Stationery start up ellisbenson will reveal their lovely line up at our next event. Here we do a quick behind the scenes with owners Taryn and Sally.
When did your business start?
We are brand spanking new! We launched our website www.ellisbenson.com.au in August. Needless to say there have been squeals of excitement and the odd glass of champagne consumed!
What were you doing pre ellisbenson?
Most recently, taking care of four little people between us and another on the way. Prior to that Sally was a primary school teacher and Taryn has spent the last five years juggling children with a career in event and sponsorship marketing.
What inspired you to begin?
The inability to find a suitable piece of paper in the house when we wanted to write a quick note! (Suitable meaning not torn directly out of a spiral notepad or snatched in haste from the printer!!)
Jokes aside, sending a note to say thank you or I am thinking of you is such a simple act of kindness. That has really been our inspiration.
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
Clean, simple, classic lines. We work in silhouettes and outlines and shower them with colour. It was important that the product did not dominate the personal message our customers would create.
Where else do you show your product?
At the moment, with the exception of our little retail debut at Magnolia Square, we sell exclusively via our website at www.ellisbenson.com.au
Most challenging aspect of the business to date?
Funnily enough, opening a bank account was our first hurdle! Having been ‘sheltered’ in large businesses for so long, dealing with the nitty gritty details of administration was a big deal. It was a relief to finally jump through the hoops and pass GO!
Many decisions at the outset are a classic ‘chicken or the egg’ scenario. Example - do we select our printer before our paper, or our paper before our printer as one has a great impact on the colour and finish of the end product. There was no secret to getting this balance right – we simply threw ourselves in the deep end, and asked as many questions as we possibly could to ensure we were making informed decisions along the way.
Post launch, the challenge has been educating our customer. Personalised stationery per se conjures up preconceived ideas. It has not always been design orientated and it has tended to be expensive, or based on a format of ‘insert name here’, all of which Ellis Benson is not!
Why do you love what you do?
Ellis Benson has allowed us to harness our creativity. We met in high school and have been crafting ideas ever since! We are thrilled to be learning and achieving things together.
high school besties Sally Dymond & Taryn Beck
Plus, it’s a privilege to be thought of within hours of a new baby arriving or to be creating paper for our customers when they simply want to congratulate someone for a job well done.
Ellis Benson is about living life beautifully and celebrating the nice things in life. What more could you ask for?
WIN WIN
