Why Starting Wild Lines Changed My Life
People often ask me what it's like to run Wild Lines.
The short answer?
I absolutely love it.
Building a wildlife illustration business has given me creative freedom, introduced me to incredible customers and allowed me to spend my days drawing animals I genuinely care about. Every time someone chooses one of my greeting cards, books or prints to celebrate a special occasion, I feel incredibly lucky to be part of that moment.
It certainly hasn't always been easy, but I can't imagine doing anything else.
It Started Almost by Accident
Wild Lines wasn't the result of a carefully planned business strategy.
Back in 2019, I left my job, moved abroad and shifted into freelance editorial work. Suddenly I had a little more flexibility, fewer commitments and an opportunity to see where life might take me.
I'd always loved drawing wildlife, so I thought I'd see whether anyone might like to buy my illustrations on greeting cards.
It was never supposed to become a full-time business.
I just wanted to give it a go.
Looking back, that one small decision completely changed the direction of my life.
Creativity Became My Job
One of the greatest joys of running Wild Lines is that creativity isn't something I squeeze into evenings or weekends anymore.
It's part of my everyday life.
Some days I'm sketching a new endangered species. Other days I'm writing a children's book, designing a colouring page or working with a zoo on a custom product.
No two weeks ever look quite the same, and I love that.
Freedom Is Something You Don't Appreciate Until You Need It
One of the biggest advantages of running my own business became obvious when I was pregnant with my daughter.
Like many people, I experienced morning sickness that was anything but "morning". For several weeks, even sitting at my desk felt impossible.
Because I worked for myself, I could simply slow down.
There was no difficult conversation with an employer, no explaining why I couldn't come into the office and no pressure to pretend I was feeling better than I was.
Instead, I rested when I needed to, worked when I could and kept Wild Lines ticking along.
It made me realise just how valuable flexibility really is.
Wildlife Is Still at the Heart of Everything
Although Wild Lines has grown far beyond greeting cards, the reason I started hasn't changed.
I've always been fascinated by wildlife.
My background is in zoology and endangered species conservation, so every illustration is a chance to introduce someone to an animal they may never have noticed before.
Sometimes that's a tiger or an elephant. Sometimes it's an aye aye, a Livingstone's fruit bat or a slender-snouted crocodile.
If someone smiles at one of my illustrations and then becomes curious about the real animal behind it, I feel I've achieved something worthwhile.
Building Something Slowly
People often assume businesses appear overnight.
The reality is much less glamorous. Wild Lines has grown one illustration, one product and one customer at a time.
There have been plenty of mistakes along the way, lots of experimenting and many moments where I had absolutely no idea whether an idea would work.
Looking back, I'm glad I didn't wait until everything felt perfect before I started. If I had, Wild Lines probably wouldn't exist today.
What I've Learned
Starting Wild Lines has taught me far more than how to run a business.
It's taught me patience, resilience and the importance of simply beginning, even when you don't have everything figured out.
It's also reminded me that small businesses are built on people.
Every order, every kind email and every customer who comes back year after year has helped Wild Lines become what it is today.
Thank You
Whether you've bought a birthday card, hung one of my wildlife prints on your wall, coloured in one of my books or simply followed along on the journey, thank you.
Your support allows me to keep drawing wildlife, creating products that celebrate the natural world and, hopefully, encouraging a few more people to fall in love with the amazing species we share our planet with.
And that still feels pretty incredible.
A Small Note
Looking back, I wish I’d known that starting a greeting card business was a genuine, achievable option when I was younger. That designing and selling cards could become a fulfilling venture you can start gradually and cheaply, while still in full-time work or study.
Over the years, I've had lots of people ask how I started Wild Lines and whether running a greeting card business is something they could do too. I've put together a practical guide based on everything I've learned along the way. If you're curious about the business side of things, you can find it here.