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

Allison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about how you got your first non-friend, non-family client. Paint the picture for us so we can feel the same excitement you felt on that day.

My first official client was Alexa. She was a friend of a friend who loved my business idea and shared it with her friends! I remember sending Alexa the proposal and being so nervous that she wouldn’t want to work with me because my pricing was “too high,” but she said yes to a custom wedding stationery package and I had my first client! I was thrilled! She gave me the confidence to own my pricing and build in enough margin to make a profit. This was a catalyst to the business I have now where I’m charging 3x and 4x that “too high” amount from my first client.

And while my style has evolved from bouncy fonts and big floral graphics used on Alexa’s invitations, those first invitations will always hold a special place in my heart.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Kindly Delivered is a full service wedding stationery and signage small business. I got into the wedding industry shortly after I created my own wedding invitations for my wedding in 2017. As a former interior designer, I understood texture and color theory as well as pattern and overall design aesthetic, so the transition was pretty seamless.

I fell in love with the design process, the papers and materials and the details that make wedding stationery so special. I did a lot of research for starting a wedding stationery business and put myself out there to family and friends!

From there the business evolved into a place where clients would come to find classic, timeless invitations. I have a passion for providing a fun experience that isn’t stressful. I create custom timelines to keep us on track. I create mock-ups along the way so they can visualize what they will be getting. I provide wording and etiquette advice at every step and make sure nothing is misspelled or forgotten on their invitations by providing detailed check-off forms.

Since I am a full service stationery designer, the sky’s the limit for design ideas. We can do everything from letterpress and gold foil to silk ribbon and wax seal closures, and so much more. If you can dream it, we can make it happen! For services, I offer save the dates, wedding invitation packages and wedding day packages, as well as semi-custom designs if you are a on a tighter timeframe or budget.

When someone works with Kindly Delivered you get not only a full service designer, you get a wedding vendor who is a partner in making the big picture come to life for your wedding. It’s important to me that my clients’ weddings are exactly what they have envisioned and I’m honored I can have a part in that.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I quit my full time job in May of 2020. Not because I was making a full time salary yet, but because I was mentally exhausted from my demanding interior design job and had to make a change. Timing was not ideal for weddings, but I had to pivot from from a full time job that was taking everything out of me, even at a time when things felt uncertain, and take care of myself instead.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Working with wedding planners has been the biggest and best source of getting new clients for my business. I consistently work with a handful of amazing wedding planners who know my work and trust me to take care of their clients well. I also have started an email newsletter just for wedding planners with resources they can share with their clients, things I’m loving, trends and more to further serve the wedding planner community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kindlydelivered.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindlydelivered/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindlydelivered/

Image Credits
Bri Cibene Off Path Photography Abby Bates Photograpy