We had the good fortune of connecting with Peyton Mosley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Peyton, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson I have learned from owning a small business is that you have to make time for what is important to you. In this day and age, time seems to be in short supply. How many times have you wanted to do something, but said “I don’t have time for that.” It is super easy for this mindset to hold you back! Instead, approach things from the mindset of: How can I make time for this? To start, find a 15 minute period in your day, and put it on your calendar. Blocking out time like this makes it a “must do” instead of an “if I have time.” Time is precious, but prioritizing what’s important to you makes all the difference!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Pen With Pey was born from a hobby. In early 2021, I made a comment to a friend that I would love to learn calligraphy. Her response: “well, why don’t you?” So that day I googled, how to learn calligraphy, and from there a passion was born!

I’ve always had pretty good handwriting, and an annoying habit of doodling all over every piece of paper I’m given. Because of this, stepping into the creative world was pretty natural for me! I would say I picked up Calligraphy pretty quickly. This wasn’t by chance though– from the first letter, I was obsessed. Like, hours of practice every day, obsessed! My friends encouraged me to start an Instagram to show my progress, and over dinner, the name “Pen With Pey” hopped into existence! Soon I had friends at work running down the hall to my classroom (I’m a teacher) to ask me to write something for them in “my pretty writing.” Friends slowly turned into customers, and my business grew from there! I never expected my little hobby to morph into what it is today!

Right now, Pen With Pey continues to be my “side hustle” but I am hopeful it will one day be my full time career! Having a small business comes with a lot of challenges, of course, but I am blown away by how fulfilling this work is. Even on days where I am exhausted and my hand is cramping or I feel un-inspired, my “cup” still feels full! I have a sense of purpose– a sense that I have found what I was meant to do. Personally, I can’t wait to see how Pen With Pey grows over the next few months, and years!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Dallas has so many unique places– it’s hard to choose! Every perfect day starts with coffee, so anyone who visits Dallas has to do a coffee tour! Some of my top recommendations would be George Coffee and Provisions in Coppell, La La Land Kind Cafe in Dallas, or Lemma Coffee Roasters in Carrollton! They each have amazing aesthetics, and their coffee options are super yummy. The Dallas Farmer’s Market is another great spot for visitors. There you can find fresh produce, but also local vendors and shops– it’s easy to spend hours and hours browsing the market! Dallas also houses quite a few brewery’s, and one of my favorites is 3 Nations Brewing in Carrolton. They have an amazing selection of Beers, and it’s such a fun spot to hangout with friends or watch a Cowboy’s game. Also, they are dog friendly, which makes the place even better. My final suggestion would be dinner at Reunion Tower in Downtown Dallas! There’s no better place to view the stunning Dallas skyline, especially while eating a great meal!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My best friends Kara and Renee have been my personal hype squad since Pen With Pey began! They were the first ones to tell me to “go for it” when I said I wanted to try calligraphy. Kara helped me name my business– Renee was my first paying customer. Without these two, Pen With Pey wouldn’t exist!

Website: www.penwithpey.com

Instagram: instagram.com/penwithpey

Facebook: facebook.com/penwithpey

Other: Tiktok: Penwithpey Etsy: esy.com/penwithpeystore

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.