<p><iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *; clipboard-write" frameborder="0" height="175" style="width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;background:transparent;" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kristen-ley-of-thimblepress/id1517156345?i=1000587785909"></iframe></p>



<p>What is success exactly? That is the question Kristen Ley began asking herself following the meteoric rise of her paper and gift brand <a href="https://thimblepress.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Thimblepress">Thimblepress</a>. Taking her creations from Etsy shop to Target shelves in a few short years was a dream come true, but at what cost? </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-paper-chronicles-16-copy.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10012302"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Thimblepress&#8217; Daily Dose of Happy Greeting Cards</figcaption></figure>



<p>Caught up in a mindset of &#8220;hurry rush do,&#8221; Kristen became scattered. &#8220;I was spinning out, doing way too much, and not taking care of my mental and physical self,&#8221; she wrote me. &#8220;I had put off doctor&#8217;s appointments for years, I was cutting my own hair, and I was eating a very poor diet that kept me in a perpetual cycle of sickness. I was a mess.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-paper-chronicles-13-copy.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10012301"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A peek at Thimblepress&#8217; Faith offerings</figcaption></figure>



<p>So, Kristen decided to look inwards, slow down to an almost complete halt — including on social media! — and truly reevaluate what was actually going on in her business and heart. </p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-58075" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-58075 block-wrap-classic columns__m--1 elements-design-3 block-ani block-skin-0 tipi-box block-wrap-thumbnail ppl-m-1 clearfix" data-id="58075" data-base="0"><div class="tipi-row-inner-style clearfix"><div class="tipi-row-inner-box contents sticky--wrap"><div class="block block-23 clearfix"><article class="tipi-xs-12 clearfix with-fi ani-base tipi-xs-typo split-1 split-design-1 loop-0 preview-thumbnail preview-23 elements-design-3 post-10005978 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites tag-birthday-cards tag-cards tag-coronacards tag-design tag-foiled-cards tag-greeting-cards tag-illustration tag-j-falkner tag-mohawk tag-palm-beach tag-sarah-schwartz tag-stationery tag-stationery-design tag-stationery-designer tag-the-paper-chronicles tag-the-paper-fold tag-the-paper-nerd" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/keep-on-chasing-rainbows/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=254%2C254&;ssl=1 254w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=351%2C351&;ssl=1 351w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=546%2C546&;ssl=1 546w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=861%2C861&;ssl=1 861w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C300&;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?resize=50%2C50&;ssl=1 50w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fr24-in-hand-scaled.jpg?zoom=2&;resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1 200w" sizes="(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px" /></a></div><div class="meta"><div class="byline byline-2 byline-cats-design-4"><div class="byline-part cats"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/favorites/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Favorites</a></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/keep-on-chasing-rainbows/">Keep on Chasing Rainbows</a></h3></div><div class="byline byline-3"><span class="byline-part date"><i class="tipi-i-calendar" aria-hidden="true"></i> <time class="entry-date published dateCreated flipboard-date" datetime="2020-09-03T14:55:32+00:00">September 3, 2020</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="10005978"><span class="likes-heart"><i class="tipi-i-heart-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="tipi-i-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="tipi-value">0</span></a></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div></tipimidc>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-paper-chronicles-1-copy-683x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10012307" width="770" height="1154"/></figure>



<p>As a result, she completely restructured her business — and mindset — ;so that Thimblepress serves her, not the other way around. These days you will find Kristen not only developing her own product range, but collaborating with others for a true design win-win. Whatever role you play in our community, you&#8217;ll be inspired by this industry powerhouse&#8217;s grace, strength and wisdom.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-paper-chronicles-3-copy.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10012306"/></figure>

Kristen Ley of Thimblepress
