Owned by partners Louise and Gavin, Louise Tiler Designs Ltd is an award-winning greeting card and surface pattern design studio.
With a driven and passionate team of “Card Lovers”, the company has gone from strength to strength over the last six years. Proudly based in West Yorkshire the team take great pride in every stage of the process from the creation of unique designs to production through to packaging and customer care.
In 2011, Louise was named “New designer of the year” and has gone on to be named “Most promising young designer 2017” at the prestigious Henries Awards.
As an environmentally conscious company, they want to continue to play their part in helping with the global environmental issues, that is why all their cards and packaging are made only using FSC products, and they also offer a more environmentally friendly packaging option for their cards in the form of card clasps.
Louise's cards remain a best seller since we opened our doors in 2016.
1) How did your business come about?
I was lucky enough to win design awards in my 3rd year of university (which was a dream) and it gave me the confidence to believe in my work and a focus before graduating. I was already freelancing in the creative industry and my designs were selling well with customers so I could see the potential to go it alone. My partner as also working full time which was a massive help in the early days and he finally made the leap to join me. His business advice and experience helped to drive us forward and become a better businesswoman.
2) What advice would you give someone wanting to start their own business?
You have to be willing to work very hard and make sacrifices (i.e weekends and events) and you have to put in the hours to get the dream you want. It takes a lot of late nights!
3) What's the best thing about being your own boss? What's the worst?
It's great running your own business and working with a great team of people, you can get time out of the 9-5 when others can't. You can create the artwork you love and offer it to others.
Making tough decisions, working long hours and managing others. When I first started it was hard working on your own, nobody tells you it can be lonely! 4) How has lockdown been for you? What coping mechanism works for you? Have you had to adapt your business to fit in with the 'new normal'?
The furlough scheme has been a big help and we have had to adapt working away from a team, Zoom has been amazing!
5) Where's your 'Happy Place'?
Bed with the dog and my boyfriend watching a film (not Love Island honest!)
6) What's your favourite song? (Basically to give me Spotify playlist ideas;-))
Goo Goo Dolls, Iris or dancing to Beyonce!
7) Who would play you in a movie?
Oh gosh, no idea!! I've never even thought about that, can you even imagine if anyone ever even wrote a song, book or film about you.
What an honour!
8) What did you want to be when you were younger?
A designer or pilot but when my parents said they thought the best way to fly is to join the air force I went off the idea! haha
9) What advice would you give your younger self?
One day you will be proud and happy. All the work will be worth it, keep going!!!
Thanks so much for taking part Louise. Check out Louise's stunning range of cards here https://www.willowboutique1.co.uk/louise-tiler
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