Karley Schaper never intended to build a business around bookshelf decor. What started as a creative outlet has blossomed into a thriving business, Jordan Valley Designs, with thousands of followers and customers around the country. Her story shows how authentic passion can organically grow into entrepreneurial success.

From Personal Projects to Popular Products

Karley lives in a small Oklahoma town where “there are more cows than people.” Her journey began with simply creating items she loved for herself. That first corner dragon bookshelf hanger wasn’t designed with sales in mind—it was made to beautify her own bookshelf.

“I just made it because I liked it,” she explains, “and I thought, well, if I like it…maybe other people might like it too.”

When she shared her creation online, the response was immediate. People wanted to buy what she had made, transforming a personal project into the beginning of a business.

Growing a Following Organically

What’s fascinating about Karley’s journey is how organic her growth has been. Without a business plan or marketing strategy, she went from 100 Instagram followers to over 25,000 simply by sharing creations she was passionate about.

Her TikTok audience, which had grown to around 20,000 followers from her previous creative endeavors, expanded significantly when she began sharing her bookish creations. The authentic enthusiasm behind her work resonated with fellow readers and decorators alike.

Solving Reader Problems Through Design

A key to Karley’s success has been her practical approach to product development. Each item in her collection solves a real problem readers face:

• Bookmark bracelets with magnetic clasps for parents who need to mark their place quickly when children need attention
• Corner hangers that add personality to empty bookshelf spaces
• Trilogy stands that prevent paperbacks from toppling over

“I’m just really good at solving my own problems,” she notes, highlighting how her best ideas come from addressing her own needs as a reader.

Rekindling a Love of Reading

The inspiration behind Jordan Valley Designs came when a friend gifted Karley a copy of Fourth Wing, insisting it would rekindle her love of reading after a period focused on non-fiction. That recommendation proved transformative, triggering both her return to fiction and her desire to beautify her bookshelves.

This personal connection to reading shines through in her products, creating an authentic relationship with customers who share her passion for books.

Finding Success on Her Own Terms

Today, Jordan Valley Designs has expanded beyond Karley’s home office to a warehouse space. But her definition of success isn’t measured by square footage—it’s the flexibility to walk her kids home from school and work when inspiration strikes, even if that’s at one in the morning.

She’s created a business that supports her ideal lifestyle while connecting with a community of readers who appreciate her creativity.

Advice for Aspiring Creators

Karley’s journey offers valuable wisdom for anyone looking to turn their passion into a business:

“Just do what makes you happy, and it will all fall into place.”

This simple philosophy has guided her from making that first dragon corner hanger to building a flourishing creative business without ever needing a formal business plan.

Her story proves that when you create what you love, you might just discover there’s a market waiting to embrace what you’ve made.