Hello! My name is Jocelyn Kobayashi, I am 21 years old, currently a college student in Southern California and the creator of Tiny Things by Jocelyn. I currently sell custom stickers for hydroflasks, laptops, and starting doing custom stickers for weddings, birthdays, and other small businesses. I also make custom Starbucks cups and other “tiny things.”
When I was 13 years old, my aunt had introduced me to the Cricut machine and I found no interest in it because I felt like I had no use to it (which is so ironic). I would use it every now and then and found it super confusing, actually quite hard to use and at the time I actually did not have my own computer, so I wasn’t fully able to use the cricut on my own. Right before my freshman year of college I had got my own laptop and my aunt said that I could keep the Cricut machine with me just in case I needed it. It literally sat in my room for almost 2 years!! I finally learned how to use the Cricut machine to cut vinyl stickers, cut decals, and cute paper designs. That’s when I really started to use my machine more and felt fully comfortable making stickers for myself and my friends.
I started this sticker business a little over a year ago, while talking to a coworker, Cheyenne (who is a big inspo to opening my shop), about how I wanted to create a product for people that no one else was making in my city or around me. I was super hesitant at first because for one, I had no clue how to run a business, second I was worried that my business would fall short and I would have to close my shop, and I genuinely thought no one would purchase my products. I then spoke to my boyfriend, Tyler (second biggest inspo!!♡) on his thoughts on me attempting to run a small business. He said that it never hurts to try it, and you never know if it can be something big in the future. With that being said, I decided if I have the resources to do it (which I did), and if essentially doing arts and crafts was what I loved doing (which it still is) then why not?! So, I started making stickers for free for my family and friends and started building a portfolio of all the stickers I had made and the different options people placed their stickers on. In June of 2019, I created my business instagram and have been running my small business there!
I love being able to create designs and products for people because from a young age I always loved arts and crafts and anything DIY. One of my main goals from the start was being able to make products that were reasonably priced, and affordable for my demographics. I genuinely love being able to meet and work with new people on products that they created in their minds, and bringing it to a reality. I feel like everyday I am constantly trying to think of new products, and I definitely listen to my buyers/followers on what they want to see in the future. Creating designs is something that I really enjoy doing and I love working hard on a product and people genuinely loving it as much as I do.
When I first started my business I was reading an article and it said that if your business is still running and even profiting after one year of opening, then you will have a successful future. That really stuck to me because I think it pushed me to put all my efforts into my small business for it to be a successful first year of opening. I am still constantly learning how to do new things and run new programs. I recently started using Procreate on my Ipad, which is definitely a learning experience!
A small business has pushed me to venture out to new social media such as Youtube and Tik Tok and has allowed me to meet new people and other business owners that are helping me grow my business more! Which is why I hope this is an inspiration to others, that it may take a while to fully come around and step out of your comfort zone, but it is SO worth it in the end!
~Jocelyn
*Check out all her cute little designs on Instagram @tinythingsbyjocelyn!
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