In this episode, I’m chatting with Larissa Stewart, esthetician and founder of Clover Skin Studio in Fairhaven.

Larissa has been an esthetician since 2011, and her work is rooted in holistic skincare, intuition, and meeting people exactly where they are. We talk about the early days of Clover Skin Studio, the pivots that brought her back to skincare, how motherhood shaped the way she works, and the new Fairhaven location she recently opened - with skincare services upstairs and a curated boutique downstairs.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Clover Skin Studio began and what the early days really looked like
• Why Larissa moved away from services that no longer felt aligned
• How motherhood helped her trust her body, time, and energy in a new way
• The importance of intuition when making business decisions
• The story behind her new Fairhaven location in Bellingham, WA
• Creating a space that feels easeful, calm, and intentional
• The systems and tools that help keep a business running behind the scenes
• What may be next for Clover Skin Studio, including online shopping and community events
• Advice for anyone dreaming of starting a service-based business

Favorite quote from the episode:

“I took my intuition’s hand, and I let her lead me.”

If you’re dreaming of starting something of your own, or learning how to trust the next right step, this conversation is full of honest encouragement and thoughtful insight.

You can find Larissa at Clover Skin Studio in Fairhaven, visit cloverskinstudio.com, and follow along on Instagram at @CloverSkinStudio.

And since Larissa and I talked about the possibility of adding online shopping to her next chapter, I’m also sharing my Shopify link below. Shopify has been a game changer in my own business for selling products, managing inventory, and keeping everything connected as my shop has grown. If you’re thinking about upgrading your website or adding e-commerce to your business, it’s worth checking out!

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

What does it look like to build a creative business that is colorful, handmade, empowering, and completely true to who you are?

In this episode, I’m joined by Tori King, the artist, maker, and owner behind Tori Tornado - a bold paper goods and gift brand based in Skagit Valley that inspires what Tori calls “badassery.” Her work is bright, funny, honest, and often a little sweary, but behind every card, calendar, magnet, and gift is a deeper message about self-worth, humor, and living life on your own terms.

Tori shares how she moved from graphic design into handmade goods, how a nickname from her bartending days became the name of her brand, and what it really looks like to run a creative business alongside a full-time job and motherhood. We also talk about markets, wholesale, pop-up shops, letting go of a physical retail space, and why not being for everyone can actually be one of the strongest parts of your business.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Where the name Tori Tornado came from
• What “badassery” means to Tori and how it shapes her brand
• Moving from graphic design into handmade paper goods and gifts
• Building a bold brand voice that uses humor, color, and swear words
• How Tori decides which markets, shops, and events are the right fit
• What she learned from having a physical shop and why she recently let it go
• Running a creative business while also working a full-time job and being a mom
• Growing through wholesale, online sales, and intentional markets
• The importance of knowing the difference between revenue and profit
• Why using your authentic voice matters in a creative business

Favorite quote from the episode:

“Badassery is living your own badass life. It’s your choice, your life - not what someone thinks you should do.”

Connect with Tori online:

Website: https://www.toritornado.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toritornadocreative

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

Marisa Papetti, founder of Marie’s Bees, didn’t set out to build a large product-based business. What started with honey, beekeeping, family, and caregiving slowly grew into a thriving Pacific Northwest brand with wholesale accounts, farmers markets, in-person events, cooking classes, employees, and a full production setup.

In this episode, Marisa shares the real story behind Marie’s Bees - from caring for her grandmother and delivering farm baskets, to discovering the grounding magic of bees, to learning how to build a business that could keep going even when life gets messy.

We talk about:

• How Marie’s Bees started and the personal story behind the name
• What the early days of selling honey and farm baskets looked like
• Why Marisa moved from pouring honey at home to a commercial kitchen
• How she built systems, hired employees, and stopped doing it all herself
• What she learned from past business challenges and burnout
• How she works with her husband without stepping on each other’s toes
• Why finding your people and building community matters in small business
• Her best advice for starting a product-based business today

This conversation is honest, funny, and full of practical wisdom for women in small business, especially anyone building a product-based brand, selling at markets, growing a team, or trying to create a business that can last.

My Favorite Quotes

• “Stop thinking you can do it alone.”
• “If you don’t have systems in place for when actual life happens, you’re dead.”
• “A good business owner is like a business ninja - you constantly adapt, adapt, adapt.”
• “The secret to keeping good people is to take care of good people.”
• “You need to prepare to build a business, not build a hobby that has a business name.”
• “People have their talents. You have to go with their strong suits.”
• “Stop overthinking it. Get out of your own way. Stop being so damn scared.”

Connect with Marisa:
Shop Marie's Bees online: www.mariesbees.com
Text Marisa Papetti: (360) 224-2387
Events + Classes: https://mariesbees.com/pages/events
IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariesbeeswa
PNW Artisan Marketplace: https://pnwartisanmarketplace.com

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

You started growing your email list… now what?

In this episode, I’m talking about the next step after list-building: setting up email automations that help your business keep working even when you’re not manually sending every single email.

Because your email list shouldn’t just sit there waiting for you to remember to send a newsletter. With the right automations in place, your email can welcome new subscribers, bring interested shoppers back to your site, recover missed sales, and follow up after someone buys.

And no, your emails don’t always have to be long, emotional, or packed with personal stories. Sometimes the best sales email is short, clear, and direct - with one goal: getting someone curious enough to click over to your website.

In this episode, I’m sharing:

• Why growing your list is only the first step
• What email automations are, even if your platform calls them flows, sequences, or workflows
• Why business and marketing are a numbers game
• The 4 foundational automations I’d start with: welcome, abandoned cart, browse abandonment, and post-purchase
• How these automations support the full customer journey: acquire, recover, reengage, and retain
• Why post-purchase emails have become one of my favorite ways to connect with Moss Bags customers
• Why simple, repeatable systems help your business keep moving without everything depending on you doing more

Favorite takeaway:
A newsletter is something you send. An automation is something you build. And when your automations are working, your email list becomes more than a list - it becomes a system that supports your business.

Join the Waitlist:
I’m currently building The Email Flow Fix, a fast-action course for product-based business owners who know email matters but don’t want to figure out every automation, email, and setup step from scratch.

Join the waitlist to be the first to know when it’s ready:
https://heyjulie.systeme.io/flowwaitlist

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

Have you ever been told, “You need to grow your email list,” and immediately thought, “Okay… but how?”

In this episode, Julie shares why one of the smartest things you can do for your small business is start growing your email list before you feel fully ready - not when your website is perfect, not when your product line is huge, and not when you have a complete email strategy mapped out.

You’ll hear the imperfect way Julie started her own list, why email gives small business owners more control than social media alone, and how to start inviting the right people in without overcomplicating it.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why your email list is one of the few marketing assets you actually own
• How Julie started her list imperfectly and barely emailed it at first
• Why social media is great for discovery, but not something you fully control
• Why unsubscribes are not always a bad thing
• Why a healthy, engaged list matters more than a huge list
• How to give people a clear reason to join your email list
• Where to place your sign-up form so people can actually find it
• Why your list can grow while your business grows

Best quote from the episode:

“People are busy. They don’t need another email just for the sake of getting another email. So if you’re asking someone for their email address, ask yourself: what am I giving them in return?”

If your newsletter list is tiny, untouched, or still just an idea in your head, check out The Email List Growth Fix - Julie’s beginner-friendly guide for small product-based business owners who want to grow an email list full of people who actually want to buy from them.

The Email List Growth Fix
A simple 5-day system to start growing an email list full of future buyers.
https://heyjulie.systeme.io/elistsales

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

In this episode of Hey Julie by Moss Bags, I’m joined by Jessi McNeal of Jessi McNeal Marketing + Bookkeeping.

Jessi started as a maker, artist, singer, and songwriter before evolving into marketing and bookkeeping support for other small businesses. Today, she helps product-based business owners with websites, email marketing, wholesale pitching, bookkeeping, and the behind-the-scenes systems that make business feel less overwhelming.

We talk about what makers often overthink in marketing, how to start when everything feels like too much, what’s working in wholesale and direct-to-consumer sales, and how small business owners can use AI without losing their own voice.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Jessi’s journey from music and art to product-based business
• Why her handmade pet products gained traction
• The reality of labor-heavy products and burnout
• How she shifted into marketing and bookkeeping support
• What makers are overthinking in their marketing
• Why your website is often the best place to start
• Wholesale pitching tips for makers and product-based brands
• How to use Faire without losing track of your margins
• Why email marketing still matters
• How AI can help small businesses without replacing their voice

Favorite quote:
“Deep breath, number one. Quiet the voices. Maybe take a little Instagram break from all the business influencers and your peers, and just get a little quiet.”

Connect with Jessi
Website: jessimcneal.com
Instagram: jessimcnealmarketing

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

Today I’m chatting with artist and muralist Darcie Gray, the creative behind RANGE | Art by Darcie Gray.

Darcie’s work is immediately recognizable: natural landscapes, a limited palette of blue, green, black, and white, and this beautiful balance of calm and energy that feels so connected to nature.

In this conversation, we talk about what keeps her creating - how she stays motivated, builds momentum as an artist and business owner, and keeps the work feeling playful and alive even when it became her livelihood.

Darcie shares how her background in apparel design shaped the way she sees art in people’s everyday lives, why recognizability builds connection, and how saying yes to new creative ideas - like murals, hand-painted clothing, and public art - has helped her business grow in unexpected ways.

Favorite Quote

“You’ve gotta infuse fun in your work and do things just because you want to.”
- Darcie Gray

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Darcie’s limited color palette became part of her signature style
• Why her apparel design background influences the way she creates art today
• How artists can forget their work is still new and exciting to everyone else
• What helps Darcie stay motivated as a self-employed artist
• Why deadlines, calendars, and saying yes can create momentum
• How she protects joy, curiosity, and experimentation in her business
• The story behind her murals, hand-painted clothing, and public art

Connect with Darcie:
My website is: www.rangedesignstudio.com
Print Shop on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RangeDesignStudio
IG: @darciegray_art

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

If you’ve ever pieced together your business across Etsy, Squarespace, in-person sales, email, and wholesale inquiries, this episode is for you.

This week, I’m sharing why I outgrew the platforms that helped me get started, how Shopify became the home base for my business, and what I think every product-based business owner should consider when building an online store that actually supports growth.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why outgrowing a platform doesn’t mean you made the wrong choice
• The difference between having places to sell and having a connected business
• Why Shopify works so well for product-based businesses
• How apps, analytics, and integrations can help your business grow
• The role of product photos, video, and descriptions in building trust
• How to make your website work harder by answering customer questions
• Why your website should support your brand, not just your checkout

If you’re building a handmade or product-based business and craving a stronger system, this one is for you.

"A beautiful store gets attention, a strategic store gets conversions, and a strong store gives you room to grow."

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Mary Morris Solomon, the artist and storyteller behind MaryGold Tales, to talk about her path from secret childhood art to building a creative business filled with small-batch stationery, illustrations, paintings, and live event portraits.

Mary shares what it looked like to leave behind a career that no longer felt aligned, start creating during a season of massive change, show up to her first market with a four-foot table and seven card designs, and learn to trust the gut feelings that kept opening the next door.

We also talk about:

• Building a creative business without a rigid plan
• Why in-person markets can create instant connection
• Seeing social media as community, not just content
• Saying yes to opportunities, then knowing when to realign
• Why artists and makers need to understand their numbers
• Building something that feels like you, not someone else

Favorite quote from the episode:
“Don’t chase my dream. Chase yours, and let me clap for you.”

If you’ve ever wondered whether the creative thing you keep quietly making could become something more, this conversation will remind you: start where you are, follow what feels aligned, and let your story unfold.

Connect with Mary:

Website: https://www.marygoldtales.com
Instagram: @marygold.tales

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

Helen didn’t plan to rebuild her business because of a trademark issue - but that’s exactly what happened.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Helen Worthington, the designer and maker behind Three in Kind, to talk about her journey from U.S. Navy jet pilot to creative small business owner. Helen first built CAVU Creations, a brand deeply connected to her aviation background and love of making, but after years in business, she received a letter about a trademark issue that forced her to make a difficult decision: fight it, rename it, or close that chapter and start again.

We talk about what small business owners should understand about naming, trademarks, research, business insurance, and protecting your work - not as legal advice, but as a real, honest story from someone who lived it.

Helen also shares what the early days of selling on Etsy looked like, how she brought her kids into her business and markets, why she eventually wanted to move away from handmade production, and how she created Three in Kind as a brand with more room to grow.

If you’re naming a business, launching a product, building a brand, or wondering what to do when your business needs to pivot, this conversation is such an important reminder: do your research, ask questions, and know that starting over does not mean starting from scratch.

Favorite Quote:
“Sometimes you do not choose the timing of the change, but you still get to choose what comes next.”

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Helen went from U.S. Navy jet pilot to creative small business owner
• The early days of CAVU Creations and selling on Etsy
• What CAVU meant and why the name was so personal to her
• The trademark issue that forced Helen to decide whether to fight, rename, or rebuild
• What small business owners should consider when naming a business or product
• Why business insurance does not always cover the issues you might expect
• How she chose the name Three in Kind and built a brand with more room to grow
• The role her kids played in markets, making, and the heart behind her business
• Why research, community, and asking questions matter so much for makers

Connect with Helen:

Website: https://threeinkind.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threeinkind/

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com