Meet the member: Carina from Ponderlily
As the new year is closer than we realised, it’s probably time to start thinking about planning for 2019, so we thought who better to speak to than organisation expert and founder of Ponderlily, Carina! Carina creates planners and journals to uplift and inspire, and helps to keep what can be a chaotic life, organised. She lets us in on her plans for the new year and her favourite thing about owning an independent brand..
How long have you been in business?
We opened our virtual doors on November 22, 2017 so we’ve just celebrated our first birthday!
Describe your product in 3 words
Elegant, eco-friendly planners
Where are you based (studio / home?)
Our company is based in Newcastle, England. I'm currently based in Doha, Qatar because my husband is working here on a project.
What did you do before..
I'm a corporate business analyst AND founder of Ponderlily. Before adding Ponderlily to my heart and plate, I worked as an Associate Director for Academic Operations in higher education. My family runs Ponderlily while I'm on my 9-5 and I catch up on Ponderlily work before my kids wake up, while I'm putting them to bed, and on a full-time basis when I'm on annual leave from my 9-5 job from Newcastle. It's a good job I make planners to make this work!
Biggest achievement whilst running your brand?
Having our planners stocked in stores.
In the next year you want to…
Launch new and super exciting products that will be featured in 2 top 10 international lifestyle magazines!
Bucket list place to visit.
New Zealand.
How long have you been a member of PR Dispatch?
April 2018.
What do you find the most valuable part of being a member of PR Dispatch?
The guidance we're given from day 1 on the different types of press, how to approach contacts, and how to pitch! I had been struggling with the last part for ages and really getting in my head on how to do it...which made me procrastinate at times. There's also a thriving Facebook community cheering us on, celebrating wins, and providing insights whenever possible. I absolutely love PR Dispatch.
What’s the best part of owning an Independent brand?
Helping people create a sustainable schedule that supports their lifestyle - so that they can live more intentionally and find meaningful time to recharge while doing the things they love.
Contacts, community, advice & support. You can find out more about our memberships and join our members who are already pitching their products to press here.