We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Prettyman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, are you self-funded or investor funded? If you could start over, would you make the same choice?
My business is completely self-funded. The idea of investors is very enticing, especially if you need a sizable amount of money to open your business; however, you will always be beholden to someone else. For me it was about ownership of my business and I wasn’t willing to give up ownership or creative control. If I could go back I would not have done it differently. Being self-funded may have caused me to grow slower than I would have liked, but I believe slow growth is a good thing. It allowed me to be extremely intentional with every thing I was doing and to take a really hard look at every decision I was making.  

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a stationer and calligrapher. I design custom wedding invitations that are unique to each couple. I also have a la carte offerings for calligraphy and I teach calligraphy classes with Sip & Script. What sets me apart is my willingness to listen to the couple I’m designing for. I want the invitation suite to be perfect for them and I’m not afraid to set aside some artistic freedom in order for them to be happy. There is a level of trust where most people will trust my design judgement, but at the end of the day it’s about what the couple thinks is beautiful and how I can do my best to make them happy. It’s not easy to relinquish that freedom and that’s why I offer my semi-custom line! I get to design anything my heart desires and while offering a lower price tag because they don’t have a full design fee attached to them. I am also available for envelope calligraphy and custom calligraphy projects. I love doing these; calligraphy is my passion and it is always nice to get to do hours and hours of it for a project. Recently I began teaching calligraphy classes with Sip & Script. This has become a huge part of business and I didn’t know that I would love teaching so much. I first got started by taking a calligraphy class, but it was long and costly. Our class model allows us to expose more people to calligraphy by having 90 minute classes at a reasonable price point. We want people to have fun with their friends for a night out and hey if they fall in love with calligraphy in the process, then that’s the cherry on top.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend came to visit this is what we would do in Atlanta: Breakfast at West Egg Cafe (order the chilaquiles with potatoes in lieu of salad & milky way latte); Ponce City Market to shop and eat cookie dough. Also, do the splatter paint room or the carnival on the roof; Krog Street Market for dumplings, Pho, and Jeni’s ice cream; Inman Park for lunch at Victory Sandwich Bar with Jack and coke slushies/frose followed by King of Pops; Scooter around the beltline- Ladybird for drinks and Pour Taproom for any drink you want and Nina&Rafi’s pizza; Piedmont park to get some exercise and pulled pork tater tot nachos with a fishbowl drink at the Nook; Bubble Tea at Honeybubble; Orange Theory Fitness class; Dinner at Oku for sushi and passionfruit cocktails while enjoying the city view at the rooftop bar. Atlanta is all about eating and drinking- these are few of my favorites out of a million choices. You can’t go wrong!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shout-out to two people and one organization.

1. My husband- he has always encouraged me and has made sacrifices for me so that I can pursue my passion.

2. Elisabeth Young of Elisaannecalligraphy- she’s always been a great friend and someone I look up to the industry. I appreciate her willingness to be a resource and for being an inspiration to me.

3. Sip & Script and all of the girls of the #scriptsquad. I joined Sip & Script in the Fall of 2019 and was amazed at how welcoming all of the instructors were and how much I needed this in my business! It has been a great addition and I’ve loved every minute of teaching calligraphy classes and hanging with my ladies.

Website: nicoleprettyman.com
Instagram: instagram.com/fiftyfourdegrees
Facebook: facebook.com/shopfiftyfourdegrees

Image Credits
Lauren Liz Photo Alexis Bruton Heather K Cook