Conversations with the Inspiring Justine Niehaus

Today we’d like to introduce you to Justine Niehaus.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Justine. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Growing up, I was always making things: friendship bracelets, knitting, sewing, drawing, and painting. I think this creativity is part of why I chose to go into Early Childhood Education. Creating lesson plans and bulletin boards became my favorite part of the job.

I taught for many years before I had my kids. I knew after having my first that I didn’t want to go back to the grind of a full-time job. Having my daughter changed my whole trajectory. It was staying home with and creating things for them when I discovered “lettering.” Mind you, I was already doing it, by way of making cards for family and friends or prints to hang in our home. I just didn’t know it had a name or that it could be something I could make into a “job.”)

On a whim, I decided to open an Etsy shop to see if anyone would buy all the stuff I was making just for fun. It was a slow start and I only made a handful of sales. Once I posted on my neighborhood’s business page, things really started to pick up.

Now, I’m lettering basically anything and everything you can write on: chalkboard signs, doormats, ornaments, and of course greeting cards and custom prints. It’s been really rewarding to turn something I love doing into a small business AND I’m still able to be a full-time mom. It’s honestly the best of both worlds.

One of my favorite parts of my business is doing custom orders, because it makes me a part of memories that people are making with their families. Recently, a customer sent me a photo of an ornament I made for her friend in India, hanging on the tree. Just knowing I brightened someone’s day on the other side of the world, by doing something that I love, is pretty special.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has definitely not been smooth! Like I said, it was a slow start on Etsy and there was a bit of a learning curve when it came to having inventory and also trying to sell custom orders.

I’d say the biggest struggle, honestly, was just putting myself out there. Taking a leap and trying something I never thought I’d do: starting a business. In the beginning, I struggled with the idea that I wasn’t doing what I initially thought I’d be doing (teaching). But in the end, it was even better to take something I have always been passionate about and turn that into my job.

Another thing I struggled with at the beginning was constantly comparing myself to others (especially since I did not go art school or have any formal training as an artist). But as time went on, and my skills developed I felt more confident calling myself an “artist.” Plus, the online lettering world is very inclusive. You’ll see the hashtag #communityovercompetition all the time on Instagram and I just love that. There’s room for everyone.

My advice to young women starting their own journey is: a lot of the time, “Plan A” doesn’t work out and your life takes turns you don’t expect. So it’s not only OK, but necessary, to go to Plan B, C, D, E. Keep trying until you find what works for you. Additionally, something that worked for you before might not work for you now! Don’t be afraid to switch gears and take a new path. You never know – your Plan F might be even better than Plan A.

What should we know about Lettered by Justine? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I do hand lettering, which is similar to calligraphy, but more creative and fun. What’s great about it is that there isn’t one style you have to stick to and there are endless ways to create something.

Most people know me for the custom work I do. My most popular items are personalized doormats, prints and ornaments. It can be a challenge being a one-woman show. This holiday season, I got so many ornament order requests that I had to shut the shop down! While I wish I could have created more gifts for more people that was a cool moment for me; to go from selling 10 cards in a year to selling out.

I’m most proud of the customer service I’m able to provide while helping people create special gifts to give to loved ones. Even though I don’t know most of the people I’m making things for, it’s quite intimate to be a part of special moments. I really appreciate being able to be a part of those. I think that’s also something that sets me apart from others who do this type of work. Many times, I will get calls saying that someone desperately needs a gift for someone in the next day or two. While that turnaround time is hard for custom hand-made products, it’s important to me to provide great customer service and meet those last minute requests whenever I can. While it might mean less sleep for me, what I make could mean making both the gift-giver and the recipient’s whole week better. So it’s worth it!

I also love supporting other small businesses. I’m lucky to live in a part of Denver where there are a ton of female-owned small businesses and we can collaborate on projects and help get the word out about each other.

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Women are always juggling so much, trying to be good mothers, wives, partners, friends, all while trying to find their place in the world outside of their personal lives. What’s more, women are often unfairly judged, so it’s a struggle to want to willingly put yourself under so much scrutiny. What I love so much about the lettering community is that many, if not most, of the artists I follow are women. Many of them are moms as well, or women with other careers. Lettering gives us the opportunity to express ourselves and our struggles through a creative outlet.

Which women have inspired you in your life? Why?
Honestly, the most inspiring woman in my life is probably my 7-year-old daughter. Besides being the impetus for starting “Lettered by Justine,” she has become my biggest cheerleader and assistant. She loves helping me come up with product ideas and this past holiday season we even designed a card together and all the proceeds from those cards went to a charity of her choice (The Denver Dumb Friends League). We call her “our little feminist” because she loves reading about women in history and is always telling me how amazing women are. She might not realize it now, but her excitement in learning those women’s stories has inspired me to keep hustling and doing what I love. I think we could all use someone like that!

Contact Info:

• Website: Etsy.com/shop/letteredbyjustine
• Email: letteredbyjustine@gmail.com
• Instagram: @letteredbyjustine
• Facebook: @letteredbyjustine

Image Credit:
All images were taken by me: Justine Niehaus

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