Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Williams.
Danielle, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As far back as I can remember I have been painting, doodling names, perfecting my handwriting, and finding new ways to be creative. Fast forward to 2016 when my husband and I moved from New York to Texas, and I was looking for a new career in a new city.
After leaving my job in visual merchandising back in New York I was unsure where to begin. Calligraphy was a hobby that I picked up in 2014 while I was preparing for my wedding, and I have always loved the art of stationery. I began to take online classes in calligraphy and had spent countless hours practicing on my own until I finally got the hang of it. Being new to Houston I had a lot of time on my hands, so I decided, why not give calligraphy a real try? What’s the worst that could happen?
And so, Danielle Williams Calligraphy was born in the spring of 2017. Now, a year later, I’ve learned a lot, and have met a lot of awesome people along the way.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road here hasn’t been the smoothest but I wouldn’t be where I am now without the mistakes I have made and learned from along the way. Whenever you start something new, especially something as ambitious as starting a business, there’s bound to be a learning curve. But these struggles have only made the process that much more rewarding.
Owning your own business is not for the faint of heart. There will be days when everything goes right, and you are beyond happy at the end of the day, and of course, there will be days when you’ll cry because your printer stopped working right before your client meeting or ink spilled all over your latest project. You can’t go home and close the door, your work is a huge part of your life- but I wouldn’t want it any other way. If I won the lottery tomorrow and never had to work again, I would still do this because I love creating beautiful one-of-a-kind hand-calligraphed items and stationery.
One of my greatest struggles has been learning to trust my own vision. It’s easy as creative to get caught up in the comparison game, and quickly lose sight of why you started. It’s so important to know the value of what you are doing and to set boundaries for yourself.
Danielle Williams Calligraphy – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Danielle Williams Calligraphy offers custom hand-calligraphed items such as large event signage, envelope calligraphy, place cards, and table numbers. We also specialize in custom stationery for weddings and other special events and we have recently added a selection of lifestyle products including mugs and art prints. We primarily work with brides on custom stationery and day-of items for their weddings.
My favorite part is seeing the vision go from just an idea, or Pinterest board, that a couple has, to a complete custom invitation suite. There are so many details that go into the process and no two suites are alike. We offer everything from custom watercolor and calligraphy details to custom venue illustrations in our invitation suites.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me, success isn’t as simple as reaching a certain point in your career, it’s measured by how you are impacting the lives of others, and how you feel about your work at the end of the day. I wake up everyday excited to be doing what I love, and I can’t wait to make others happy with the work that I do for them.
For as long as that’s the case all I can do is continue to grow as both a calligrapher and a business owner – and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.daniellewilliamscalligraphy.com
- Email: danielle@daniellewilliamscalligraphy.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/daniellewilliamscalligraphy
Image Credit:
Katy Cox Photography, Rebecca Love Photography, Raeleigh Photography
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