Spotlight sat down with digital creator and founder of stationery goods brand Shop ARL, Amanda Rach Lee, to hear all about why she decided to build this brand.
Check out the exclusive Q&A session below!
Why did you decide to start Shop ARL?
I started Shop ARL because I wanted to make creative and artistic stationery goods with a focus on productivity and mental wellness. I kept seeing comments on my videos saying that they wanted to have cute planners and stationery like mine, but didn’t have the time to do so themselves. So, I created the Doodle Planneras an answer to this! How was this venture different from anything you’ve done in the past?
I grew up as the daughter of immigrants, and a big part of this experience is to naturally be risk averse. Stability was favored in my household, so taking on this venture was definitely unorthodox for me and my family. There was no guarantee of success, and I had no idea what it took to start a business. I took the risk to invest in my business, learned along the way, and it paid off.
Tell us about your product line.
Shop ARL products are designed by me to add a bit of creativity to your daily life. Our Doodle Planners are our fan-favorite coloring book planner. Each page has hand-drawn illustrations to color in, which is a low-lift and satisfying creative activity to do. I truly believe adding these little moments of fun & creativity increases your productivity and mental wellness. Besides our planners, we have various journals, stickers, and pencil cases, which are meant to spark joy when you’re at your desk or looking at your to-do list.
Source: Shop ARL
What’s been the most rewarding part about starting this business?
The most rewarding part is definitely hearing our community stories. Over the years, I have heard from people who have said our planners and products have been a lifesaver in their busy lives. I also had the opportunity to do a NYC Pop-up shop recently, which was amazing because I got to see our community in person. It makes all the hard work worth it.
How do you see Shop ARL expanding in 2025?
I would love to expand into other types of products like plushies, desk accessories, and of course lots and lots more stickers! I also loved doing in-person events like pop-ups and community meetups, so I want to do more of those.
