194 Just Pick a Thing with Writer, Illustrator, Feelings Translator Emily McDowell

Meet Emily McDowell, writer, illustrator aka feelings translator. In 2012 Emily started making cards because she saw a hole in the stationery market. She couldn't find any cards that reflected her reality: one that included messy relationships, dysfunctional families and her personal experience going through cancer and getting your traditional "get well" card which lead to her create her "viral hit" line of Empathy Cards, and follow up book "There is No Good Card for This". In Emily's words, "I am the person who was crazy enough to start a company with $5K and an 11th grade math skill level" If you've wondered how an Illustrator could grow a single card line into a company that is carried by over 2,000 retailers, in this conversation Emily takes you through each step of building her business from the very beginning. An episode filled with hard-earned knowledge and guidance, Emily shares invaluable wisdom gained through the rewarding but also very real truths of what it takes to grow a successful stationery business. Since the recording of this episode, near burnout, Emily chose to make some big shifts both personally and professionally, leading to profound transformations that she now also shares on more personal @emilyonlife account on Instagram. Find all things Emily McDowell at EmilyMcDowell.com and on Instagram @emilymcdowell_ @emilyonlife Watch Season 2 and this episode on our YouTube channel YouTube.com/creativethursday   You can find all things Marisa and Creative Thursday creativethursday.com creativethursdaycourses.com and on instagram and facebook @creativethursday