Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lindy Stark. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lindy, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

Starting a business is like trying to put together a puzzle- except you also are doing a scavenger hunt for the pieces. In this scenario, you think you know what the final picture looks like, but getting there is the hard part. When I first took the leap to launch my business, Lindy Stark Designs, full time, I had already been creating and selling some handmade home decor products on the side while I worked a corporate 9-5 design job. I was not long into the position before I knew it wasn’t a long term fit for me, but I didn’t know what was next. As I explored other career options, I kept coming back to the idea of trying my hand at entrepreneurship.

I tried to wrap my mind around what it would be like working for myself, balancing the creative and administrative sides of a business, and how it could work financially. Ultimately, the more I considered other options, such as different job opportunities, the more I knew I had to take the risk and jump into full-time business ownership. For the next few months, I spent nearly all of my personal time researching how to run a business, building a website, finding a local manufacturer, and designing new products. There were about three months between when I made the decision and when I was ready to leave my corporate position.

I think the most difficult thing about stepping off the beaten path and starting something new is that there’s no real guide for how to do it. There’s no “one” right or wrong way, and truly you don’t even know what you need to know about getting started. One step that ended up being key for me was listening to podcasts from other entrepreneurs and business owners retelling how they made their way. From these podcasts, I would hear them speak about things I hadn’t considered yet- like setting up sales tax, shipping providers, and what makes my brand different from others with similar product lineups.

On April 15, 2022 I officially launched Lindy Stark Designs, and now offer my Artisan Decor and Gifts through pop-ups, e-commerce, and in one storefront in North Carolina, where I live. It’s now been about 6 months, and I couldn’t be happier that I took that risk. I am still learning new things every week and constantly refining how I balance my time, but that’s part of the beauty of it. My biggest advice to anyone looking to start their own business is don’t wait until you have every little detail figured out. Ideas and processes are ever-evolving, and no amount of research and preparation can fully prepare you in the way that actually taking the first step towards your goals will. So, while you may not have an exact roadmap for running a successful business, you can be sure that as you find each new piece of the puzzle it will lead you to the next.

Lindy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved visual art. For me this passion started with drawing and painting, and eventually led me to pursue a creative career. When I first found the world of textiles in late high school, I fell in love with its tactile nature and the ability to combine both the creative and analytical sides of my thought process. I received my B.S. in Fashion and Textile Design from North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles. During my time as a student, I held many internships which exposed me to different facets of the industry, and allowed me to dive deeper into my love for designing home decor. After graduating, I continued to cultivate this passion in the corporate world of design and color. Before pursuing my namesake brand full time, my experience spanned from luxury home textiles, to trend and color forecasting, to apparel print design.
Now, as a full time Founder and Textile Artist at Lindy Stark Designs, I offer Artisan Home Decor and Gifts to people looking for quality and original pieces. All of my products are one of a kind or small batch. My current product lineup includes jacquard woven blankets, handmade wall tapestries, plant hangers, and other giftable accessories. With art at the center of my design process, I strive to use my designs to bring a smile to people’s faces and create joyful environments.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

At this stage in my business, my best source of new clients has come from attending pop-up markets. I live near Raleigh, NC, and I’m so thankful that this area has a thriving small-business scene. I attend pop-up markets in the area a few Saturday’s per month. Through these events I have been able to network with other business owners, reach new consumers, and grow my social media presence. Most of my commissioned pieces come from meeting people at these events. I even first connected with the storefront that sells my products at a pop-up event.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Starting from zero on social media can be really difficult, but I do have a few tips for how to grow an audience. First, when you set up your account make sure to have a really clear bio and consistent branding across all of your platforms. This includes things like a color palette and the core values of your brand. If your brand is representative of yourself, be authentic and let your personality come through. Second, don’t try to do it all at once. Social media is about consistency and commitment, and if you try to build every platform at the same time you will burn out. Personally, I have chosen to focus on Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube as my primary social media accounts. I do, of course, have other platforms set up as well, but do not focus my time and energy on them right now. I recommend choosing 2-3 platforms and work on building those first. Also, Pinterest may not be the obvious choice for a lot of people, but I would really recommend considering it. It takes a few months to see results, but pins have a much longer life than posts on Instagram, and even if you have a small following you can reach a large number of people.
Finally, don’t get too caught up in the numbers. It can be really discouraging to feel like you’re putting in so much effort and not seeing results. Try to take a step back and look at the big picture. Set small goals for yourself and celebrate when you reach them. I know that compared to other accounts 500, 1000, or even 10k followers may not seem like a lot, but if you were standing in a room with that many people who were interested in what you had to share, it would seem tremendous.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lindystark.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindystarkdesigns/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindystarkdesigns
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LindyStark
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lindystarkdesigns/