Doer of the Week: Emily Ley

What were you doing (careerwise) when you decided to create your own business?

My background is in nonprofit management and development. I was the executive director of the city ballet in Pensacola, Florida, when I was 23. It was an enormous job for a young grad student, but the experience really ignited my passion for creative business. I've worked in the nonprofit fields of the arts, healthcare, and education -- most recently for the University of South Florida's Women in Leadership and Philanthropy program.

When did you start your business and what inspired you to do this? How did you turn your dream into a business plan?

I started my business because I really wanted to create my own life -- my own "every day." After getting married and moving away from my hometown in 2008, I was ready to make something big happen. I didn't want to get a job because that's what I was "supposed" to do (in fact, I didn't want to do anything I was "supposed" to do … I wanted to do something I LOVED to do, something that fired me up and really made my heart sing on a daily basis. I wanted to take control of my life and my time and that which I poured my heart into. And Emily Ley Paper was born.

What was your start-up cost? How did you get the money, and what did you use it for?

I started my business in our home office (it was red at the time – oh, my stars, I don't know how I survived in such a dark room!) "designing" in Microsoft Publisher (eek!) on my PC (eek!). My only start-up cost was that of my beloved 27-inch iMac (which I still use today). The first two years I invested every dollar my business made back into the company, only taking a paycheck when my business became my full-time job in 2010.

What was the biggest obstacle?

My biggest obstacle is that I love my work and my family so unbelievably much. My clients are amazing and inspire me on a daily basis. They are brave, strong, and dedicated to authenticity. My family is my heart and the reason I do the work that I do. I'm an all-or-nothing type of person, and when I give so much to my work, it's often hard to disconnect when it's time. I've been known to burn the midnight, 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. oil night after night. It wasn't until I became a mother in February that I really learned how to combine my loves for my family and my work into one passion rather than trying to make them exist as separate loves. Realizing that grace is more important than perfection has been my proudest achievement to date.

Did your friends and family support your dream?

I had to smile at this question. Growing up, my parents "bought" the bookmarks I cut out of my mom's White Linen perfume boxes and colored with crayons. They knew I would create my own path and have cheered me on every step of the way. They helped me develop the confidence and creativity to take big risks. My husband is my biggest fan. He has listened to every tiny detail of every little twist and turn of my journey. He once cleaned two Kelsey letterpresses with vinegar and lemon juice -- to perfection -- for me. If that's not love, I don't know what is!            

How did you maintain your confidence when doors were closed in your face, when people didn't get it or said no?

Whitney English Kolb has been a wonderful mentor to me. She started creating an internationally recognized stationery company from the ground up when she was 15. She always says "the ups and downs and ins and outs are what make the story interesting." And that's exactly how you have to face defeat -- as part of your story. I made oodles of mistakes -- some costly -- when I was finding my way in the design industry. After spending thousands of dollars developing my brand, I received a cease and desist for the name I was operating under. Another company had prior usage rights. I was devastated. During the very first Making Things Happen intensive (at which I was an attendee, now a speaker) Lara Casey encouraged me to embrace my authentic, personal brand and name my company after myself. It was the best business decision I've ever made.

How long did it take you to get everything off the ground?

I worked a full-time job as well as on my business for a year and a half. After that year and a half, I'd built a stationery brand that was carried in retail stores nationwide and I was beginning my design and branding business; I felt confident enough to take the leap to self-employment. It was scary but worth the risk.

How long did it take for your business to become profitable?

I've intentionally kept my expenses as low as possible, being careful not to undervalue my work. This helped me make the move to self-employment rather quickly. After a year and a half I began taking a paycheck.

What do you love most about being your own boss? What are the drawbacks?

The clients I work with inspire me on a daily basis to dream bigger, work harder, and do more. I love that I am able to do work that I love with an amazing team. The women I work with are phenomenal. But one of the best parts about being my own boss is my ability to structure my days in a way that really serves my family's needs. As a mother to an 8-month-old little boy, it's so important to be involved in his daily activities, to experience new things with him, and to have every opportunity to help him grow and learn. I now work four days a week and take Fridays (and the occasional few hours here and there) to spend with Brady. To feel like a full-time Mom a few days a week and a career woman at the same time -- that is a blessing that is absolutely priceless.

Where do you work from?

I work from my home office -- it's a beautiful space, very light, with natural woods and white furniture. I have a display wall with white shelves where I display my work as a reminder of what I'm capable of. I also have a workflow board and an inspiration board where I pin magazine tears and swatches that make my creative wheels spin. I've found that keeping my space really minimal, clean, and very organized helps me reserve precious brain space for my creative juices.

Do you have employees?

I'm blessed to work with an amazing team. Marissa Kloess and Nicole Yang work with Lara and me on Making Brands Happen. They also help me with Emily Ley Paper projects and new releases from time to time and are part of the amazing Southern Weddings magazine team as well. They are rock stars and really help me keep everything together.

How has your involvement with Martha Stewart's Dreamers into Doers helped you and your business?

As a creative person, there is nothing more inspiring than surrounding yourself with the constant buzz and ideas flowing between others as driven as you. Being part of Martha Stewart's Dreamers into Doers has connected me to so many women who are passionate, creative, entrepreneurial mothers. They have inspired me to really embrace my multiple roles and blend them together rather than attempt to keep them apart.

How have you been using social media to grow your business?

Twitter and Facebook have always been an enormous part of my businesses. They've both connected me (sometimes even unknowingly) to some of my most treasured friends and mentors.

Do you have entrepreneurial role models? What's so inspiring about them?

I very much admire women who attempt to do it all -- as a wife, mother, and self-made business owner. Even better if she's self-taught! There are so many women doing this, and what amazing things they are teaching their children by following their dreams while providing for their families.

How did you learn and acquire the skills you use to make your business successful? How do you continue to grow and learn?

I'm 100 percent self-taught in design. I would not call this the easy road. It's been hard. I've spent many days watching tutorials and banging my head against my desk learning Illustrator and InDesign functions. In terms of business, I've learned via the "sink or swim" method -- jump in and you have two options! I have a graduate degree in administration and learned much of my technical knowledge there, but much of my practical knowledge comes from my experience in nonprofit management roles. As far as growing my business and deciding where to grow, I really listen to my heart. I do what I love and find that by staying authentic, my business continues to grow and flourish.

What's the best piece of business advice you ever received? If you had it to do over again, what, if anything, would you do differently?

Embrace your personal brand. Attempting to put up the facade of being a large business with multiple employees or keep up with a brand that isn't founded on your personal story and style is exhausting. By embracing my personal brand, as a Southern girl trying to do it all, I've really found my place. And it just feels good. When you embrace your personal story, style, and roots and really use that as the foundation of your brand, there's nothing that can stop you.

What is your favorite product/service that you offer?

In less than 10 days we'll be releasing the Emily Ley Paper 2012 Simplified Planner. I am unbelievably excited about this 150-page agenda. It is part of the ELP Simplified Collection: a collection of products and paper goods designed to make life simpler and easier for women who do it all. I'm more proud of this piece than any other product I've ever designed. It's clean, practical, and extremely useful. The planner was built around my personal motto, "I will hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection," and includes tips and tricks to help busy women make big things happen. I honestly can't wait to start using my own!

What is your best-selling item/service?

My partnership with Lara Casey and our business "Making Brands Happen" had an amazing first year. We launched more than 30 powerful, game-changing businesses and brands. This is the work that sets my heart ablaze. Lara and I work with photographers, stylists, designers, and other passionate creatives to build personal, authentic, strong businesses and brands from the ground up through strategic consulting and design. We're booking for 2012 launches now and are almost fully booked!

What advice would you give to Dreamers who haven't become Doers yet?

Life is too short to play small. Those words are the foundation upon which Making Brands Happen was built.

Is your "Dreamer" business your full-time job?

It is! I feel like I have a few full time jobs, which include both Pantone books and Elmo books!

Keep up with Emily Ley's Brands:

www.EmilyLeyPaper.com
www.EmilyLeyCreative.com
www.MakingBrandsHappen.com
www.StationeryAcademy.com
www.MakingThingsHappen.com

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