Didn’t You Know We’re Sisters?

Dec 9

A few weeks ago, we were in a meeting with a longtime client who asked us what our Thanksgiving plans were. When we started to say “our parents” they were like “wait, are you all… related?” Cue the laughter and surprise of getting to tell the other people on the team one by one. They were all shook.

We thought everyone already knew but if a client we’ve worked with for three years didn’t, chances are they’re not the only ones. When I tell people this, they typically have one of three responses:

I had no idea!
That makes so much sense.
Oh my GOD, I could never work with my sister.

Then, this is followed by a range of questions. In case you were wondering, here are your answers:

Q: So… how did you two end up working together in the first place?

Laura: Years ago, we joined forces in calligraphy and hand lettering, primarily working within the wedding industry. What started as a creative outlet and side hustle turned into a full-time business for Hannah. During that time, I stepped back from calligraphy to focus more on my main job and family. In 2021, Hannah was looking to add some support to Brackish and asked if I’d be interested. I took a leap and joined her! I feel so fortunate to be able to help support the brands Hannah creates and to still work part-time at a nonprofit that I also love.

Q: Don’t you all ever fight?

Laura: We’ve always gotten along. Not a plot twist!

Hannah: I ordered pizza to her house at 3am and then fell asleep in college. Other than that, smooth sailing.

Q: How do you separate “family mode” from “work mode”?

Laura: This just happens naturally! We catch up first and then jump into work.

Hannah: We naturally fall into ‘family catch up mode’ at the beginning of every check-in and then go into work mode. I try not to but occasionally bring up something exciting I forgot to tell her or a changed plan when we’re in family mode.

Q: What strengths does the other person have that you don’t?

Laura: Hannah is incredibly creative and is a master of all design software. She dreams up big, bold ideas for our clients and really shines at building custom details like hand-drawn type, illustrations, and patterns. The part that amazes me the most is how fast she works. We joke that she’s up at 3am crafting brands by candlelight, but honestly, I think that’s the truth.

Hannah: Oh, so many. Laura is a systems and organization master and can whip up a spreadsheet faster than I can create the headings. When we’re doing large-scale content projects, she helps organize everything into a place where I can easily pick it up and run with it design-wise without burning out on the structure. I also have zero concept of time and she holds it down on that front, too.

Q: What advice would you give to siblings considering working together?

Laura: Being siblings comes first! Lean into each other’s strengths and remember why you decided to work together in the first place.

Hannah: Transparently, after witnessing so many other people’s family dynamics, I don’t know if it’s for everyone! I’m abundantly lucky in the sister department. I think all the same basics of working with someone apply of course, with the addition of: when push comes to shove, I’d prioritize our relationship as sisters and friends over anything that may happen in the business.

Q: What projects do each of you like most?

Laura: I love working with nonprofits and on mission-focused projects. I’m so inspired by people who are working to make a positive impact.

Hannah: I’ve been loving hospitality, food/beverage, and impact-driven clients lately. We’ve had the opportunity to work with people who genuinely care about taking care of people in a lot of different industries and that’s my sweet spot!

Q: What’s the funniest moment you’ve had as a sister-team?

Hannah: Last year, I admittedly dragged my feet on our typical designed holiday gifts and we ended up ordering MilkBar cookie packs to all our clients, thinking it would be quick and easy. Something happened on MilkBar’s end and they all wound up being super late. It was kind of this running joke of trying to troubleshoot and track down cookies and also realizing that the holiday message on the outside of the box were so discrete that most people didn’t even realize they were from us. We finally thought we were done with the whole saga and were leaving White Picket one day in mid-January and they had a big ole box of MilkBar cookies sitting on their front step. I have never laughed so hard.

Q: are there more of you!?

Laura: Yes! Alayne, Caroline, Hannah, and I grew up on a lovely little court in Bancroft (Louisville). I feel like we’re the luckiest to lean on, learn from, and share life with each other.

Hannah: There are four sisters total! Alayne is the fabulous founder of Waypoint and Wayfinders and it’s really cool to be able to work with her on projects, too. The wonderful Caroline lives out in Colorado with her family!