Hey Everyone! Each week I’m going to feature one of my favorite small businesses so you can learn about the companies I love and how you can support them during this time. This week we are featuring Maghon Taylor All She Wrote Notes!
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Maghon Taylor and I’m a hand lettering artist and calligrapher, an author, educator and bright color aficionado. I run All She Wrote Notes as a one-woman shop in the bonus room above my garage. I sell products that I made, teach classes and turn my mistakes into confetti.
What’s the story behind your company?
I’ve always been a doodler and a drawer, even all the way back in middle school I was the friend that people asked to make fun signs for them — and the football team’s banner they ran through — that was my handiwork! I started All She Wrote Notes officially in 2013 as an Etsy shop selling handwritten note cards and gift tags. I worked full time in event planning back then and this was another creative outlet for me at home. I started teaching classes and showing other people how to spread happiness through THEIR handwriting, but mostly encouraging them to feel like that creative middle school girl, again. I’ve taught more than 10,000 people in person through my live workshops, and thousands more online and through my book, Happy Hand Lettering.
What’s your favorite product or service that you offer and why?
My book and my classes. Happy Hand Lettering is my legacy. It’s not just another hand lettering book — I teach you the alphabet, duh! but I go a step further and make all of the projects, practice words and lessons about how you can add more HAPPY to your life. We chat downstrokes and upstrokes, but also faith, gratitude, paying it forward and how you can use your newfound gifts to spread joy to others. All of this is encapsulated in my online workshops and live classes, as well. I LOVE getting to meet customers in real life and hug their necks!
What’s your advice to others who are interested in starting a business?
If you wait for the perfect time, you’ll never start. It’s okay to grow slow. I didn’t have a business card, logo or website until I had been in business for more than six months. I’ve never gone into debt for my business and believe in letting the business fund it’s own expenses. I started with exactly what I had and now I have a lot more 😉
How has Covid-19 affected your day-to-day operations? How have you pivoted during this time?
All of my live events (my favorite part of my business) have been canceled indefinitely and this accounts for 40% of my annual revenue. I usually teach 5-8 of those each month and bring in around $1,000 each time. I have shifted to promoting my online classes a whole lot more and discounted them 50% off with the code ‘HAPPYHOME’ to entice people to purchase. It’s also a blessing to so many because it’s seriously the perfect time to learn hand lettering if you’re stuck at home AND the way I teach it will keep them focused on positivity over perfection. My online shop has really remained steady these past few weeks since people need Easter basket gifts, and I am SO thankful for those orders. They are what’s keeping me in business right now.
How can your audience help to support you during this time?
Purchase the online class, the book directly from me or products from the shop. Share my posts, like and comment and even just encouraging messages really mean the world and keep me going.
Check out All She Wrote Notes on Instagram here!
What’s next for you and your biz? Any new products or offerings on the horizon?
I have a second book coming out in January 2021 called Betty Confetti – a children’s book about turning your mistakes into confetti. I have another licensing collaboration with a fellow NC company, Mary Square this summer. I am working on getting my CARFETTI® car magnets produced into kits that I can sell for other people to decorate their cars for birthdays or fun occasions. I am continuing to further my mission of spreading happiness through my handwriting and I feel that we need that now, more than ever.
