What began as a creative outlet during Jessica Sekula’s maternity leave has grown into a thriving small business bringing colour and personality to celebrations across New Zealand. Inspired by her desire to create something meaningful, sustainable and flexible enough to fit around family life, Jessica has turned a simple idea into a business specialising in bespoke hand-painted banners. Here, she shares what inspired her to launch illi, the confidence she’s gained along the way, the challenges she has overcome, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
After welcoming my pēpi at the end of 2025, I found myself looking for a creative outlet while on maternity leave. As much as I loved spending time with my little one, I also wanted something that was just for me – a way to switch off, be creative and feel a sense of accomplishment. There’s something incredibly satisfying about spending a few hours completely immersed in a project and coming away feeling calmer and more grounded.
It was also important to me that whatever I pursued aligned with my values. I wanted it to be environmentally sustainable, flexible enough to fit around family life, and something I could genuinely enjoy. While researching creative crafts, I came across hand-painted banners, a growing trend in the United States. I instantly fell in love with the idea and realised there was a gap in the New Zealand market for bespoke, hand-painted banners. That discovery sparked the beginning of what has now become my business.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
In many ways, I still feel like I’m at the beginning of the journey, but those early stages were all about creating a clear identity for the business. I spent time refining my brand, deciding what banner sizes and styles I could confidently offer and defining the types of designs that best reflected my creativity and skills.
Once I had a strong foundation, I focused on building an online presence. I launched accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as creating a website where people could learn more about my work and place orders. Social media has been a fantastic way to share my creative process, showcase completed banners and connect with potential customers who appreciate handmade, personalised pieces.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
The biggest breakthrough has been the support and enthusiasm from people around me. It’s been incredibly rewarding to share my work with friends, family and members of my community who genuinely believe in what I’m creating.
That encouragement quickly turned into referrals, with people recommending my banners to their own friends and networks. Word-of-mouth has become one of the most valuable drivers of my business. Seeing orders come in through personal recommendations has been both validating and exciting, and it has helped create a steady flow of work without relying solely on advertising.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Like many parents, I’ve learned to work around nap schedules and changing routines. In the early days, there were times when my pēpi was asleep in a front pack while I painted, and some of my first videos captured exactly what balancing motherhood and creativity looked like in real life.
As routines have evolved, I now tend to paint in the evenings after my child has gone to sleep. It has become a special part of my day – a chance to unwind, focus on something creative and recharge. Rather than feeling like work, painting often feels like a form of self-care, allowing me to maintain a sense of identity outside of being a parent, while still keeping family as my priority.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Without a doubt, the biggest challenge has been building self-confidence. Starting a business means putting your work out into the world and trusting that people will see value in what you create. That can be daunting, especially when you’re beginning something completely new.
Over time, I’ve learned to trust my abilities, back my creative decisions and recognise the unique value I bring through handmade, personalised artwork. Every completed banner, positive piece of feedback and returning customer has helped strengthen that confidence and remind me that there is a place for what I offer.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
One of the biggest advantages of running my own business is flexibility. I can work around family life, choose my projects and spend my days creating something I genuinely enjoy. There’s also a wonderful sense of pride that comes from building something from the ground up and seeing customers connect with my work.
On the other hand, being your own boss means wearing many different hats. Beyond painting, there’s marketing, social media, customer communication, administration and planning. It can sometimes be difficult to switch off because there’s always something else that could be done.
One challenge I’ve encountered is the amount of time invested before an order is even confirmed. I provide a pricing schedule upfront so customers have a clear idea of costs, and once they’re comfortable with the likely price, I spend several hours creating personalised mockups and concepts for them. Because I don’t currently charge for this design work, it can be disappointing when people don’t respond or decide not to proceed after that stage. It’s all part of learning how to run a creative business, but it has taught me the value of my time and the work that goes into every banner before a paintbrush even touches the paper.
Despite those challenges, the rewards of creative freedom, flexibility and creating meaningful pieces for people far outweigh the downsides for me.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
My goal is simple: to continue creating beautiful, meaningful banners for wonderful people. I’m not aiming for rapid growth or becoming overwhelmed with orders. Instead, I want to build a sustainable business that fits alongside family life and allows me to keep enjoying the creative process.
I love the idea of steadily working away, one banner at a time, creating pieces that become part of people’s celebrations, milestones and memories. If I can continue doing meaningful work that brings joy to others while maintaining balance in my own life, that would be a dream come true.
Visit the illi website to check out their gorgeous banners, and connect with them on Facebook and Instagram.
