160 | Creating Sister Brands with Stephanie Clarke, Dahlia Press & Chloe Clarke Paper

Splitting your company into two sister brands is not for everyone. However, it could be an option for you if you are finding yourself with very different product offerings (and a discrepancy in exactly who you're targeting). That was the case for today’s guest, Stephanie Clarke.

Some of you might remember Stephanie as she’s been on the podcast before. If you need a refresher, make sure to go back and listen to Episode 21 where we talked about how she’s built her team and her packaging solutions. Stephanie is the founder of two sister brands, Dahlia Press and Chloe Clarke Paper. Dahlia Press is her wholesale and direct to consumer business and her new brand, Chloe Clarke Paper was created for custom work such as wedding invitations and branding projects.

In this episode, you’ll get to hear her story of what inspired her to split her company into two different brands. This has been a great move for Stephanie both personally and professionally and she shares how it’s improved the quality of her life and business.

Stephanie gives us insight into what she did to make this dream a reality including who she leaned on for support during this transition and the things she did to make it go as smoothly as possible. If this is something you’ve been considering for your business, you’ll want to listen closely as she shares her advice on moving forward with this transition.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:

How Stephanie’s business model has changed over the past year
How separating the brands has helped to smooth processes of marketing, communication and more
Stephanie’s decision of deciding to split the brands
How her decision has improved her quality of life and the ways the business runs
Her reasoning behind the naming of her businesses
What tactics and messaging she used for her rollout
The timeline of creating the sister brand, Chloe Clarke Paper
What kind of help Stephanie hired to make this vision a reality
The things she did early on to make this transition seamless
What tools she uses for her social media strategy
Her advice for someone who is considering making a similar transition
What’s in the works for Dahlia Press and Chloe Clarke Paper

RESOURCES:

021 | Outsourcing product packaging with Stephanie Clarke, Dahlia Press
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KEY TAKE AWAYS

“She took quick action, she kept things simple, and the results have been nothing but positive.” - Katie Hunt

“I needed to market myself differently where one felt like a luxury brand and one felt like more of affordable luxury.’” - Stephanie Clarke

“When I decided I wanted to target more of a luxury client, it made more sense to put it under a totally separate name and start from scratch.” - Stephanie Clarke

“You felt these pains earlier on, you weren't quite sure how to address it, but over time it became a little more clear how you wanted to address it.” - Katie Hunt

“I had looked at where money was really coming from, what was bringing me the most joy, and what I really wasn't enjoying.” - Stephanie Clarke

“I'm very selective about the work I take on and that's afforded me so much more time for both wholesale and my own personal life.” - Stephanie Clarke

“We definitely tackled it like it was brand new coming out of the gate.” - Stephanie Clarke

“Weigh the pros and cons and the time management of having a second brand.” - Stephanie Clarke

MEET STEPHANIE:

Dahlia Press is a design and letterpress studio founded in 2008 by designer Stephanie Clarke. After years of providing happy couples and families with custom invitations and announcements, in the summer of 2014, Dahlia Press began a small line of greetings and social stationery in order to expand their current offerings. Dahlia Press's greetings can now be found in over 1,000 retailers nationwide as well as global brands such as Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Paper Source.

In 2019 Dahlia Press transitioned their bespoke Wedding Invitation design services to the name Chloe Clarke, The Art of Paper. Exquisitely handcrafted, Chloe Clarke is proud to serve couples in our home base of the Pacific Northwest, as well as throughout the United States and beyond.

CONNECT WITH STEPHANIE

Website: dahliapress.com | chloeclarkepaper.com | Facebook: @dahliapress
Instagram: @dahliapress | @chloeclarkepaper

Connect with Katie Hunt

Katie Hunt is a business strategist, podcaster, mentor and mama to four. She helps product based businesses build profitable, sustainable companies through her conferences, courses and coaching programs.

Website: prooftoproduct.com | Instagram: @prooftoproduct