Meet The Maker: Lisa Daly of This Is You

This week’s Meet The Maker is Lisa Daly. Raised on a small farm in west Limerick, Lisa runs This Is You, which offers a “keepsake collection” including a lifetime memory journal, a home organisation journal, lifetime memory cards and more.

Why and when did you set up your business?

I set up my business early last year in the height of home-schooling and lockdowns. I sold my first journal in March 2020.

I always had the idea for The Lifetime Journal in my head, but I suppose seeing all the memories we were making whilst at home all of the time really set me thinking on how I was going to record all of these precious memories.

I have always kept a little notebook in the drawer and if they were to say anything funny or come up with funny stories, I would write them down

There are baby books and milestone cards out there, but not much once they start going to school. I have five kids and four of them are now in school. I have always kept a little notebook in the drawer and if they were to say anything funny or come up with funny stories, I would write them down.

This was the start of thinking up something more permanent: My Lifetime Memory Journal from 0-21 years, intended to be gifted to them on their 21st birthday.

What process do you use to create your products?

I work with printers in Ireland to create my journals and cards. I have had the same graphic designer throughout so it is nice to work between us and she knows what my likes and dislikes are now at this stage so it is getting a bit easier.

For all my boxes and packaging I go outside the country and everything is done online with samples sent back and forth between us.

Everything then is delivered to my home, which is slowly being overrun with boxes.

I package and ship everything from here. I have just last week ordered a container-type office, so it will be great for storage as well.

What is your best seller?

By far my Lifetime Memory Journal is the best-seller at the moment, but my Home Organisational Journal is very much second in command. My parents always had a notebook in the drawer to keep costs of the farm, household costs, vaccines we got as children, birthdays etc. I always loved looking back on the notebook to see the price of things 40 years ago in comparison to now.

This home journal is a continuation of this, very much a journal to keep for years as well as organising your home and life now.

What is it about your business that brings you joy?

I love that – out of something so pessimistic as lockdown – that something so exciting has come out of it.

I love that my children now see me working hard every day and not just their daddy

I’ve always wanted to run my own business, but realistically I never thought I would get there. This happened so unexpectedly. I wanted to sell my one journal yes, but never expected to have five products out and two more on the way less than a year later.

I love that my children now see me working hard every day and not just their daddy. I love the simple things of packing and shipping out the products; the trip to the post office every day makes me giddy knowing it is my very own product I am shipping out.

I still don’t quite believe it to be honest.

What are your hopes for your business for 2022?

I have two more products coming out very soon, but in the back of my mind I have lots more I want to work on too.

I’d love to hit a few more target audiences with them and connect with them all on Instagram, where you will find me hanging out most days with my brood of kids. I love the interaction with others even though I haven’t left the house to do so.

What is the best piece of advice you would give a start-up business?

For me, my growth came from Instagram and connecting with my followers and customers this way.

If you stay still, you won’t get anywhere

I had to go well past my comfort zone and to expand I really think this is needed in whatever form that may take.

If you stay still, you won’t get anywhere. Break past the comfort and it’s amazing what will come out of it!

Visit www.thisisyou.ie or follow on Instagram @thisisyou_x

Read more

Meet The Maker: Ann Marie O’Leary of The Flower Press Company

Meet The Maker: Aisling Finn of The Book Resort