We were lucky to catch up with Adria Vey recently and have shared our conversation below.

Adria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

My business has changed so much in the last 4 years. It has evolved with trends and with me! I started out as a calligrapher – I originally thought I’d be working with brides, doing signage for events, and even making products with my hand-lettering on them. I did end up doing a lot of those things, but as time went on, I started creating more illustration-based products for my shop.

Once I got a die cutting machine in 2020, I made stickers, greeting cards, banners, mugs, and more with my artwork! I got a ton of supplies and played around with my new machine. I had a clear phone case at the time and decided to take some patterned paper from the craft store and cut it to fit inside my clear case, just for fun! I remember thinking how cute it was, but being disappointed that it wasn’t my own artwork – it was just some paper from the craft store. I ultimately decided to take some of my sticker designs and lay it out on my phone case insert template. It was around Halloween and my best friend thought it was my best idea yet when she saw what I had created. She really pushed me to release it in my shop (and I really wanted to!) but I knew it wasn’t ready.

To start, I only had a template made for my phone size. I knew people had all sorts of phones, so I would need to order clear cases in all sizes so I could accurately make the insert fit! I needed to streamline the process, make it more sturdy than just paper, and come up with some designs to start my launch with. I knew I had a great idea on my hands – customers could get multiple designs to switch between with just one clear case.

I decided to offer my inserts on their own, as a themed pack, or as a starter pack with a clear case. This way, customers could choose to use their own clear case if they already had one, or come back to buy more individually if they had already purchased a starter pack. I ran A TON of tests with different paper, die cut settings, print setups, and materials for my inserts. I developed 11 phone cases sizes and 15 insert designs to start with.

Just in Case launched in April 2021! It is still my best selling product and what I focus on within my shop. They are collectible, interchangeable, and I have also come out with a monthly subscription! Since my launch, I’ve expanded to over 30 case sizes and have illustrated over 100 designs over the years between my core line and holiday themed inserts!

Adria, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started Draft & Ink in 2019 offering calligraphy services. I had done some personal hand-lettering projects and a few signs for friends when I ultimately decided to turn it into a business. I mainly wanted to work on wedding and event signage, but also opened a shop with a few products that had my calligraphy on them as well. Six months after launching my business, I decided to quit my day job to run my business full time. Through the years I offered many services outside of calligraphy, teaching myself design and illustration as I went.

Funny enough, clients were asking me to create logos for me from the day I launched my business. I distinctly remember launching my business and getting messages from two people that day asking if I could do logos – I had no idea what I was doing but said yes because I knew I could figure it out.

Here we are 4 years later, I’ve pivoted to focus on graphic design and illustration! I love creating colorful designs for clients to bring their brand to life, whether it’s through visual branding, social media graphics, or murals! I take pride in my visual branding services and make sure to teach my clients how to get the most out of the elements I’ve created for them as they navigate their business.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I started selling on Etsy to get my products in front of people that may have never seen them otherwise! I think Etsy is a great place to start and I found pretty good success with the platform. It is especially great if you don’t have a lot of money up front to start your shop – it’s only $0.20 per listing.

That being said, if you are getting most of your sales from social media, the fees associated with marketplace platforms like Etsy can be avoided by selling on your own website. I haven’t found a huge difference since I switched over, and I still do get some sales from Etsy.

When I started selling my product on my own website this year, I had to upgrade my plan with the website host I use in order to have e-commerce offered, so I now pay both a yearly fee and transaction fees. Although the transaction fees are less than those on Etsy, I think having your products in multiple places is a great move overall.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

My best source of new clients is word of mouth! Social media definitely plays a part as well into getting a few key clients to start, but I often find that new clients are somehow connected to one of my past clients. This is such a great way to connect with people in general and I’m so grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve had from people spreading the word organically!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.draftandink.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draftandink/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@draftandink

Image Credits
Arielle Vey Let’s Frolic Together