enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

Category: small business

  • anatomy of a blog post / part one.

    I have been wanting to write an "anatomy of a blog post" post for awhile. Partly because stuff like this helps me think through and improve my own processes and partly because I get questions about running a blog all the time via email. When I sat down to finally write it though, it got…

  • my ALT summit takeaways.

    I spent time last week in Salt Lake City for Alt Summit, a blogging conference. I have heard about Alt many times over the years and it always appeared very glittery and stylish and a bit of a who's who of the lifestyle blog scene. It was all of those things for sure in well-organized…

  • around here.

    I wanted to take a second today to say thanks. Thank you for your kind words and support about my WDS announcement last week. It was such a boost to read through those comments and my speech continues to grow and get stronger. At this point I only have a 5 minute pause for laughter…

  • how I use instagram for business (and pleasure).

    I LOVE INSTAGRAM. If I only got ONE social media outlet, I'd pick the blog. But if I got two, I'd pick the blog and Instagram, no contest. It's just so easy. And clean. And simple. And functional. I use it to connect with people I haven't seen in years (like people I went to…

  • small business how to : shipping.

    This is going to sound like an exaggeration, but stamps.com saved my business. FOR REAL. If you are a small business owner that ships physical products you most likely know that shipping international can be a huge hassle. It seems like the postage rates are ALWAYS changing (sometimes depending on your teller). Worse than that,…

  • my favorite branding trick.

    Rubber stamps, you guys. They are inexpensive. They are customizeable. They are versatile. Since the very beginning of my business, I have purchased rubber stamps to do everything. Make my original business cards (stamp on cardstock). Create stationery (stamp on larger cardstock). Decorate my packaging (stamp on outside of box or envelope). Add my logo…

  • three things I know to be true / blogging.

    Next up in my series of things I know to be true … blogging. This is not the normal, "post frequently, be consistent and take good photos!" advice (though that's good advice, too). This is the deeper stuff that is totally true for me. Write about what YOU want to write about. If I've learned…

  • new business cards!

    My MAKE29 business cards are perfect for sending out with numbered editions, but I needed something different for just handing out in real life and for sending along with other products. And I love any excuse to design new stuff for my brand. I've always been a fan of photos on my cards (remember these?!…

  • WELCOME TO THE PARTY, MAY.

    IF IT SEEMS LIKE I AM SHOUTING, IT'S BECAUSE I AM. May 1. We made it. May is a big month for me. Here's what I've got work-wise: The Queen Bee Market starts tomorrow! I'm selling a bunch of RANDOM items. Seriously. So RANDOM. And so RAD. When I quit the stamp making business, I…

  • what’s in my behance action book?

      I got a question recently about how I use my Behance action book and my first response (in my head) was "how don't I use my Behance action book?" Since last fall I have used it for alllllll my business thoughts that are not complicated enough to warrant a spreadsheet (like income and expenses…