Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Patrice Nicole. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Patrice thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a daughter, mom and wife. I have been utilizing my creativity way before it was cool to do so. I still have hand paintings that I created in high school, just not on display.

I am also a full time Human Resources Representative or “People Operations” Representative as some call it. A full time student, currently pursuing my Masters in Human Resource Management at Franklin University and Co- Author of “Glambitious Guide To Being A Momprenuer”

I started Patrice Nicole, previously Planned By Patrice, after continuously creating and hosting birthday parties for my daughters. It all happened organically. With that, the transition into personalized gifts was birthed after the passing of my father in 2017. I created a memorial CD with his voice and some of his favorite music. Along with an album cover with his picture on it. My family absolutely loved and appreciated it. Every year since then, on the anniversary of his passing, I create something new for myself with his picture on it. It is therapeutic for me.

While I started with event planning and tablescapes, my business gradually matured into what it is now. When someone ask “What do you do?” I say ” I create personalized gifts that generate reactions to last a life time “. That… is what I do now. I love when my clients send me videos of their loved ones opening something I created.

I take images of memorable events in life and turn it into a touchable long lasting memory. I love that for my clients.

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

Oh yes! Listen…. one word… Covid.

Prior to Covid, my hopes and dreams was to open a brick and mortar establishment. However during Covid, no one was really having celebrations. No event favors were created and even if so, as a brick and mortar, my business would not have been deemed essential. I honestly would not have made it through the pandemic if it wasn’t for the other side of my business and getting creative with my offerings.

I had to incorporate a new target market and adjust from being a creator only, to a supplier for other creators which turned out to be beneficial for both myself and my new clientele. I started to offer wood cut blanks for other creators in the same industry. In addition to Etsy and my own website, I was also accepted as an Amazon Homemade Retailer for some items and Fair Wholesale Retailer for others.

I also branded my own scissors geared towards creators who make personalized chip bags and other wrapped treats. As well as created a Facebook Group (Hidden Creators) with the goal to encourage and assist other creators as they start or continue their entrepreneurial journey.

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

Merely by chance. Honestly. I like to be behind the scenes, not show my face or even talk most of the time in my social media content. That gets boring but it was what I was comfortable with.

Though I am extremely shy, I gave in to my long term reluctancy and joined TikTok. I showed my face and said a couple of words and now…well I’m pretty close to 10k followers in about 6 months. I only need 852 more, but who’s counting.

I’m still struggling with followers for Instagram but I did take a class with Alicia Desiree, founder of Crafts of A Different Shade and Shondell Gee, owner of The Craftprint and founder of The Craftprint Community, on Instagram strategies right before Reels became a thing. That was a very helpful and insightful class. I want to say my Instagram jumped up by 1k plus followers using those strategies as well as the support, referrals and spotlight recommendations from these two dope souls.

If I can give any advice, it would be to always always be your authentic self. It was the videos that I didn’t even try hard that got the most likes, comments and shares. The ones I actually edit, almost always flop. This goes for any social media platform.

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