![\"portrait](\"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Emily3smol.jpg\")
\nLulus: Tell us about the Emily McDowell & Friends brand–what’s your mission and how did you start?<\/strong><\/h5>\nEmily McDowell:<\/strong> I\u2019m a writer, illustrator, and entrepreneur. I spent 10 years working in advertising before launching the Emily McDowell Studio brand, making \u201cgreeting cards for the relationships we really have.\u201d Our mission is to make things that help people feel understood, make people laugh, and make people feel more connected to each other. <\/span><\/p>\nThe brand started out as an Etsy shop selling prints of my illustrations, and in 2012, I ended up transitioning into making greeting cards. After one of my initial cards went super-viral, I took that as proof of concept. I created my first wholesale collection, which launched to retailers in May of 2013. Over the years, we\u2019ve added gift products like mugs, tote bags, and journals. Today, we sell our products online and in about 2,000 [global] retailers.<\/p>\n![\"viral](\"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/CardStartedItAll.jpg\")
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Lulus: Why start with greeting cards?\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n
EM:<\/strong> I was inspired to start writing cards because at the time, I felt like my voice (and the voice of people like me) wasn\u2019t represented in the cards I saw in stores. I saw an opportunity to create cards designed for the kinds of relationships I had, and I knew lots of others did, too<\/span>.<\/span> Making cards also allowed me to combine my writing and illustration skills, plus my love for psychology and human observations, in a really fun, interesting way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOn a practical level, cards are also very inexpensive and simple to produce. I was able to start the company on $5,000 in savings with no outside funding! Once the company was more established, and we had a revenue stream to invest in manufacturing, we started making other products.<\/span><\/p>\nLulus: Why do you think people have responded so well to your brand?\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n
EM: <\/strong>It\u2019s empowering<\/a> and comforting to see things out in the world that validate our experiences, particularly the kinds of experiences we don\u2019t often talk about because we think we\u2019re alone in having them. I think our products resonate so well with customers because folks connect with them on a heart level, not just a brand level. <\/span><\/p>\nWe also work hard to create original content–not just recycling trends–and I like to think customers appreciate this. <\/span>I joke that whenever a customer asks if we\u2019ve been reading their diary, I know I\u2019m doing my job right, but there\u2019s real truth in this. Any time someone can see a product and think \u201cOh, that\u2019s SO me\u201d or even better, \u201cOMG, it\u2019s not JUST me!?\u201d it fosters a strong and lasting connection with the brand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"portrait](\"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/emily.jpeg\")
\nLulus: <\/b>You<\/strong> have a category devoted solely to empathy cards for people experiencing major illness, grief, and loss. Why is this so important to you?\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\nEM: <\/strong>I had cancer when I was 24, and the hardest thing about it was the loneliness and isolation I felt when people in my life disappeared because they didn\u2019t know what to say. In our culture, most of us don\u2019t learn how to talk about illness and death, but the irony is that these times are when we\u2019re most in need of human connection. Many traditional \u201cget well soon\u201d and sympathy\/empathy cards don\u2019t really help people find the words they struggle to find on their own. They often contain platitudes that can be hard to hear when you\u2019re going through a difficult time. With Empathy Cards, I wanted to create something that helped people going through a hard time feel seen and heard. [I also wanted to help] friends and family to find the authentic-feeling words of support they often aren\u2019t able to come up with on their own.<\/span><\/p>\nLulus: We are big fans of the Everyday Bravery Pins–what was the inspiration behind these?<\/b><\/h5>\n
EM: <\/strong>The idea for Everyday Bravery Pins<\/a> came from the realization that some of life’s biggest, hardest achievements aren’t necessarily the ones we usually celebrate. We recognize the hard work that goes into achieving traditional, external goals<\/a> like promotions and graduations. But we don\u2019t tend to give ourselves and each other credit for accomplishing our internal<\/em> goals. A ton of hard work goes into making these kinds of inner changes. I wanted to create something that would help honor that success.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nView this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n
A post shared by Emily McDowell & Friends (@emilymcdowell_)<\/a> on Sep 16, 2018 at 7:58pm PDT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nLulus: What does bravery mean to you? What types of courage can women practice every day?<\/strong><\/h5>\nEM:<\/strong> To me, we demonstrate bravery any time we take action despite the presence of fear<\/a> or resistance. I\u2019ve learned that the only way for me to get comfortable with something I don\u2019t know how to do, or something I have an emotional block around (i.e., \u201cI\u2019m not good at that,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m not the kind of person who can do that,\u201d) is by DOING THE THING, and then realizing afterward that I didn\u2019t die of shame. <\/span><\/p>\nTrying new things isn\u2019t uncomfortable in and of itself. The discomfort is caused by the harsh self-judgments we impose on ourselves when we\u2019re out of our element, the feelings of \u201cI\u2019m not good enough\u201d that come up when we\u2019re pushed to our edges. The more time we spend working with those feelings, the easier it becomes to undertake daily acts of bravery. \u201cWhat if it turns out I suck?\u201d stops being such a painful question.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Emily](\"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/emily-6-of-6.jpg\")
\nLulus:\u00a0 Your brand is grounded in self-care, authenticity, and openness about mental health. How do you take care of yourself emotionally?<\/b><\/h5>\n
EM: <\/strong>I read books that aren\u2019t about business. I spend time outside<\/a>. I meditate and do breathwork. I make deliberate time to see the people I love. I\u2019ve let go of relationships that didn\u2019t feel nourishing. I\u2019ve cut way down on social media<\/a>. I write in a journal. I have a face-washing ritual, and I prioritize sleep. The biggest one, a continuous practice, has been learning to step outside of myself and observe my thoughts and feelings. [It’s] a way to prevent myself from getting caught in them.<\/span><\/p>\nLulus:\u00a0 Why did you start a second Instagram account, @emilyonlife?<\/b><\/h5>\n
EM: <\/strong>Over the last couple of years, I\u2019ve been doing a lot of work on myself<\/a> and undergoing somewhat of a personal transformation–what feels like becoming more of who I truly am. I really enjoy writing about this process and it seems to really resonate with people. I also wanted to be careful that it didn\u2019t take over the Emily McDowell & Friends Instagram<\/a> account, which is primarily about the brand and products. So it felt right to give this other kind of writing its own social media space<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nView this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n
A post shared by Emily McDowell (@emilyonlife)<\/a> on Jul 20, 2019 at 8:01pm PDT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\nLulus: What is your favorite thing about what you do?<\/b><\/h5>\n
EM: <\/strong>I find it greatly rewarding every time I can use my personal experience and gifts to help people find a deeper connection with others and with their true selves. This sometimes comes from creating our products, but more often it\u2019s a byproduct of other kinds of leadership<\/a> that I\u2019ve taken on over the years as a result of running this brand. <\/span><\/p>\nI also find a lot of joy in the process of identifying universal truths about being human and finding new ways to express those truths that people haven\u2019t seen before. I love that we have an opportunity to help solve our customers\u2019 problems by providing them with the words they want to say, but aren\u2019t able to come up with on their own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nView this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The brand started out as an Etsy shop selling prints of my illustrations, and in 2012, I ended up transitioning into making greeting cards. After one of my initial cards went super-viral, I took that as proof of concept. I created my first wholesale collection, which launched to retailers in May of 2013. Over the years, we\u2019ve added gift products like mugs, tote bags, and journals. Today, we sell our products online and in about 2,000 [global] retailers.<\/p>\n\n
Lulus: Why start with greeting cards?\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n
EM:<\/strong> I was inspired to start writing cards because at the time, I felt like my voice (and the voice of people like me) wasn\u2019t represented in the cards I saw in stores. I saw an opportunity to create cards designed for the kinds of relationships I had, and I knew lots of others did, too<\/span>.<\/span> Making cards also allowed me to combine my writing and illustration skills, plus my love for psychology and human observations, in a really fun, interesting way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On a practical level, cards are also very inexpensive and simple to produce. I was able to start the company on $5,000 in savings with no outside funding! Once the company was more established, and we had a revenue stream to invest in manufacturing, we started making other products.<\/span><\/p>\n EM: <\/strong>It\u2019s empowering<\/a> and comforting to see things out in the world that validate our experiences, particularly the kinds of experiences we don\u2019t often talk about because we think we\u2019re alone in having them. I think our products resonate so well with customers because folks connect with them on a heart level, not just a brand level. <\/span><\/p>\n We also work hard to create original content–not just recycling trends–and I like to think customers appreciate this. <\/span>I joke that whenever a customer asks if we\u2019ve been reading their diary, I know I\u2019m doing my job right, but there\u2019s real truth in this. Any time someone can see a product and think \u201cOh, that\u2019s SO me\u201d or even better, \u201cOMG, it\u2019s not JUST me!?\u201d it fosters a strong and lasting connection with the brand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n EM: <\/strong>I had cancer when I was 24, and the hardest thing about it was the loneliness and isolation I felt when people in my life disappeared because they didn\u2019t know what to say. In our culture, most of us don\u2019t learn how to talk about illness and death, but the irony is that these times are when we\u2019re most in need of human connection. Many traditional \u201cget well soon\u201d and sympathy\/empathy cards don\u2019t really help people find the words they struggle to find on their own. They often contain platitudes that can be hard to hear when you\u2019re going through a difficult time. With Empathy Cards, I wanted to create something that helped people going through a hard time feel seen and heard. [I also wanted to help] friends and family to find the authentic-feeling words of support they often aren\u2019t able to come up with on their own.<\/span><\/p>\n EM: <\/strong>The idea for Everyday Bravery Pins<\/a> came from the realization that some of life’s biggest, hardest achievements aren’t necessarily the ones we usually celebrate. We recognize the hard work that goes into achieving traditional, external goals<\/a> like promotions and graduations. But we don\u2019t tend to give ourselves and each other credit for accomplishing our internal<\/em> goals. A ton of hard work goes into making these kinds of inner changes. I wanted to create something that would help honor that success.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A post shared by Emily McDowell & Friends (@emilymcdowell_)<\/a> on Sep 16, 2018 at 7:58pm PDT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n EM:<\/strong> To me, we demonstrate bravery any time we take action despite the presence of fear<\/a> or resistance. I\u2019ve learned that the only way for me to get comfortable with something I don\u2019t know how to do, or something I have an emotional block around (i.e., \u201cI\u2019m not good at that,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m not the kind of person who can do that,\u201d) is by DOING THE THING, and then realizing afterward that I didn\u2019t die of shame. <\/span><\/p>\n Trying new things isn\u2019t uncomfortable in and of itself. The discomfort is caused by the harsh self-judgments we impose on ourselves when we\u2019re out of our element, the feelings of \u201cI\u2019m not good enough\u201d that come up when we\u2019re pushed to our edges. The more time we spend working with those feelings, the easier it becomes to undertake daily acts of bravery. \u201cWhat if it turns out I suck?\u201d stops being such a painful question.<\/span><\/p>\n EM: <\/strong>I read books that aren\u2019t about business. I spend time outside<\/a>. I meditate and do breathwork. I make deliberate time to see the people I love. I\u2019ve let go of relationships that didn\u2019t feel nourishing. I\u2019ve cut way down on social media<\/a>. I write in a journal. I have a face-washing ritual, and I prioritize sleep. The biggest one, a continuous practice, has been learning to step outside of myself and observe my thoughts and feelings. [It’s] a way to prevent myself from getting caught in them.<\/span><\/p>\n EM: <\/strong>Over the last couple of years, I\u2019ve been doing a lot of work on myself<\/a> and undergoing somewhat of a personal transformation–what feels like becoming more of who I truly am. I really enjoy writing about this process and it seems to really resonate with people. I also wanted to be careful that it didn\u2019t take over the Emily McDowell & Friends Instagram<\/a> account, which is primarily about the brand and products. So it felt right to give this other kind of writing its own social media space<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A post shared by Emily McDowell (@emilyonlife)<\/a> on Jul 20, 2019 at 8:01pm PDT<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n EM: <\/strong>I find it greatly rewarding every time I can use my personal experience and gifts to help people find a deeper connection with others and with their true selves. This sometimes comes from creating our products, but more often it\u2019s a byproduct of other kinds of leadership<\/a> that I\u2019ve taken on over the years as a result of running this brand. <\/span><\/p>\n I also find a lot of joy in the process of identifying universal truths about being human and finding new ways to express those truths that people haven\u2019t seen before. I love that we have an opportunity to help solve our customers\u2019 problems by providing them with the words they want to say, but aren\u2019t able to come up with on their own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\nLulus: Why do you think people have responded so well to your brand?\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n
\nLulus: <\/b>You<\/strong> have a category devoted solely to empathy cards for people experiencing major illness, grief, and loss. Why is this so important to you?\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n
Lulus: We are big fans of the Everyday Bravery Pins–what was the inspiration behind these?<\/b><\/h5>\n
\n
Lulus: What does bravery mean to you? What types of courage can women practice every day?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\nLulus:\u00a0 Your brand is grounded in self-care, authenticity, and openness about mental health. How do you take care of yourself emotionally?<\/b><\/h5>\n
Lulus:\u00a0 Why did you start a second Instagram account, @emilyonlife?<\/b><\/h5>\n
\n
Lulus: What is your favorite thing about what you do?<\/b><\/h5>\n
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