Kirsten Hausman knew she wanted to do something a little different with the bouquets for her wedding, so she handcrafted her own eco-friendly paper versions. Once the big day arrived, the faux flowers went down so well that the fledgling entrepreneur decided to start selling them on Etsy! Her brand new hobby became a full-time business not long after that.

We spoke with Kirsten about what it was like to be featured in Etsy's newsletter, the importance of valuing her own work and the benefits of interacting face-to-face with her customers.

Name: Kirsten Hausman

Business: FlowerThyme Handgrown Paper Flowers

Started: 2010

How did you start your awesome business?

Necessity is the mother of invention! I taught myself how to make flowers out of paper and fabric when I was planning my own wedding, and I enjoyed making them so much that I continued afterwards. After some encouragement from my family I started an Etsy shop, and that’s where all this wonderful craziness began.

I'm an environmentalist at heart and I don't like what the flower business is doing to the world. My husband and I are also both really low-key people and loved the idea of making decorations for our wedding. It also helped us cut down on our spending!

How did you find your first customer?

My first customers were strangers who found me on Etsy. I don't remember who they were, but I was so happy and a little bewildered that they bought my work! It was completely mind-blowing and really opened up this whole business and lifestyle as a possibility.

What was the exact moment when you knew your business was going to work?

It was April 2012. My flowers were featured in Etsy's newsletter for Mother's Day and my phone kept exploding with sales notifications. I remember wondering how I was going to get all these orders done. 

At the time I had a full-time job and this was my hobby, so I would come home at night and make flowers. That week I decided to quit my day job and make a living this way.

Right now, how are you finding new customers?

I'm not sure if it's my most effective means of getting new customers, but what I enjoy most is the in-person interactions I have at art festivals. I love getting to see people's reactions to my work in real time. Finding out why they like — or don't like — certain arrangements helps me better target potential customers on social media and in my other marketing efforts.

What has been the biggest surprise so far after starting your own business?

How much work it is and how much I thrive on the challenge! 

Growing up, I never thought about being an entrepreneur. Both of my parents had long careers in government and I didn’t know a lot of people who owned their own businesses, let alone artistic ones. 

Getting to learn about all the different ways of running a successful company has been really empowering, and finding out that I love the challenge has helped me understand a lot about myself personally as well.

How do you price your products?

I price based on labor, materials and the extra expenses of running a business. I’m much better at looking at the process objectively now, including calculating materials and compensating myself fairly. 

At the start, I undervalued my products and my time because I didn’t realize my flowers would be more than just a hobby. When I began to flirt with the idea of wholesale, I knew my pricing needed some serious overhauling.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My dog usually wakes me up and I let her out, get the coffee on and sit down at the computer to answer questions and deal with any bookkeeping and finances. I like to get that stuff out of the way early so I can get into production mode by noon. 

In the afternoons I usually need a break, so I'll take my dog on a hike or go run errands. I’m a night owl, so often I start making bouquets again after dinner, depending on how busy things are.

Does your business interfere with any other responsibilities or interests you have?

I suppose I could be a more conscientious housekeeper, but that's not one of my goals! 

I like working hard and playing hard. Spending time with my family is important to me and a big reason why I love the flexibility of what I do. I'm not afraid to unplug and enjoy the downtime, but getting to do what I love means I usually don't look at running FlowerThyme as work.

If you could go back in time to when you first started your business, is there anything you would do differently?

I would embrace being a newbie! I would give myself permission to ask a lot more questions of the wonderfully supportive artists I’ve met along the way, like how they manage their time, how they deal with difficult customers, how they price their products. 

I used to think there was one exact way to run a business, but it’s such a personal thing. It was a turning point when I realized I had to find a way that worked for me, instead of trying to fit FlowerThyme and my style into a specific mold.

What would you like to learn from a community of other small business owners and self-employed professionals?

I want to know how others here in OWN IT have navigated the path from being a one-man band to bringing on contractors and then employees. 

How did you deal with taking something so personal and bringing other people on board?

Calling all you adventurous entrepreneurs!

Have *you* recently expanded your startup? What essential wisdom can you share with Kirsten about how to hire and expand her team? 

Share your own stories and experiences with us in the comments below. :-)