Crafting Magic: Inside the World of Papercraft Miracles with Janna Willoughby Lohr

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Ep. 38 Meet Janna Willoughby Lohr of Papercraft Miracles in Buffalo, NY. From making plantable records for Lionel Richie to crafting paper art that bridges connections, Janna shares her incredible journey of turning a love for paper and poetry into a thriving business, emphasizing the importance of resilience and creativity.

Tune into this episode to gain inspiration from Janna's story and learn about the beautiful intersection of art and business.

Key Takeaways:

• Resilience and Adaptation: Janna's journey is a testament to overcoming adversity and using it as a catalyst for artistic and entrepreneurial growth.
• Creative Networking: Leveraging community connections and networking groups like NAWBO has been critical to the success and expansion of Papercraft Miracles.
• Diversified Offerings: From artist books to realistic paper flowers and plantable record gifts, Janna has diversified her product line to cater to various needs and occasions.
• Eco-friendly Focus: Sustainability remains a core principle in Janna's creations, using eco-friendly materials to craft her products.
• Empathy and Connection: A major theme in Janna's work is using art to foster human connections, helping people to express their emotions and stories beautifully.

Notable Quotes:

1. "I wanted a way to make my poems come alive and do it more like show and tell as opposed to just doing a poem."
2. "The most important thing you can do in this world is connect with other people and do what you can to affect positive change with other people."
3. "If all the balls are in the air, you need to know which ones are glass and which ones are plastic."

Resources:

Papercraft Miracles

1(855) 4PAPER5 / 472-7375

1888 Niagara St. Buffalo, NY 14207

• Follow Papercraft Miracles on Instagram and Facebook
• Reach the Stars Podcast on YouTube
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)

Want more Janna? Check out her episode on the Power of Saying YES on the High Vibe Table Talks Podcast

About the Guest(s):

Janna Willoughby-Lohr is an artist, poet, musician and entrepreneur from Buffalo, NY. Her company, Papercraft Miracles, specializes in handcrafted paper art that brings meaning to people's lives. She was awarded a $25,000 Ignite Buffalo Grant in 2018 and was named 40-Under-40 from Stationery Trends Magazine

in 2019. She’s worked with Pinterest, Twitter and Capital One. In 2021, her team created 500,000 seed bombs for Lowe’s Spring Garden Giveaway event. Janna was also a contestant on Meet Your Makers Showdown, a crafting competition TV show on discovery+. She was awarded the Women in Manufacturing Award from Business First in 2023.

She is the host of Reach the Stars Podcast--which features inspiring stories of persistence, passion and purpose. Janna leads the membership committee for NAWBO’s Buffalo/Niagara Chapter and is a founding member of their Diversity & Inclusion Task Force. She has also served two terms on their board of directors.

Janna is a mom to three little kiddos and likes bright colors, giggling and things that are small.

Title Sponsor: Salena’s Mexican Restaurant

Episode sponsors: Marshall Street, Union Tavern

Hosted by Kelly Bush + Kelly Metras founders of www.BossyRoc.com

Music: Do it by Infraction, Mellow Bop by Prigida & You are the best by Cutesy Chamber Ensemble

Produced by JazzCast Pros

Chapters:

0:00 Intro with Kelly + Kelly

6:09 Creating a Unique Major to Pursue Artistic Entrepreneurship

11:40 Surviving Tragedy: Loss, Fire, and Resilience in College

18:21 Discovering Minimalism and the Power of Human Connection

22:28 Turning Passion Into Business Amidst Life's Chaos

29:32 From Handmade Paper to Wedding Invitations and Paper Flowers

42:53 The Importance of Genuine Networking for Business Success

46:59 The Reality of Balancing Entrepreneurship and Personal Life

51:43 Healing Through Art: Workshops for Veterans and Their Families

55:47 Creating Magic with Paper and Living Through Challenges

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