Have you ever had a brilliant idea for a planner . . .  but got stuck trying to figure out what to include, how to organize it, or how to even begin?

You’re not alone. Most first-time planner creators jump straight to layouts or design — and that’s when overwhelm sets in. The truth is, successful planners start with a clear foundation.

Introducing Create a Planner to Sell: The Prep Course — a step-by-step guide to help you turn your idea into a planner that’s not just beautiful, but truly functional and profitable.

If you’ve been dreaming of selling your own planner, here’s the million-dollar question:

Is it ready for production?

Rushing this step is one of the costliest mistakes first-time creators make. That’s why I created the Planner Readiness Checklist — to help you spot gaps before you spend a dime on printing.

You’ve dreamed of creating and selling your own planner for years. You finally have the idea, the means, and the passion, but when you go to take your first step . . . you’re stuck. I hear you. And after 20+ years designing planners (over 65 a year!) I've seen some very common mistakes that trip up even the most talented entrepreneurs, causing stress and costing them time and money. This post breaks down the 5 most common mistakes first-time planner creators make (and exactly how to avoid them). If you’re thinking about creating a planner, you need to read this before you spend a single dollar.

You’ve probably bought a planner you never used . . . and your customers could too.

The #1 reason planners get abandoned? Poor usability.

It’s not just about how a planner looks — it’s how it feels to use day after day.

In this week’s blog, I’m sharing how to design a planner that people will actually use every day — and why that’s the secret to repeat customers.

Ever buy a planner . . . and then abandon it two weeks later?

That’s what happens when a planner’s page mix doesn’t match the user’s real life needs. The right page mix keeps people coming back day after day — and year after year to buy again.

This week’s post breaks down how to choose the perfect mix of pages for your planner, so you can create something your customer truly loves (and uses).

I know you’re itching to get into the fun part — choosing fonts, sketching layouts, playing with colors — but here’s the thing:

If you don’t start with a crystal-clear why, your planner will struggle to connect with your ideal customer.

In this week’s blog post, I’m sharing exactly why your “why” matters so much (and 3 steps to define it).

You’ve had this planner idea in your head for months — maybe years. But every time you think about starting, you get stuck. Uncover the very first step you need to take.

Many planner creators skip this crucial first step and dive straight into layouts and design elements. But without this, you’ll end up with a generic planner that tries to serve everyone, but actually ends up serving no one well.

Spring is in the air and it makes me want to clean and refresh pretty much every aspect of my life. Yes, it’s the perfect time to declutter your office, but what I really want to share with you are 4 ways to spring-clean your business! From tidying your website to freshening up your marketing strategy, I’ll dive into my recommendations for bringing your business up to speed with the changing of the seasons!

The 2025 trade war with China has brought us to a 170% tariff on day planners. Ouch! We’ve been printing planners overseas for over 20 years, and are very transparent about the fact that we prefer manufacturing planners in China. So what is Copper Bottom Design Co. doing to find alternatives for our clients?

Allow me to introduce you to Elena Sonnino. She’s a life coach, a speaker, and a yoga instructor. She’s also the creator of the Thrive Journal, which is really a glorious combination of journal and undated planner. 

Dated Planners vs Undated Planners: Which is best? While I can’t make the decision for you, I will provide you with tools in this week’s post — tools in the form of questions and other handy information — to help you determine which planner format is right for you, for your customers, for your business.

Here at Copper Bottom Design Co., we’re excited to dive into 2025! Our creative juices are flowing, and we are excited to share with you some of the supplies in our toolkit that motivate us. Some are like old friends–tried, true, and trusted–while others are new and full of promise. Together, they contribute to our ability to successfully plan, organize, and execute our every goal as we design and manage overseas production for our talented and inspiring clients.

‘Tis the season of giving, of receiving, and of planning as we wrap up 2024 and welcome 2025! And what better way to begin a New Year than with a beautiful and inspired new day planner at your fingertips–with each empty box a tiny canvas awaiting the creative brushstroke of your favorite pen, pencil, or marker! Birthdays, appointments, oil changes, vacations, drop-offs & pick-ups, brainstorming, plotting, and so much more!

Weekly Planners vs Daily Planners, which is best? In this post I’ll go over the merits of these two types of planner and ask you to think carefully about just who your planner is for. The answer to that will help you determine which type of planner may be best for you, for your customer, and for your business.

Can you make a living selling planners? YES. Can you lose a lot of money selling planners? YES. I’m sharing 4 steps you can take to set up your planner business on a solid foundation, avoid some pitfalls, and make a killing selling planners! You don’t have to do it alone, my friends!

You've printed the most beautiful and functional planners you've ever seen. Congratulations! It’s been a journey, I’m sure. But it’s not over yet! You still need to ship your products to customers.

But how? What exactly does this process involve? Plus, where do you store all of that inventory? Do you keep everything in your garage? Get a storage unit? Or hire a fulfillment warehouse?

I’ll walk you through your fulfillment options so you can find what works best for you.

The decision on which vendor to choose to produce your product is one that could literally make or break your business. There are a few options to choose from: You could go with print-on-demand, source a local manufacturer here in the US, or look into printing in China. The real question is, which is the best option for you? Well, my friend, I’ve got all the plan-swers.

Have you been dreaming of creating a planner? One that will support the business you already have, or maybe the planner will be your business? But you have no idea how to get started. What do you do first? This post details your very first step to take to make your planner dreams come true.

If you’ve ever thought about diving in to create your own planner, one of the first questions you probably came to was, “Where am I supposed to design this?!” The good thing to know is that you have options. But the truth is, really only ONE of the options is by far supreme and our personal choice for designing planner layouts.

I’m sharing three unique ideas for helping your planner to stand out and sell online when you’re running low on creative ideas to make that happen. Hint: the first one is absolutely essential.