We were lucky to catch up with Danielle Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Danielle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
When I first started my own business I didn’t have a cohesive plan. I stumbled onto making coasters and was ecstatic they began selling right away. The feeling of having a product that sold consistently was energizing. It fueled me to keep my head down and work long days and late nights. But as the years went by and the highs and lows naturally happened, I found the excitement wasn’t there and it often became just ‘work’. Work that kept me up late, didn’t pay all that great and kept me constantly bouncing back and forth between my three children and the next order. But I kept showing up. I believe to be successful you have to develop long term stamina that is strong enough to carry you through disappointments, failures and tough years. Even when the sales aren’t where they should be and your goals feel more like deadlines, you still show up. You have to have the foresight to work hard towards both big and small goals, such as managing POs from a national retailer while continually driving small retail sales to your website. Success isn’t linear and learning that felt like a mountain. It comes in different forms, when you least expect it and when you aren’t ready for it.
Having a product that sells is only part of being successful. You have to keep up with demand while maintaining high quality. I worked alone night after night, year after year until I got to the point where I truly needed to hire people to help me keep up. Along with that, my husband, Austin, became the other half of this business. He was able to streamline my processes so that we were able to successfully develop and produce at wholesale capacities and thrive through growth.
To become, and continue to be, successful is putting on all sorts of hats you were never prepared to wear, many that feel scary and require you to do things you aren’t good at. It requires a confidence you don’t have, a willingness to fail and a vulnerability to learn skills you’re sure you should already have. Being my own boss for the last 13 years has given me countless opportunities to learn the valuable skills that got me where I am today and I know there is so much more ahead of me.
Danielle, 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?
I have been artistic my whole life. I dabbled in this and that, but I hadn’t landed on anything that stuck. I spent years wishing I had my own Etsy shop. One morning in 2012, I went to work and was unexpectedly laid off from my desk job as a result of new ownership. I was 28 and I had no idea what I was going to do. I walked out of work for the last time and drove to the craft store. I wondered around the aisles, unsure of what I was even doing there, but convinced I needed to figure out what I was going to sell on Etsy. I started Cheers Ink at my kitchen table while looking for a new job. Soon enough, I created my first set of coasters by combining slate with the wine corks I had been saving since my bartending years. This product quickly launched my hope into into a small, thriving business. I began using ink to design personalized coasters and table numbers. From there, my product line kept growing. I began selling my products all over the country. In 2016, my wine cork coasters were picked up, completely out of the blue, by a national retailer. My husband and I had to make fast, smart changes in order to stay successful as demands suddenly grew.
We now specialize in drink coasters, ornaments, cheese boards and glassware. Our coasters are made from natural slate and marble. We have diligently sourced our slate from the USA. We stamp our designs onto the stone with hand-mixed, permanent ink. We have a water jet and a laser which gives us the ability to create extremely custom products. We have been selling officially licensed collegiate products for eight years and each year has brought more success. Everything, from design to production, is done in-house.
Our custom shaped ornaments are something we are so proud of. The journey to creating these has been an enormous feat. From the initial idea, to design, to sourcing the production out and then finally buying our own water jet to cut products for ourselves has been a wild ride that has led to so much pride and success. We are also extremely proud to be licensed with Iowa State University. It’s where Austin and I met and started building our dreams together.
When you buy our products, you are buying something we make with our hands, in the shop in our home, with our kids usually circling around or helping us. To be able to create in this environment, though crazy at times, is what makes it all so special. Over the years, we have grown more than I could have imagined. Our youngest starts kindergarten next year, a milestone for a lot of reasons, and one that comes with so many different emotions. It will be the first time since becoming a mom that I will be able to devote my days to Cheers Ink. To say I am excited, sad, terrified and ready is a complete understatement. We’re ready for the next stage of Cheers Ink!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
I would say one of the most important things at Cheers Ink is the local mindset: Local Everything. It’s what we push every day. It’s not only what we are asking from a huge portion of our customers and wholesalers, but it is what is important to us in our personal life as well. We are huge advocates of our community: our local businesses, breweries and collaborating with other small businesses. During the pandemic, I launched a campaign called Keep Iowa Drinking. Every week I would give away a gift card to a local brewery, because it was a way I felt I could help my community and it aligned perfectly with my brand. We are vendors at the weekly Downtown Des Moines’ Farmers’ Market every summer and it’s our favorite thing to do. Because of all of this, we have a very strong presence and incredible relationships in not only Des Moines, but all of Iowa. So my advice would be to form relationships that last. Form relationships with people and businesses that you can learn from, collaborate with, benefit from or just enjoy and believe in. Shout out your support, connections and your cheerleaders on social media. Our relationships, along with a solid product, are why we continue to be successful. Lean on people who have a connections, don’t be afraid to send samples out and always introduce yourself to a business you’re impressed with. Be prepared to hear no. Learn from it and do it again!
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
We started on Etsy and had great, initial success, but as the years went by and Etsy changed, we pivoted our focus to our own website. We sell on Faire which has given us an opportunity to be seen and sell to shops all around the country. Our local farmers’ market has been invaluable to introducing us to our local community. All in all, having many different avenues and opportunities to reach multiple audiences is what continues to help us reach new clients. Be present on social media. Not in the picture perfect way, but the day to day grind. Show your workspace and what goes into making your product. You will end up connecting with like-minded creatives and people who are genuinely interested in what you do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cheersink.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheers.ink
- Facebook: @shopcheersink
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleluisejohnson
- Twitter: @shopcheersink
Image Credits
Danielle Johnson