Today we’d like to introduce you to Sanjana Shetty.
Sanjana, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started creating typographic designs as a stress reliever when I was a junior in college and I started sharing them on Instagram under the handle @CrackedGlitter. I mainly wanted to share my designs without clogging up my friend’s Instagram feeds with constant posts from me!
In 2017, I took the plunge and began selling my designs as decor and custom work. Since then, I’ve sold via social media, at trade shows, and through online retailers, but the heart of my designs has stayed the same. As of January 2019, Cracked Glitter is also an official GIPHY Artist, with gifs available for Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat users to include in their stories.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I struggled (and still do) with carving time out from my life to create new designs and post them regularly. While I was still in college, finals and organizations would get in the way, and I’d not have time to update my website or social media for months at a time. Now that I work and have a more regular schedule, it’s easier for me to plan out designs, posting schedules, and find new opportunities.
The other huge struggle was when I first started producing my designs as homeware and decor. At first, I did all production myself, in my apartments before trade shows, but quickly got overwhelmed with the different options and decisions to make. I realized that it’s okay if I don’t have all the answers yet and decided to outsource the creation of my designs as physical goods to online retailers, giving me back more time to focus on my designs and custom work.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Cracked Glitter – what should we know?
My work falls into three lines; Yellow Paint, Ever After, and the Holiday Shoppe.
There’s an urban legend that the painter Vincent Van Gogh so badly wanted to be happy, he ate yellow paint. The hope was that the vibrant color would fill him up with happiness. All of the designs in Yellow Paint are inspired by what makes us happy. Our dogs, wine, childhood members, late nights with friends, that’s where I most of my designs are rooted.
In every fairytale, there’s the “Ever After.” I create designs in this line specifically created for weddings and all that entails, before, during, and after a couple says I do. I try to make this work as custom to the couple as possible, to fit their love story.
Finally, the Holiday Shoppe is meant to enhance the special memories of the big days in our lives. I love spending the holidays with my family and friends and I want my seasonal designs to capture that nostalgia.
I’m most proud of the fact that these three lines represent me. I believe in finding the happy moments of life and celebrating them, and every design I’ve created speaks to me in some way. That’s what I’m most proud of.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have been incredibly blessed with one of the best support systems anyone could ask for. My family and friends have traveled across Texas to trade shows, referred me for custom work and new opportunities, and encouraged me to actually start selling my designs.
My family in particular always believed in me and pushed me to find new ways to share my designs with new people, and I’ll always be grateful to them for that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.crackedglitter.com
- Phone: 5127884859
- Email: sanjana.shetty@crackedglitter.com
- Instagram: @crackedglitter
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crackedglitter/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrackedGlitter
- Other: https://www.redbubble.com/people/CrackedGlitter/og-shop and https://society6.com/crackedglitter
Image Credit:
Riece Floyd
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