Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia Bishar and Cathy Portilla.
Olivia and Cathy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Our story begins back in 2013 at a paper retailer in Carlsbad, CA called Paper Source. That’s where we first met and worked alongside each other as Workshop Coordinators, and it was there we discovered our mutual love for paper. Together we decided to pursue a path of our very own, giving ourselves the opportunity to turn our passion for paper into something tangible. We first established Paper View back in 2016, and since then we’ve handcrafted and designed several different types of paper goods such as paper flowers, paper party banners, paper garlands, greeting cards, and more!
Our studio is located in Carlsbad, CA and we’re currently showing at maker’s markets across San Diego, CA.
Has it been a smooth road?
We laugh about it now, but of course our journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing. We’ve dealt with several growing pains through the initial stages of developing our business. We’ve struggled with time management issues (not factoring enough time to complete a project), scheduling issues (having to accommodate for both of our with very different weekly schedules), and moments of forgetfulness (such as showing up to an onsite project with half of our gear missing).
Hiccups are unavoidable, so you might as well laugh about it in the moment and agree to plan better next time!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are best known for our paper flowers, each individually handcrafted and assembled by hand. We study a flower, design its anatomy, and cut each petal individually out of paper. So far we’ve designed over 30 different types of paper flowers and we’re just getting started! We just recently started showing in maker’s markets across San Diego, CA and our paper flowers are by far our most popular product. We sell each of our flowers individually by the stem, allowing the customer to either buy just one stem or arrange a bouquet of their very own. We believe it’s the option to customize your own bouquet that sets us apart from others.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
We are so thankful for the resources and networking that San Diego has provided us throughout the many stages of our business. Our city is the perfect place to start a small business, filled with endless opportunities to connect with fellow creatives on social media and in person. We have joined several San Diego-based Facebook groups for creatives, and have attended many networking events that focus on women in business. If you’re living in San Diego, there’s never been a better time to start your own business!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.paperviewco.com
- Phone: 760.846.2610
- Email: paperviewco@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paperviewco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paperviewco/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/paperviewco/
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