I love the story of how you turned a bright idea into your successful business. Do share this with us!

RSVP began in 2006. My partner Omar and I got together 5 years prior and as we share the same birthday, we decided to throw a joint party. Rather than send 150 text messages, I thought I’d make invites – at this stage they weren’t anything spectacular, but they received a very positive reaction from our guests.  Before long, friends began asking me to design invites for their own parties, and then their friends would ask where they were made. Word spread and it became clear that there was a demand for something totally different. Now, I have a good mix of corporate and private clients, and two days are rarely the same!

Do you have creativity in your blood do you think?

Definitely. I grew up surrounded by art, music and creativity. My Grandfather is an artist and a jazz drummer, my Mum brought me up painting and drawing, and I used to go to sleep at night to the sound of my Dad’s various rock’n'roll bands thumping away – apparently I attended a Queen concert in the womb!  There was little chance I’d end up doing something that wasn’t creative!

What motivates you to make your own business a success?

I think of where I started – setting up on an iMac in the corner of my Dad’s living room – and where I am now.  If hard work has made that difference over the last five years, it makes me excited to think what the next five will hold. I never forget that my life is in my own hands.

What do you do to find positivity on a difficult working day?

Running a business of this nature single-handedly can be demanding in the extreme (eighteen hour days are not uncommon), but it’s a privilege to be able to work with brands I love, worthy charitable causes and great people who want something more unusual or luxurious. Knowing they have chosen me to create their invitations makes me so proud – and it inspires me to do everything I can to deliver work they will love.

How do you balance Work and your Life?

I still struggle with this! I’ve got better though, and one of the ways I improved was accepting that despite wanting to complete projects at a breakneck pace, I’m going to be no good to anyone if I burn myself out. I also try to make plans with friends that ensure I leave the studio at a certain time. Time away from work, even if it’s only an hour or two,helps me regain perspective when things are stressful.

What do you love about being a woman?

I hate to be so lacking in originality on this – but I love to dress up! I love totally different styles – my wardrobe looks like a psychedelic car crash and is filled with just as many dresses and stilettos as hoodies and trainers. I like to express different sides of my personality whenever I get dressed and have always thought it’s easier to do that as a woman.

What are your hopes and dreams for RSVP?

I’d really like RSVP to help encourage other young women to realize their own business potential. Nothing is more rewarding than making a successful career out of something you genuinely love doing. I think lack of confidence means many of us don’t see how our natural strengths can be translated into ‘real’ business opportunities. To this end, I got involved with the Everywoman Modern Muse project, which is all about encouraging girls to realise their full potential and learn to use it to take control of their own lives.

And finally you Lucy, what do you dream of for you personally?

I think the only thing missing from my life now is time to travel (my last proper holiday was 2007 when RSVP really took off!), so to have the chance to experience all the faraway places I’d like to, would definitely be something of a dream for me. Havana, Bangkok and New Orleans are all places I dream of visiting one day – as soon as the schedule allows…!

I know that Lucy has indeed taken her holiday since she wrote this for me and a massive thanks to her for sharing the inspiring story of how a little idea can become a flourishing business. We all have an entrepreneur inside us,  just waiting to be set free!

What’s your little idea?

Jayne x