Running a product biz with Arise Creative Co.
I am so excited to share our very first CEO interview with lettering product boss and creative entrepreneur Stella Lane! She is the owner and founder of Arise Creative Co., an online retailer and wholesaler for handmade home goods based in San Diego. Stella has a huge passion for uplifting women and over the last 1.5 years has built a business around that mission through hand lettered and creative goods.
Photo Credits: Arise Creative Co.
Stella’s not only had a crazy busy holiday sales season, but has helped over 40 other small business owners by hosting a Virtual Holiday Market. I chat with her about starting a business at age 20, how she comes up with product ideas, the advice she would give herself on day one, and more!
Shaochen: I know that Arise is deeply rooted in its mission. Can you tell us more about that mission and who you create for?
Stella: When I first started my business, I had recently returned home from a year long mission trip. I was in this “limbo” of struggling to have purpose here in the States which was around the same time I started my business. I incorporated one of the schools I worked at in Malawi, but have pivoted from that over this past year into the overall mission of uplifting women and giving them the space to be their authentic selves. Over this past year and a half or so, I’ve really learned that mission is what drives me and drives my creativity in this business. This mission of uplifting women as their authentic selves is what not only my passion is rooted in, but now Arise as well.
Shaochen: You have so many product ideas and are always launching something new! Where do you get your inspiration and how do you decide what to create?
Stella: I love that you see the positivity in that haha! For the first year of my business I really struggled to nail down a few products, and honestly felt a bit scatterbrained because I was doing SO much. In the past 6 months or so I have stuck to a core group of products that fit my brand. I get most of my inspiration from my customers, and my ideal client avatar. I try to think of what they would love to see and what products they’ve already purchased. I have about 10 ideas each launch that never actually hit the site because they don’t quite fit that criteria.
Shaochen: We have a lot of aspiring calligraphy business owners reading this blog who would love to create products with their lettering. Can you walk us through some key steps for taking an idea to reality?
Stella: Research! Research! Research! I cannot stress this enough. That is the biggest step for me, and typically takes the longest when creating a new product. I know it’s not so fun and glamorous, but it will save you mass amounts of money and will help you deliver quality products to your customers = win-win. Having quality products will build trust with each customer and leave them satisfied or even better, coming back for more.
Shaochen: You’re a solopreneur as I understand, but that doesn’t mean that you’re on this journey alone. Who are some of the people that help you behind the scenes in your business?
Stella: Oh man, running a small business takes a whole village. Some of the people that help me most are my husband, mom, good friends, and business besties (if you don’t have one, find one!). My husband is very often behind the scenes making post office runs and is my sounding board for anything and everything. My mom is a corporate shark and gives me a large portion of my financial advice. Good friends and business besties are my support system; from bouncing new product designs to giving suggestions on customer experience and more. Finding a support system that is removed from the day to day of your business is incredibly beneficial to a solopreneur.
“My philosophy is just start. The good news is we live in a world where you can find quite literally anything on the internet, so figure it out as you go.”
Shaochen: A lot of aspiring entrepreneurs feel like they need to have a business degree or a certain amount of experience in order to start their business. What are your thoughts on that?
Stella: I’m so glad you asked this question, it’s one of my favorite topics to talk about. I often get asked where I got my business degree but truth be told, I’ve actually only done 4 months of college and it was for Interior Design before dropping out and starting this business at 20. I think a lot of entrepreneurs can relate to this, or have a degree in something totally unrelated to their business. My philosophy is just start. The good news is we live in a world where you can find quite literally anything on the internet, so figure it out as you go. Do you think I knew how to file taxes as an LLC when I was barely 20? Definitely not - but I pretended I had it all together and called upon the internet for free tax classes, consultations, etc. Just START. You’ll never know everything and you’ll never be perfect no matter how successful you are, so why not just go for it?
Shaochen: Love that! You have a lot going on between launching new product lines, running sales, even moving your business across the country multiple times! That can’t be easy. How do you stay organized and motivated?
Stella: I think I look a lot more organized than I am, and as far as motivation it’s more of a “if this doesn’t get done, I’ll be in real trouble later” mindset! However, I am an enneagram one so I thrive on productivity and schedules. For me, it’s all about the calendar and asking for help when I need it. That’s not something that comes easily for me, but for example behind the scenes of me driving across the country last November was actually my mom driving and me gearing up to launch an entire Christmas line in the passenger seat. It takes a village. I also just really LOVE what I do. This is truly my passion and it’s almost difficult for me to step away from it, so that definitely helps in getting me out of the bed each morning.
Shaochen: Ok last question - what’s one piece of advice you would give to yourself on day one of starting Arise?
Stella: Ooo this is a great one. So many things, but I think if I had to choose just one it would be to stay consistent.
“Consistency is what I have to work hardest on. I want immediate results, and that is not business - or good business anyway. I am just now bearing the fruit of trees I planted over a year ago.”
It takes time, but I truly believe consistency is the key to success.
Stella is based in San Diego, CA with her husband and pup Percy. You can connect with her on Instagram or check her out at arisecreativeco.com.
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