Lisa Walker is a former VRPS member and worked at Hanover
County Parks and Recreation as well as Roanoke City Parks and Recreation. She is a 2011 VRPS Outstanding New Professional
Winner and recently left the profession to pursue her own business. Most recently, Lisa has been providing services to Central Office as they transition to a new employment structure.
by Lisa Walker, VRPS Central Office
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Interchangeable Magnetic
Monogram |
What is your business
and how did it all start?
I own and operate
Whimsical Expressions, and specialize in
custom wood monograms and signs. This
whole adventure started back in 2008 while I was working with Hanover County
Parks and Recreation. There I met Mary Ann Stamey, a fellow VRPS member, and
she got me involved with paper crafting.
With her help we made just about everything for my wedding and from then
on I was hooked on crafting. That
Christmas I made all my gifts and got so many compliments I decided I’d give
selling my creations a shot. I started with just making frames, and that
evolved into small signs which then evolved into my most recent venture of
making wood monograms and larger custom signs. Although this all started as a
side business, over the past couple of years it grew so much I had to make the
difficult decision to leave my career with Parks and Recreation to pursue my
dream full time.
What was your greatest concern or doubt, and how
did it turn out?
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| Swirl Initials |
Honestly, my greatest fear
was, and still is, failure. So far taking the plunge has been a great decision
for my family and it’s going very well, but there is always that scary unknown
factor when running your own business. Thankfully I have a great support group
of family and friends that are always rooting me on.
How do you feel
your involvement in the parks and recreation profession and VRPS have benefited you in your business?
If I never would have
worked in parks and recreation, I would probably still be scared to death of
speaking in front of people. And let’s
face it, when you are trying to sell a product, you really need to be able to
speak with confidence. One of the most
beneficial programs I was involved in during my time in VRPS was the Leadership
Training Institute (LTI). Here I gained the confidence to speak up, step up and
be a better leader. These skills have contributed to me being a better
businesswoman, and the friendships I’ve made over the years are an awesome
bonus!
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| 24" Monogram |
If you could choose one thing to happen for Whimsical
Expressions in the future, what would it be?
Continued growth…and
retirement to a tropical island! Ok, that’s two things but seriously, I would
love to see my dream take off and to have a nationally recognized brand.
Where can people find/buy your products?
The easiest way is to visit
my website www.whimsicalxpressions.com.
My products can also be found in several stores in the Richmond area and I do a
variety of shows and festivals throughout the year.
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Lisa received "Best in Show - Original Hand Craft"
at the Gloucester Daffodil Festival this past spring. |
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| Display at The Stolen Pig in Carytown. |
