Nearly a decade ago, Heidi Shenk, a middle school teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools at the time, began illustrating at night as a way to relieve stress after long days in the classroom. She opened an Etsy store for her greeting cards and other stationery-type products and got her big break when a major retailer ordered 2,000 of her cards. This made Heidi think that her part-time side hustle could actually become her full-time business. She left teaching in 2013 and began working on Row House 14 full-time.
In this episode, Heidi talks about the highs and lows from her career in teaching, how she got into design and her first shop on Etsy, and that big break that pushed her to leave her teaching position and focus on Row House 14. She'll also touch on how she decided on the style for her cards (often funny + drawing on what's relatable; see her social distancing card line), where she gets inspiration for new designs, and how she began working with wholesalers/retailers, and her successes and challenges that have come with launching and running her business.
This is the second episode in a series highlighting small businesses in Baltimore. To find more amazing small businesses in this city, check out Made in Baltimore's business directory.
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