WSJ: On Intuition

We recently started a subscription to the Wall Street Journal. (No, it's not all numbers all the time. And while I do quite like their Small Business section, I will admit that the Personal Journal is my favorite.) There is a great column in the WSJ Magazine called The Columnists, where they ask several professionals to weigh in on the week's topic. Last week, the topic was Intuition. You can read all the responses here, including a good one from Questlove. My favorite response was from Francis Cholle, whose response I've shown above. 

I've been a big follower of my gut for as long as I can remember - sometimes with wide eyes - like when I quit my ad agency job because no one around me was happy, and my dad thought I was bananas. Or when I signed up for the National Stationery Show for the first time and at the last minute with just six note card designs. Or last year, when I debuted an enormous wall calendar that doubled as artwork. Things don't always work out when you use your gut as your compass, of course, but it seems as though the odds are at least always in my favor. This week's WSJ piece on intuition reminded me how important that inner voice is. And it comes at an opportune time, as I navigate mothering two little ones while also trying to kick things up at L&H - and maybe in ways that seem unusual for what has primarily been a paper goods company. But sometimes, you just have to go for it, right?!  

WSJ: A Manifesto for Slow Communication

Great article from last weekend's Wall Street Journal on the attributes of good old fashioned handwritten communication. Cheers to that!

Read full article here.

Handwriting & Handwritten Notes

There's a great excerpt from Kitty Burns Florey's new book Script & Scribble, The Rise and Fall of Handwriting right here in the WSJ. While it's not the same thing exactly, I was recently interviewed about the resurgence of letter writing in an email age. I love this topic and could talk about it til the cows come home. I have a friend who is the queen of letter-writing - thank you notes for everything from gifts to the casual hosting of a home-cooked meal. And I have to say, there is nothing nicer, and perhaps more pleasantly surprising these days, than a sincere handwritten note. A simple thank you, a hello, an I miss you. I love them all - personalized stationery or a greeting card - it doesn't matter as long as it's you.

WSJ: Fashion Label

Interesting article in today's WSJ about fashion label Five Four reworking their business when retailers shrink (or don't place) orders: from changing up their fabric choices ($17/yard vs $2/yard), to decreasing their ad spending (none), to changing up their offerings ($500 coats vs a line of socks). Read full article here.

WSJ: Handwriting

Our office is still in transition mode and I can't bear to show "before" pictures without showing "after" ones, so I'm moving on for now. Forgive me.

One of my little business resolutions is to post more regular content on this blog. And one of the things I thought about was a regular Wall Street Journal post. I know that may seem odd and off-topic at first - but hear me out. I started reading the Wall Street Journal after taking a business class where we discussed current small business articles and was surprised to find all these little gems (the best wine column I've ever read) in a paper I thought was quite frankly boring. And since I don't read it every day but really should since I subscribe - I thought this would be a good way to keep it in my life - and bring it (or introduce it) to yours.

So, I thought I'd kick it off with an article from this past WSJ, Weekend Edition about handwriting - written by Cullen Murphy, Editor at Large of Vanity Fair. Click here to read.

Image above from one of my favorite calligraphers, Jenna Hein.