After designing the world’s best paint-by-numbers artwork, friends Jess Devenport and Lyssa Kayra brought art to the world when they launched their business, Paintillio on the Sunshine Coast in 2017.
Paintillio creates custom paint-by-number kits and collaborative murals from any photo or image for individuals and groups to paint together. What started as a fun project turned into a successful business that encourages collaboration and creativity around the world.
Crossing Borders
After hearing about Export Navigator at their local business awards, Jess and Lyssa knew that joining the program would be their best next step. They were quickly connected with export advisor Fabrizio Alberico, who started working with them on growth opportunities in new markets.
“We’re looking to take advantage of exporting large, fragile items to the U.S. We are in a better position to expand to new markets now because we’ve been given information from Fabrizio that we would have otherwise not known about,” says Jess. “We’re very grateful for this and are excited to continue collaborating with Export Navigator.”
With Fabrizio’s guidance, Jess and Lyssa are seeking funding for tradeshows and opportunities to promote their business. This is far from easy when faced with the challenge of being in an events business during a global pandemic.
Building a Team
Export Navigator also helped Paintillio with their application to W Venture, a 3-month program for entrepreneurial women seeking to grow their businesses. Through this program Jess and Lyssa started working on their growth strategy for Paintillio, ultimately developing a solid business plan and bringing another employee onto their team.
“We would definitely recommend Export Navigator to other businesses. I wish we had known about it sooner. There is a plethora of information and so many resources available to business owners,” observes Jess. “The advice we would give to other businesses is to ask Export Navigator anything! We’ve always received helpful answers for any questions we’ve asked and found new resources because of it. We’re very happy with our success with Export Navigator!”
If you are interested in exporting for your business, apply to Export Navigator for free export support. Got questions? Contact us and we will be happy to answer them.
