If you’re a creative entrepreneur in the stationery space, we already have a few things in common: we love beautiful paper, we know the art of writing a note or letter is worth slowing down for, and we know there’s nothing better than writing daily tasks on a branded notepad.
We’re not the only ones. In fact, this year, the global stationery market will be bringing in $165.87 billion and is projected to hit $238.46 billion by 2032.1 That means that the stationery market is growing around the globe... and it’s not stopping anytime soon. As a creative entrepreneur, that’s great news! Not only does that mean there are fellow stationery lovers out there, but it also means that there’s room for your business to grow!
We hope you’re smiling from ear to ear because opportunity awaits! But if the thought of shipping one more order has you on the verge of burnout, keep reading. There’s a way to scale your business intentionally without burning out (and we can help)!
Define What "Growth" Means for You
One of the biggest reasons stationery brands burn out is that they begin scaling before they’re ready. So, if you want to scale with intentionality (without the burnout), you need to start by defining what growth means for your business.
Remember, growth doesn’t always mean bigger (and bigger isn’t always better). Growth can mean “better”, “simpler”, or “more profitable”. If you begin growing your business in size before you’re ready, you’ll be boarding the train to burnout city before you ever realize what happened. It’s much easier to begin by defining the growth process before you get too far down the road (and can’t keep up).
There are many ways to define growth, and only you know which is right for you. Here are a few growth goals to get you started:
What if you could bring in more revenue without spending more time doing it? When you think about time as a valuable resource, it changes the way you spend it. What gives you the most “buck” for the amount of time spent on the business?
Think about your most profitable products. In what ways can you expand that product? Are there seasonal products that do really well? If so, how can you expand those?
Nothing zaps a creative entrepreneur faster than admin work. If you’re spending all your time focused on keeping everything organized, there’s a better way. By implementing a few systems and automating any process you can, you’ll save time (and money!).
Now that you’ve defined what growth means to you, it’s time to define success.
Success isn’t always about the numbers; it’s also about how you feel about your business. If you see great profitability, but your health or personal life is taking a hit, that type of success may not be right for you in this season.
Imagine what it would feel like to be successful in your stationery business and your personal life.
Audit Your Current Workload & Workflow
Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. If your business is causing you stress, it’s time for an inventory. Knowing the answers to these questions will help you solve recurring problems and learn how to move forward as you scale your stationery business with confidence.
Are you seeing any patterns? If so, it might be time to delegate and automate! Don’t worry, we’re not just talking about hiring more employees; we’re talking about using the right tools and vendors. For instance, a project management system can help you track your orders and due dates. For many stationery businesses, shipping and packaging can take up a massive amount of time, leaving them little to focus on scaling and growing. That’s where we come in. Using a vendor like PrintsWell can save you tons of time and energy by:
Delegating and automating are the keys to scaling a business without burning out. We want to help your business by freeing you up to do the things that give you life and help you focus on what’s next. And for many business owners, shipping isn’t one of them!
At PrintsWell, we strive to be your long-term printing resource as you grow your stationery business. Stay tuned for Part 2 in this series on how you can establish sustainable growth that doesn't lead to burnout for you and your business.
Ready to work together? Let’s talk!