Episode 10 | An Artfully Built Business with Joelle Hoverson, Artist and Founder of Purl Soho

In this episode, we sit down with Joelle Hoverson, founder of Purl Soho, to talk about how her background as a painter led her to build one of the most beloved knitting and craft brands in the country. Joelle shares how she went from studying painting at the San Francisco Art Institute and earning her MFA at Yale to freelancing for Martha Stewart Living, where a new passion for knitting took root. We discuss how, in 2002, she opened a small yarn shop in SoHo with no formal business training—teaching herself everything from supply sourcing to financial planning, with the help of books, trial and error, and guidance from her father. Joelle talks about the early days of building the business, the launch of their popular blog The Purl Bee, and how a tiny storefront became a thriving ecommerce brand. We also explore how teaching, community, and her daily painting practice continue to shape her creative and entrepreneurial life.For more about Joelle visit us at www.alifecreativepod.comFollow us on Instagram at @alifecreative