This International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the inspiring journey of Bespoke Letterpress's very own founder and director, Alischa Herrmann – who began by printing wedding invitations on a restored antique printing press in the brand's small Brisbane studio and grew it into one of Australia's most beautiful and beloved stationery brands.

What started with a deep love for design and craftsmanship has grown into a thriving business, built on creativity, dedication, and an eye for timeless beauty.

Here, Alischa shares her experiences as a woman in business and a mother – balancing creativity, entrepreneurship, and family life. From challenges to triumphs, she opens up about the lessons she’s learned along the way. Whether you’re building your own business, pursuing a passion, or juggling it all, Alischa’s story is a testament to the power of determination, passion, and believing in yourself.

 

Pictured: Alischa in the very first Bespoke Letterpress studio, where it all began – Brisbane, QLD.

 

Can you share a little about your journey in starting Bespoke Letterpress? What inspired you to take the leap into business?
I started Bespoke Letterpress in 2007, driven by my passion for graphic design and the traditional craft of letterpress printing. Initially, I focused on producing high-quality wedding invitations using a restored 1893 Chandler and Price press. The business was operated as a one lady show, foot treadling my 114 year old, 500kg cast iron printing press under an old timber house the north of Brisbane, QLD.

I never set out with any great intentions to power on and lead the re-revolution that is letterpress printing, nor any great intention to grow into such an established and loved company. I simply wanted to make pretty print things for people, which is still at my core – 17 years on and a huge amount of expansion and growth later!

 

Looking back, what was the biggest challenge you faced as a woman in business, and how did you overcome it?
In the early days, learning how to print was definitely a very hard and laborious role. Foot treadling and hand cranking old vintage machines (which back in their day a woman would have never been allowed to do), building the strength, endurance and commitment to master these printing presses was absolutely a very big challenge!

Throughout my journey, I have been very fortunate that I have always been supported by my husband, family and friends – knowing that absolutely there is nothing that can stop me building and growing this business. Being a woman has never held me back from this dream, and I am so appreciative that we live in an era where the ability to create and grow companies is possible with a lot of hard work, commitment and dedication – and that gender is completely irrelevant in the conversation now.

 

Bespoke Letterpress started with a love for design and craftsmanship. How did you turn that passion into a thriving business?

Following my heart – doing what feels true to me, and continuing to push myself that I can always create, design, make, and always do better then I have done in the past. Following this internal dedication has, over time, produced a company which is so loved, so respected and so admired – not only within the design and print space but also in the entrepreneurial community. Following that internal compass has always guided our journey, and having a belief in myself to know that every year I can design, create, make and print better than last year, has allowed us to continue to flourish year after year!

 

What advice would you give to women who are thinking of starting their own business?

Believe in yourself! Don't try and follow the foot steps of others. Do what feels true to you and follow your passion. If you try to jump on a bandwagon, follow a trend, or lose yourself in what others are doing around you, you will never give yourself the space to shine. Stand tall and proud, and know that success comes from hard work, commitment and dedication. If you start a business with this as your foundation you are off to a strong start – and this foundation will always hold you strong.

 

What’s one lesson you’ve learned along the way that you wish you had known at the beginning?

Bigger isn’t better. As you scale and grow, challenges and obstacles will only become bigger. Yes, we can implement the most wonderful structures, teams and foundations in our business, but as you do scale larger, the challenges that you face will only become larger too. It is okay to wobble sometimes, but if you have maintained that strong foundation you started upon, this will help ground you when things get tough!

 

Pictured: Alischa in the very first Bespoke Letterpress studio, where it all began – Brisbane, QLD.

 

What does International Women’s Day mean to you, and how do you see it reflected in the business world?

International Women’s Day is very much a two sided coin here! I think it is so wonderful that we live in a day an age where women can build, run and create such incredible empires in their business. But, I also think that women are totally equal to men, why do we need a day to celebrate women? What does this day aim to achieve? Should women be cheered on just for one day because an “official day” tells us we should? Is there an International Men’s Day? I actually have no idea!

But what I do believe, is that women are fierce. There are so many incredible women doing such incredible things in businesses all over the world. Building, creating, scaling such amazing ideas that are a legacy to their hard work, commitment, and their level of fierceness. A hundred years ago, would this have been possible? Even 50 years ago, 40 years ago, 30 years ago – was there the level of opportunity available that there is these days?

I believe that the evolution of technology and the ease in which we have so many resources available at our finger tips these days has really allowed businesses by all genders to be created. These days you can have a dream and chase it – no matter how big, or small, because there is resources available to allow this.

So many women like myself no doubt started their businesses as a small hobby, something to tinker and learn, something to test their curiosity and their creativity, but how absolutely brilliant that we live in an era where nothing is impossible if you have the commitment to make it happen!

 

Running a business while raising a family is no small feat. How do you manage to juggle both?

Absolutely. Running a business alongside a growing family takes a whole extra level of coordination, and patience! Our four young kids – Albert (11), Elsie (8), Rupert (5), and Louis (3) – are growing up surrounded by parents who are working so hard to build their careers and provide a supportive environment for them to thrive. They are growing up seeing hard work and learning that to be successful, it takes dedication, passion and often sacrifice. But they are also little sponges – they see and absorb all that we do. They see and absorb what hard work looks like, what creativity can create, and that dreams are made for chasing, not just for dreaming.

But alongside this, the juggle is always real. Building a village around you, accepting help where help is available, and learning that sometimes it is okay to say no, are all part of the juggle of keeping so many balls moving all at once.

 

What’s next for Bespoke Letterpress, and what are you most excited about in the year ahead?

So many great new product ideas are currently in the works! I have been busy dreaming over the past few months of lots of great new ideas which we are so excited to print and bring to life this year!

 

Finally, if you could give one piece of encouragement to women chasing their dreams, what would it be?

Your dream is exactly that – your dream. If you let others steer you away from your dream, causing you start to second guess yourself, your dream will only ever stay that – a dream. The power is being so committed to that dream, that it stops being a dream, and it becomes reality… and that’s where the magic lies.