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

Lillian, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Patience and diligence.

I am constantly having to remind myself of this. Nowadays it’s really easy to fall into a rabbit hole of “I’m not growing fast enough” due to seeing so many others who are already where you want to be.

Stop comparing because you are you! You are what makes your business and no one else can take that from you. Success doesn’t happen over night. Keep posting, keep trying, and try different things!

The more platforms you are on while posting consistently and making acquaintances along the way, the more exposure you will be giving yourself.

Be a part of the community. That’s really important! You want everyone to trust you and to know your brand. You want people to see your business name and immediately think of your face!

Lillian, 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?

Hi! I’m Lillian, but go by Lilli!

I started my crafting account years ago, after college, while I was looking for a job. I’ve always love crafting and with all the time I had, I was able to do so freely! I made an account on IG to follow others and quickly focused on journaling and having pen pals. My username, and now business name, is Paperludus; it means a playful love for paper.

I was making new friends on IG and had pen pals all over the world! I posted my mail decorations and journal entries onto my page and so many others loved what I did. Soon enough, I had amassed a huge following just by doing what I loved!

I saw this opportunity to become more and went for it. I started to sell stickers that I created, paper bundles, and other crafty things! Due to my deep connections with some of the friends I had made in the community, my creations were shared everywhere and my now business was booming.

I don’t think many realize just how important it is to talk to other creators and have a group of friends in your community. I see many post BEAUTIFUL things, but they post and leave. Yes this could get you a following, but what separates you from someone else who posts the same type of stuff you do?

I had eventually found a job and worked as a chemist. This was difficult because with my shop and now a full time job.. I was juggling a lot! If you’re in the same boat, I can only assure you to keep going. You’ll have to make a leap of faith one day when you feel your business is doing well enough to do it full time, but until then.. You will be working two jobs and you will be so tired, but if you want to be your own boss.. It is worth it!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

My craft is fairly inexpensive and so I didn’t have to spend as much money to get materials to create the products I was selling.

Once I turned my account into an actual LLC though, I wanted my brand to be clear and recognizable and this meant buying business cards, thank you cards, and other business related paraphernalia. It ends up being quite expensive! All of these expenses were paid from the money I’ve made from selling or from my full time job.

Towards the beginning, the funds were coming mostly from my main account. But as I grew, I made it a point to only use money I’ve made from my business for business related costs. This helped me manage my money better.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’ve had to pivot so many times I can’t even remember them all!

The one that stands out the most to me is when I had decided to put my full time job before my shop.

I became a lab manager and loved my team, but we were SO busy. We were understaffed and weren’t getting any more hands on deck. I was often so mentally burnt out by the time I got home that I would just eat and sleep. This meant I wasn’t posting anymore nor was I creating new products.. Thus, my shop fell hard.

I found a new job and my time is better managed now, but I’m honestly still recouping from the fall.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.paperludus.com
• Instagram: Paperludus
• Facebook: Paperludus
• Linkedin: Paperludus
• Youtube: Paperludus
• Other: Paperludus on TikTok & Pinterest