Who in this world doesn’t enjoy getting lovely things in the mail? And what is better than being able to send lovely things to your friends & family without even having to buy stamps or look for a pen? Today I’m so thrilled to show you a behind the scenes look at a creative company that is bringing the lost art of postcard writing to the digital age. Mali & Kayleen have discovered a way to work together & turn their illustration and hand-lettering skills into a lovely business that also makes it easier than ever for the rest of us to make someone’s day & make yourself stand out in a special way!
Hello! We are The Postess – an online postcard shop that includes handwriting, mailing and scheduling services with every postcard you purchase. Technically, we are Kayleen Veatch and Mali Fischer. We work together on all decisions with the business but we each have our own roles and strengths, which we use to get things done! The Postess was born out of a desire to facilitate communication and share art with the world. The following photos provide an insider glimpse into the tasks we complete in order to make The Postess work.
MONDAY
Mali: My main job at The Postess is to be coming up with new drawings for postcard designs. It’s awesome because it gives me a constant creative outlet and adds purpose to my illustrating. However, it can also be a challenge because, unlike when I draw for myself, I need to consider what others would like to see on a postcard and try to assess the purpose or occasion that accompanies each image. This is a shot of my desk, in its honest state – with a never-ending to-do list and mug of coffee that has probably gone cold.
TUESDAY
Kayleen: With Mali in the Creative Director’s seat, it’s my job to take care of all the administrative, marketing, and business development tasks that need tending to. Currently Tuesdays mean catching up on customer inquiries via email, researching local printers here in Portland that we might be able to utilize in the future, and reaching out to other artists who we’d like to collaborate with down the line.
WEDNESDAY
Writing cards is something we share equally. It’s one of the most fun jobs we’ve got, but also has to be done with great care because we want to be so respectful with other people’s words! It’s a fun task that usually gets done in the evening, in preparation to mail cards within the next 2 days. Even though we do our best to meet once or twice a week, a lot of our work happens separately. Here we are in separate studios (read: coffee tables and bedrooms closets) writing cards and fulfilling orders.
THURSDAY
Kayleen: In addition to running our small business, Mali and I both work full times jobs. My 2.5 mile morning walk to the office, across the river and into the city, is a time to clear my head and set intentions for the day. My neverending list of small business to-do’s will be waiting for me at the end either way, and it’s important to take this time during the workweek for myself. But it doesn’t stop me from waving to my friends at the post office (and dropping off postcards) as I stroll by! Tonight I’ll meet with a local chapter of fellow creative entrepreneurs in Portland to discuss the topic of collaboration. Though such great networking could be considered work, these monthly meetings, my busy brain surrounded by likeminded individuals, are a lot more like therapy for the entrepreneur’s soul!
FRIDAY
Mali: Mailing off two blue cards today! We try to drop cards off at mailboxes right near the post-office, because they have more frequent (and later) pick up times. It’s a bit nerve-wracking, dropping into the box, because once they’re gone you can’t take anything back! I always try to do a double check on addresses and notes. 🙂
WEEKEND
One week wraps up and another begins. If we didn’t make the effort to see each other weekly, this business would essentially exist in text message feed – which can leave some room for miscommunication and ideas that slip through the cracks. On Sunday we refocus our goals, celebrate successes, and define what we’d like to improve on next week. Meeting in person reminds us that we’re in this together.