Artist Q&A

As part of Oh My News (our newsletter), we spotlight artists and their work. You can find past Q&A's here.

For our first issue, we’d love for you to meet Jess, the creative behind Planned By Jysla. She runs a Sydney based stationery business known for its minimal aesthetic, self-care stickers and planner goods. Jess also runs a Patreon sharing behind the scenes updates and small business tips, posts studio vlogs and planner videos on YouTube, and sells in-person at various art markets around Australia.

Planned by Jysla

Tell us a bit about yourself and what made you start your small business. Hey I’m Jess! I’m a creative based in Sydney and I run the stationery business Planned By Jysla. My background is in photography (although I studied Business/Engineering) but I started my business because of my love for planning and journalling. I taught myself to draw as an adult and it feels like Planned By Jysla was a project into exploring creative work I had always admired from afar (as evident through my sticker hoarding).The majority of my designs centre around gentle self-care and healing (with a splash of tough love and taking action) and it has been an honour that something so personal to me has also resonated with other people.

Is there one platform that has surprised you, good or bad, by how much it drove sales or growth compared to what you expected going in? YouTube was completely unexpected for me! I really enjoy filming and sharing my process behind-the-scenes but never expected at all that it would lead to shop sales and more followers on Instagram as well (the one platform I struggle with the most!) when I posted my first video 7 years ago in 2019. I’m still in love with long form content to this day, even in this age of reels and shorts, and a big believer in its ability to form vulnerable, genuine connections.With stationery and planner trends moving so quickly, how do you decide what NOT to make and whether it’s worth chasing a micro trend? Truthfully, I’m a bit oblivious to micro trends most of the time because I’m rarely on social media platforms like Instagram. There’s pros and cons to existing in a ‘bubble’ but the main advantage is that I’m mostly unfazed by the quick trends and can focus on the things I personally want to create most.Trends can be helpful for people just starting out, as a way to experiment or have fun, but ultimately, I do think it’s more stable and sustainable to nurture your own voice and style first and foremost when it comes to creating. Let the trends inspire you and guide you if it aligns, but don’t let it define the entirety of your brand!

How many markets have you done so far and how do you decide which markets you’d like to sell at? Good question! (I had to go back and count.) I’ve done 11 markets so far over the last few years, across 3 different states. I do anywhere from 1-3 markets a year depending on my own schedule and what markets I get accepted into. I try to choose markets where I think my products would be well received by customers. For example, since my products are more minimal and journalling-aligned, I don’t really apply to markets that lean more heavily on cuter art (and I probably wouldn’t be accepted anyway!).What has an in-person market taught you about your customers that online sales never could? I honestly didn’t expect do table at markets at all. I’m such a homebody that tends to be quite introverted and socially anxious at times, so doing markets in-person was a big step for me. I just wanted to try a market here and there as a way to support my online shop. I’ve found that in-person markets have not only been incredibly rewarding for the connections with customers but for the valuable feedback of my products too. Nothing quite compares to being able to chat with your customers face-to-face and meet new people discovering your work.Speaking of markets, table setup and layouts are so important and a big one to think about. Can you share a photos of your table set up when you first started out versus your current set up. How do you approach this and has anything changed over the years? My table set up actually hasn’t changed too much from 2022 compared to now! I’m still using the same tablecloth and still selling a lot of the same products, though the range has definitely grown and I’m displaying things a little bit more neatly. This is very much on brand for me because I’m more of a ‘tweaker’ rather than someone that makes any big changes. At a glance, it doesn’t look like much has changed, but there’s so many little improvements behind the scenes too which I’m so proud of.

If someone reading this is thinking about turning their art into a stationery or product business, what are three practical steps you’d tell them to take?

  • Hone your own voice and style (you want to be the best you not the second best copy of someone else)

  • Start where you are, start before you’re ready (you’ll learn and grow faster from taking action)

  • Bloom at your own pace (this is not a race or competition, everyone’s path looks different and has a different timing)

Any last words for us? Your quirks and your imperfections are your superpower. Lean into that and show up as your beautiful, authentic self. There is that one person out there who has been waiting for someone just like you and the work that you create. But more importantly: do it for yourself, always, first and foremost.View and follow more from Jess (Planned By Jysla):
🔗 Online shop
🔗 Instagram
🔗 YouTube
🔗 Patreon