<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 class="wp-block-paragraph">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 class="wp-block-paragraph">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 class="wp-block-paragraph">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-58931" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-58931 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="58931" 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-10011818 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites tag-birdhouses tag-brooklyn tag-design tag-gift-wrap tag-goddex-apothecary tag-greeting-card tag-greeting-cards tag-hand-painted-2 tag-heylee-ebersole tag-isatopia tag-jennifer-lucey-brzoza tag-knot-bow tag-kyrie-bushaw tag-letterpress tag-meshwork-press tag-milo-unexpected-things tag-mirror tag-my-darlin-2 tag-new-york tag-noat tag-ohh-deer tag-pancake-paperie tag-paperweights tag-personal-care tag-quick-brown-fox-letterpress tag-sarah-schwartz tag-stationery tag-stationery-design tag-stationery-designer tag-swirl-pad tag-thank-you-stationery tag-the-paper-fold-podcast tag-the-paper-nerd" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/shoppe-object-market-report-5/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=120%2C120&;ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=275%2C275&;ssl=1 275w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=372%2C372&;ssl=1 372w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=567%2C567&;ssl=1 567w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=882%2C882&;ssl=1 882w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?resize=50%2C50&;ssl=1 50w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_7645-2.jpeg?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/shoppe-object-market-report-5/">Shoppe Object Market Report, #5</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="2022-10-17T18:50:59+00:00">October 17, 2022</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="10011818"><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 class="wp-block-paragraph">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
