PiBurner Spotlight: Kristin Williamson
Meet Kristin Williamson, the owner of 307 Cups, a design business that specializes in creating unique and personalized tumblers!
Kristin’s work is known for its attention to detail and high-quality craftsmanship. She has a passion for creating beautiful and unique designs, making each product she creates truly one-of-a-kind.
We asked Kristin to tell us a bit about herself, to get to know her a bit more!
“My name is Kristin Williamson and I currently live in beautiful Victor, ID just on the other side of the Teton Mountains with my husband (DJ), 7 year old daughter (Aubree), and our Boxer puppy (Maverick). I started my own business in 2017 looking for a way to channel my ADHD and stress from my day job. It has quickly grown in to my now full-time gig. I have a passion for all things vintage and a serious obsession for turquoise jewelry which I get from my Granny.
[My family and I] love to get out in nature and camp, ride dirt bikes, paddle board and hang out at the lake. We are originally from Jackson, WY which is a hop-skip and a jump away and is what my business is named after (307 is the Wyoming area code). I enjoy playing Co-Ed softball and helping with a Countrywide Boxer Rescue group and fostering Boxers looking for a new home. In January 2023 I left my government job to pursue my laser, epoxy and design business full time while also homeschooling our daughter. It has been the most life changing, and at the beginning, scariest decision I have ever made but I am so glad I did as it has been the most rewarding experience.”
Kristin’s laser journey originally started with handmade epoxy cups. After working in a high-stress government job, she needed a creative outlet to decompress after work, and found designing and creating art for others to be extremely therapeutic. After 6 years in the epoxy cup world, Kristin started looking into laser engraving and knew right away it would be her next business venture. In Fall of 2021, she ordered a MIRA7 from Aeon Laser USA. Her machine arrived in May of 2022, and she hit the ground running!
“It has been a whirlwind ever since. I dove right in trying to drill down engraved cups and creating one of a kind designs for my customers. Already having a vast knowledge of creating cup templates and the design software certainly helped propel my business to the next level. While I still make a handful of epoxy cups a month, laser engraving is now my primary business.”
About 307 Cups:
The majority of Kristin’s customer base is from her previous epoxy following on social media. Most of her orders are received through the 307 Cups website and are driven there by either Kristin’s Instagram or TikTok accounts.
“I have a handful of items in a few local boutiques and I participate in several vendor fairs over the summer and holiday months. On average I take on approximately 20-30 custom orders a month along with listing ready to sell items on my website every week.”
It’s not all about the tumblers though! In addition to the amazing tumbler creations Kristin creates, she also sells custom keychains, car charms, cutting boards, wood signs, epoxy and acrylic earrings, epoxy pens and much more! Like most of us these days, Kristin has found social media interactions to be a vital part of her business and she enjoys speaking with customers and creating one of a kind treasures for them.
Why did Kristin choose a PiBurn as her rotary choice?
“After researching for months on not only my laser but a quality rotary device the PiBurn kept popping up. There was never a horrible review and the community that had been built around the product was enticing. I did not know much at that point about what all went into engraving a tumbler and I hadn’t even received my laser yet but I did know that I wanted a PiBurn rotary. I knew I wanted to have the support of the company as well and the helpfulness of the group community to help me along my engraving and learning journey. I knew it would be vital to my success. I ordered my PiBurn grip last month and every single assumption I had about the quality and support was exceeded. It is such an amazing product and has made my business so much more efficient. I cannot say enough about the product but also the people behind it. Len, Stan, Mike, the entire group community are why I was able to take it out of the package and have it up and efficiently running right away. I specifically would like to thank Robin Faro for her help in me deciding to go with the PiBurn Grip over other rotaries and offering herself up for any help I may need. She has been such an amazing support for this community and it has been greatly appreciated.”
Kristin’s greatest inspiration is her daughter, Aubree, and where she lives. She describes her daughter as wild and free-spirited and is constantly inspired by her to take more risks and try new things. Living in the beautiful city of Victor, ID also provides a creative flow to get Kristin’s brainstorming underway, when trying to create new designs or products. She lives among many creative minds in her community and is inspired everyday by everything from the murals on the side of local buildings to the hand-carved log statues at the local park in the summer.
“Lastly, I am inspired by my husband’s hard work and determination and his ability to support me through all my business ventures. He pushes me to be my best and to try things I would normally never consider. Without him, I wouldn’t be able to take the risks I have and to be successful in running my own business.”
Family is very important to Kristin and her favorite projects have been those that focus on preserving parts of her family history for the future generations. Handwritten notes turned into signs, creating photo silhouettes, engraving recipes on cutting boards, and memorial photo engravings are some of Kristin’s favorite things to make, are her most treasured works of art.
What is Kristin’s advice for others just starting out?
“My biggest piece of advice for anyone looking into getting either a laser engraver or a PiBurn is to start researching how to use it now. You do not have to wait until you get your laser or the PiBurn to learn the ins and outs of how to use it. There are so many helpful posts and videos out there. This helped me jump right in when I got both my laser and the PiBurn and I hit the ground running. I have seen so many posts where people have these amazing tools and leave them in the box for months out of fear of something new. I am telling you there is nothing to be afraid of and you can never get better at something if you don’t jump in. Will you mess up some tumblers? Yes! Will you also learn what not to do the next time? Also Yes. Only you can make yourself better at your craft and you have to be willing to learn and make mistakes along the way. Take all the advice and information that is out there and use it. Learn from everyone in the community and, in turn, use that to help others.”
We’re right there with you, Kristin! There’s nothing like being a part of this amazing laser community and we can’t wait to see where the future takes you and 307 Cups!
Check out Kristin’s social media pages below, give her a follow – and, if you’re shopping, check out her website! You won’t be disappointed!
307 Cups Website: https://www.307cups.com
307 Cups Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/307cups
307 Cups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@307cups
Contact Kristin via email: [email protected]