An Interview with Holly Bohn, the Founder of See Jane Work

Business + Finance

An Interview With Holly Bohn, the Founder of See Jane Work

Making the leap from accounting to entrepreneurship may seem like an unconventional path, but for Holly Bohn, 40, the idea of ditching corporate life in order to cure the pandemic of boring office supplies was all too alluring. Enter See Jane Work, Holly’s chic office supply company. First inspired by a disheartening amount of bland neutrals peppered across her colleagues’ desks, Holly’s brand now features standard supplies in anything but standard colors and patterns.

Thanks to her passion for design and an unparalleled conviction for cheerful organization, Holly has been able to create a feminine yet functional line that sets the bar high on style, without the hefty price tag. The icing on the cake? All of that ceaseless hard work finally paid off when, in 2010, the brand was acquired by Advantus Corp. Now Holly spearheads each new collection as Creative Director, overseeing new products from start to finish from her Florida-based office.

Where once a cushy job and financial security were the deciding factors for young professionals entering the workforce, we’re now noticing that men and women alike are choosing the path less traveled. Passion and creativity are paramount in today’s entrepreneurial market, and Holly’s story demonstrates that life is too short to listen to the naysayers. Our team (and our newly refreshed and organized desktops) thank her for that!

Her Starting Point

Many people find the transition between college and “real life” a bit daunting. Can you tell us about your journey between the two? What was your first job post-college?

In high school I began working in an accounting department. I found that it paid more than other high school jobs and I was pretty good at it. When it came time to decide on college, I pursued a degree that would allow me to remain in the field of corporate accounting. I had a creative side, but felt that accounting would be more secure. I worked in corporate accounting after graduation, until I launched See Jane Work in 2004.

What first sparked the idea for See Jane Work? What was the process of achieving that vision?

I was setting up accounting systems for businesses and, in the course of that, I was exposed to a variety of workspaces. I couldn’t help but notice how people personalized these spaces with knick-knacks. Not all, but many of these spaces were so full of decorative objects there was little room left for actual work. I wished that people could purchase office supplies that reflected their personal style and eliminated all that clutter.

When I was decorating my own office, I became frustrated that everything in my price point was ugly. I didn’t want grey plastic desk trays. I ended up repurposing other items—things I picked up from thrift or antique stores. People loved my office and asked where I had purchased my supplies. This gave me the idea for See Jane Work. At the time, friends and family said I was crazy, that I could never compete with the big office superstores, but I couldn’t get the idea out of my mind so I ignored them and went for it.

We have to ask: who is Jane? What made you decide to run with this namesake/expression? How do you see women taking on the role of ‘Jane’?

There were two reasons I chose a character rather than myself for the face of the company. First, I was a little afraid of self-promotion—it’s easier to promote Jane than myself. Second, Jane isn’t real so I thought she would be more relatable. I mess up a lot, but Jane doesn’t!

Jane is supposed to resemble me, but I’ve gotten older and she hasn’t. It’s probably time for her to get some friends of varying sizes, ages and ethnicities so all women can truly relate.

Her Big Break

How did you learn the ins and outs of running a website? How is running a digital site different from running a brick and mortar storefront?

I’m definitely a self-starter; I try to figure things out on my own. When I can’t, I ask a lot of questions and really listen to the answers. They say it takes a village to raise a child; well it takes a village to start a business. So many amazing women advised me, many of them are unaware of the impact they had on my life. It might have been a passing comment from a seatmate on a flight, but it gave me direction and courage.

When I started See Jane Work, online retail was relatively new. I wanted to make a shopping experience that paralleled the retail store experience. I used amazing photography to make the products come to life. (Great online photography is more common now, but don’t worry—I’m working on my next big idea.) When I joined Office Depot, I had to change some of my products and methods to fit retail. I didn’t have as much time to reach the consumer. I couldn’t show multiple pictures or provide detailed descriptions. The product had to grab them as they walked down the aisle.

See Jane Work was acquired by Advantus Corp. When did that happen and how has it changed your processes? What does your role as Creative Director entail?

Advantus Corp acquired the See Jane Work brand in 2010. It was a huge relief to me. I could finally focus on products, without the worry of financing and payroll.

As Creative Director, I plan and oversee all photo shoots. I select products for the website and write the descriptions. I direct and approve product and website artwork.

As part of my job, I have the opportunity to attend design shows all over the world, but ironically most of my inspiration comes from unexpected places—a shirt that someone was wearing on the Metro in Paris or a lamp at an antique store in New York.

I also design the packaging and do a lot of analysis to see what is working and what isn’t. I spend a lot of time in meetings with my colleagues at Office Depot. They know their business, so collaboration is important.

Where did you source your product? Are there certain brands you stock over and over again? How do you manage these relationships?

When I first started See Jane Work, it was difficult to find products. There just weren’t stylish office supplies on the market. I went to wholesale markets and found objects that I could repurpose—for example, a candleholder became a pencil cup. Now, there are many great brands—Russell + Hazel, Rifle, Knock Knock and Design Ideas, to name a few. I had to talk people into letting me carry their products in the beginning, really cultivate the relationships, but now it’s much easier.

How does individual style come into play at See Jane Work? Is a lot of it based off of your personal style?

Yes and no. I am a little unusual in that I truly appreciate many different styles. If you looked at the pictures I save from design magazines, you would wonder if they were even selected by the same person. It doesn’t mean that I want to live in every one of those rooms; it just means I like to look at them. It’s like artwork.

You can appreciate many different types of art, but what you choose for your own walls has to really speak to you. I didn’t want See Jane Work to be labeled as “modern” or “traditional.” I wanted it to be for every woman, whether her style is playful, coastal, modern, traditional or eclectic.

The common thread among all products is that they look great and have a purpose. I also have a playful side, so I love products from Knock, Knock. They are aesthetically pleasing, functional and funny…that’s an office supply trifecta.

Her Perspective

Many people would be shocked by all of the pre-planning that goes into even the smallest of collections. After you have an idea for a collection or even just a piece of one, what happens next?

I may get tired just telling you about it. First, I have to convince people internally that my idea is good. Next, I work with the graphics team to create a pattern or some sort of rendering. I make a sample out of foam board to make sure it works. Then I work with product development to find a factory that can make it for a reasonable price.

After all that creating, I go back to selling. I have to convince my colleagues at Office Depot that it’s a good idea. Once it goes into production, there is sampling and fine-tuning and art back and forth. Finally, there is testing, labeling, promoting….are you tired yet?

You’ve done an incredible job bringing exposure to the website—it’s been in magazines like Martha Stewart Living and Real Simple! How do you market your brand?

For the last year or two, I’ve been fortunate to work with a great PR agency, Bollare, but prior to that it was very grass roots. You would be surprised at how well we did just through word-of-mouth, and that was before social media. I also would like to give credit to a great friend who did PR and marketing for See Jane Work.com for several years. She made sure that every editor felt valued, whether they were writing for Real Simple or a college newsletter. Editors move around between publications, which helped broaden our outreach. We maintained those relationships and they came back to us because we were responsive and helpful. They had a job to do and we were there to help.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to launch an ecommerce brand/website?

Trust your instincts, never give up, learn to listen and be nice. I don’t want to talk anyone out of starting a business, but it’s also important to note that owning a business is stressful. You might think as your own boss, you will have control of your schedule, but the opposite is actually true. When the alarm goes off in the middle of the night, you get the call.

If we had the chance to peek at your schedule, what would an average day look like?

I’m a morning person, so I get up as early as 5:00 a.m. I check emails, have coffee and spend some time with my four-year-old, who also gets up early. My 17-year-old gets up next as he leaves for school at 7:00 a.m. I do Pilates twice a week from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. My 15-year-old gets up last, and I usually get a few minutes with him before I head out to work around 8:30 a.m. It’s kind of a late start, but so much can come up at work and keep me there, so I try to get time in with my kids in the morning, before things get crazy.

Once I get to the office, I’m in meetings or working with people most of the day. I work closely with graphics, product development and marketing. I love the people I work with, so most days I forget I’m working. We work hard, but we joke around at the same time.

I leave work around 6:30 p.m., get home around 7:00 p.m. and we try to eat dinner together as a family at least four times a week. I then help with homework, oversee dishes or do them myself and finally answer a few more work emails. I’m out early, no later than 10:00 p.m. I keep saying I’m not going to answer email at home, but so far I’m failing miserably.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?

Each year, I set five realistic goals with a plan for achieving those goals. There are two things I struggle with in business. I find it difficult to find quiet time to make a plan, and I have lots of new ideas all the time. This advice helped me with both of these challenges. It forced me to make a plan and helped me get back on track when I took a detour. That’s not to say that the plan can’t change through the year, but it shouldn’t change every few weeks.

One of the challenges of a creative career is staying inspired. Where do you find your inspiration?

Traveling and people are my biggest sources of inspiration. I can find value and inspiration in almost any personality type and, when I travel, I experience so many interesting places and people. When I travel to countries where I have difficulty speaking the language, I am very quiet. I should be scared or stressed that I can’t communicate, but instead I cherish the quiet—that’s when ideas come to me.

And finally, what do you wake up looking forward to? What’s next for your career?

I want to meet more See Jane Work customers. I want to develop products that people love, that truly make a difference in their lives. Yes, I realize that I’m not creating artificial limbs, but if I can help someone get organized or inspire someone in their work, then I’ve made a difference and that makes me happy.

See Jane Travel is my next adventure, no pun intended. Traveling can be challenging for women. They face safety issues when they travel alone for business or organizational challenges when they have to pack an entire family for vacation. My goal is to offer, or create, products that make it easier for women to travel.