We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stacy Russo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stacy below.

Stacy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

My journey with Survive and Thrive began during one of the most challenging periods of my life. I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the age of 39 after finding a lump high on my chest. Determined to be there to watch my daughter grow up, I spent that year fighting my way through a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation which I finished just 2 days before turning 40. I was able to balance work, family and treatment by focusing on my health – what I ate, how well I slept, exercise I was able to do, medication I was taking and how it all made me feel. After having some reactions to medication, I looked at what I was tracking and was able to identify the culprit in what I was eating. I went to my next doctor appointment armed with my knowledge and my notebook and I was able to work with my oncologist to adjust medication. Because of that experience, I always advise new cancer patients to track everything! After being frustrated about not having a product to recommend, I decided to design my own! The first Wellness Journal I designed was meant to give hope to others facing their own health journeys, by encouraging them to focus on themselves! The name Survive and Thrive seemed fitting as I was now moving from survivor mode to thriver mode and now on a mission to help others.

Stacy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I designed the first Survive and Thrive Wellness Journal after reflecting on my own health journey. My goal is to empower others to find their own strength and resilience by way of self-care. Life’s changes can be related to health, mental well-being, or lifestyle changes and can often leave people searching for clarity and control during challenging times. A Wellness Journal is a great tool to help take control and focus on self-care. Whether you are navigating a health challenge, starting a fitness plan or just looking for a tool to prioritize self-care, Survive and Thrive is here to help support you. Survive and Thrive is not just about selling journals, it is about making an impact and help others. Throughout the year, I am fundraising for organizations that support Breast Cancer patients by way of hosting fun Pink Outs and donating a portion of proceeds.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

I sell my journals several different ways – Etsy, my own website and in person. I started on Etsy, because it was the easiest to set up with no monthly fees. Although Etsy’s platform is simple and extremely user friendly, the selling fees quickly eat into profits. I also have my own website through Shopify, but to be honest I underutilize that site. What I have learned over the last year or so is you have to have a following to effectively sell on your own website, something I don’t always have the time or energy to work on growing. The majority of my sales are done in person at vendor/craft markets and those may be the most rewarding. There is something about meeting the person that purchases something you designed with your heart that I will never get tired of. Although the weekends can be long and I am forever in a cycle of packing and unpacking for shows, once you find the right market with your target customers it can be very rewarding both financially and emotionally.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

Survive and Thrive sells journals, so manufacturing in house isn’t really an option. Once I had the design for my first Wellness Journal, I had to figure out how to print it and make the journal a reality. Sure, I could go to the big box stores and get it printed and bound, but I wanted something more personal for my design. I was able to find a local printer that was able to offer different options for my covers and binding making it more unique than I could get in a box store. The company gives me great quality, fast printing and the support that only a local business can offer. The soft covers and wire binding this printer provided worked well for my first designs and even the “mini” versions that are saddle stitched, but as I designed new journals, I looked for a printer to do hard covers. I struggled to find a printer locally that could handle my request and after many dead-end searches, I decided to reach out to someone I follow on social media. I loved the cute hard cover reading journals she sold and previewed on her videos, so I shot her a message explaining what I was looking for and asked her for a printer recommendation. I was shocked when she not only responded to me but also sent me her contacts for her two preferred printing companies! It was a phenomenal example of how women owned businesses support one another! Moments like that are ones that I always make sure to pay forward!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://surviveandthrive.online
• Instagram: @survive.and.thrive.wellness
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553366755250&mibextid=kFxxJD
• Other: Tik Tok
  @survive.thrive6