Lucky Dog Design Co.
About the Company
Lucky Dog Design Co. was founded by Kayla Hutchinson in March 2017 and is based in Lexington, Kentucky. The company specializes in colorful greeting cards, stickers, notepads, art prints, and desk calendars that aim to inspire and connect people. Kayla, a self-proclaimed paper nerd, has turned her lifelong passion for paper crafts into a thriving business.
Kayla’s love for paper began in her childhood, crafting handmade papers with her grandmother. This deep-rooted passion evolved over the years, culminating in her transition from a custom wedding invitation business to launching Lucky Dog Design Co. The name of the company was inspired by her dog, Odin, who shares her love for mail and packages.
Lucky Dog Design Co. operates through both direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales and wholesale, averaging $6,000 in monthly revenue. The business has grown steadily, leveraging Kayla's design experience and her ability to create products that resonate with customers. The company's success is also attributed to its strong online presence and effective use of marketing strategies.
Idea Behind Company
The idea for Lucky Dog Design Co. was born from Kayla’s deep-seated love for paper and crafting, nurtured during childhood summers spent with her grandmother. Her initial foray into the business world involved running a custom wedding invitation business, which she eventually found creatively exhausting. During this time, she began designing greeting cards for personal use, which garnered interest from friends and family.
Seeing an opportunity, Kayla decided to pivot from wedding invitations to greeting cards, a move that aligned more closely with her passion. The name Lucky Dog Design Co. was inspired by her dog, Odin, who had a playful obsession with mail. This personal touch added a unique and memorable aspect to the brand.
Balancing her full-time job at a nonprofit and her wedding invitation business, Kayla gradually shifted focus to Lucky Dog Design Co. Over time, she phased out wedding invitations, dedicating herself entirely to creating and selling stationery. This transition allowed her to pursue what she truly loved, ultimately leading to the successful establishment of her stationery shop.
Creating the Company
Kayla’s extensive experience in design and print, accumulated over a decade, played a crucial role in the creation of Lucky Dog Design Co. With a strong background in designing wedding invitations, she was well-prepared to venture into the stationery market. She had already invested in a high-quality printer and established connections with a paper manufacturer, streamlining the production process for her new business.
Designing and prototyping the initial products was straightforward for Kayla, thanks to her existing skills and resources. She maintained a running list of card ideas and printed designs as orders came in, minimizing startup costs. This approach allowed her to focus on creativity without the financial burden of significant initial investments.
For those without her background, starting a stationery business involves learning design, file preparation, and deciding on production methods. Kayla’s prior experience gave her a head start, enabling her to quickly establish and grow Lucky Dog Design Co. Her ability to print on demand also provided flexibility, reducing inventory risks and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Launching the Business
Launching Lucky Dog Design Co. presented several challenges for Kayla, especially in understanding and implementing effective marketing strategies. Initially, she set up a Shopify store and started with a stationery subscription box, which she later realized was a backward approach. Managing subscriptions was complex and costly, and she soon transitioned to a full-fledged stationery shop, focusing on greeting cards.
Despite a rocky start, Kayla built personal buzz around her brand, attracting initial sales from friends, family, and their extended networks. However, it took about five months before she started seeing consistent sales from unrelated customers. During this period, she relied on income from her wedding invitation business to fund the new venture, covering expenses such as the website, custom shipping boxes, and marketing tools.
Over time, Kayla learned the importance of email marketing in retaining customers and driving sales. She developed a strategy involving promotional, content, and behind-the-scenes emails, tailored to her audience’s preferences. By segmenting her email list and analyzing customer data, she optimized her marketing efforts, significantly improving customer retention and engagement.
Earnings
Today, Lucky Dog Design Co. generates around $6,000 in monthly revenue, with income diversified across various channels. Etsy remains a major platform for direct-to-consumer sales, while her Shopify store continues to grow, supported by effective SEO strategies. Working with a professional on SEO has quadrupled her Google impressions and tripled clicks, boosting visibility and traffic to her website.
In the wholesale market, Kayla supplies over 40 shops, regularly stocking their shelves with her products. Her proactive approach to outreach and client management has doubled her wholesale revenue, making it a significant part of her business. By hiring help when needed, she has been able to focus on nurturing existing client relationships while continuing to acquire new ones.
Looking ahead, Kayla plans to expand her product range, including the introduction of desk calendars and notebooks. With an average annual growth rate of 3.2x, Lucky Dog Design Co. is profitable and poised for further expansion. Kayla’s strategic reinvestment of profits back into the business ensures continued growth and innovation in her product offerings.
