Have you ever been told, “You need to grow your email list,” and immediately thought, “Okay… but how?”

In this episode, Julie shares why one of the smartest things you can do for your small business is start growing your email list before you feel fully ready - not when your website is perfect, not when your product line is huge, and not when you have a complete email strategy mapped out.

You’ll hear the imperfect way Julie started her own list, why email gives small business owners more control than social media alone, and how to start inviting the right people in without overcomplicating it.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why your email list is one of the few marketing assets you actually own
• How Julie started her list imperfectly and barely emailed it at first
• Why social media is great for discovery, but not something you fully control
• Why unsubscribes are not always a bad thing
• Why a healthy, engaged list matters more than a huge list
• How to give people a clear reason to join your email list
• Where to place your sign-up form so people can actually find it
• Why your list can grow while your business grows

Best quote from the episode:

“People are busy. They don’t need another email just for the sake of getting another email. So if you’re asking someone for their email address, ask yourself: what am I giving them in return?”

If your newsletter list is tiny, untouched, or still just an idea in your head, check out The Email List Growth Fix - Julie’s beginner-friendly guide for small product-based business owners who want to grow an email list full of people who actually want to buy from them.

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

In this episode of Hey Julie by Moss Bags, I’m joined by Jessi McNeal of Jessi McNeal Marketing + Bookkeeping.

Jessi started as a maker, artist, singer, and songwriter before evolving into marketing and bookkeeping support for other small businesses. Today, she helps product-based business owners with websites, email marketing, wholesale pitching, bookkeeping, and the behind-the-scenes systems that make business feel less overwhelming.

We talk about what makers often overthink in marketing, how to start when everything feels like too much, what’s working in wholesale and direct-to-consumer sales, and how small business owners can use AI without losing their own voice.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Jessi’s journey from music and art to product-based business
• Why her handmade pet products gained traction
• The reality of labor-heavy products and burnout
• How she shifted into marketing and bookkeeping support
• What makers are overthinking in their marketing
• Why your website is often the best place to start
• Wholesale pitching tips for makers and product-based brands
• How to use Faire without losing track of your margins
• Why email marketing still matters
• How AI can help small businesses without replacing their voice

Favorite quote:
“Deep breath, number one. Quiet the voices. Maybe take a little Instagram break from all the business influencers and your peers, and just get a little quiet.”

Connect with Jessi
Website: jessimcneal.com
Instagram: jessimcnealmarketing

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

Today I’m chatting with artist and muralist Darcie Gray, the creative behind RANGE | Art by Darcie Gray.

Darcie’s work is immediately recognizable: natural landscapes, a limited palette of blue, green, black, and white, and this beautiful balance of calm and energy that feels so connected to nature.

In this conversation, we talk about what keeps her creating - how she stays motivated, builds momentum as an artist and business owner, and keeps the work feeling playful and alive even when it became her livelihood.

Darcie shares how her background in apparel design shaped the way she sees art in people’s everyday lives, why recognizability builds connection, and how saying yes to new creative ideas - like murals, hand-painted clothing, and public art - has helped her business grow in unexpected ways.

Favorite Quote

“You’ve gotta infuse fun in your work and do things just because you want to.”
- Darcie Gray

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Darcie’s limited color palette became part of her signature style
• Why her apparel design background influences the way she creates art today
• How artists can forget their work is still new and exciting to everyone else
• What helps Darcie stay motivated as a self-employed artist
• Why deadlines, calendars, and saying yes can create momentum
• How she protects joy, curiosity, and experimentation in her business
• The story behind her murals, hand-painted clothing, and public art

Connect with Darcie:
My website is: www.rangedesignstudio.com
Print Shop on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RangeDesignStudio
IG: @darciegray_art

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com