“I get to be a tiny part of other people’s big dreams…of their stories.” - Annie Stout
If you are anything like me the second you meet Annie Stout from Paper Heart Design, you want to be like her when you grow up. Yes, I sort of like design but that is not why I want to be like her, it’s because she said to me that she has her dream job. One day she realized “oh my gosh, all of the things I wanted have come true.” She wanted to be a mom-check. She wanted to be an artist-check. And she can do all of this because she has the support of her best friend and husband, Jerod. Goose. Bumps.
Ready to be impressed? You have seen Annie’s logo work all around Midland—Live Oak Coffeehouse, Captured Community, Serendipity Road, RE Krotzer Construction and Let’s Go Midland—to name a few.
One of the best things about small business owners is finding out how they got where they are. So, let’s do that. How did Annie come to have her dream job, her dream life?
Annie has always been an artist. Almost every time her mom, Diane, would ask her what she wanted to be when she grew up, it was some form of artist—except that one year she thought she might be a professional soccer player. Her mom said she had to buy a new box of crayons every other week.
GEEK-OUT MOMENT: I had to ask: What is your favorite Crayola® 64 color? Cerulean. I gasped because I had been saying Cerulean in my head (ok, I was mispronouncing it in my head, but it was the same color). FYI it’s: [səˈro͞olēən].
Not only did her mom keep her stocked up with supplies, she was one of her inspirations. She was supportive, helping Annie to write stories and cut pictures out of magazines; she even took Annie to a course about being an entrepreneur at the age of 10. She sat with Annie for hours as she sold handmade book marks and those Rudolph candy canes with the googly eyes. Annie shared that her mom is also an amazing sewist/quilter and used to do woodworking regularly. Today, her mom is really into nature photography so, it’s clear she is creative at heart too. Same with her dad, Allan. He might not seem creative in a traditional way, but his support was endless. He was really into music and would spend time with Annie looking at album cover art while they listened to Joni Mitchell and Jimi Hendrix. One time he rented the VHS ‘Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller’ from the library, so she could see the original to help her with her dance performance. Annie said, “My parents did a good job of letting me be who I was and encouraging what I was clearly meant to do.” They sure did, and for that, we are thankful!
Annie went to CMU to study and finished with BAA in Graphic Design, Sculpture, and Art History. Turns out she was her own first client. For a final school project, she created her wedding invites. This started a small side gig where friends and family members were asking for invites for weddings and parties. She opened Paper Heart Design on Etsy in 2008. She worked odd jobs through the years; chain store photography manager, in-house graphic artist at a print shop, marketing manager, but she always comes back to Paper Heart Design. Her heart is in freelance. Having the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom to her two daughters, Allison and Madeline, has afforded her the time as they have gotten older, to focus back on her design work.
WHAT ABOUT THAT NAME? Annie has always loved Stone Temple Pilots and her favorite song at the time was “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart.” She didn’t want the name to be obvious. Mission. Accomplished. Well, until now…the secret is out.
Annie has been doing this for 10 years, but she feels like 2016 is when she started legitimately. An acquaintance (now friend and business partner, Mirandy) posted on Facebook asking if there were any creative moms out there looking to make extra money as a painting instructor once or twice a month. It was for Captured Community, which is part of Captured Studios. By the end of the first meeting/interview she was asked to help complete the design for their logo. They had a good idea of what they wanted, they just didn’t have the programs to make the professional vector art files needed—they entrusted Annie with that task. When she started teaching at Captured Community she said it just felt right— “I’m supposed to be here.”
As you can imagine, this is how she came to design that iconic Live Oak logo and then word of mouth led her to create logos for so many other local Midland businesses.
As with many small business owners she really isn’t selling her business, she is selling herself (she is the business): “people don’t want to just fill out a form, they want a connection.” She wants that collaboration, she wants to help small business owners get what is in their head out and create a piece unique to their vision. Annie might think that a design is perfect at round one or two, but she will revise until the owner is completely satisfied—it’s going to represent them and their business. Annie’s work is so important, as she said it: “the logo is your first impression.”
Annie’s biggest challenge as a small business owner is time. With a young family and a one-person shop, she has had to take sabbaticals now and again from her work to refresh or focus on family. But this woman is on fire, not only is Paper Heart Design up-and-running she is co-owner to two other small thriving businesses: Mittenprints (that Midland map on Live Oak’s wall and a ton of other Michigan inspired goodies) and Wildflower Trust (a faith-based apparel and accessories company that donates 50% of its proceeds to charity).
Another challenge is simply awareness but the small business community in Midland and Mid-town, in particular, is so supportive. Word-of-mouth business has been fruitful. She said to me “Nobody goes into small business because they feel indifferent. They do it because it’s their heart and soul. They put everything into it.” That is what Annie does and she wants to help her clients, she loves hearing the passion people have for their businesses and that she can help them look professional in a way they could not do on their own.
Annie is special person; her passion and talent radiate from her. Annie would love to be part of your small businesses' creative process.
paperheartdesign.com
Instagram Facebook
paperheartdesign.com
Instagram Facebook
Annie Stout, Graphic Artist
No comments:
Post a Comment