We were lucky to catch up with Meredith Herman recently and have shared our conversation below.

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

Success looks different for everyone— if you want to be “successful” you first need to clearly define what that means for you. It can be easy to get caught up with what others are doing or feel like you need to dive into the “hustle” culture our society loves so much. But success isn’t one-size-fits-all. By doing this you’ll be able to have a clear vision of what you need to focus on to reach your personal level of success. For me, success looked like taking my business from part-time to full-time—I wanted to break free from the “corporate world”. Once you define what success looks like for you, create goals both small and large to help you get there. Write them down and let them be the driving force behind all that you do. Evaluate them often as goals tend to evolve as your business grows.

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 Meredith — a modern calligrapher, designer and the owner of Tassel + Trim. Honestly, my business started almost by accident. Hand lettering has always been a passion of mine so I ended up customizing all the signs for my own wedding — and I had so much fun doing it! Soon after, friends and family started asking me to create customized decor for their own events and gifts, and before long, word of mouth began driving more and more sales. I started my official Etsy shop and later began selling retail pieces at local stores like Adjectives Market and The Hunt. I make a variety of hand-lettered signs, event embellishments like place cards and drink stirrers, and even custom watercolor and line drawing artwork — small things that make an event or your home more meaningful.

All the while, I was balancing a fairly intense full-time corporate job. So, you can say I didn’t sleep a lot as Tassel + Trim grew from a side hustle into an every-spare-moment hustle. It felt like I was working two full-time jobs! But it was clear where my passion was — delighting people with meaningful designs. I realized that if I was serious about growing Tassel + Trim to its full potential, it needed my full attention. The idea of leaving my career to “do art” was scary. I’d always grown up believing art was only a hobby. But after making a very detailed action plan (I’m a Virgo, I love lists), I finally left my corporate job in early 2020 have been able to pursue what I love full-time since then!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I specialize in modern calligraphy and event embellishments. But really, it’s about celebrating moments that make life so special! I think the thing that sets Tassel + Trim apart is that as an artist, I strive to not just make a product but make a memory for each customer. I put intention into everything I make — from concept to delivery. Whether I’m designing a simple set of drink stirrers or a customized suite of signs for a large wedding — I really think first about what that moment will feel like for my customer. Little hands photographed smashing the cake next to my first birthday topper or a pair of newlyweds waking up each morning to see the wedding venue watercolor I drew hanging by their bed. These are the moments that I design for. It’s also why I put so much care into the packaging and customer service part of Tassel + Trim — I know the memories are intertwined with those just as much as the product itself! By being really intentional with each product I create, I’m able to build a relationship with clients. They can see and feel the love I put into each order and service—I of course work to make a living but the fuel that keeps me going is the feedback from my customers. I just hit over 300 5-star reviews, and I will read them over and over again. They make my day! To know that my creations are apart of memories and that I’m making a positive impact in someone’s life is so rewarding.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media, particularly Instagram, has been a huge part of where I generate new clients. I don’t have a massive number next to my name, but I have a loyal customers who order from my shop and come back for more! I’ve been slowly growing my audience, but my main goal is to show up authentically for those that are already there. It can be challenging when social platforms are ever-changing their algorithms, but if you consistently show up, you will grow! As small business owners and creatives, we have a lot on our plates—accounting, content creation, website maintenance, photography and so on. It can be overwhelming. I’ve definitely been in a place where I put so much pressure on myself to create the “perfect post” but truly I noticed the most growth when I just showed up—imperfectly. I do love a pretty aesthetic so I try and keep my “squares” on-brand but I started to show my face (eek!) and the messy behind-the-scenes on my stories which actually allowed me to cultivate friendships with my audience. I also now create reels because they are like free ads—but I don’t spend more than 10 minutes on them, at the end of the day I want social media to support my business but not take all of my time away from what I love to do.

Contact Info:

• Website: Tasselandtrimshop.com
• Instagram: @tassel_and_trim