Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christina Layton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Christina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?
My parents are my heroes. They came to this country as immigrants and started a whole new life in their twenties. They learned the language and culture and my father started his own business. In some ways, I’ve always had an entrepreneurial eye. No matter what I wanted to do, they supported me so fully. Naturally, when I wanted to start LaytonLife Creations, they were 100% on board and ready to help in any way. Without their motivation, support, guidance and example, I would never have had the courage to start my own business.
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 background and context?
It’s hard to tell people that you make art with paper flowers, because it’s such a specific niche.
My family bought me a Cricut for my birthday last year and I loved learning new ways I could use it. I decided to make my sister a flower bouquet for her birthday earlier this year. As soon as I rolled my first flower, I was hooked! I kept rolling and creating and designing and now I’ve had my business for 8 months. The flower bouquet has turned out to be my best seller. I also offer shadow boxes and mini boards that are perfect for gift baskets. I love what I do because I am able to custom design and personalize every single product. I have over 75 colors to choose from! I can create pieces for any occasion, any holiday and for any age. Something that sets me apart from others is the fact that I do not charge extra for customizations and I always send mock-ups to ensure that I’m making exactly what my customer is asking for.
My newest feature is my 6ft by 6ft paper flower backdrop. I couldn’t decide which color scheme to go with for my first one, so I went with all of the colors! My hope is to rent these out for special occasions. I can’t wait to make more of them.
If you work with me, you’ll receive my undivided attention and care for every single piece I create. My customers always end up coming back for more, and that is the biggest compliment and what I take the most pride in.
Have you ever had to pivot?
If you were to view my resume, you would say it was very eclectic! I have a Marketing degree and in my mid twenties, I decided to go back to school to become a Dentist. I got my Biology degree, worked as a pediatric dental assistant and applied to Dental schools twice. Obviously I didn’t get in, so after that, I was in the Finance industry with my Series 7, 66, 9 and 10. After taking a break to raise my two kids, I lost my licenses and moved on to the next chapter. My whole life had has been one big pivot and it truly makes me who I am today!
How did you build your audience on social media?
I have been working to build my social media audience since I began my business. Something I’ve learned that helps a lot on Facebook is good old-fashioned networking. Any time I meet new people, my page grows! For Instagram, I would recommend reels. That it is where I get my new followers. For either one, consistency is important. And hashtags!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laytonlifecreations.com
- Instagram: Laytonlifecreations
- Facebook: LaytonLife Creations
- Linkedin: Christina Layton
Image Credits
Christina Layton, Clint Layton