We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Haley Powers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Haley thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I had a very close friend of mine get diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. I was working in corporate America and lived several hours away from her, but I wanted to do something for her that would give her a sense of peace. I decided to make her “Love Cards” that she could read on the days she had her chemo treatment. Creating those cards for her was what I started looking forward to each day – and knowing how much they meant to her and how much she loved them brought my heart so much joy. I realized that I could create art that brings happiness to others, and actually have a career making art. I took a huge risk and quit my corporate job later that year, and haven’t looked back since!

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’m a watercolor artist, pattern designer, online shop owner and full time toddler mama to my 2 year old son, Cole. My small business, Haley Elizabeth Design, started in 2018 and has slowly grown each year since.

I discovered my love of painting for the first time in my late twenties, having never picked up a paintbrush before then! It used to be a way I would relax and unwind after a long day at work at my corporate job. But I started getting inquiries for custom paintings and projects and I realized that I could turn this into a business. With the support of my husband, I was able to quit my corporate job and focus on figuring out how to be a creative business owner!

I still do custom watercolor paintings but have scaled back on those so I could focus on other faucets of my business such as product creation for my online shop and designing pattern collections for fabric, stationery and home decor. I create and sell greeting cards, art prints, notepads, and other stationery items on my website and on Etsy, and I also design and sell my patterns on Print on Demand sites such as Spoonflower, for other makers and small business owners.

As far as my creative journey goes, I’m most proud of my first pattern collection, which is called “The Country Spring”. The story behind the collection is about my family’s farm in Centerville, TX and the beautiful memories we’ve created throughout the years on the land. I came a long way through that process from learning how to first design a pattern in Adobe Illustrator from scratch, so when I finished the collection, I felt an immense sense of pride and joy.

Creating beautiful and fun floral and nature inspired designs and products to bring others a sense of happiness is a true privilege for me and I’m grateful for the opportunity to create beautiful things for others every single day.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

When I get a message from a customer or client about how much they loved something that I created and how much it meant to them, that is absolutely the most rewarding part about what I do and WHY I love to create beautiful artwork. To inspire and uplift others and to bring light and joy to their lives.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Profit First was one of the very first business books I read and it was a game changer for me. Also, Bonnie Christine is an incredible artist and entrepreneur, and I have learned so much from her throughout the years. One of the very first things she taught me was that there’s “room for me” in this industry of design – so friends, no matter what you do, always remember that there is room for you. :)

Contact Info:

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

Image Credits
Courtney Cogan (for headshot)