We were lucky to catch up with Courtney Banceu recently and have shared our conversation below.

Courtney, appreciate you joining us today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

Thank you so much for having me.  It was the week my website went live. I was going out to dinner with friends and a new email came through on my phone. It was formatted differently than a standard email and I realized it was my first inquiry to come through on my intake form from my website. I asked my friends at dinner, “do you think this is real?” I was so surprised that the hard work, effort and algorithm had worked. Allowing me to get my first paying client!

I was excited and very nervous. Do I respond right away?  Do I respond during business hours?  All good questions, I still consider as a solo-prenuer.  At the time, I was marketing myself as a calligrapher and this gentleman wanted an authentic looking Lord of the Rings scroll, made for his daughter-in-law. Of course, I had never worked on anything like that before.  So, it really allowed me to push my creativity.  What a great way to start!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Of course, I am Courtney Banceu. Owner and designer of Courting Design.  Which is a wedding signage and stationery business based out of Vancouver, WA.

A few years ago, I was helping plan an elaborate birthday party. I made a few chalkboards to help decorate and instantly fell in love with the process. I enjoyed doing it so much, I started looking for excuses to make more signs. Signs turned into gifts, which turned into referrals and pretty soon I was ready to start pushing my hobby into an actual business.

I quickly learned that just transfering art I had designed onto signage was limiting. So I started pursuing the art of calligraphy. Teaching myself the strokes and tools needed to create the styles I loved so well. That opened up a whole new branch of offerings for my customers. I could now design custom looks, using my own unique style. I could hand-address envelopes for weddings and special events. And most exciting for me, I could create and install artwork murals on large-scale business windows, mirrors and chalkboard walls.

This past year, I was struck again by the limitations of my skills and decided to devote myself to learning stationery design. I am so excited about this latest offering, as I feel it allows me to fully serve my clients. From the first visual that their guests will see in the wedding invitations. To the last items of the special day.  Including place cards, wedding signage and guest gifts. I am in the fortunate position of helping couples design a cohesive and unique look for their special day. Communicating clearly to their guests and creating many beautiful heirloom elements.

Courting Design is now solely focused on curating special, personal details for each couple. Using best practices for elevated touches as well as reducing waste when possible. My goals are to help design memorable details for your day that are reflective of your love story.

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

Living in the digital age comes with a lot of pros and cons. Although I have some reservations about social media, I cannot deny it has been the number one driver of my business.

I wholeheartedly agree with not putting all of your eggs in one basket. It is important to have a clear and up-to-date website, to be connected to your local business community, and have solid SEO that allows customers to find you. Social media (specifically Instagram), however, is where most of my networking and marketing takes place.

I find most creatives in the wedding industry still use Instagram as their main space for connection. It is so easy to tag other businesses on collaborative projects. It is still a mainly visual platform which lends itself so well to visual services. And with the addition of stories, it’s easy to communicate to potential clients without the pressure of it living forever on a blog. You can easily share behind-the-scenes looks into your creative process, upcoming offerings and favorite collaborators.

I first started gaining traction on Instagram when a wedding planner in my area sent me a DM. She asked if I would be interested in participating in a styled shoot. By creating new items for this styled, pretend wedding, I was able to again push myself creatively. And the professional photographs from that event really elevated my feed. I also met other business owners in the area that participated in the shoot. Which have led to years long friendships.

Once you’ve made some connections online, continuing to support, comment, share and tag other vendors has been the linchpin to any growth I’ve had. Recognizing that community over competition, not only is a beautiful way to run a business, it is a mutually beneficial business model. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my fellow vendors and their support.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

There are many incredible resources out there for wedding stationers and sign makers. There are classes, summits, online seminars and courses. I have invested in some and would highly recommend them depending on where you are in your creative journey. However, the two most helpful resources I have found have been free Facebook groups for creatives. Peers who are doing the same creative work I am, who are willing to share their expertise.

Classes are wonderful, but require time. And they also rely on you being able to retain a large amount of information for when it “may” come up in the future. The Facebook groups, instead, rely on real questions in real time. So, if my card stock supplier is out of a certain color, I can ask the group what other options I have. Or if I have a client who is inquiring about a printing process I am not familiar with, I can put it to the group for advice.

Finding peers who are willing to share their experience has been a game changer. That could be like a “Rising Tide” community or local club in your area. For me, that has been “Stationery Squad” and “The Happy Ever Crafters” on Facebook.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.courtingdesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courting_design/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CourtingDesign
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/courting-calligraphy-vancouver

Image Credits
Lin Deng Photography Sarah Crouter Photography Joni Loraine Photography Meagan Gibson Photography Hannah Turner Photo Lauren Miles Photo Michelle Allan Photo