A Leap of Faith: My Greeting Card Start-Up Business

I had always dreamed of working in fashion ever since I was a teenager. So when I got a job as a model agent, it was a dream come true. After years of watching models traipsing down the runway on TV, I finally was in the thick of it. Backstage at fashion shows, wheeling and dealing, choosing photos, and scouting models was a thrill. Initially.

By chance, a vacation I had planned got canceled, so I had two weeks free with nothing to do. It was at this time I rediscovered my love of writing. Soon I began to pitch editors. My first byline was for Cosmopolitan.

After writing for a few years, I was inspired to start my own greeting card company when a boyfriend dumped me via sticky note. At first, I didn’t think it would be anything more than a side hustle. But within six months of starting on Etsy, I was selling in stores and had a feature (coincidentally) in Cosmopolitan.

Getting Up the Nerve to Launch a Start-Up Business

Between my 9-to-5 job and my business, I was exhausted. When a model snapped at me for no reason, I knew it was time to quit. Those first few months were terrifying as I tried to assure myself that I could pay the bills, my health insurance, and save for my future all by myself.

Fast-forward and my company, Crimson and Clover Studio, is now sold worldwide, including at retailers like Paper Source, Nordstrom, and Urban Outfitters. Additionally, I am a published writer with credits including in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Marie Claire, Allure, and more.

Was it scary? Yes. But as the saying goes, without risk there is no reward.