Hi, I’m Mim! I’m a planning-obsessed, Award-Winning Online Business Owner, Author and 5-Star Planner Sticker Seller.
I help new sticker makers create planner stickers from scratch that stand out and sell … even if you’ve never made a sticker before!

TPP #70 – Building a Planner + Sticker Empire with Leanne Rowe from Lime and Mortar

Welcome to Episode #70 of The Planner Podcast.

I cannot wait to share this chat with Leanne Rowe at Lime and Mortar with you. Leanne opened her planner sticker shop back in December 2014 and it was one of the very first and now the oldest Australian planner shop!

She really is someone who was a great example of a really dedicated planner sticker shop owner who cares about creating stickers that truly help her customers. That’s why she’s been able to stand out from the crowd from the beginning and for so very long too.

I know you’ll be super inspired by this episode!

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Transcript

Hi, this is Mim Jenkinson and you’re listening to The Planner Podcast.

Oh, I can’t wait to share this interview with Leanne Rowe at Lime and Mortar with you. So let me tell you about Leanne first and then why Leanne is such an important person for me to bring onto the podcast. So Leanne’s a mom of two. She is a FIFO wife based in Western Australia and Lime and Mortar opened in December 2014 and it was one of the very first and now the oldest Australian planner shop and it really is.

It’s home to three unique planners, the Lime Weekly, Lime Mini Weeks and Lime Daily. But that isn’t all, because she also has her very own stationery range as well. And in that you’ll find a huge range of functional, decorative and custom stickers that will allow you to be creative while planning. Now I have known Leanne since I got started with my sticker shop back in 2016 and I’ve just followed her journey with stickers.

She really is someone [00:01:00] who was a great example of a really dedicated planner sticker shop owner who really cared about creating stickers that truly helped her customers. And that’s why she’s been able to stand out from the crowd from the beginning and for so very long too. And why she’s been able to have these amazing opportunities to now start different things within her shop too by creating beautiful planners.

So I’m really excited to share this chat with you. It really is a chat. It’s like a behind the scenes chat with me and Leanne, where we talk all about how she got started, everything that’s happened since she did get started, and she even shares some really generous tips on how you might be able to take the next leap in your planner or planner sticker business.

So let’s get started right now. I can’t wait for you to hear this. Leanne, I’m so excited that we’re finally chatting. It’s been. A while, so many years, and I’m so excited to chat to you. One, to share everything about you with everyone else, but also because it’s been such a long time, there’s so much that I wanted to be able [00:02:00] to talk to you about.

So first of all, huge welcome. And, can you share with everyone else who maybe has been living under a rock, who you are about your amazing business, and then we can dive in. No worries. I am Leanne and I am the owner of Lime and Mortar and I have been in business since the end of 2014. So we’re coming up to nine years now.

Wow. Isn’t that crazy how fast it goes? I know. And especially when you see it from like, you think of your kids, they’re like. Little when you started and now they’re like giant teens. So that’s like, whoa, okay. A lot’s happened in that time. It really has. It really has. Yeah. I, I kind of tend to do the same thing.

Like just like work out where I was in life, depending on how old the kids were. It’s the easiest measure, isn’t it? So you got started just before me and you were one of the very first sticker shops. Discovered and found out about and as, as you know, obsessed over, like I just, [00:03:00] I have still got, in fact, I should have got this out for the camera.

I have still got stickers in my stash from you that I still use. It’s so funny. Oh, wow. So funny. So like, I know that your business has taken like some really exciting turns along the way for sure from when you got started, but tell us, so how did you start? What made you decide that? That this was going to be the business for you and then tell us how it’s, it’s quite different today.

Yeah. So I actually accidentally started my business. So I used to have a home blog, which was called Lime and Mortar, which is where the name came from. And my friend got me onto Erin Ponjan planners. And of course. I just went into the rabbit hole and saw people using stickers and that. And I wanted to customize the headers and stuff in my planner for my blog.

So I started making stickers for myself and I’d opened an Etsy shop for printables on my blog. And I was like, Oh, I’ll just [00:04:00] pop these stickers up on Etsy since I’ve already made them. And that was just, yeah. As you said, I was one of the first Australian planner sticker shops, so there wasn’t many options here.

So yeah, I think there was only like three of us, maybe. And it just took off, but it actually took off overseas before it took off here. I think I was like 90 percent overseas customers for the first year. So yeah, I very quickly had to learn how to run a business because it was full time within months.

So I actually started off with hand cutting stickers. I didn’t have any machines, nothing else, sat there and cut them with scissors. They were mostly like full box and labels. I did that for six months. So my business took off. With hand cut stickers, no branding, no logos, no, like nothing. It was like very much a, I’m just going to have to make this work.

I just love that for anyone listening. Who’s like, I can’t afford a cutting machine. Look where Leanne is now and look how you got started. No excuses. Carry on. [00:05:00] So then I also invested in machines about six months in and. I could create a lot more stickers because obviously I didn’t have to do straight lines anymore because it wasn’t just scissors.

So I kept, expanding my range. And then after I think it was like 2017, I launched my own website. So for about a year I had my own website and Etsy. But Etsy pretty much, I let that window down. Yeah, and then I just closed it and all focused on my own website. So I did stickers for the first five years and then I decided to launch my very own planner, which is designed to be used with stickers.

So the coil is more spacious to allow for that sticker expansion. So you can close your planner still at the end of the year. the know would know to do that. Yeah, only a sticker maker would know. And I also, yeah, so that gave me the confidence to continue to. Expand into [00:06:00] stationary rather than just the stickers.

So I just started adding more and more items. And then I went on to add more planners. So I have three different planners and there’s a fourth one on the way. , real secret . And yeah, so the business obviously was taking over the house. I was, I think I had my office, the spare room, the kids lounge room, the garage, the laundry, like it was literally stock in every place I could fit it.

So, last year we added a second story to our house and now all of my work is upstairs. So all of my storage and my workspace. This is the work side that you can see behind me, is yeah, is work and then downstairs is home, but I still have taken over a little bit downstairs as well. Well, you’re an expanding empire, so, you know, it’s okay.

I’m sure no one complains. No. I was telling Leanne before we hit record. I’ve just been like admiring and like green with envy, lime green with envy, [00:07:00] from the way that your business set up at home has like grown and changed over the years. That is total goals as far as I’m concerned, like literally considering, we’ve been considering doing the same thing for a couple of years, but haven’t bitten the bullet.

So I’m always watching what’s the, I’m doing next, what can I do in my home? I just think it’s awesome. I love your story and I’m like, I feel so excited that I’ve had the opportunity to watch it happen to like as a customer, just to be able to see how things have changed and how you’ve really. Taken every opportunity and made it into something so spectacular.

Like you’ve really created, not just a planner, but not just a stickers, but like this empire where everything works so well together. And it’s just been so awesome to watch it with you, especially because being in Australia. Yes, there are so many of us wonderful community slash cult members here who love planning and planner stickers.

But it’s a much smaller pool, isn’t it? It is much smaller compared [00:08:00] to like America and everything. They’ve got like, obviously a lot more options and a lot more, stuff going on over there. They really do. But you’ve just carved out this amazing place for yourself in the market. And you’ve, I mean, you’ve been a front runner as far as I’m concerned from the beginning.

So first of all, a huge congratulations to everything. Thank you. You’ve a great community. So that definitely helps. Oh, well, I think that, you know, again, you’ve, you’ve curated and cultivated that community too. And so, yeah, I could rave about your amazing stickers all day. You know, one thing that I need to get from you, I’m going to get some of your erasable pens.

Ah, yes. Yeah. They’re so much fun to play with. Yeah. I just love, I love an erasable pen. Like I actually, now to the point where I get really annoyed when I realize a pen I’m using isn’t erasable. Julia, have you ever had all your, texts disappear in the heat? Yeah, they do. And then you put it in the freezer and it comes back again.

Oh, that’s good. It’s only happened once. [00:09:00] Yeah. I’ll never make that mistake again. That’s terrifying. Isn’t it? Lose all your plans. Oh my gosh. And every time I write an envelope, like with an address, I’m like, don’t lose that pen. Just in case. It won’t arrive. So funny. So tell me, out of everything that you are now offering in your range, so there’s planners, there are stickers.

What else, what else are you working on? So I’m not working on anything at the moment other than this new planner, but obviously I have got all of the other stationery. So like journals, notepads, notebooks, sticker storage, like everything. So I’m just like always just trying to think of something new.

I like to have something that’s not common. So I’m always just like working on different ideas. I love it. And what’s the setup like at home in terms of the, like the process of when an order comes through? Like are you packing the orders yourself? Do you have any help? What happens? Yep. So it’s just me.

I don’t have staff, [00:10:00] never have. So basically in the morning I will see what orders have come in overnight. I will print off all of the printing slips and stuff, and I’ll actually print and cut the stickers to order, so I don’t have them already cut, ready to go. So, I will grab all the stationery they need for that order, and then I’ll sit and do all their stickers.

I’ll pack that order, then I’ll move on to the next one, and I just do that and go through. All the orders until they’re done, basically, but, I don’t walk work after 4 p. m. So I set a very strict boundary with my work hours that I will not work after 4. That’s like dinner, kids, relax time. That’s my time too.

Like it used to be two and now it’s pretty much four. But in the early days it was a lot longer than that, but I love that boundary. I love that you’re still doing like the printing and the cutting and putting everything together too. Cause that’s a fun part of, part of what you do as well, isn’t it?

It’s kind of therapeutic. Yeah. And it’s just, yeah, the attention to detail. Like I don’t think I could ever like [00:11:00] outsource things and stuff like that. And plus with my stickers, because there is so many. Like, you can pretty much choose every color, any color in all the stickers, custom text, there’s always custom orders in each one, like.

So it’s just can’t have that much stock printed, yeah, it makes a lot of sense. I remember when I, cause I only sell the printable stickers now, but for the first few years it was printed. Then I remember it being like the goal to get to like ready to ship level. Yeah. It’s going to solve all the problems.

them. I remember that. I was like, are you ready to ship? Oh my goodness. And I remember feeling like, awesome. But of course it takes quite a while to work out what you actually need to have ready. And it doesn’t really stay the same for that long either. So it changes every week of what’s most popular and what’s not.

And I’ve just got thousands of stickers on the shops. It’s just not viable to have them all printed. Exactly. And you know, like you, like the quality you want to keep really high. So. Yeah. You know, stick of paper, as long as you’re keeping it in good condition, it isn’t going to go, you know, [00:12:00] too bad, but there’s a risk that things can start to look old.

And so you don’t, I love that you’re still doing that. And you obviously take a lot of pride in what you’re doing. I mean, I, like I say, I’ve, I’ve, I was using your stickers for such a long time and still use them like to date. It’s so funny. You know, the ones that I use, the little swimming ones, I use those a lot.

And I still got so many of your sample sampler pages too. I’m like, I never know when I might need that. I’m not going to let it go. And what made you start using stickers in your planner in the first place? Because I wanted to do custom headers in the Errand Conjuring because I was doing like blog, home, that kind of thing.

That’s what really got it started. And then I, my friends sent me links to people’s YouTubes and that kind of thing. And I was like, Oh, full boxes. That’s fun. Like we can blank out spots and all that kind of stuff. So that’s where it all got going there. And then you get hooked. Don’t you? [00:13:00] It’s just really fun.

It’s so, it’s like the best. Therapy and hobby and everything combined. I used to follow, Elle Fowler. Did you follow Elle? Yes. Glam planner. So I used to, I mean, God, this is years ago for like, you know, her makeup tutorials and stuff like that. And I remember one day she was, like doing a plan with me session and I’ve always used paper planners, but never really stickers in my planner for until then.

And that’s what I was thinking. That’s really. Weird. Like she’s, she’s putting all the stickers in her planner. She’s making a big deal about it and then she’s writing over them anyway, but I couldn’t look away. Like, this is weird. But also like, wow, it’s like mesmerizing. And by the end of this like 20 minute video, I was like, I have to get that exact Erin Condren.

I have to get some stickers. I have to do this. Mine looked, my spreads looked nothing like hers for a long time. You know, it kind of takes a while to find your groove, doesn’t it? I had my like friends come to me and be like, Oh. I was really judging you when you started selling stickers to [00:14:00] adults, like who’s paying, like what adults are paying money for stickers?

And then they started trying it and then the next minute they were hooked and they were like, okay, I get it now. How do you plan without stickers? What kind of a monster are you? Isn’t it funny though? It’s so, it just is, it isn’t about the stickers, is it? Like, it’s just, it’s how the stickers make us feel.

It’s deciding which ones we’re going to use. It’s knowing that we’re accomplishing something, like it’s everything. And it’s a creative outlet. So like, it’s, I always used to explain it as it’s like scrapbooking, but with a purpose, like more of a purpose, like it’s functional because you’re planning as well, you’re not just creating something where you need to decide what you’re doing with it and that kind of thing.

Oh, I love that so much. I love it. Stickers are the best, essentially. Everyone should do that. And so along the way, I’ve, I’ve obviously seen how your business and you have just, you’ve grown so much and you’ve re it’s been really exciting to watch you, but I guess [00:15:00] it isn’t always smooth sailing and, you know, we make mistakes, things happen that we’re not aware of.

Like, has anything come up along the way that you, have had to overcome or anything that you wish you could have done differently? I’ve actually had, like, touch wood, a pretty smooth ride, I think, because, I really am, like, I really make my decisions very clear and I have really good gut instinct. So, I’ve been okay.

Obviously, there’s been things out of my control, like, we had the pandemic and all the shipping delays and. I did my first ever pre order, and I won’t do that again for products that I don’t have here, but it was like, obviously ended up so delayed, like a whole month later, so that was like, Oh, I just want to get run stuff to them and everything, but otherwise not really like, yeah, things have been good.

Good. And you know, no one could have bargained for what the pandemic was going to do. Oh no. I don’t think there was one reason it wasn’t [00:16:00] untouched. Completely. And when it comes to your planner, so where, you know, when you, when you were thinking about. What kind of planner you wanted. And I know you will, you would have been really clear on having it.

Like you say, like stickers first, it’s a stickers first planner. How did you, what was like the design or the creative process when you came up with the concept and what was important to you and, and then taking those next steps to actually. Make it happen. What, how did you go through that? So I was using, an Erin Cotten horizontal, and then I decided that I wanted to move on to a rings planner and I didn’t need as much space for the week because my days were very similar.

It was basically work. Kids, you know? Yeah. So I actually designed custom inserts with another Australian business. And I was using those for years and I just loved the layout. And when I shared my layouts that had the stickers and everything in planner groups and stuff, people were like, what’s those?

I was like, oh, they’re just a custom design that I use. So my husband had been telling me for years, like, you should just create [00:17:00] your own planner. Like, this isn’t like anything else. And I’m like, no, no, no one will buy that. Like there’s so many planners on the market. And then, I don’t know, I think it came to me in a dream.

A lot of my stuff actually comes to me in my dreams and I was just like, no, I’m just going to do it. Like, I’m just going to do the planner. So, on the left page, it has those four boxes. The main reason I’ve done that is because a lot of people are right handed. I know there is lefties, but, so you don’t need to write near the coil.

That’s so frustrating when you do, yeah. Yeah, and that way you can still use full box stickers because I know a lot of people have full box stickers in their collection. Yeah. And then I, yeah, I just want to sign really different and it’s just the way that I plan. So I just had like the week on 1 page and then like the overview on the left page and.

Yeah. So basically it was just a planner that I love to use it. And they do finally enough. Well, it’s so unique. You know, you see [00:18:00] so many, I mean, you know, like much of a muchness, same, same, sometimes you’re buying it literally because it’s the, the difference in the paper, or if it’s whoever’s name is attached to it.

Yeah. Like they literally do the same thing, especially when we’re going to cover them all with stickers anyway. But the way that now that makes so much sense, how your planet is, is laid out so different and the thinking behind that too. Because, you know, I mean, anyone can, anyone can put a planner out these days, like literally all the slabs, like all of the influences, they’re all getting the planners out there and that’s.

Totally fine. Like we can all, anyone can go down any route that they choose, but you’re actually thinking from a real user point of view on how people are going to use it and how they’re going to get the most out of it. Yeah. It was very much designed for stickers because there wasn’t anything like that.

There was obviously lots of planners and you could put stickers into them, but there wasn’t one thinking of people who do you like use a lot of stickers. Yeah. And as I said [00:19:00] before, with the coil being bigger, it’s because I experienced by the end of the year, you could not close that planner. That planner was jam packed open.

I can’t even get an 18 month planner anymore because you can’t, you can’t close it. Yeah. So the coil does look a little bit big when you get it and it’s like, why is the coil so much bigger? But by the end of the year, it makes a hundred percent. Yeah. Like, you can tell why. Oh, absolutely. You don’t really realize, do you, that it’s not just putting one sticker on a page, you’re just double siding every single page.

Yeah. Yeah. So funny. And the planners become so heavy, don’t they? Yours is a really good size, whereas bigger ones, I, I can’t take my planner anywhere. Like, it literally has to leave on my desk because it’s too big and heavy to take anywhere. It’s very simple. It’s a very simple planner. Because again, Yeah.

For myself, I never used all the extra pages in Thanos, like all the budget pages, exercise, recipes, all of that jazz. So there is some like specialty pages at the start, but otherwise it’s just a few months. It’s your weeks [00:20:00] and some note pages. Like it’s very simplified. Perfect. Even notes pages, people are like, how do you use yours?

I’m like, I don’t choose that at all. I don’t either, but I know people like them. Yeah. I know a lot of people who use them for like meal planning and all kinds of different things. For me, I guess I’m using notes pages for things that I want to come back to and when my planner is done, it goes away and never throw anything away.

Yeah. I won’t like pull it out and revisit it for notes. But yeah. Yeah. And tell me, because one thing I love about your planners is the different covers that you do. And I get really excited when you do like the big reveal of the next season. It’s my is. Oh, you must take so much pleasure in that. And are they like designs that you come up with or do you have a design process or people that you consult with and do they come to you in a dream as well?

Yeah. So there’s this complete mixture. So sometimes I design the covers, other times it’s artwork that I’ve seen other artists paint and I’ll approach them. Then I’ve had artists approach me saying they want to work [00:21:00] with me. So it really is mixed bag and when deciding on covers for the following year.

So right now I’ve already got all the cover size for 2025 because I actually go to print in like three months. So you’ve got to be really far ahead. So, I try and make sure there’s a real balance. So like a bit of each color, that kind of, or a bit of different styles, just so there is a choice for every person.

Cause if I did like. Let’s say all floral covers. Anyone who doesn’t like floral is going to be like, well, there’s nothing here for me. Yes. Yeah, I really try and make them all very different from each other. You do a great job at that and they’re so distinctly you as well. Obviously, the same colours in a lot of ways.

I love that because, yeah, we’re not all into the same things, are we? In a front cover, you’re pretty much stuck with for the full year. So you want it to be one that you love. And every year there’s always a greenery option because I’m known for my love of plants, so there’s always going to be a greenery option.

That’s something else I’m always envious of because my plants [00:22:00] mainly, there’s one there, all my plants are fake. I mean I’ve got two real plants and they’re just, just about clinging on, so yeah, I need, I need the plants. That’s all right. So like in terms of the business now, and it’s already grown so very much, like, do you have any aspirations to ever be in stores?

I don’t, I think you’re all online at the moment, aren’t you? With what you’re doing. I met Christina Carlson from ex Kiki K recently, and I have never had any ambition to be in stores ever, but I’ll tell you what, it was really interesting watching her journey of how things had come about and then closed and then continued after.

Like, is that something that you would ever think about? I definitely don’t want my own shop. I don’t know about stocking my products. I like that I’ve got full control over how things are presented and sent out and the customer experience. And I have no desire for like a warehouse and a big team of stuff.

Like, I’m very happy just working at home [00:23:00] because that gives me the freedom that I wanted. And just doing it. Like I really love working in my business. I know a lot of people don’t love it, but I really do love it. Like if I won Lotto tomorrow, I’d still do exactly what I’m doing now. Same, same. And you, it sounds like you’ve really created a lifestyle led business then.

You know, it isn’t just about selling a product. It isn’t just about making money. This is a whole family focused, life focused experience for you. Yeah, I don’t miss anything of the kids, like I can just be like, okay, I’m not working today. I’ll catch up. Like last week we had so many school events on and other stuff.

I think I only worked two days, but I still got the work done. Like I’ve, I’m caught up, like it’s done, like. Do it, yeah. I love it. I find the balance, yeah. I feel the same way. I love being able to go to the kids things too. I also love, how you, so one of your daughters, Helps you with designs, doesn’t she?

Yeah, so she’s got her own little sticker range in the shop there and that just every now and then she’s like, I wanted to sign some stickers. I’m like, okay, and she’ll spend [00:24:00] like a whole day designing, drawing, choosing colors, that kind of thing. And then she’ll not mention it again for like a year and then she might come up.

So it’s not something I have pressured her into or said, I want you to do this. Because it was still on my website. Like it’s nothing like that. It’s literally when she comes to me. So I think there was like a three year break between us too. Cause I’m like, okay, cool. So if she comes to me, I’m happy to support her and pop their things up.

But yeah, and then she buys herself some goodies for their profits. So, isn’t that awesome though? What a great thing to be able to process and, and about business and entrepreneurship and, and creativity and being led by like, I just love that. That’s the opportunity that you can pass to her. My daughter said to me, she’s eight.

No she’s not. She’s 10. My son is eight. And she said one day, can I take over your sticker business? I was like, yeah, that would be nice. Yeah, I’m sure you can. She went, can I change the name? ? Can you just wait a bit longer? Got big ideas. I’m planning to do this for a while, so you might have to just wait.[00:25:00]

How cute though. And how, like I, I’m guessing that your partner is super supportive of the business too. Does, does, does he get involved in any way or is it really you taking the reins. It’s very much me. He does work away, so he’s away like a month at a time and then he’s home for a month and so on.

Yeah. But like if I’m saying, can you assemble these boxes? Like he assembled all the boxes for my advent because I was like, I’ve got so much to do. So if there’s little jobs, he’ll do those for me. But all the decisions and all those assignments, it’s all me. I just tell them about it. I love it. It’s great to have a supportive person who can do those things every now and again, isn’t it?

Yeah. My, my hubs just started working for my business back in March this year. So that’s exciting. Yeah, we’re just like, we’ll see how it goes so far. But we’ve always said like, if it ever gets to the point where we’re not enjoying it or it isn’t working, then we’ll, we’ll revert. I just don’t feel like there’s a [00:26:00] job for him to do.

Like, cause obviously I’ve seen the orders, like, what’s he going to do? Like, yeah, that’s the thing. You can’t just give a job that you’re doing. Like they have to have. The skills or the interest in learning or the ability to do it. Miles is an illustrator, like he illustrated for Disney for ages. So he can do a lot of the design stuff.

Yeah. Awesome. But he’s also pretty technophobic. So he can’t. He’s learning. So there’s some things that he can’t do. And then some things I’d love to be able to get him doing helping with the online business stuff. He just, he wouldn’t be the right person for that. Yeah. Yeah. That’s it. We’re working it out as we go, but I, I just love how you get, you can get the kids involved too.

That really inspires me to do a sim, you know, something similar with my kids too. Yeah. And I also find instead of him helping with me in the business, he does like more of like. The house and the kids and stuff when he is home and like he’ll do all the school runs and all that kind of stuff when he’s home.

So [00:27:00] that’s like stops my day breaking up to obviously stop and start doing all of that. So, which is a big thing when you are in a, in a flow and getting things done and be full on with kids, you know, for those times where you are managing it all by yourself and still. Have to fulfill, you know, it can be quite the juggle, especially now going into the busy time.

But the kids are so grown now and they’re so independent, obviously they’re teenagers. So it’s so much easier now than when they were little and obviously needed to be entertained in the school holidays and everything else. Or like three kids parties every weekend. That’s like, that’s the phase we’re in.

Social life. They do so much more than we do. I know. It’s so funny. So for anyone who is, especially to those people who are listening, who are interested in starting to make their own stickers and maybe thinking about selling them in the future, like, have you got any tips or any advice of things that might help them, especially when it comes to, I guess, Just getting, getting [00:28:00] started.

Cause I think a lot of people fear that they, you know, there are too many people out there doing it anyway, or mine will never be as good as theirs. And I know, and you know, that it’s just such a fun journey to give things a go. But is there any encouragement or advice that you might give someone who’s thinking about it?

I would say decide on the look and the style and the feel and make it very authentic to yourself. Like if you’re trying to do a style because you saw that it’s popular, it’s never going to work. Like it really has to be you. And don’t overthink it. Don’t go, Oh, but what if people don’t like it? Who cares?

Like it’s you, like do something you love and then other people will love it as well. It’s very clear when people, it’s not their style. They’re just doing it for the sake of it. And consistency. So I’ve had my same color palettes since like nine years ago. And I find consistency is great because if you’re constantly changing it up, if people come back and they want to match the stickers or they want the same stickers they already had.

They’re going to be disappointed. So being consistent [00:29:00] with your color power, I think is important as well. Absolutely amazing advice, like really good because I did that, I changed my color palette about three or four times in the beginning and that’s great while you’re finding your feet, but I wish I’d done that before I’ve started to get regular customers.

The things that you don’t think of, isn’t it? And you’re exactly right too in coming up with your own style, which you won’t necessarily do from day one, but no, you’ll find along the way. Yeah. You’d think that it would be this, like, if we just do exactly the same as that successful shop, then we’ll have success too.

No, that isn’t going to work. And you know, I, you know, you live and learn. And it isn’t, isn’t just related to sticker businesses or planner businesses or any, it’s the same across the board, isn’t it? If it was that. Simple, everyone would be successful, but why waste time trying to do what other people are doing when we can actually spend a bit more time working out what lights us up to.

Where we can truly share something or help people, I think if you’re doing something for just for money, it’s not going to succeed. It has to be a passion. It has to be something you’re proud of. Something you would use yourself, like not just, Oh, I’m going to make this. Like I’ve never done those really big kits because it’s not something I’d use myself, even though I know at one point they were very popular.

And I haven’t done anything that’s gold because I personally do not like golds, even though I know a lot, lots of people love it. So. There is so many things I could do that would sell well, but it’s not true to myself. So I just don’t do them. It’s so true. And over the years, like you are really truly known for things that you’re known for that color palette.

You’re known for the green, you’re known for the plants. Like it’s, it’s so great to be able to [00:31:00] have that brand identity and it can take some time for sure, but don’t be afraid, like you say, to really think about what things are important to you. Yes. Oh, I love it. So where can everyone who, has been under a rock and didn’t, didn’t know yet about Lime and Water, where can everyone find you and find out more about your amazing planners and stickers?

So you’ve got my Instagram, which is just lime and mortar all in one word. And then also my website and the links. Obviously, you’ve got links to everything on the Instagram as well, but you’ll find everything you need on the website. And if you have any questions, I am always very active in my DMs and my email.

So you’ll get a fairly quick response from me as well. Yay. I will share all those links below too. And Leanne’s Instagram channel is goals. It’s so fantastic. And I just, I’ve loved watching your journey over the years. And I’m so happy to finally talk to you today. Thank you, love. I know it was so lovely.

Thank you so much for having me.[00:32:00]

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I hope you enjoy learning how to make planner stickers or how to start a sticker business!

I’ve been making and selling stickers for journals and planners since 2017 and it’s become a wonderful and creative way to turn my hobby into a side hustle, then full-time online business.

Whether you want to make Cricut stickers, Silhouette stickers or you’re starting from complete scratch, you’re in the right place. Making planner stickers can be for you, or to start an Etsy sticker shop and sell stickers online and you don’t need any previous experience to get started.

Want to make planner stickers from home? Check out my sticker making courses, eBooks and other products here!

I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land I work and live on, the Awabakal peoples, and pay my respects to Elders past and present.
I thank them wholeheartedly and express my love and gratitude for the privilege to live and work in such a beautiful part of the world and for the opportunity for my family to be part of this vibrant and supportive community.