Well hey there, I’m Sophie! 👋🏼🫶🏼

I’m a coffee-loving, email marketing-obsessed, creative homebody who was once on the path to becoming a lawyer.. That is, until modern hand embroidery quite literally stitched its way into my life 🤭.

A coffee-loving almost-lawyer turned creative business owner

I never actually planned to start a business. No really, it was totally accidental!

In fact, when I first picked up a needle and thread during the first lockdown, it was just for fun. It was a way to calm my mind and fill the long, lonely evenings. But what started as one of my many simple, creative hobbies, turned into something much bigger. It grew from a digital shop, to a product shop, to courses and a membership. Eventually, it became a thriving creative business that has shaped my entire life.

Of course, that journey wasn’t just about making art. Along the way, I discovered that turning my creativity into a business meant learning an entirely new skillset – marketing. And what started as the “scary, overwhelming part” of business, ended up becoming the thing I fell in love with most.

From Hobby to Thriving Business

When I first started stitching, I didn’t think much of it if I’m being honest! I had always dabbled in a huge number of crafts, from needle felt to paper-cutting, to papercrafts and bullet journalling and oil pastel to painting. Embroidery was just another different type of craft I thought I’d try, and with the pandemic? It was just a calming little ritual that gave me something to focus on.

But it became so much more – when I stitched, my brain completely shifted gears. It was a craft that kept my hands busy, but my mind at rest. I wanted to share the hoops I was making, and created a ‘secret’ Instagram account to share my progress. This was partly as a creative diary, and partly to feel connected at a time when the world felt very disconnected. I never expected anyone outside my family and friends to notice.. but, people did.

How it became Mindful Mantra Embroidery

The direct messages started trickling in: “Do you sell your work?” … “Can I buy that pattern?” At first, I chuckled at them and presumed they must be spam messages – me, run a business? The imposter syndrome creeped in, I was about to become a lawyer, I couldn’t pivot now.

But curiosity got the better of me. I uploaded one simple PDF pattern to Etsy and was stunned when it sold. Then another. And another. Before long, Mindful Mantra Embroidery was born – first as a tiny Etsy shop, and then as something much bigger than I’d ever imagined.

Going full-time with my handmade business

What started as a side project alongside my full-time paralegal job and part-time Masters in Law studying, very quickly snowballed. Within just a few months, I was making as much from my embroidery shop as I was from my 9–5. (Honestly, to this day, this totally blows my mind!!)

Eventually, in January 2022, I took the leap to go full-time with my business. I swapped legal documents, Microsoft Teams meetings and client calls for fabric, thread and my laptop. I was building a creative business that gave me freedom, flexibility, and a whole new direction for my life.

When Making Became Marketing

There was a moment and I remember it distinctly, somewhere between photographing hoops on my windowsill, answering the tenth DM of the day, and researching “what are Etsy keywords?”, when it clicked. I wasn’t just making anymore. All at once, I was:

• writing captions
• planning launches
• replying to customers
• tweaking product listings
• learning how to tell the story of a product so someone else could feel it
• and soooo much more.

The creative hat was still on for sure.. but a marketing hat had quietly joined it without me realising it.

Spending more time marketing than making

My days started to tilt – instead of stitching for hours in my little bedroom office, I was scheduling posts, recording little process videos, updating shop photos, and trying to keep up with whatever feature Instagram had decided was the new favourite. (When I first started out, neither Instagram reels nor videos were a thing – can you believe that?! Those were the good ole’ days!)

I loved sharing my process and my finished patterns, and whilst I loved the stitching, the marketing needed doing more. That was the nudge to find a way to make my marketing a bit more simple and streamlined.

Learning how to run a handmade business

So, I gave myself permission to be a beginner again.

I took a bunch of courses, wrote endless notes, experimented, and had a go at everything I came across online. That resulted in a clearer product description with more keywords here, a better checkout flow there, a process of creating content that made life simple, and a first welcome email that sounded like me.

Then, I learned how to map a simple customer journey, understand basic metrics without panicking that my business was failing. I learned how to build repeatable little systems. Slowly, the scary marketing stuff got less scary. I started to see how the right marketing lets the making breathe.

And, what do you know, I actually ended up enjoying the marketing just as much, if not more, than the art.

Riding the Waves of Online Business

Instagram was where my business first found its legs, and I’ll always be grateful for that. But since then? It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster to say the least. Some seasons, growth felt easy and exciting, with posts reaching thousands and sales flowing in. Other times, I’d pour hours into content only to watch it fizzle, lost to yet another algorithm change that didn’t seem to favour small business owners at all.

After years of riding those ups and downs, I realised I needed something steadier. I needed a way to keep my business moving forward without feeling like I had to chase every new feature or trend just to stay visible. That’s when I started searching for systems that felt calmer, more reliable, and built to last.

Falling in Love With Marketing (Yes, Really!)

What started as a few late-night Google searches soon turned into full-day research sessions. I read books, signed up for courses, scribbled endless notes, and tested every idea I came across. To my surprise, I found myself enjoying it – the strategy, the experimenting, the little wins I found along the way. Without realising it, I’d become a total marketing nerd, fascinated by how small tweaks could make such a big difference!

The moment email marketing clicked

Out of everything I tried, email marketing was the one that just made sense for me. If I’m honest, I felt it made the most sense for handmade product businesses! It felt so natural to write to people who had chosen to hear from me, and I loved the fact that every message landed directly in their inbox. No more unpredictable algorithms deciding who saw it and who didn’t.

The connection felt personal, the results were reliable, and it was clear that this was the tool that could truly support my business for the long run!

Why Email Marketing Became My Favourite Form of Marketing

Unlike posting into the void of social media, sending an email felt like writing a little note to a friend. People had chosen to be there, to hear from me, and that made the conversations feel so much more genuine. I could share my stories, updates, and offers without worrying if an algorithm would decide who got to see them. And the best part? My subscribers would write back, and I got to know a lot of them by name!

Email Marketing Automations that make life easier

But, the real magic came when I discovered automations! Like, I couldn’t believe this was even an option for me, and couldn’t wait to get started with them! I had a welcome sequence that greeted new subscribers, a follow-up that helped customers with their patterns, little systems running quietly in the background all automatically.

It was genuinely like having a supportive team working alongside me, even while I slept. Suddenly, I wasn’t glued to my phone 24/7 to keep sales moving, and a lot of DMs were answered for me through the automated emails I’d set up. Of course, this meant less high-touch customer service, too.

A foundation that supports growth

More than anything, email marketing gave me stability. It became the backbone of my business – a place I could rely on, where no matter what changes happened on social media, I would always be able to reach my audience. It gave me the freedom to plan ahead, and the confidence to step away without everything falling apart. Not to mention the reassurance that I was building something that could keep growing with me.

Where Blogging and SEO Fit In to My Email Marketing Strategy

As much as I love email, I knew I needed a way to keep reaching new people and growing my list without feeling chained to daily posting on social media. That’s where blogging and SEO came in! Writing blog posts felt way calmer and more sustainable (and more ‘me’) than trying to keep up with ever-changing Instagram Reel trends. And the beauty of it? It’s that each post keeps working long after it’s published.

Paired with Pinterest and email marketing, blogging became a steady stream of fresh eyes on my little corner of the internet. Each click was another chance to invite someone onto my email list, where the real connection happens.

What I Saw in the Creative Community

As my own business grew, I started meeting other makers, whether it was in person at markets, or in online communities or through collaborations. I noticed something truly surprising to me..

So many of them didn’t have an email list at all. And if they did have an email list, it often sat untouched, a few stagnant subscribers sitting quietly with no messages ever sent to them.

Why not emailing your customers is a missed opportunity

It struck me how much potential was being left on the table for my handmade business friends. These were incredible creatives with beautiful products, yet they were relying entirely on social media or word of mouth to stay connected with their audience 😨. It seemed kinda crazy to me, if I’m honest. Every time they skipped sending an email, they were missing an opportunity to build relationships, drive sales, and keep their community engaged in what they had to offer.

Realising this was too important not to teach

That’s when it really clicked for me: email marketing wasn’t just a “nice-to-have” in my own business — it was a complete game-changer.

And I figured, if it had transformed things so much for me, I knew it could do the same for other makers too! The problem was, it wasn’t being taught in a way that felt accessible or creative-friendly. That’s when I realised I needed to step up and share what I’d learned – and sophietimms.co was born 🫶🏼.

Teaching email marketing the creative-friendly way

Most email marketing advice is written for service providers or digital entrepreneurs . It’s typically not made for people who knit, paint, bake, embroider, or sell at local markets. I wanted to bridge that gap and show that email can be simple, fun, and incredibly effective when it’s explained in a way that makes sense to our creative brains.

After years of figuring things out the hard way, I wanted to create a space where makers could learn the strategies that actually move the needle. At least, a way without overwhelm, frustration, or the endless pressure to always do more. Everything I share here comes from running my own creative business. Testing ideas in real life, and seeing what works (and what doesn’t)!

At the heart of it, sophietimms.co exists because I believe creative businesses deserve to thrive. Not just for a season, not just when the algorithm is kind to us, but for the long haul. With email marketing and simple systems in place, you can build a business that feels stable, freeing, and supportive – one that gives you more space to do what you love most: create.

And honestly? The world needs more successful female-led handmade small businesses.

What You’ll Find Here at SophieTimms.Co

• Email marketing made simple.
• No confusing words and no overwhelm. Just clear, practical steps to help you start (or finally use) your email list with confidence.
• Systems that free up more time to create your handmade products.
• Behind-the-scenes strategies that keep your business running smoothly without eating up all your creative energy.
• Honest stories from my own journey – the good, the bad and the ugly 🤭
• The real ups and downs of growing a handmade business, including the lessons I’ve learned. (And the mistakes I’ve made along the way)
• Encouragement for building your dream business
  

Because sometimes you don’t need another tutorial. You just need someone reminding you that you can do this, even on the hard days.

Building a creative business has been the most unexpected and rewarding adventure of my life – and I know I’m not the only one figuring it out as I go. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the “business side” of things, or wished someone would just explain it in a way that makes sense to you as a maker, you’re in the right place.

That’s exactly why I started SophieTimms.Co. To share what I’ve learned, to make marketing feel lighter, and to help you build a business that lasts without losing the joy of creating.

So, welcome, new friend 🫶🏼. I’m so glad you’re here. Grab a coffee, have a browse, and if you’d like to stay connected, the best place to start is my email list (😉). It’s where I share my newest posts, tips, and honest reflections straight to your inbox.

Here’s to building businesses that feel calm, creative, and completely ours ✨

Sophie 🫶🏼