Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Byerley.
Kelly, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m the owner and designer behind Kelly Jo Studio. Ever since I was a little girl, I have had a love for anything artsy and creative. As a child, I remember having plastic boxes in my closet full of pretty papers, stationery, stickers, cards, glue, and scissors. I would “play” with them for hours, I’m not sure how you play with paper but I loved it.
My wedding invitations and stationery were my first design projects, and where I discovered my passion for creating beautiful paper designs. I had so many people tell me how much they loved the invitations, and that I needed to start a business of my own. I wanted to create something elegant and unique, something you wouldn’t see anywhere else. I love custom creations that truly speak to you and your individual style. I love designing for all occasions, from birthday parties to baby showers to weddings.
I graduated from the University of North Texas in 2001 with a BBA in Entrepreneurship and immediately went to work as an Accountant. I know those two don’t exactly go together, but the Accountant had to pay the bills while the entrepreneur side of me had to be put on hold. I knew one day, I would open my own business. Having my son in 2012, combined with almost 11 years of number crunching really pushed me to get things going, and in 2013, I opened Kelly Jo Studio. I finally put that Entrepreneurship degree to good use. For two years, I was an Accountant by day, then headed home to spend many late nights and long weekends working on design projects, which left little time to spend with my family. In 2015, I made the decision to quit my Accounting job of 14 years and put all of my energy into being a wife, mom, and growing Kelly Jo Studio into something I’ve always dreamed about. I design and make all of my products with my own two hands, and I hope you love everything as much as I love making it!
Designing is my passion and I LOVE creating! When I can sit down at my computer and design something unique, from scratch, that is my happy place! I decided I wanted to use my designs for more than just paper products and birthday parties. I wanted to grow! In 2017, I opened up a T-shirt shop, and it has taken off more than I could have ever imagined! In just one short year, I’ve had more than 2,000 orders and over 300 5-Star reviews!
I was born and raised in Texas, and wouldn’t have it any other way! I have a wonderful and supportive husband that allows me to follow my dreams and always encourages me to do things I never thought I could do. Our oldest son is six years old and little brother just turned three.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are definitely highs and lows that come along with owning your own business. My biggest struggle is balancing work and home life. My home is “my office”, so I’m always “working.” Whether that be answering a quick email or message, pressing a shirt, designing an invitation, ordering supplies, printing shipping labels, packaging up orders to ship or taking product photos. There’s always something to be done, so it’s difficult to turn it off when you can just walk from your kitchen to your office in a few seconds. I can sit down to answer a quick email, and two hours later I’m still working. You have to separate work and home life, just as you would a 9-5 job at the office. It’s a lot harder, so it takes a lot of discipline and awareness. I try to only work when my kids are in school or at night after they go to bed. Of course, there are times when I have to work weekends or after school, but I try to limit those times.
What should we know about your business? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
What sets me apart from others is my custom work. I’m always up for custom designs! It’s my favorite thing to do, it’s what gets me excited to sit down at the computer! Whether that be a custom design for an invitation or a t-shirt, making something unique is totally my jam. I want to make something you can’t see anywhere else!
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
Growing up, I was always told to do my best. Whether that be school, sports, relationships, fitness, career or hobbies. If you put forth your best effort in everything you do, you’ll always realize your full potential. You can determine what fills your cup, what you love doing and how to become better. I always knew I wanted to open my own business doing something, but never knew exactly what that looked like. My first idea was a florist! Which obviously did not work out, but I tried my best! It just wasn’t for me. I LOVE what I do now. Have I always been good at it? No. Have I always tried to learn more? YES! I have spent MANY long hours teaching myself design software and cutting software. Lots of scrapped projects that didn’t turn out like I hoped, money down the drain and tears shed. Blood, sweat, and tears? Isn’t that what they say? But you can’t learn if you don’t make mistakes and you can’t grow if you don’t learn. It’s all a process, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it! I still learn new things every day!
Pricing:
- Invitation designs $15 and up
- Banners $25 and up
- T-shirts $25 and up
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kjstoo.etsy.com
- Phone: www.kellyjostudio.com
- Email: kjstoodesignco@gmail.com and kellyjostudio@gmail.com
- Instagram: @kjstoo, @kellyjostudio (2nd IG account)
- Facebook: KJS Too
Image Credit:
Rooted in Love Photography, Stacy Reeves Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
