Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Withey.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Friendlily Press was originally launched in 2015 as Ashley Beth Graphics- working primarily offering graphic design services with a few Orlando themed items in our shop. Following the tragedy of the Pulse Nightclub shooting my husband Rhett and myself created the Love Orlando Orange intended solely as a personal artistic response to the emotions running through our community. This art obviously resonated with people all around the country and was soon displayed on the nightclub fence wrap, painted as a mural, in an Orlando coloring book, used in a John Legend music video, and even displayed in an annual exhibit at the Orange County Regional History Center. Our brand began to grow we saw support coming from all corners of the world. We made it our mission to give back through our art as much as possible while still creating fun and lighthearted pieces that could be appreciated by everyone.
We stopped making the Love Orlando Orange for several years because we didn’t want to commercialize the design or for people to ever question our intention but we had messages from people nationwide DAILY about when we would be bringing it back, which we did in 2019. It just got to this point we felt it was more a symbol of unity in our community versus related to the tragedy it was originally made for. However, with us bringing it back, it really allowed us to take our business to the next level and grow. ABG re-branded in the Summer of 2019, becoming Friendlily Press and while our image has changed our passions, convictions, and roll for social justice has remained strong. Today, we are able to offer an ever-growing line of products and still continue to raise funds for the community that has supported us over the years. Each month we put out a poll on social media asking our followers to give suggestions and vote for nonprofits in the Orlando area that they would like to see benefited and then we actually donate a portion of each month’s sales proceeds to the charity picked by our followers. It’s our way of keeping people in the loop, creating social awareness, and trying to give back to Orlando any way we can. Currently, you can buy Friendlily Press products in multiple shops around Orlando and our vendor list is constantly growing. We are so thankful for the journey we’ve been on and can’t wait for what the future has in store.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It was an interesting road. We wanted to make Orlando merchandise and just be a maker store in general but we kind of fell into success with the Love Orlando Orange and we were really afraid that it would define who we were. It took a long time to realize that we could be who we wanted to be and still be known for what we’ve done. I think the art doesn’t define us but rather the intent and the good that came from it does. Our biggest struggle was more internal with making sure we were doing everything right. We didn’t want to offend anyone or make people question our intentions and like I said we waited years before we brought back that design but when we did it helped us a lot. I don’t regret doing so when we did and even still I will be the first to turn down something if I think it’s abusing our morals. Today our struggles are like any other business. We are growing super fast, keeping up with supply and demand, having enough space for everything, having enough working hands. Typical business-related issues but I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and this was the path we had to take to get to where we are today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My husband and I met working at BIGEYE in Orlando, Florida. Rhett is now the art director there and I am running Friendlily full time but he is still extremely hands on with the business and is involved in every art piece that goes out the doors. I couldn’t do it without his support and creativity. We are a good team. Career wise we are both graphic designers by trade. I worked nonprofit and corporate before deciding to go full time with Friendlily (or ABG back then). We were expecting our first child and we figured it would give me the ability to be home and care for our son while working. It has but also is way more work than any job either of us have ever had.
I think being a family business that both are professional artist backgrounds sets us apart from most but I don’t think it makes us any better than others it just means certain processes come easier to us and we have different connections or knowledge in that industry that others have to learn with time. It’s just different I guess haha. In terms of our business that sets us apart I think is just the cuteness and fun. We always describe our brand as being for children of all ages. It’s a good marriage of both of our art styles and quirky way of thinking. The goal is never to take anything too seriously, make what we want, and just have fun doing it. That’s what has brought us the most success.
Can you talk about how you think about risk?
Any business is going to require taking risks. Honestly, I panic every time we launch a new item about its success because it costs a lot of money to invest in merchandise that could potentially never sell. But if we just assumed everything would be perfect and succeed we would be lying to ourselves. We have been fortunate not to have any crazy risks mostly because the amount of support we have been blessed with.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@friendlilypress
- Website: friendlilypress.com
- Instagram: @friendlilypress
Image Credits
Arlene Laboy Photography (our family portrait)
Ann Duvoisin (product and brand photos)
