Big fan of stationery? Us too. That’s why we slotted ourselves into the highly organised schedule of Kristina Karlsson, founder of kikki.K to share our mutual love for crisp notebooks and new gel pens.
And what did we find out? That all of us should believe in ourselves, realise our dreams and chase them. If it’s one thing Kristina wants us to remember, it’s that we're all capable of achieving our best - we just need to start!

What inspired you to start kikki.K? How did your journey begin?

Shortly after moving to Australia I was struggling to find the right career path. I was really restless, not knowing what I wanted to do in my life. I had lots of ideas but was just bouncing from one to the other without any direction. One night at around 3am after tossing and turning – not being able to sleep – my partner Paul encouraged me to grab a pen and paper and make a list of what was important to me to help guide my thinking. What ended up on paper that night was what I now call my 3am List, and beginning of my journey to starting kikki.K!

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

My parents were farmers and their strong work ethic rubbed off on me from a young age. I think I always had dreams to be entrepreneurial. I still remember trudging through the snowy Sweden streets as a young girl selling Christmas books I’d created to our neighbours – perhaps that was an early sign of things to come!?

What is your design inspo behind the kikki.K range?

We are inspired by so many different things – but above all, we are influenced by the Swedish design principles of form and function. We make sure our products are beautiful, but also really practical – and inspire you to live your best life, every day.

How do you procrastinate less and stay motivated? Asking for a mate... 👀

Dream big, set yourself goals and work towards something you’re truly passionate about. Your passion and purpose will pull you through even the most difficult times.

Were you this organised as a student?

I’m not sure if I’m perfectly organised or ever have been (there’s always room to improve!), but I’ve always been a complete stationery freak – and having beautiful, practical stationery always helps you to be organised and productive.

Was there any advice you wish you had heard before you finished school/studying?

I recently heard something that really resonated, and think it applies here nicely. You don’t have to be good to start, but you have to start to be good. So whatever it is you’re working on, just start!

Alright! Rapid fire round:

1 piece of stationery you can’t live without? Notebook & Rollerball Pen

3 things that instantly brighten your day? My Family, Tea and Stationery!

Your favourite quote? “Don’t say no, say how”

Cats or dogs?Dogs

What’s one thing all of us should remember when chasing our dreams?

From my experience and extensive reading and research, it’s so clear that a dream not written down is merely a wish – with a low likelihood of ever being realised. There is incredible power in writing dreams on paper – they take on a much deeper meaning and importance in your subconscious and conscious mind - and research clearly shows that those who write down their dreams and goals are more likely to achieve them. I talk about this and so much more about the importance of dreaming big in my debut book, Your Dream Life Starts Here – which you can buy from kikki.K stores, kikki-k.com and other bookstores now!

Hero & blog image source: kikki.K