In this episode of The Penny Linn Podcast, Krista kicks things off with a candid solo update — and a big milestone. She shares the surreal experience of Penny Linn being featured in Forbes, reflects on the emotional high of that moment, and opens up about the challenges that came with it.
Krista also gives a deep dive into the current state of the needlepoint industry, breaking down the unprecedented surge in demand and the very real growing pains behind the scenes — from supply chain bottlenecks to months-long production timelines and the pressure of predicting inventory nearly a year in advance.
Then, she’s joined by Kyra of Kyra Cotter Designs — one of Penny Linn’s original Collective Designers and a close friend — for a conversation about growing alongside the brand and building a business within a rapidly evolving industry.
Together, they dive into:
What it was like joining the Penny Linn Collective in the early days
How the designer–retailer relationship works behind the scenes
The realities of long production timelines and forecasting demand
Growing a creative business while balancing real life
How the needlepoint community has evolved in recent years
Turning a side passion into something much bigger
This episode is equal parts behind-the-scenes business breakdown and honest conversation about what it looks like to grow — both as a brand and as a creative — during a time when the entire industry is changing in real time.
