Meet Trailblazer Aneta Storvik

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aneta Storvik.

Aneta, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up with three sisters and back in the 90s we had the most fun playing, imagining and being outside. I rarely remember being indoors just watching t.v. unless we tried beating my older sister in Nintendo games. We use to play this imaginative game where we all had jobs. My older sister worked at the bank, I owned a store, one was a nurse and we made our youngest sister fill in the gaps (she didn’t really get a choice)!

When we played these sort of games, I usually ended up being the creative director. Today, I laugh thinking about how most of it all turned out to be true. My one sister is an accountant, I’m in the creative world with dreams of my own store, another is a nurse and my youngest is improving restaurants and leading others.

And if I wasn’t playing with my sisters, you could find me creating and coloring. I was always doing something artsy. I began my college path as an art major, but the common feedback was, “what will you ever do with that?” So, I changed direction and ended up graduating in Strategic Communications – Public Relations and Marketing.

I find myself laughing again because here I am, a soon-to-be mom of three, building her own brand using her college experience and natural talent.

But how did give with joy begin? It began slowly and gradually without really thinking it would be a business I’d like to grow. My husband and I were traveling to Cambodia with our church and to help with finances (newlyweds and we were broke), I began making cards and selling them to friends and family. It felt juvenile, but it obviously was something that I was meant to move toward. So, after our two-week trip, I opened an Etsy shop and just kept at it. Making mistakes and some awful designs, but kept plugging away. No business plan, just kept at it.

I was working full-time at a non-profit for the first three years we were in Denver (Wisconsin born and raised). When I was pregnant with my first, I knew day-care wasn’t a real option so I started to get serious with give with joy. A few months before she was born, I quit and concentrated on setting a better ground for give with joy. Now, I am here with a business I am proud of and with amazing time with my littles.

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?
Is it ever a smooth road? I feel like the bumps and hardships help you grow if you allow them to. So no, not a smooth road. It took me a bit to figure out my style and to feel confident putting it out there. I know that with businesses like mine – the smaller ones – feel more like hobbies than a career. That’s hard. And I stay home with my kids so that makes the line of home-maker and businesswomen blurry for some people. There are times I’ll be in a room and no one asks me “how’s work” even though that question isn’t super important, I’ll be the only one not asked. As if what I do is not “work.” But I have learned to be ok with that. I don’t need validation from others when I see this path connected from when I was a little girl to now. I know this is what I am supposed to do. Every I feel like quitting give with joy, I pray about it and while I’ll be doing that, I always get 2-3 orders!! It’s insane. Not saying God always works like that, but He definitely knows how to confirm and settle our hearts.

My advice is to just start and don’t listen to the noise. There’s so many people out there who don’t understand women wanting to create and carve out their own paths, but many do. Find those people and build a community that supports your creative path. I use to meet with other women makers, creators and business owners. It was incredible. We just helped each out, listened and supported one another. I need to do that again.

Please tell us about give with joy – what should we know?
give with joy is all about inspiring more joy in our lives, helping other cultivate relationships and connect with their community. Life is beautiful just as it is chaotic and I believe a small gesture – like sending a card – makes a world of a difference in someone’s day.

That’s what I do. I use my art – lettering and illustrating – to create products that are simple, beautiful and meaningful. I have greeting cards, art prints, journals, calendar and other paper goods/gifts in my online shop. And I’d say I am most known for the brand I am building – what it all means. I don’t want to add more products to the paper good world without inspiring others to be thoughtful and engaging. I use my small influence to emphasize that.

One thing I am most proud of is a new relationship I have with someone who first was a give with joy customer. I met her at a market. It was a slower one so I had time to have a conversation. For some reason, we both were super vulnerable to our conversations. I just had my first child and was feeling postpartum anxiety and poured out my difficulties. She was honest back and shared with me her own story. Not super professional, but that’s what I love about give with joy, I don’t create these harsh boundary lines of “professional” like I had experienced at my other two jobs. give with joy feels more personal. Today, that customer is an amazing friend – one who I have been able to cry and celebrate with. That’s what I feel sets give with joy apart.

Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
This has been challenging. I have reached out to some women in my industry and never felt supported. They all were closed off and not eager to share any wisdom with me. Maybe it felt too competitive for them, but I never really withhold industry information. I struggled with finding resources for printing, paper, etc. but now, will help someone starting off – at least offering them wise words.

My best networking came from gathering women who ran businesses and meeting occasionally. We’d gather around food – duh – and we’d take turns helping each other brainstorm and simply rallying around each other.

Contact Info:

• Website: shopgivewithjoy.com
• Phone: 720-333-3071
• Email: hello@shopgivewithjoy.com
• Instagram: @anetanina
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/givewithJOY/

Image Credit:
The photos with me in them are credited to: Alicia Lewin Photography
The two products were taken by: Shelby Goodman
Family photos were taken by: Rachael MacPhee (instagram.com/rachaelhmacphee)

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