Wright-Moore Photography Artist Spotlight Interview
Lesley Fields of ‘You’re That Girl Designs’
Interview and Portraits
by: Jessica Wright-Moore
J: Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? Where did you graduate? What is your current job title?
L: I grew up in a suburb of New Orleans. We then moved to Winston Salem and my mom took a job at Wake Forest University here in Winston. I moved to Wilmington, NC to attended UNCW for school and double majored in Creative Writing and Film Studies. I am currently living in Winston-Salem. I consider myself a business owner, but I like the title of “designer” more. I enjoy running a business, but I feel the design part is more what I am about. I am a creative, colorful, “how does it look?” kind of person.
J: What do you love most about your job?
L: I like being able to be creative everyday. I also like the freedom of being able to do what I need to do when I need to do it. I sometimes find myself overworking because I feel guilty from all the ‘free’ time I have. I also love to be involved in important parts of people’s lives, like their weddings or other big events. One of my favorite most recent items was a “We’re Pregnant” ornament that was given to the family as a surprise announcement. That was one of those moments were I realized that I was a part of a major announcement in someone’s life. I had made something that they would hold on to for life and it held a special memory for them.
J: What lead you to this point in your career? Did you have an “A-ha!” moment?
L: My mom was always instilled a “Don’t buy that, we can make it” mentality. It’s actually one of our jokes. We used to go places and say “Oh wow, that’s cute, but we could do that!” So, I was at a bridal shower one day and saw an awesome sign and thought, “Hmm, I could do that!” People have always told me I had great handwriting and should make signs, but since it is kind of a “What do you mean make signs?” strange concept, I finally had the moment where I understood how it was all coming together. I have always been an entrepreneur at heart but also very creative by doodling, drawing, playing with color. It just made sense to combine the two!
J: What is the hardest part about your field of work?
L: Communication. Definitely. Most of the time, someone has an idea of what they want, but have a hard time translating what they want to me. What is also hard is the timing issue. Everything I do is custom. The graphics part is easy to have a quick turn around, but everything that is done by hand takes time. I am a perfectionist, so I want everything to be just right. I want my customer to be happy with the final product, and when you live in a time where people expect things quickly, it is hard to explain the slower turn around time. I just hope people understand that custom art takes time.
J: What is something new that you are offering to your clients that you are excited about?
L: I have to say I am very excited about my new stamps! I have been using little flourishes, borders, and fonts to create home address stamps that are fun and personal. They make addressing save the dates, wedding invitations, thank you cards, holiday cards, etc. easier and fun at the same time! I want to add that whimsical element to it where people think “Looking at that makes me happy.” I just started to do a mason jar one that I really love.
J: Where do you find the most inspiration?
L: Wow, this a good question, and I always have a hard time answering it. Hmm, I would say seeing things in other capacities, maybe something that I see that makes me feel happy! Shapes, children’s illustrations, doodles, anything that has a simple look to it that would help me get the point across really brings me in.
J: What is your favorite aspect about Etsy?
L:I love that it gives you a reason to stick to your own way. It gives you a venue for your craft, and it actually brings people to you! If I stuck things in a store, they would only be able to keep a certain amount of volume. With Etsy, customers search for something, and they find it. It takes out the “how am I going to find a rental space, a credit card machine, website, etc?” Instead, it is all right there for you. I want my website to actually be more informational than the work part. Etsy does that part for me.
J: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? Most terrifying?
L: Most rewarding would definitely have to be the feedback I get from a client. Having someone contact you just to say “We loved it!” or “They were a hit!”. Anything where someone has gone above and beyond to tell you how your product impacted him or her. They took time out of their day to tell you that! Because I know, whenever I love something, I take the time to tell people. Even just to hear “You were a great communicator”, etc, it is something that I do anyway, but it is so great to hear people appreciate that part of how I do business. Terrifying, I would say having a client not be happy. I always want people to be happy, to walk away happy! But more than that I would think growing. How am I going to grow? Maybe not necessarily new products, because for me that is easy, but do I want to open a physical shop one day? Do I want to move my location? What’s the next step? Figuring out how to take it to the next level, where I will be fulfilled. Setting goals, little ones and big ones!
J: What steps does a day of crafting involve? What do you have to do?
L: I cannot even lie. I wake up at 11 am. I make coffee, and I check emails and respond to people. I see if I sold anything, see if I need to relist anything. I am almost embarrassed to say I wake up at 11am, but the thing is I go to bed at 3 am! Everything I do is down in my basement, so a lot of the time its “Alright, time to brave the cold basement and get to work!” That is where I work. I have a system set up, especially after the holidays. I had so much going on! Every piece had something that needed to be done to it. I tackle that then I go back upstairs and respond to more emails, design graphics, place orders for stamps or for print, or whatever needs to be done.
J: What do you like to do with your time when you are not making wonderful things?
L: I love spending time with my friends, having some wine, catching up. I love to shop as well. I am often out with my mom, shopping for new ideas, new craft. I am obsessed with reality tv. Whenever, I am done with work, I think “Hmm, wonder what’s on my DVR!”
J: What advice can you give someone that wants to break free and start a new business?
L: Even if you are not ready to take the full time leap, there are ways to do it on the side, in your spare time and still have your job that pays the bills. I had nerves about risk taking; my mom is the same way, so I guess that rubbed off on me. So this was a way that I could start somewhere. I could start my Etsy site, I could paint in my off time. Everyone thinks you have to quit your ‘bill paying job’ to do what you love. All I had to do was paint on my off time. I spent $60 on paint and supplies, started my Etsy and I was off! The hardest part for me was feeling inspired and feeling like I could do it! It was kind of like when you first start dating someone and you catch yourself daydreaming about that person. That is how my business was, I found myself wishing I were at home painting instead of doing what I was doing. I was wishing so hard for it to succeed! Now I can look back and see where I was before and think all I can do now is keep succeeding!
J: Where do you see yourself in the next 3 years?
L : I would love to do Wedding Design. I love everything DIY. I would love to help people accomplish personal, and creative design in their weddings!
J: How can your customers get in touch with you?
L: http://www.facebook.com/yourethatgirldesigns
http://www.twitter.com/ytgdesigns
http://www.weddingwire.com/yourethatgirldesigns
http://www.etsy.com/people/yourethatgirldesigns
http://pinterest.com/yourethatgirl/
Special Thanks to contributing photographers:
1201 Photography
Elizabeth Pence Photography
See her work on Style Me Pretty
