Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jessica Walker. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jessica, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
You can feel truly powerless when fighting cancer. There is so much out of your hands, so having my business to support the cancer community makes me feel like I’m leading my own tiny rebellion against a disease that took so much from me. Making a difference where I can through the talents I possess is a gift.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I started my business after my husband’s cancer diagnosis. We were just 26 and used humor to get through the tough moments. I noticed the cancer support greeting cards that were available were heavy, and didn’t resonate with our youthful and hopeful outlook on his prognosis. I decided to design cancer support cards that encouraged and empowered through empathy rather than sympathy. My funny, light-hearted, and relevant cards resonated deeply with the young adult cancer population and beyond. My cards gained popularity in hospitals, infusion centers, and more and I was able to support the two of us through my business while Tommy focused on treatments and healing. Cancer is a full-time job and being able to provide this space for him through our finances meant the world to me. After a truly heroic four-year battle, my sweet husband passed away in 2021. Tommy is the reason I started making cards and I will be forever grateful for his belief in me. My mission is to keep us all connected and feel supported during the good, bad, and messy moments of life. A portion of all profits is given to esophageal cancer research in Tommy’s honor.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I have a background in theatre (Tommy and I met at school for musical theatre!) and I think my ability to connect through storytelling has been impactful in my business journey. I started my social media account to connect with other young adults facing cancer. I didn’t know anyone our age who had experienced anything like what we were going through, so I sought familiarity and guidance online. I got to know the young cancer community very well which helped me personally, but also helped me understand their needs and serve them better through my business. I continue to share my life and continue to seek connection which created an audience that supports me deeply.
Redefining “problems” as “opportunities” has been a very important mindset shift that has carried me through many twists and turns. For example, if a customer has an issue, I can use that as insight to make my product better. Or, if I come across a shipping or website snafu, I can use that to put systems in place to make the path smoother moving forward.
Customer service first has also been key to my business growth. I deeply care about the customer experience from the moment someone comes across my website to the moment they have the product in their hands. I want them to know they are valued and are being taken care of. This has led to returning customers that have been with me for years.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
My biggest obstacle right now is my own time being a bottleneck. I’m currently in the season where I am beginning to delegate and hire a team so that growth doesn’t come down to simply my personal ability/time/energy. It’s an exciting point in my business and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s possible as I build out my support!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fivedotpost.com
- Instagram: @fivedotpost
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fivedotpostcards
- Other: Wholesale available at: https://faire.com/direct/fivedotpost
Image Credits
Corey Rives Visual Art
