<em>Answer: Photo courtesy of Natalie Rose Creations. </em>
<em>Responsible for 2 out of every 3 new jobs in the United States, small businesses play a large role in the American economy. In honor of small businesses, two such entrepreneurs shared the role paper plays in their creations and their day-to-day operations. </em>
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<em>Who are they? </em>
<em>Michelle Savage got the itch to “make more” and begin Natalie Rose Creations in 2013 after creating well-received paper roses for a bird-themed birthday party for her daughter, Natalie Rose. Savage sells paper flowers and gifts on Etsy and through arts and crafts shows. </em>
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<em>Aaron Behnk of Aaron Behnk Creations became obsessed with paper-making as a student at Columbus College of Art & Design. He opened his Etsy shop in 2015 and later his own studio, where he creates paper products like customized stationery, journals and downloadable patterns for printing. </em>
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<em>Here’s what they had to say: </em>
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<em>On choosing paper as a medium ... </em>
<em>“Paper was just so accessible—you can go to Michaels or any big-box store and there are so many colors and patterns available, and it was pretty inexpensive. I would buy a 12-by-12 sheet, cut it into smaller pieces and get a lot of flowers out of one sheet of paper.” — Savage </em>
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<em>On paper as a platform for business inspiration ... </em>
<em>“I’m a big note taker, and I have Post-it notes and lists all over the place. Constantly, I’ll see color combinations or something that really inspires me. I have a list of things I want to make. It helps to have something fresh to make ... it’s neat to list something new, to keep it fresh for me.” — Savage </em>
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<em>On protecting merchandise with paper and packaging … </em>
<em>“You can put a lot of pressure on a stack of paper, so it’s pretty robust. Once sandwiched into cardboard and wrapped tightly, it’s not going anywhere. Then I always try to have some sort of waterproof thing around it. My priority is to make sure [the merchandise] is going to be safe. I think about that [school] project where you drop the egg from a certain height and try to protect it, making sure it doesn’t break.” — Behnk </em>
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<em>On making a memorable presentation with paper packaging … </em>
<em>“I fold tissue paper and line the box with it. Then I use some on the bottom of the box as padding, so it looks more like a gift. I put the sticker on top to make it look cute.” — Savage </em>
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<em>“I’ll create a lot of paper scraps and strips of paper. I’ll use those as my packaging material, and it looks really nice.” — Behnk </em>
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<em>On paper as an added personal touch … </em>
<em>“I have business cards and had been writing handwritten thank-you cards, but my volume online on Etsy has exploded. In the last couple months, I made postcards with this little handwritten-like [type font] and I jot a little note on it because I want it to feel personal still.” — Savage</em>
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<em>Explanation: this should help if you read it </em>
<em> Hope i helped</em>
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