“I’ve always had the entrepreneurial bug,” admits Adison Wiberg. “Having a small business is something I knew I’d enjoy.”1 Wiberg is the founder, designer, salesperson, and sole driving force behind Moonprint, a small Calgary-based greeting card company that delivers puns, pop culture, and laughs.
She’s also a communications professional employed by a large institution. Do the two worlds collide, or do they complement one another? Has her side hustle made her a better employee by day? Should companies hire people with other passions? Wiberg took time out during the busy holiday season to share her thoughts.
Starting a Side Hustle
Moonprint began a couple of years ago when Wiberg decided to sell her creations at a Christmas market organized by her employer. Before that, she had enjoyed a holiday tradition of hand-drawing custom cards specifically for friends and co-workers.
“I had a work colleague who was obsessed with Wendy’s, so I made them a card with a Baconator on it,” she recalls.
Wiberg drew her cards with markers and colored pencils until her partner gave her a digital art board for her birthday. This gift allowed her to continue drawing freehand but in a digital format. After a small printing investment of a few hundred dollars, she was ready for the marketplace.
Inspired by the success of her initial foray, she began approaching local businesses in her trendy neighborhood of Kensington. Today, her cards can be found at various markets and small businesses, including the Kensington Wine Market, which had her design custom cards themed around wine, spirits, and beer.
“My cards seem to resonate with people who are looking for a bit of humor, a bit of sauce, and some pop culture,” she says.
Can Side Hustles Make You a Better Employee?
Wiberg’s artistic talents are obviously central to Moonprint, but it doesn’t end there. Asked whether her side hustle has taught her anything that makes her a stronger employee at her day job, Wiberg provides several examples.
Drive and Initiative
“You have to create your own deadlines and stick with them,” says Wiberg. “If you fail in your side hustle, the only person you are letting down is yourself.”
She believes this discipline has made her a stronger employee.
“Moonprint has taught me that the time to prepare for the holiday season is not November but July,” she says. “This has reminded me to take the same initiative with projects at work.”
Building Connections
“I always have a big smile when I’m at a market,” says Wiberg. “I’m ready to chat with anyone about anything.”
She believes forming partnerships and relationships is a valuable skill.
“I might notice that someone is chuckling at my naked Danny DeVito card,” she laughs. “If so, I’ll engage them about it. My whole business is built around connecting with people.”
Resilience
A slow sales day at a market can be disheartening, particularly when it comes at the expense of downtime or other personal activities. Wiberg tries to take it in stride.
“It’s important to establish a level of confidence that will carry you through those times,” she says. “I try to enjoy my interactions with people, even when they don’t buy anything.”
Quality Control
At work, Wiberg is part of a team that checks each other’s work in accordance with a strict process. With Moonprint, she’s a one-person quality control team. When she received a batch of cards that was printed slightly off-center, she decided not to sell them.
“I have to maintain my own gold standard because, ultimately, the cards reflect only upon me,” she says.
Deciding Whether to Grow a Side Hustle
Everybody who runs a small business eventually faces the same decision: whether or not to “go all in.” While Wiberg enjoys the greeting card business, she has no plans to leave her day job anytime soon.
“I wrestle with the idea of expansion, but I don’t want my art to feel too much like work,” she says.
To go big, Wiberg feels she would have to move into merchandise such as tote bags, socks, and graphic tees.
“I don’t want to be in the business of selling stuff for the sake of selling it,” she says. “Right now, I enjoy simply being in the business of cards.”
Can Side Hustles Complement Day Jobs?
Happily employed, Wiberg enjoys the support of her employer and draws inspiration from creative co-workers, including an author and a glass artist.
If she found herself searching for employment, would she include Moonprint on her résumé?
“100%,” she says without hesitation. “It shows that I can set a goal and achieve it.”
Wiberg understands that some employers may be nervous about the potential for a secondary business pursuit to cause a distraction. However, she feels that clear boundaries and open communication can alleviate these concerns.
“I think most people are able to understand that there are two different worlds,” she says. “They can complement each other without overtaking one another.”
She believes candidates should be open about their other pursuits during job interviews.
“I light up when I talk about it, which is always attractive in an interview,” she says. “It’s something that I’m passionate about and proud of.”
Cited Sources
1 Direct communication with Adison Wiberg
