When Carrissa Wu signed the lease on her first studio in a Fremantle warehouse, she remembers thinking, “What have I done?” She had just quit a stable corporate job at a Perth casino, had a growing stack of Etsy orders for paper flower bouquets, and a long list of dreams she had written down in that tiny first space: work with the King’s Park Botanic Gardens, get featured in Frankie magazine, build a team.

Every single one of those things has happened.

In this Episode of Paper Talk Podcast, Carrissa joins hosts Quynh Nguyen, Jessie Chui, and Sara Kim to tell the full story of Jotterbook Flowers, her paper flower business based out of Perth, Australia. She talks about how COVID gave her the space to rediscover making, how a mentor’s advice to pick one bread-and-butter revenue stream led her to workshops, and how Perth’s post-lockdown environment created a surge in demand that she could barely keep up with.

"You forgot the scissors for a workshop? We just learned to make a checklist. It’s not a you problem, it’s a systems problem." — Carrissa

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

Pick one reliable revenue stream before experimenting with others.
Hire for personality and relational skills since technical craft can be taught.
Train team members through a staggered observation-to-independence process.
Treat mistakes as systems problems, not personal failures.
Know your numbers and be willing to cut overhead when the math stops working.
Being “finished” with one creative chapter is not failure; it is freedom to start the next one.
The skills you build in running a creative business transfer to whatever comes next.

Learn more about Carrissa

Jotterbook Flowers is Perth's Original Crepe Paper Flower Studio, founded by artist Carrissa Wu. At the height of COVID lockdown, Carrissa was stood down from her corporate job and started making paper flowers to get through the anxiety of each day. She began running workshops in 2020 to help people find presence and pause in the midst of life's hectic pace. A community of like-minded paper florists started to bloom. Today, the Jotterbook Flowers team has helped over 1,000 people look after themselves to love others better through the art of paper flowers.

Instagram: @jotterbookflowers

Website: www.jotterbookflowers.com

The Best Thing We Bought that Bring Us Joy

Quynh: New Sourdough recipes
Jessie: Kitsch XL Satin Heatless Hair Curler Set
Sara: Thrifting for craft supplies for her Junk journalling

Paper Talk is supported by our community of readers and listeners. When you click on our affiliate links, we may earn a commission for qualifying purchases made through Amazon.com, Shareasale, or similar affiliate marketing programs. This commission goes directly into the maintenance of this website and our podcast.

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JOIN OUR PAPER TALK MASTERMIND!

If you've been running your paper business solo and you're tired of figuring out pricing, marketing, and selling alone, then this is for you. The Mastermind is returning in the Fall 2026 and we saved you a seat!

Starting September 8, we are leading a 6-month Mastermind for paper artists ready to build something sustainable. You'll meet twice a month with us and a small group of paper artists tackling the real stuff: pricing, social media, selling your work, newsletters, and building confidence in your business.

We’ll have honest conversations, dive into practical strategies, and be with people who actually understand what you're building. Registration begins soon.

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