There's a moment in a lot of entrepreneurs' stories where everything clicks. Where the product idea lands and the path forward feels obvious and exciting.

Mine was a little messier than that. And honestly, I think that's why it's real.

My name is Brooke, and I'm the founder and heart behind Artistic Chaos Ink. But the truth is — I didn't start this company. And I almost didn't stay in it.

An Unexpected Phone Call

A few years ago I was stuck. I already owned a small business, but it felt stagnant. My boys were all in school. My husband had recently gone through a career change and we were navigating that together. I was burned out in a way I couldn't quite name — not unhappy exactly, just searching. Quietly praying for something to get me excited again.

Then my brother called.

His wife had started a company selling giant coloring posters. She needed a partner. Was I interested?

I jumped at it — not just because of the business opportunity, but because I genuinely love building things. I love the energy of having someone to make plans with, set goals with, work toward something with. I was also excited to learn from her and get to know her better. And in many ways, I did. The three years we worked together taught me more than I can fully put into words — about business, about myself, about what I'm actually made of.

Why Giant? Why Collaborative?

From the very beginning, what stopped me in my tracks wasn't just that we were selling coloring products. It was how we were doing it.

Our posters are printed on a thick, luscious art paper unlike anything else on the market. Paper that can handle markers, paint, colored pencils — whatever creative medium speaks to you. You're not limited to thin coloring book pages that bleed through or buckle under pressure. You get something that feels substantial. Something worth gathering around.

And that's the thing. When you unroll a poster that's four feet wide and five feet tall, something happens in the room. People lean in. They reach for a marker without being asked. Strangers start talking. Families who haven't had a real conversation in weeks end up laughing around a kitchen table for two hours.

I fell in love with that; with having a product that gives people permission to just be together. Screen-free, agenda-free, just present with each other in the most simple and joyful way.

The Answered Prayer I Didn't Know I Was Asking

Eventually, life got too busy for my sister-in-law. Things happened in her world that were bigger than the business, and she stepped away.

I won't pretend it wasn't a shock. But I also won't pretend it wasn't a relief.

I had poured everything I had into this company — my time, my creativity, my heart, money I didn't always have. I believed in what we were building in a way that kept me up at night in the best and hardest ways. And I had reached a point where I knew something had to change.

When she left, I didn't have to be the one to walk away from something I loved. That felt like grace. Like a tender mercy. Like the answer to a prayer I hadn't even fully formed yet.

I am genuinely grateful for everything those three years gave me. Tara, my sister-in-law started this company — and I am thankful every single day that she did. The trials and the hard seasons taught me to trust myself. To invest in myself. To try new things and let go of what doesn't fit. I got the best end of the stick, and I know it.

What This Is Really About

Now I get to do something I never take for granted:

I get to be part of people's happiest moments. I get to help families find their way back to the same table. I get to watch healthcare workers — people who give everything to everyone else — take a quiet hour to color and breathe and just exist together. I get to help corporate teams laugh at a company retreat in a way they didn't expect. I get to help grandmothers connect with grandkids who are growing up too fast.

I get to make space for one more person at the table. To help everyone feel like they belong.

That is what gets me up every morning and keeps me moving. Not the products. The people.

— Brooke, founder & chief chaos colorist, Artistic Chaos Ink