What do you do when chronic illness forces you to give up the craft you love? If you’re Gillian, you reinvent everything and end up with a jewellery business as unique as the pages it’s made from. 💛

In this heartwarming and inspiring episode, Steph sits down with HBSA student Gillian, the creative mind behind Paper2Pearls, to talk about the unexpected journey from patchwork quilts to paper jewellery, the challenges of crafting with arthritis, and how she’s used the Handmade Business Success Academy to bring structure, strategy, and new energy to her handmade business.

Expect real talk about mindset, planning, SEO, and how to keep going when life throws curveballs. Whether you’re at the start of your handmade journey or deep in the pivot stage, this episode is full of gold.

You’ll hear about:
        •        How Gillian’s business began with origami experiments after a health diagnosis
        •        Why learning to plan ahead changed everything
        •        The challenges of marketing a super-niche product (and how she’s tackled them)
        •        What it’s really like to go through HBSA as a neurodivergent maker
        •        And… how a peanut up the nose started a lifetime of “what if” creativity 😂

This one’s a gem. You’ll leave feeling grounded, inspired, and ready to keep building.

Website - www.paper2pearls.co.uk

Newsletter https://paper2pearls.eo.page/8fywb

Etsy - www.paper2pearls.etsy.com 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Paper2pearlsbyGilli/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Paper2pearlsbyGilli

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🎙 Welcome to the Handmade Bosses Podcast with Steph 👋

If you’re dreaming of starting your handmade business or knee-deep in Etsy listings and feeling stuck - you’re in the right place.

I’m Steph - handmade business coach, Etsy seller since 2016, and founder of Handmade Bosses. I help makers go from overwhelmed to consistent sales (yes, even if you’re just starting).

🛍 Learn how to:

• Start and grow on Etsy

• Turn browsers into buyers

• Master SEO, branding, pricing

• Find your niche and ideal customer

• Scale beyond Etsy to your own website

💸 I’ve helped thousands of makers build profitable 4 and 5-figure shops — and in this podcast, I’ll show you how too.

✨ Free starter resources: handmadebosses.com/freeresources

🎓 Deeper help? Explore the HBSA, the SMS & more: handmadebosses.com/paidresources

📅 Join our Facebook group for free workshops: facebook.com/groups/handmadebosses/events

📸 Follow us on Instagram for tips and inspo: instagram.com/handmadebosses

Hit follow, grab a brew, and let’s grow your handmade biz.

Love, Steph & Team HB xox