Looking for a really unique Valentine's Day gift this year? We stumbled across these neat pillow cases recently and found them so delicious we had to know more. Vancouver-based Splice Style's Sandra Yue was kind enough to give us not only an interview but also a sweet discount for our ChickAdvisor members (see deal details at bottom)!



ChickAdvisor
What inspired the design of each pillow case?

Splice Style
The designs are meant to reflect a personal bond or unique connection between two people. When someone sees a design, I want them to be able to relate to that particular picture and to be able to see themselves as the characters in the designs because they too have experienced a similar moment with their partner.

Each pillow case comes in sets of two. The definition of Splice is the joining or uniting of two parts, so all my designs will be painted across a set of His & Her pillowcases.

My first five designs show lovers partaking in an outdoor activity or sport together because I think that these special trips and outdoor activities create some of the strongest bonds and sweetest memories that last forever.

In the future, I’d like to create designs for mothers, fathers, best friends and all the other relationships that are equally important to all of us.

ChickAdvisor
How long have you been in business?

Splice Style
I started my business just over a year ago but launched my website recently at the beginning of this year.



ChickAdvisor
You were inspired to start your business from a vacation. It's funny this is a common story I've heard from a lot of people. How did you go from inspiration to making it a reality?

Splice Style
For me, the actual steps from just having an idea and finally creating something tangible from it required resourcefulness and a willingness to learn and work hard. It started with a lot of research and reading about other people’s experiences and listening to other people’s advice. I, then, moved into taking some E-marketing courses, doing online Dreamweaver and Illustrator tutorials, attending importing seminars, and conducting some random market surveys. Slowly bit by bit, everything just started to come together.

But in between each step, I found my motivation through my family and my two dogs. What really pushed me to take each step after the last, was the ability to own and manage my own time so that I could spend more quality time with the people I love.



ChickAdvisor
What's the hardest thing about having your own business?

Splice Style
The hardest thing about having your own business is continually keeping yourself motivated and moving forward. There are always so many reasons to give up and so many hurdles to overcome, that it’s easy to lose focus of why you started the business to begin with.



ChickAdvisor
What's the best thing?

Splice Style
I think there are two “best” things to having your own business.

First thing is having a goal and ultimately a dream to work towards, because the opportunities are endless. It’s so empowering when you hold your future in your own hands. While yes, 50% of any successful business consists of luck and a lot of other factors you can’t control, the other 50%, I truly believe, is hard work, determination and perseverance. It’s pretty fulfilling to know that you’ve given the other 50%, that you can control, all you’ve got.

Second thing is that you never stop learning. I look back now and am amazed at what I have learned and accomplished. Before this, I didn’t know anything about building websites, designing in Illustrator, importing goods or anything of the like! And still to this day, I am constantly learning. But most importantly, throughout all of this, I’ve learnt a lot about myself, my passions and my limits.



ChickAdvisor
What is your best advice for would-be entrepreneurs?

Splice Style
My best advice would be to make a point to celebrate everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything! Celebrate both successes and failures, however big or small. Do a victory dance every time you solve a problem. When you finally overcome that writer’s block and compose some great website content, save the file as “Damn I’m Good.doc”.

In the end, just to remember, that ultimately it is all up in your mind. It is as difficult or as fun as you want it to be. It’s kind of like falling flat on your face once, picking yourself back up and learning how not to fall again. So really, what started as a failure becomes an even bigger success and yet another reason to celebrate! It’s these little victories and silly celebrations that will keep you going and pushing forward on this journey.

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Interested? Get a one-of-a-kind set of His & Hers cases from the Match in Motion line (choice of 5 designs) with a 20% discount when you use promo code CHICKADVISOR. Order by Feb 6th to guarantee V-Day delivery in Canada and US. This deal is available until February 20, 2009 and Splice Style will ship internationally (additional shipping charges may apply).