Meet Shannon Grace | Bookstagrammer & Founder of Grace by Shan

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

Hi Shannon, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind the success of Grace by Shan is our community. When I created Grace by Shan, I knew I wanted to become friends with our audience and not just another business for them to follow online. While our business is currently all online, it can be hard to create meaningful relationships with our supporters. Through sharing photos customers take with our products, mailing birthday and holiday cards, and collaborating with our customers on upcoming releases, we have been able to connect with our audience on a more meaningful level and create a sense of community through our corner of the internet.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I created Grace by Shan, a bookish boutique, in November 2019. I started the business by selling only book sleeves that I handmade myself with the sewing machine and knowledge that my grandmother gifted me during my childhood. I have a passion for reading and traveling and wanted to create book sleeves to protect my own books when traveling and going to class. After months of testing and working to create a design I was proud of, I took the jump to start selling them on Etsy. A year later, we rebranded, opened our own online storefront and started selling various reading accessories outside of book sleeves. By rebranding and creating our own website, we were able to build relationships with other small businesses to supply their products through our store. This has helped not only us grow, but help support other small businesses that we love and trust. Shortly after the rebranding, we made the decision to source almost all of our fabrics for our book sleeves through a manufacturer that gives commissions to the artists and designers of the fabrics themselves. At Grace by Shan we take pride in supporting others and have the mindset of community over competition.

There have been times when we were lucky enough to have a demand that was higher than our supply. We are honored to have come across this problem early on in our business’ life and learned a lot from this experience. I quickly realized that I need to learn to ask for help and make the move to add to my team. I wish I had done this sooner and advise others that when life or anything becomes too much, ask for help. As the brand grew and I realized that I could not handle the workload alone, I had loved ones behind me helping me make products, pack orders, and answer emails. We then grew our team by adding remote workers to help with marketing and admin work and have since brought on 8 new members. While I am no longer making the book sleeves alone, but they are always made with love by the team members that we brought on. We could not have grown our team if it weren’t for the amazing support system Grace by Shan has from our online audience and in-person loved ones.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Atlanta is a city of countless bookstores and never enough time. My best friends and I always check out as many bookstores as we can when we travel together and Atlanta is full of them. I highly recommend Bookish Atlanta for a cozy atmosphere with used and new books. Another great place for shelf strolling is Virginia Highland Books, a store I could spend all day in. With beautiful bookish artwork, two stories, and a relaxing atmosphere, buy a book (or 10) and then relax on the bench by the door and enjoy the latest addition to your personal library. Then head to Posman Books at Ponce City Market to be surrounded by delicious food, build your own bouquet and buy even more books. Don’t. forget your headphones to listen to your favorite audiobook as you walk along the Beltline Trail to head toward Piedmont Park to finish your bookish adventure with a picnic full of reading and the sunset.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This is dedicated to the love of my life. Without whom I would not have had the courage or support to start this chapter of my life.

Website: www.gracebyshan.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/gracebyshan

Youtube: www.youtube.com/bookishshan