders or at Staples picking up office supplies. Many days, instead of lunch, I shut my office door and reply to emails and write blog posts. On my way home everyday, I have a phone date with my Mom as I fight the Tampa traffic. When I get home at night, I make dinner 2 or 3 times a week or we eat cheerios or PBJs (we laugh bc we love that we do this… even though the Martha Stewart in me tells me its awful), then by about 6:30 I’m back in my home-studio, filling orders and working on the website. Bryan and I make sure we have a date night at least once a week – he is my sanity.

Without Bryan, I'm not sure I would have ever started this venture. He is so supportive and such an encouragement to me. It was his entrepreneurial spirit that led me to make the leap. He gets so excited over the smallest accomplishments, much like I do. And this project has become one that we share... even when it takes over our living room with photography equipment and he has to help me fold programs during the LSU football game :) I'm a lucky woman.

I am so apprehensive, excited, semi-terrified, nervous and over-the-moon about launching Goodpaper in January. The site is absolutely incredible. And my web designer, Kendra has rolled with each change and shift as Goodpaper becomes a strong brand. The last screenshots I saw took my breath away. It’s Southern. Classic. Simple. And Friendly. My photographers and favorite people on earth, Meg & Charles Baisden did artistic product shots for me as well as headshots that are… perfect and make it all seem so real. I’ll be taking a little over two weeks off in December to enjoy the holidays and wrap up last minute website edits.

I need to learn to unplug myself. But I absolutely cant wait to see what 2010 has in store for Goodpaper. Thanks for your support and for reading this really wordy post. It’s a bit of a ramble, but feels good to share a bit of “me” here.

Cheers,
Emily

Words to Live By

Over the past few months, my thoughts on business, work-life balance and ambition have been changing. Thanks to bloggers like these and the book “The Four Hour Work Week,” I’ve found that my attention is turning to “making things happen” and “being good at what I know.” Sometimes, it’s so easy to get lost in the details that we miss the big picture day-to-day.

For instance, I am relentlessly trying to figure out QuickBooks. Connecting PayPal to QuickBooks has proved to be one-hellufa-nightmare. (PS: this is a call for advice, would love to know if you’ve made this work). I spend so much time sorting through transactions and matching them to my chart of accounts that I am pulling valuable time away from what I need to be working on… putting finishing touches on the Goodpaper Wedding Collection for the new website. So finally, I decided to stick to what I “know” and am “good at” and hired an accountant to work with me. We’ll meet for our first time on Friday and continue to meet quarterly to make sure I have my act together.

As a small business, it’s costly to “outsource,” but I’ve found that you have to decide how much you value your time. For me, I value it more than teaching myself QuickBooks :)

Above and beyond the idea of outsourcing what you’re “not good at” is the simple thought (thanks, Dad, for this great quote) we “work to live and don’t live to work.” Remember that your work should be your passion, but shouldn’t drive your life. The Four Hour Work Week suggests that we should remove ourselves from the parts of our business that we aren’t absolutely needed in – and focus on that which drives success and thus drives our own happiness. I, all too often, find myself living to wake up at 6am… and work til midnight. For me, it’s a means to an end – when Goodpaper will be successful enough to support itself. But I also remind myself that besides a business owner and designer, I’m a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister… and those roles are even more important. As strange as it may sound, those first two exist to support the later.

All in all, remember to spend your days “making things happen” and “being good at what [you] know.” Your passion should drive your happiness without ruling your life. "Balance" is never truly found... it's a constant shifting of commitments from side to side as priorities change all in an effort to remain upright :)

The best 6 months...

Today, my husband, Bryan, and I have been married for 6 months.  I can say that without a doubt, it has been the best six months of my entire life.  We have grown together incredibly.  In October, we were married on the 18th and left for a week long honeymoon in Jamaica the next morning.  What a blessing to have 7 days in paradise with your new husband and best friend.  It was incredible.

We hosted Thanksgiving at our home in November and in December, we celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple.  We had so much fun (even though Bryan's not been much into "decorating for the holidays' before) putting up our Christmas trees (yep, we had two).  We travelled home to Pensacola for a week for Christmas and got to spend some real quality time with friends and family.  That was so nice - to be back home surrounded by the ones we love. 

It was on our car ride home to Tampa that Bryan convinced me to follow my heart and start ELP.  I'd been dreaming and talking about it for months.  His entrepreneurial spirit has been such a guiding light for me in this adventure.  I worked for a few weeks on the initial set up and launched ELP on January 2, 2009.  Since then, I have worked with 75+ brides... created full invitation suites for 13 weddings... and earned over $13,000 in revenue.  Now, just four months later, we are working with Hi Design for a new website with e-commerce capabilities, finalizing the ELP product lines, and redecorating my studio/office at home.  

Throughout it all... Bryan has been so supportive... even when I've had to shut myself in my office and work at inopportune times.  Last weekend, we had a beautiful heart-to-heart about ELP and the direction it's headed.  To see the pride in his eyes when he talks about how I've followed my dream... it's the most amazing feeling.  He is, without a doubt, my rock and my best friend.  While I am still mastering the art of balance, I know that I've been blessed over and over again in my marriage.  What a feeling to know that you couldn't ask for anything more.