I have been working on making changes to my business model over the past month. I really want to be transparent here in this space so here you go.
Most of my business has moved online and the walk-in traffic at my Studio space is not what is paying the rent, the online business is and after a year with a brick and mortar retail studio space I have decided that it is better for me to take my business completely back online.
I am excited to say that I will be bringing the Studio back to the farm and we are having a building built that will be my studio workspace as well as a place for me to continue filming for my YouTube channel and teaching online art classes.
My wholesale stationary business has taken off more this past year and I will be expanding my offerings in this space as well as my online retail shop.
I also am looking forward to working with other brands via my freelance illustration offerings. I have a lot of plans for new offerings but I am also planning space to breath and just take the time I need to recharge myself.
Sometimes as a creative business owner I don’t have an off switch. This is not a good thing at all. I finally took a week off for Thanksgiving and this was the first real break that I have had since opening the retail space in January of this year.
My goal is to be more intentional with my business and not let it take over every aspect of my life. I want to work '“Smarter not Harder” I know that it is cliché to say that but it is true. I created this business to be able to be more flexible with my work hours and not be tied down for any set times but having a retail space means set hours and working those hours in order to keep the doors open. This move will allow me that flexibility again and I am excited about this. It was not something that was done quickly it has been coming for a couple of months and working all the logistics out before I make the announcement has been going on behind the scenes.
One of the products that I have made are bookmarks. I am working through lots of new illustrations that I have created that I am using for notecards that I really want on bookmarks.
My top 3 things I am currently loving this week:
Melanie Chadwick’s YouTube Channel and her Creative Conversations playlist.
The book Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, by Lysa TerKeurst