Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Noble.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always been both an entrepreneur and a hostess at heart. My first “business” was selling handmade jewelry in my parents’ garage sales when I was a kiddo! But the true path to where I am today began with my first part time job at a Hallmark store in my home town. This is where my love of greeting cards, gift wrapping, wedding invitations, and all things social began.
Throughout the rest of high school and college, I worked in a variety of different stationery shops and learned everything I could about papers, printing, etiquette and design. Once I graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Fine Arts and a Photography concentration, I ended up here in Atlanta where I began photographing weddings. The gorgeous details that went into creating these events, the celebratory spirit and the outpouring of hospitality were such a joy for me to capture and witness! Soon I realized that instead of capturing these details, I wanted to be a part of creating them. So I changed course and went back to my love of paper, working as a graphic designer for Swoozie’s. There I was able to hone my invitation design skills and continue to broaden my expertise in the field.
In 2009, I heard about this new platform for makers called Etsy. It seemed like a good way to dip my toes in the water of starting my own stationery and invitation business, so I decided to give it a shot – and on December 9, 2009, I opened Foglio Press on Etsy. This very quickly became my full-time passion and job, and I’ve loved every moment, designing my own line of letterpress stationery, party supplies, invitations, and wedding stationery.
Now that I’ve run Foglio Press for ten (ten!!!) years, I’ve decided it’s time for my next big adventure to begin! Adelina Social Goods has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I can’t wait to share this next level of my love of all things social with Atlanta!
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think I’ve ever met or heard of an entrepreneur who has had a “smooth road”! Every business owner encounters struggles, and I believe we owe it to future generations of entrepreneurs, to be honest about them. When I started Foglio Press in 2009, I had no savings, no back-up plan, and no real working capital. I also ended up having no full-time job VERY soon after opening my Etsy shop, due to layoffs and a restructuring of the company I was working for. So I was thrown into the deep end quickly, and I had to make it work!
Throughout the past 10 years, there have been times when I’ve felt like I was successfully living the dream and other times when I felt like a complete failure. Imposter Syndrome is a real deal for many creative entrepreneurs especially, and at different times in my journey, I’ve had it bad. This is still something I struggle with, but I’ve learned more and more to embrace my strengths and just be me – with my work as well as in everyday life. It’s not easy putting your creative energy out into the world, but I love it when I find my perfect audience and they receive joy from the work I’m doing!
Another tough spot was when we found out we’d have to change the name of our new retail shop due to a Trademark issue. This was crushing, and it felt like everything was working against us during that time. But it was a great lesson in pushing ahead and adapting to whatever circumstances were thrown at us, which is essential for any small business owner to be able to do. After many many sleepless nights and brainstorming sessions, the name Adelina came to me, and I think I love it even more than our first name! Adelina is an Italian name that means “Noble”, which just happens to be my last name (thanks to my hubby). Through that process, we were reminded that sometimes challenges can lead us to an even better place than where we started!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Adelina Social Goods is a modern stationery and party supplies shop, bringing style and hospitality to the Upper Westside starting in early 2020. We’re aiming to create an inspiring space where customers can come and experience the beauty and joy of being well taken care of, and then pass that hospitality on to their friends and families through entertaining in their own homes. Our product will be sourced and curated from a unique assortment of vendors, offering a variety of greeting cards, gift wrap, boxed and personalized stationery, wedding invitations, party decor, and tabletop products for entertaining. We’re so excited about working with independent designers and artisans to feature in our shop, and are working to source as many products from local Atlanta vendors as possible!
We’re also committed to becoming a part of the community where our business is located. My husband and I live on the Westside, so this shop is part of our home – and we are thrilled to be a part of the exciting revitalization going on here. We plan to be involved with community events as much as possible and are committed to participating in fundraisers and community service projects as a team throughout each year.
Also, our goal is to provide jobs for women who have survived trafficking, prostitution and addiction through partnerships with local work & education programs. The hope is to fill at least 20% of our sales positions through these programs.
Everything we do is centered around our values of Hospitality, Community, and Responsibility. If we can make every person who walks through our doors feel valued, welcomed and inspired, then we’ve done our jobs well!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I absolutely feel like Atlanta is the perfect place for businesses like ours! Atlanta is a vibrant and growing city, with so much to offer in terms of culture, diversity and opportunity. With initiatives like the Beltline improving our walkability and new development happening everywhere you look, now is a great time to invest in this city.
One thing I think Atlanta could improve on is our public transportation. We’d love to see more ways to get around Atlanta’s diverse neighborhoods without having to get in our cars!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.adelina.social
- Email: sarah@adelinasocial.com
- Instagram: @adelinasocial
- Facebook: @adelinasocial
Image Credit:
portraits via The Sintoses
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