Crafting a Creative Business Journey with Phoebe and Jonathan Carpenter Eells, elSage Designs

In this episode, host Matt Wagner sits down with husband-and-wife duo, Phoebe and Jonathan Carpenter Eells, co-owners of elSage Designs in Mount Vernon, Washington. Phoebe and Jonathan share their journey from teachers and parents to working artists then thriving business owners. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Journey to Business Ownership: Started with block printing as a creative side project, gradually scaling from home-based operations to farmers markets, mobile vending, and eventually a downtown storefront. 

• Innovative Funding Strategy: Successfully used Kickstarter not just for funding equipment, but as a powerful community-building and brand awareness tool that created a sense of ownership among supporters 

• Adaptive Business Model: Continuously pivoted and experimented with different revenue streams, including mobile vending, e-commerce, wholesale, and hyper-personalization options to stay responsive to market needs. 

• Community-Centered Approach: Created collaborative opportunities by hosting pop-up events, supporting local artisans, and bringing other small businesses into their space to create a supportive ecosystem 

• Brand Philosophy: Developed a distinctive brand identity around positive, meaningful designs that feature hand-carved block prints with an intentionally authentic, "gritty" aesthetic that resonates with customers. 

Connect: 

• Visit elSage website 

• Follow elSage on Facebook 

• Follow elSage on Instagram 

• Follow elSage on TikTok 

 

Episode Links: 

- Listen on Apple Podcasts 

- Listen on Spotify 

- Subscribe for updates 

Join us next week for more insights into the evolving landscape of Main Street business.