Hidden Gems: Meet Jocelyn Clark of Golden Hour Press

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jocelyn Clark.

Hi Jocelyn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
Before starting my business, I was a full-time college student and was working as a freelance journalist. During that time, I was really struggling with my mental health and was looking for a change. I decided to quit freelancing and chose this less conventional path, but it was a path I knew would make me much happier.

A few months before I quit my job, I had followed a small sticker shop on Instagram, and watching their process is one of the things that I think gave me the courage to open my shop. I used the money I saved from my journalism job, invested it into an iPad and a Cricut machine. In July of 2020, Golden Hour Press Co. was officially open on Etsy, and by June 2021, I was able to launch my own website in addition to my Etsy shop. I started my shop with only a handful of sticker designs and have since expanded my product line to include apparel, tote bags, and keychains.

Aside from designing my products, I have had the opportunity to work with some other local small businesses and artists to create designs for them as well. I am also excited to say that at this time, my products are available in eighteen other small shops across the country, which is just unreal to me. My business isn’t one that blew up or went viral overnight, but I am very proud of the progress it has made in just a little over a year. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for it next!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t say that I have faced any major difficulties yet, thankfully, but running your own business isn’t ever an easy task. If I had to pick one thing that I have struggled with and continue to, it would probably be the social media side of the business. Social media plays a huge role in marketing your business today, especially if you do not have a brick-and-mortar location.

Other than word of mouth, social media really is the only way to promote yourself, and it can be overwhelming at times. There are so many amazing platforms that you can use, but with algorithms constantly changing, you have to make sure you are ready to change with it, or you will not be continuously be reaching potential customers.

The pressure to post consistently and always create something new can lead to creative burnout for me very quickly, and I sometimes have to force myself to take a step back for a while.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
One thing I am most proud of and what my shop is probably most known for is my funky smiley face design. I think this design would have to be my favorite because it was much different than anything else I had made at the time. It was the first design I made because I truly loved it, not because I thought it was what everyone wanted to see.

When I first posted photos of our smiley face tote bags, I didn’t know if anyone would like them because the design was so off-brand for my shop. Surprisingly, I got an overwhelmingly positive response! I first listed the tote bags for sale back in March of this year and since then have sold out of them probably around six times now.

It is such a popular design that I now offer it on shirts and stickers as well. I think it is the design that helped my business take off.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My first piece of advice for anyone wanting to start their own business would be to go for it. There won’t ever be a perfect time, and you won’t ever be 100% ready; you just have to do it. Next, be prepared to do a ton of research. Unfortunately, there is no small business guidebook, so Google will be your best friend.

Don’t expect other small business owners to tell you all of their secrets because they have spent countless hours researching and have gone through trial and error many times to get to where they are today. Another important tip is to become best friends with your customers. The more connected they feel to you, the more trust they will put in you and your brand.

Lastly, make sure you have quality customer service. Obviously, stick up for yourself and your business when you need to, but your customers will remember when you go out of your way for them, even if it seems small.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: goldenhourpressco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldenhourpressco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goldenhourpressco
• Other: TikTok @goldenhourpressco