Snail Mail Superstar

The story of how I landed in my career is a bit of a millennial cliche. For that reason, I spent years hiding from my story. I wanted to be admired more than I wanted to be relatable. Through my life experiences since (struggles with anxiety, the pains of infertility, the loneliness of entrepreneurship, the grief of losing a dear friend, etc..), life has shown me again and again that sharing my story and using it to make real connections with flesh and blood people, while scary at first, is truly the good stuff in life. 

How it Started

I graduated from college in 2009 with a degree in graphic design and big plans for my future. The world I faced upon exiting campus had a different set of plans than the ones I’d laid out. That summer, I moved cross-country from Florida to Seattle with my fiance and bought a lot of IKEA furniture with a credit card. I worked odd jobs as a freelance designer, temp receptionist and retail shop girl and I did what I could do to make ends meet. 

I thought my big break had arrived when I received a full time, salaried position with an ad agency. Within the first month, I knew it couldn’t last. I was working long hours in a highly stressful environment with few lunch or dinner breaks. My mental health was cracking under the pressure. The final straw came in the form of the company’s CEO leaning over my shoulder to whisper in my ear, “Are you going to go home and kill yourself?” 

I was young, new to the working world and still figuring things out, but even I knew that work wasn’t supposed to be like that. My career optimism (after four years of studying a craft that I loved) had been snuffed out in a few short months. I quit my job, came home, and cried a river of tears. Then I stood up, dusted myself off, and moved forward.

During my time at that truly horrible job, I’d been taking evening classes in letterpress printing. I loved the way the craft of letterpress paired my graphic design skills with a beautiful, antique press and created a tangible object. Printing required use of my mind and creativity, but also my strength and physicality. I was hooked. 

Shortly after quitting my job, I wrote dozens of emails to letterpress printers in Seattle. I wasn’t looking for a job, per se, just an opportunity. I offered to sweep floors, organize messes, watch children and work for free as a designer⁠—anything to get me in the door and learning. I was fortunate to find someone who allowed me to haunt her garage print shop for a year. I learned how to print, order materials, maintain presses and work with clients. I worked full time and took it really seriously. I wasn’t getting paid, but I could clearly see that this was the path to a working life that worked for me. 

I considered that year my post-grad education. I couldn’t afford to go back to school, but this gap year of growth was possible. I was incredibly fortunate (and continue to be) to have married someone who supports me in every sense of the word. It was a gift and a privilege to have rent and food covered while I started my new career. I’ll never stop being grateful for that opportunity. 

When my apprenticeship year came to a close, I rented my first studio space, bought my first press and hung out my shingle. Constellation & Co. was officially founded in 2011, in a 100 square foot space that had previously been an amateur porn studio. It wasn’t fancy, but it was mine. Many years later, I can still put myself back in that room in my mind and it fills me with warmth. That space was a beacon of hope, shedding light back onto my career plans. 

I spent the first 5 years focusing on providing custom design and letterpress printing to wedding clients. On the side, I designed greeting cards and art prints that I sold at local markets and on Etsy. When I’d exhausted all the hours in a day and days in a week, I knew it was time to pivot and build a long term plan. In 2013, I attended a Paper Camp workshop put on by Proof to Product, and it filled my sails with knowledge and excitement enough to turn the ship toward selling wholesale. 

I debuted my card line at the National Stationery Show in the spring of 2014 in a shared booth with Ladies of Letterpress. In the fall of 2014, I moved my growing family of presses into a storefront space at the Seattle Fishermen’s Terminal and opened a brick & mortar stationery and gift shop. In January of 2015, my husband and I adopted our incredible son. In 2016, I exhibited at the National Stationery Show in my first solo booth and signed with a couple of great sales reps. 

Constellation & Co. grew a ton in a short period of time. Becoming a mother also meant I couldn’t do everything all by myself anymore, so I hired an incredible team of part-timers to assist me. Behind the scenes, I’d been grappling with many personal struggles, but I’d tried to keep them separate from the day to day running of a business. With my team by my side and the introduction of a therapist into my life, I began to write cards that reflected my real life experiences. The more vulnerable I allowed myself to be, the more people connected with my work. The more people I shared my story with, the more my business continued to grow. 

Getting People Excited About What I Sell

Words have power. When expressed, our stories have the capacity to reach people in the midst of their struggle and help them feel less alone. It took me nearly ten years to land on this simple truth, but it’s been a revolutionary discovery for me. Writing honest words to share a little bit of hope and make people feel seen and understood is the core strength that I bring to my company and the world. It’s the battle cry of purpose that propels me through life. 

In 2018, this core idea led me to do two disparate things: I started a YouTube channel and I wrote a book. I’ve never suffered from a shortage of words or an abundance of enthusiasm, and last year they both bubbled over into something bigger. On YouTube, I took on the persona of Snail Mail Superstar to preach the gospel of writing letters and inspire people to make connections through the written, addressed, stamped and sent word. I’ve loved snail mail since I was a little girl receiving cards in the mail from my Grandma Jean. 

Creating for YouTube has been like throwing open a door into something beloved and sacred for the whole world to observe. I can curate my Instagram feed and edit my written words, but in videos, I am a three-dimensional person, unapologetically myself. I’ve been known to cry on camera when reading a particularly kind letter. I bring the viewer into my world, and share experiences and people that are meaningful to me. 

I started designing greeting cards in the first place because seeing a blue mailbox on a street corner gives me heart eyes and makes me a little bit weak in the knees. I have loved snail mail with every fibre of my being for as long as I can remember. Somehow, after years of navigating a career and running a business, that passion and enthusiasm wasn’t coming through. Putting on the mantle of Snail Mail Superstar allowed me to refocus my priorities and share myself in a new kind of vulnerability. Sharing our hurts is difficult, but I think sharing our loves can be just as hard. Both are important and life-giving.

My Advice for You

I’ve reached the part of our adventure in which I impart upon you the best of my advice. I’ve been hesitant in the past about giving business counsel, given that: I went to art school instead of business school, couldn’t get a decent job out of college, have made nearly every mistake you can make in business and am still learning and growing every single day. The truth is, as artists, makers and small business owners, we don’t give ourselves enough credit for the hard fought wisdom we’ve gained. We all have a ton of knowledge and insight to share and we absolutely should be sharing it. It’s easy to miss the big lessons we’ve learned until we’re forced to articulate them. With that in mind, here’s the highlight reel of what I’ve learned. 

Write. Write every day, and not just for marketing, your blog or an Instagram caption. Write your messy, in-progress thoughts and feelings. Write them somewhere safe, and don’t share them until you’re ready. Never sharing them is okay, too. Writing is an incredible tool to hone in on knowing yourself, your goals, and what you’re learning in whatever successes or struggles you’re experiencing. Occasionally revisit the things you wrote and you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come and how much insight you have, even if it didn’t feel like it at the time.

Pay attention to the things that excite you. Harness those things. Share them. Follow their lead. Don’t drop the business you’ve got to chase down some new whim, but weave the objects of your enthusiasm into your business. Work hard at your craft, but work just as hard to be a well-rounded person with interests and passions. Three dimensional people run vibrant businesses and make inspiring products. Consistently pursue growth as a person, and your business will grow with you.

Know your story, articulate your story and share your story. In today’s world, there is no end to the makers and sellers and side hustlers and business stories. Don’t be a business story, share your actual, human story. My best customers stick with me because they know me and connect with my story. No matter how digital our society may get, people will always connect with other flesh and blood people. Be messy, be a work-in-progress, be you. You’re irreplaceable. If it’s daunting to share, start small. I’m happy to be a sounding board for your first drafts. Direct message me on Instagram @constellationco. I believe in you and I can’t wait to hear your stories!

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