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

Zykuria, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

Ever since childhood, I’ve always considered myself to be a creative. This creativity manifested itself as a variety of hobbies and DIY crafts, but quickly died out as the reality of adulthood shifted my priorities. I started this brand as a college student trying to navigate the ups and downs of early adulthood while honoring the newfound connection to my creativity. I began designing personalized bullet journals for myself, using it to track everything from my schedule and mood to my personal goals. Exploring this new interest allowed me to refine my skills and play around with a variety of mediums. Paint, calligraphy and scrapbooking quickly became the foundation to a booming small business as my creations gained the attention of close family and friends.

With the positive feedback and consistent orders from now referred customers, I found myself thrown into the exciting work of business ownership. My downtime as a senior college student quickly became filled with runs to the craft store and long nights at the kitchen table. Through the excitement of creating profit from my passions and refining my skills, I was faced with an unexpected reality of business ownership: burnout. What was once a hobby quickly became a chore, and I found myself dreading the moments leading up to another order. I was unprepared for the rate at which my business was growing and found myself putting my physical health on the back burner out of fear of letting people down.

Many moments of reflection later, I realized that prioritizing the expectations of others was getting in the way of the person who’s needs mattered most – my own. I was faced with my own limiting beliefs – yet another facet of entrepreneurship I was completely unprepared for. One thing led to another, and what started as a week away from social media quickly turned into a two-year hiatus.

With no intentions of returning, I embarked on my own journey of personal healing and discovery. In doing so, I discovered a passion for holistic health, inner child healing and a newfound connection my creativity. I began prioritizing my mental, physical and spiritual wellness and found value in filling my cup first. I started crafting again for the sake of having fun, which led to a new skillset in graphic design.

My personal journey became the new foundation of the re-launch of Dotz n Doodlez, but this time with a message. I was no longer creating for the sake of pleasing others alone. I wanted a stamp of my own experience to exist in everything that left my hands. I wanted my creations to be a reminder to others of the importance of honoring your creativity and your inner peace – the ultimate self care.

After intensive planning and a new spark guiding my business, I relaunched Dotz n Doodlez in March 2023. I’ve been steadily growing my social media presence and connecting with others, using my newfound passion as the ultimate ‘why’ for my creations. What once seemed like a failure was only a catalyst to something greater and more beautiful. I now choose to let this mindset be a guiding light into an undoubtedly bright future as an entreprenuer.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started this business as a college student in 2019 looking to add some fun and creativity to a hectic schedule. What was once a hobby quickly bloomed into a small business. My personal experience with navigating the ebbs and flows of adulthood, healing and entrepreneurship is the foundation of Dotz n Doodlez, specifically the messaging that I use in the products I create. Outside of this business, I also take on clients as a holistic health coach, specializing in inner child healing and creative embodiment. I’m so passionate about creating safe spaces for others to embark on their own healing and creative journeys. I create all of my products with these passions in mind.

Dotz n Doodlez has since relaunched in March 2023 and now offers personalized planners, journals, tote bags, art prints and a variety of other products curated with intention. Everything from the quotes to the color schemes was intentionally used to create a fun yet grounding experience for those that come into contact with my brand.

I firmly believe that the key to a fulfilling life is pouring into your cup first and now create products that inspire others to do the same. This has been the basis of not only a plethora of support, but for an abundance of connections that I’ve made with others along the way.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My ultimate goal with my creativity and with this brand is to serve as a reminder to others. A reminder that you can’t pour from an empty cup. That true self care takes into account fulfillment of the mind, body and spirit. That you can make space for creativity from all walks of life. That to be human is constantly be on a journey of discovery, learning and unlearning. These beliefs, among many others, is the foundation that fuses with my creativity and as a result, has created a brand rooted in holistic care and unapologetic self-discovery. In every journal prompt, affirmation and sticker, I want to remind people that for every once of love and effort that they put into others, they deserve to give twice as much to themselves.

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

The journey that I find myself embarking on now is widely different from the goals I once had in mind. Since middle school, I found myself drawn to medicine, a career close to what I wanted yet still rooted in the expectations and approval from others. After successfully securing a degree in biology in December 2019, I decided to take a gap year for a refresh before continuing my journey to medicine.

What I got was an entire reality shift instead.

In March 2020 was the start of the pandemic-indused shutdown and as a result, left me with nothing but time and space. What I would once call an existential crisis was a catalyst to my personal transformation. I began reconnecting with the things that once brought me childlike joy. I learned to validate my emotions and became the safe space that I was once seeking in the things outside of me. I rekindled my creativity and a newfound passion for using my personal wisdom to help others do the same.

I got my holistic coaching certification, specializing in inner child healing and creative embodiment. Through this, a holistic coaching practice was born. I dedicate this phase of my life to holding space for others to heal their childhood traumas, meet their wounds with curiosity and re-write their limiting beliefs. I also relaunched Dotz n Doodlez LLC, a self care stationery brand that promotes introspection, creativity and self care.

Whether it be through holistic coaching or crafting journals, I make it my business to use my gifts to create safe spaces for others and guide them on their inner work to becoming their own.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dotzndoodlez.myshopify.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/dotzndoodlez
• Other: Tiktok: @dotzndoodlezllc