We were lucky to catch up with Erica Howard recently and have shared our conversation below.

Erica, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I absolutely LOVE my “job”! I get to work with the best clients, many of whom I now consider friends! I love having the creative freedom to design & print. But with both comes challenges that can keep me up at night. My brain never turns off! It’s up to me to create stationery/invitation designs for clients and THEN execute (bring them to life!) to perfection. That means a lot of pressure on myself. On top of the fact that I’m the world’s biggest procrastinator; I always feel imposter syndrome when designing. What if I’m not good enough? How am I working with this amazing client? What if I let them down? How do I have so many jobs going at the same time? What if I can’t meet the deadlines? And then the thoughts of a “regular” job start bubbling up. How much easier it would be if someone else told me exactly what to be doing with my time, etc. Those thoughts are quickly squashed when I start pressing though! There is just nothing better than creating artwork with my hands.

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.

I am an artisan letterpress printer & designer. I’ve always loved paper/stationery. My husband and I purchased my first letterpress back in 2016 – and I had no idea how to use it! I am completely self-taught; with some help from online classes available from other amazing printers currently in the industry. I press on a Golding Pearl letterpress, circa 1909.

I provide letterpress printing for other small businesses & I design/print wedding invitations and personal stationery. I help with the design from start to finish, involving my clients as much as possible to bring their vision to life. Almost every project I press is unique to the client’s wishes. I like to test my limits by challenging myself on personal projects to use lots of color, including ombre printing techniques. I am most proud of how much I’ve grown over the last several years in my ability to press tight registration and more intricate designs, especially on a platen press.

As a Christian small business owner, I have the ability to choose projects/clients that align with my brand; I want to honor God in all the types of artwork He has enabled me to create.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I have found that treating your current clients like GOLD will always reap many more clients in time. I want each client that I work with to know they are a priority and important. Of course, followed up by good work! Many of my clients are repeat clients many times over, and several have even become friends. Word of mouth has been my biggest advertisement.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My audience on social media isn’t huge! But I’ve never been worried about the numbers. I have slowly grown my followers over the years, and my followers are my biggest fans! I always acknowledge people’s praise & appreciate the love. As a small business owner, it’s hard to keep up with it all! I communicate project updates/behind the scenes through Instagram stories, but my actual posting my be few and far between. As with events/weddings – you can’t share the final piece until way later, typically AFTER an event – and by then I’m on to another project, ha. I’m always behind! BUT I have found that my numbers on social media in NO way reflect the amount of business I receive; thank goodness!

Contact Info:

• Website: ruthieandoliverletterpress.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthieandoliverletterpress/

Image Credits
@shotsbycheyenne @katelynvphotography