309 | Business Contentment Over Business Growth with Brigida Swanson, Yardia
Choosing business contentment over business growth can be a great reminder to all of us that there are seasons in business, and sometimes what we have is all that we really need or want.
On this episode, we have Brigida Swanson of Yardia, which is a nature-inspired gift and stationery company.
Bridiga shares the journey of starting her business, while still pursuing her teaching career. She dives into what it was like venturing into wholesale, how she has experienced rapid growth, and describes what happened after deciding to leave social media.
She shares some of her incredible wins with us and also discusses how, despite her business's expansion, she began questioning the need for more, realizing that she already had enough and desired a simpler more content life.
Consequently, Brigida made intentional shifts in her business and personal life to align with her desire and found that true fulfillment came from what brings happiness.
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From Hobby to Wholesale
Like many other entrepreneurs who start a hobby that soon turns into a business, Brigida's journey into entrepreneurship began when she started creating her family's Christmas cards in first grade.
In 2008, she discovered Etsy and decided to open an Etsy shop called Yardia while working as an art teacher.
Initially, she focused on selling on Etsy and participating in local craft shows. However, in 2016, Brigida ventured into wholesale, and her business started to expand rapidly. By the time her first major trade show arrived in February 2020, she had built a strong foundation for her business and was ready to exhibit.
Trade Show Success
As Brigida attended various trade shows, she learned the importance of choosing events that align with her target audience.
*Noted, held in San Francisco, was particularly favorable for Yardia due to the West Coast location and the immediate understanding of her nature-inspired products by buyers.
At the most recent *Noted show, Brigida achieved remarkable success, with her booth paying for itself through orders made on the floor.
Additionally, 80% of her orders came from new accounts, surpassing her expectations.
Follow Up After Trade Shows
Trade shows offer a unique opportunity for makers and brands to connect with buyers face-to-face.
For Brigida, this personal interaction was invaluable, allowing her to strengthen relationships with her current buyers and meet new prospects.
Brigida emphasized the benefits of telling her brand story and showcasing her products in person to the buyers at the show.
After the trade show, Brigida implemented a systematic follow-up process to nurture the connections she made on the floor. Her approach involved creating a comprehensive list of contacts and sending personalized follow-up emails within a few weeks.
If you are a LABS member, be sure to check out our templates for the wholesale follow up emails!
This process allowed her to express her gratitude, provide any additional information requested, and continue building relationships.
By maintaining regular email communication, Brigida ensured that Yardia stayed top of mind for potential buyers who may not have placed an order immediately.
Taking Breaks from Social Media
Recently inside of LABS, Brigida mentioned that she took a break from social media for a period due to burnout and the need to focus on other aspects of her business.
In our conversation she went into more detail on the reason behind her break from social media and the importance of self-care. She talked about recognizing when it's necessary to step back to avoid overwhelm and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Taking breaks from social media can provide valuable time and mental space to strategize and prioritize essential business tasks, leading to increased productivity and clarity.
Business Contentment vs. Business Growth
Brigida shared her perspective on business contentment versus business growth, emphasizing that it's crucial to find the right balance.
While Yardia experienced substantial growth, Brigida recognized the value of staying true to her vision and not succumbing to external pressures or comparing herself to other businesses.
She highlighted the significance of finding contentment in relationships, creativity, and the overall business journey while still pursuing growth opportunities aligned with her values.
Check out a past episode of Proof to Product on Knowing Your Enough with Kelly Higdon.
Hiring the Right Team Members
With business growth comes the pressure to hire new team members. Brigida acknowledged the positive impact of hiring employees to support the growth of Yardia. However, she realized that hiring isn’t always the best choice.
In fact, for Brigida, she found that hiring someone to come in and help her fulfill orders actually took away from one of her goals with her business- freedom in the time in which she was working. Knowing someone was coming to her house at a certain time prevented her from the flexibility she wanted when starting her business in the first place.
Instead, she shifted her strategy to outsource more team members that can do work remotely, like:
Print on demand for more difficult to package items
An accountant
Focusing on Contentment in Business
Brigida Swanson's journey with Yardia serves as an inspiring example of business growth and success in the stationery and gift industry.
Her experience highlights the importance of participating in the right trade shows, cultivating relationships with buyers, and implementing effective follow-up strategies.
As Yardia continues to thrive, Brigida's story offers practical lessons and inspiration for other creative entrepreneurs looking to make an impact in their respective industries.
Quick Links
Here is a quick recap of links to other helpful blogs and podcasts shared in this post.
113 | Why you can’t rely solely on social media for sales with Nicole Walters, The Monetized Life
104 | Turning a Hobby Business Into a Thriving Retail Shop with Audrey Woollen, Urbanic
083 | Exhibiting at craft shows with Danni Hong, oh hello friend
293 | Turn Trade Show Leads into New Customers with Katie Hunt
Join us in LABS to get access to Wholesale Email Templates + 60 other templates and swipe files
196 | When should you outsource social media with Andréa Jones, OnlineDrea
126 | Knowing Your Enough with Kelly Higdon of Calibrate Your Year
205 | Three Positions to Hire For In Your Product Business with Katie Hunt
141 | Bookkeeping Strategies with Greg Higdon, Grow the Books
Episode 126: Knowing you’re enough with Kelly Higdon of Calibrate Your Year
If you have ever wanted to pick my brain, or get my eyes and ears on your business, Proof to Product LABS is the place to do it. We cover many of the strategies Brigida talked about in her episode & you can get access to those same trainings!
We have monthly group coaching calls and a wide range of On Demand training specifically for product-based business owners. We open up the doors a few times a year so be sure to sign up to learn more!
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meet Brigida
Brigida Swanson is a multiracial CHamoru watercolor artist from Seattle, and the one woman show behind her company, Yardia. She creates watercolor-driven and Pacific Northwest-inspired art, stationery and home goods that help folks to express their intersectional identities and love the place they live.
CONNECT WITH BRIGIDA
WEBSITE: yardia.co/| INSTAGRAM: @yardia | TIKTOK: @yardia.co
Connect with Katie Hunt
Katie Hunt is a business strategist, podcaster, mentor and mama to four. She helps product based businesses build profitable, sustainable companies through her conferences, courses and coaching programs.
Website: prooftoproduct.com | Instagram: @prooftoproduct
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