Episode 11: Where Do I Start? Turning Creative Hobbies into a Side Business
In our latest episode of Creative Jugglejoy Podcast, co-hosted with the inspiring Kaylie Edwards, we dive into the exciting world of transforming creative hobbies into successful side businesses.
Whether you’re an artist, crafter, or anyone with a creative spark, this episode provides valuable insights to help you embark on your entrepreneurial journey.
One of the central themes of our conversation is the allure of being your own boss. We explore how the freedom to set your own schedule and make your own decisions can be liberating.
But it’s not just about the perks; it’s also about the mindset shifts needed to tackle the challenges ahead. We emphasize overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome, as well as the unique hurdles older creatives face, particularly women.
Drawing inspiration from Mel Robbins, we highlight the importance of reframing fear as excitement. This mental shift can open doors to new opportunities and empower you to take that leap of faith.
Finding supportive communities is crucial in this journey, as they provide the encouragement needed to overcome negativity and self-doubt.
As we navigate the digital art scene, we discuss the significance of identifying your niche. By mastering tools like Procreate and leveraging platforms such as Etsy and Society6, you can effectively reach your target audience while showcasing your unique talents.
In our conversation, we stress the importance of starting small and setting realistic goals. Building a successful creative business doesn’t happen overnight; it’s about taking consistent, small steps towards your dreams.
Celebrating each victory—no matter how small—can significantly boost your motivation and keep you on track.
Lastly, we advocate for creating a simple business plan to outline your goals and strategies, which serves as your roadmap in this exciting adventure.
In conclusion, the journey from hobby to business is filled with growth, creativity, and endless possibilities.
If you’re ready to take the plunge, join us in this empowering episode and discover how to make your creative dreams a reality!
A Few Resources and Sites mentioned:
Mel Robbins video on overcoming fear:
Marketplaces Delores and I have used to sell our creations:
Etsy
Folksy - UK version of Etsy
Zazzle
Society6
Redbubble
Art of Wear - Canada Based
Card Isle - Greenting Cards
Spoonflower - Patterns
For Selling Digital Assets and Templates:
Creative Fabrica
Creative Market
Design Cuts
Print on Demand Suppliers:
Prodigi - EU & Europe
Gelato
Printify
Printful
Gooten
Art of Where in Canada
There are so many so do your research for your own country.
Don't miss an episode—subscribe to The Creative JuggleJoy Podcast! Follow us on social media and join our email lists for more tips, stories, and updates on new episodes.
Kaylie Edwards - Instagram - Website - Facebook - Threads
Kaylie's FREE Challenge for Creatives: 5 Day Email List Kickstart Challenge
(Me) Delores Naskrent - Website & Digital Art School - Instagram - Facebook - Pinterest - Youtube
TRANSCRIPT:
Kaylie Edwards: 0:05
Welcome everyone to the Creative Jugglejoy podcast. I'm your host, Kaylie Edwards, and I'm here with my amazing co-host, Delores Naskrent. Today we're diving into an exciting topic how to turn your creative hobbies into a side business.
Delores Naskrent: 0:21
Yeah, that's right. If you've ever thought about selling your artwork or crafts but you weren't sure where to start, what to do, we're here to help guide you through that process yes, you might be asking yourself why would I want to start my own creative business?
Kaylie Edwards: 0:37
well, there are so many reasons for starters. You get to be your own boss, which is a game changer, so freeing, not having to report to somebody all the time. You can set your own hours, make decisions about your work, create the lifestyle you want.
Delores Naskrent: 0:56
Exactly, and don't forget the comfort of working from your own home. That's definitely the perk that I had for you know, just incentivizing myself to just follow through.
I loved that you don't have to worry about losing your job or being stuck in a toxic workplace. If you've ever had that happen, you really wish there was a way to get out of it.
Plus, if your family gets sick or you need a day off, you have flexibility, and I never had that. In 30 years that I was teaching, I did not have that flexibility. So it's something to really consider.
Kaylie Edwards: 1:35
Yeah, absolutely. But here's the thing it's also totally fine if you want to enjoy your hobby without the pressure of turning it into a business. There's no right or wrong, only what feels right to you. So, Delores, what do you think are some key motivations for beginners who are considering the leap?
Delores Naskrent: 1:55
I think one of the key motivators is just wanting to have something different to do as a pastime. So a lot of the people that end up in my programs, they're there because they're curious more than anything.
They have possibly not even considered the fact that they could make money with their art. They just want to try something different, maybe have a bit of a hobby, and a lot of times it's not till they have been taking a few classes that they realize that there's potential there for them to have the additional income, and I really, really believe that for a lot of them it's just a way to give themselves a better quality of life.
Trust me, getting up and out of your house every single day for 30 years of working life gets really old, and I can remember relishing the snow days where we got a surprise at home day and that delicious feeling of not having to go anywhere. So those are all things that you're considering.
Kaylie Edwards: 3:00
Oh, yeah, when you decide to work on your own yes, yes, I used to love snow days, even at school, so the kick is off. Let's talk about the mindset shifts required for starting a side business.
Cultivating a growth mindset is essential. If you haven't heard any of our other episodes, there's a few that go on about growth mindset and some of the mindset shifts. There's a few that go on about growth mindset and some of the mindset shifts you need for a business, so go back and listen to them if you haven't already. This means believing that you can develop your abilities over time.
If anyone wants to dig deeper, I think it's in episode 7, where we explore it in detail.
Delores Naskrent: 3:41
Yeah, yeah, and it's so true. Most of us learned all about math and science, but where was that class on emotional intelligence or business skills that we all really should have taken?
Kaylie Edwards: 4:07
the workplace or even started running my own business or life in general. Like budgeted, we didn't do that in school and you have to learn that when you get your own place.
I was lucky in the fact that I had supported living when I first moved out of my mum and step dad's and I had a support worker that helped me fill out forms and do some of that budgeting. But if I hadn't had her, I would not have had a clue how to keep my expenses in check.
Kaylie Edwards: 4:32
So, when you first embark on this journey, it can feel like you're stumbling in the dark. Your mindset can really hold you back.
I remember having those moments where I'd take two steps forward and then two steps back, because I was constantly doubting myself and my ability to really start and run a successful business.
Delores Naskrent: 4:53
I totally get that. I mean, imposter syndrome really just kind of sneaks up on you, especially, you know, when you don't have a lot of experience. You just kind of don't know if you're doing the right thing.
Kaylie Edwards: 5:06
What was your biggest mindset shift daily, uh it come into terms with my own mind being against me and trying to hinder my progress, was a big one for me. Right, it's still, it's you, it's still a thing that you've got to go through, no matter how far on the journey you are.
You know yourself that your mind can play tricks on you and try and hold you back, and you can do something that you've done a million times before and you still feel jitters going on, live or something. And yeah, I think just reminding myself that my creativity and my hard work will lead to success as long as I don't give up and I keep persisting, that's what kind of reminds me and keeps me going, Delores what about you?
Kaylie Edwards: 5:58
What mindset changes did you experience when you transitioned from crafting to teaching?
Delores Naskrent: 6:05
Well, it was know that little bit of imposter syndrome would sneak in, but I would not let it take over.
At that point I think I was just determined and I felt confident in what I was teaching because I had taken the time to hone my skills. But I do admit, just like you, I still get those butterflies in my stomach when I have to do something live.
As soon as I get talking about whatever it is, I'm okay. But it's just that those, you know, the few seconds before and then just those few seconds when you start, I kind of would get that flop in my stomach. But now I try to interpret it differently, like mentally, I make my brain interpret it as excitement rather than fear and it's kind of like a trick.
It makes me think to myself this is going to be great, this is going to be great, rather than thinking, oh no. You know, I think the mindset shift has made a huge difference in the way I show up for people. I've really noticed that recently anyways.
Kaylie Edwards: 7:11
Oh yeah, I think it was Mel Robbins who did like. I think it was a TED talk and she went on about changing that fear, because she had a fear of speaking and she had to I think she I can of speaking and she had to.
I think she I can't remember if she researched it or something and that the fear that you have, that stress that you have is actually the same symptoms as what you'd feel if you were excited and she was like this is how you need to do it.
Kaylie Edwards: 7:39
You need to trick your brain into thinking that you're excited about it rather than thinking of the fear of it, and it's trying to find something you can hold on to, like think of something in the future of that thing that you're scared of. How would that make you feel in a different way if it went right?
And try and think of that before you do it and I think that's what she did in her TED talk and ever since I watched that that's how I kind of work it myself is, you know, pinpoint a moment. That will be really good if this goes right and just think of that and then that gets me through that's.
Delores Naskrent: 8:18
That's awesome. That's a great way to think about it.
Kaylie Edwards: 8:21
Yeah, I just love how age or life stage doesn't dictate your ability to start anew. It's the same with Mel Robbins. She started later in life with her, her current thing that she's doing now. However, I completely understand that for many older creatives, stepping into the entrepreneurial world can feel like an uphill battle, especially in the digital space. You're not used to the tech.
Kaylie Edwards: 8:48
There's often a cloud of fear looming over us fear of tech, fear of judgment, fear of failure and sometimes even the fear of success itself. And I feel as women, we face unique challenges as well.
Societal expectations can weigh heavily on our shoulders and unfortunately, we don't always receive the support we deserve to chase our dreams. It can be incredibly disheartening when negativity arises from our own loved ones or inner circles. Their doubt can seep into our minds and create a barrier to pursuing what we truly want.
Kaylie Edwards: 9:26
And I see it so often with creatives that have hobbies and just don't want to pursue a business or pursue selling their art because they have that negativity around them and they don't want their family to pull them further down.
Yeah, in moments like these, it becomes even more crucial to nurture our mindset and commit to self-development.
Remembering take that first leap can be the hardest part, but it's always where the magic begins. Overcoming those fears starts with small, courageous steps, like sharing your work with a trusted friend or family member, and if you don't have any, seek out others who are at a similar stage to you.
Kaylie Edwards: 10:17
Building a supportive community is vital. Surrounding ourselves with encouraging voices can provide the strength we need to push past our doubts and negativity of others. Embrace the journey, I'd say, and the challenges that come with it, because that is how we grow in life every step, no matter how small, is a move towards your dreams.
Kaylie Edwards: 10:43
That's why I say remember. Many successful creatives begin their journeys later in life, proving that it's never too late to follow your passion. When you embrace your creative journey, you open the door to rewarding experiences and profound personal growth. And it's just so rewarding and.
Kaylie Edwards: 11:05
I feel a lot of people are missing that because they don't push past them doubts and the negativity I had such a shame.
Delores, from your experience, what advice would you give to someone who might be feeling held back by fear or doubt, especially if they're navigating this journey later in life? How can they find the courage to take that first step?
Delores Naskrent: 11:32
You know, two things jumped out while you were talking, and one of them, when you're talking about the support especially the support of someone who understands what you're trying to do, especially the support of someone who understands what you're trying to do I found that really made a huge, huge difference for me, and I am really trying to create that same thing for my students.
Because, you're right, a lot of them are feeling a little bit what's the word for it? Tentative, about taking that next step.
And I think that if you are in a group with other people and you actually talk about that, talk about that feeling, that it can make a huge difference, because you're not the only one feeling it. I can guarantee you that there are many people feeling it. Our group is fairly small, you know. If you have a group, that's, you know, 10 people or less, or thereabouts, it's great because everybody has a chance to share.
Delores Naskrent: 12:33
And what I have found in the last few months in groups like that, and especially in our Thrive group, is that people are so eager to actually share what they have done, what they have created, and it helps them to really build up their self-esteem.
Delores Naskrent: 12:53
So I love it.
I love being a part of the group and hearing all of that, and one of the things that happens is that these people are encouraged to do more, and the more that they do is the more practice that they get.
And I really find for myself personally that practicing helps me so much, like even something like reading the script for a class that I'm about to record and maybe reading it two or three times out loud that it really helps me to be more courageous.
No one else can see that I'm nervous at that point, you know. I'd have gotten over the worst of it, but I feel like, just having said it out loud a few times, that it really makes a difference.
And so I do that, both in my practice right now as a teacher, but also in my practice as an artist, and I think that the repetition of something is going to get you feeling more confident and then that will, you know, help you get into that first step or get you to at least have the courage to continue stepping in that one direction, you know.
Kaylie Edwards: 14:11
Oh yeah, practicing is such a key thing as a creative and in life itself, like everything you do you need to practice to get good at things.
You know, not many people are born with an inherent talent for everything and with with art you can tell with people the difference between artists is can be. A lot of the time is down to practice. It's not all down to education either it's.
Kaylie Edwards: 14:40
You look at some artists. They haven't had that education formally, but because they've spent hours and hours practicing and they spend hours and hours on a piece, you can see it, the detail they've gone into it.
And there was one lady I found um I can't remember what she, what she's called, um it was. While I was scrolling on Instagram I found it. Uh, it was. She'd done this big, this huge canvas and it was just. It looked like a bokeh effect that you know from photography.
It was just such a beautiful effect that she'd created and they were just such round circles, but she was doing them freehand. I thought that's incredible how she's done that.
Kaylie Edwards: 15:19
I know a lot of people would just be like would scroll past and wouldn't care, but it's so hard to do circles freehand. And the fact that she's got these circles almost perfect and there's hundreds of them on this canvas, I thought that's just how you know the difference between an artist who you know practices and practices, and one that just throws it out there.
And I'm not saying to anybody anybody, if they're starting out that you should just practice the practice for hours and not put your art out there.
You should, because that's how you'll get good is putting it out there and just starting, and then you get feedback from other people as well, and you know then how to adjust and find your style.
Yeah, and that leads me on to another thing that we need to look, look at identifying your creative niche. So, yeah, finding a niche is crucial for turning a hobby into a business.
Kaylie Edwards: 16:25
There's no point just putting things out that you just like, because, yes, you might find some people that like the same things that you do, but you still need to find a niche that you can focus on, because you'll see better results with a niche.
To follow through with a niche is simply a specific area of focus within a larger market and it helps you stand out by targeting a particular audience or your artwork or your other creations and products. It's about discovering what makes you unique and your products unique and how you can offer value to others.
Delores Naskrent: 17:03
Absolutely. I agree with you 100%, because I think what's kind of written into that, what you're saying, is the idea of developing a style that's recognizable, and the more you repeat that, because you've decided to specifically target that audience.
That goes right back into that repetition and that development of you as an artist and of your art. So it really helps you stand out In the long run. It really helps you stand out in the crowded marketplaces because you've got that specific audience that's going to be specifically looking for that thing and it's all about discovering what makes you unique.
Kaylie Edwards: 17:53
I encourage our listeners to reflect on their skills and passions. You know what do you love to create?
You know you can do a quick market check on sites like Etsy or Pinterest to see what's trending. Fun fact, Etsy even sends out trend reports as well, so you can even look at what's trending for the next year coming, which is super helpful but don't just run with whatever's trending.
Kaylie Edwards: 18:20
You know, what do you like doing? What styles do you like creating? What topics or themes do you like to do? Yeah, you know, I get it. Some people just love painting everything.
Like I am one of those people. I love to paint everything apart from people. I'm not very good at people, so that's kind of a thing for me, like I don't like doing people, although I'm very good at drawing eyes for some weird reason. But there we go.
Kaylie Edwards: 18:49
That was one thing I had to focus on in art was hands and eyes, because those are the two things I couldn't do, um, but then, yeah, I got really good at doing eyes. So, yeah, I love creating, painting and drawing animals and nature, everything to do with that, like that's my favorite, and fantasy stuff, that's kind of my thing, right.
So it's trying to find a style. If, if your style is you like seascapes but you like other things as well, try and hone in on one topic to start off with and then start to expand as you start getting customers.
Delores Naskrent: 19:32
Yeah, I love that. I mean, my journey in digital art was all about that experimenting, you know like just trying to figure out exactly what I enjoyed doing, and for me, in most cases, it often ends up as being some kind of a mixed media piece, which, ironically, was what I liked doing when I was doing more analog kind of art.
So it's kind of come right back to almost the same thing, except I'm now doing it on my iPad rather than doing it in an art journal. It's interesting how that all works. And I really love your idea of checking out those trend reports, and almost every site that sells art has some kind of trend report.
So if you are really into doing large abstract art, for example, then go to a site that sells large abstract art and they'll usually have a trend category that you can take a look through, and that's a great way to just kind of get your creative juices flowing oh yeah how did you discover in your niche? I'm curious, Kaylie, I've never asked you this.
Kaylie Edwards: 20:45
I started off with my candle business, so that was a different story. Then I had to pivot again whilst I was on maternity leave and I set my Etsy shop. And with my Etsy shop I did a lot of that trend research, looking in what was trending and like themes and colors and things that were popular at that moment. But then I also looked at what I liked and what I could have done with at the time, because I just had my son, so obviously I was a new mum.
So I looked at things that new mums might want, so like a baby journal and things like that. That was the thing I started to look at. I could target for mums. I didn't really know what I was doing as a new mum, I don't think anything prepares you for being a parent.
Kaylie Edwards: 21:38
No matter how many people tell you what to do, what you should be doing and what you shouldn't be doing, and I think I just kind of went for things that I would like to have.
So, like pregnancy journal or like a custom name, nursery prints. I did a few of them on my Etsy shop. I went through like themes for boys and girls. I was setting up a template with the theme and then I would put the letters and then I'd do a customization option on Etsy so people could contact me and get it customized as well.
So basically, I could just open my Canva doc, which was my template, and just change the name and then re-download it and then send it to them in the email because I was doing the printables. So that was kind of how I did some of the wall art when I started.
Kaylie Edwards: 22:32
And then, obviously, this business kind of started off with. Just I was a bit hesitant about doing it because I was trying to do it quite quickly. I started off with just targeting females in entrepreneurship, which is actually quite a broad category, and then, yeah, I was just searching around and I found I was taking a course for freelancing and then found somebody who showed me how to find other people who I could contact and get hold of, and then I came through Skillshare and Udemy and finding people that I could get to know and I obviously that's how I found you.
Delores Naskrent: 23:16
Yes. I think it was through Udemy, but that is true.
Kaylie Edwards: 23:18
Yeah, Udemy, yeah.
Delores Naskrent: 23:20
Yeah, and I don't even really post anything there anymore, but it's interesting.
Delores Naskrent: 23:26
It's always interesting to hear others. You know how they journeyed into the position that they're in and you know, really, that's exactly what happens. You start kind of exploring a certain thing and then it leads you to something else.
And I had been working with my one agent “Out of The Blue” that was the name of his company and I was doing large kind of abstract art pieces and I was liking it.
There was nothing wrong with it and I still work for him, I still submit art and I still get royalties from anything that's sold on the sites that he has secured for me. But I also wanted to try my hand at print-on-demand.
Delores Naskrent: 24:14
So it was at about that same time and because I had been doing these big digital art pieces, I just kind of took that and took them and used them as backgrounds and started to add lettering to them.
Delores Naskrent: 24:28
I had done that with my craft sale stuff, you know, adding quotes to some kind of a painted background or some artwork that I'd done in my art journals, and so I had.
Delores Naskrent: 24:40
You know, it was kind of an easy transition to taking some of those backgrounds, adding lettering, setting up the artwork efficiently so that I could use it on all kinds of different shapes and sizes of items on POD sites like Society6, I think was the first one I tried.
Then I did Redbubble and the third one that I got into was Zazzle, and surprisingly, out of the three of them, Zazzle ended up being where I was selling the best, and so, of course, that's what I just ended up.
Just you know, exploring that whole thing about market demand and looking at I would be stalking the site where, when they'd be putting up the list of the most popular items, Well, as soon as I saw what the most popular item was, then I would try to figure out ways to do it myself.
It's kind of funny how you know you're looking at something and you're experimenting with something and then all of a sudden that becomes something sellable.
Kaylie Edwards: 25:48
It changes everything oh yeah, it does like print on demand, just opened my eyes so much to the possibilities of the possibilities of what you could do online.
Kaylie Edwards: 26:00
I think I was on Etsy and it was somebody put it in their description. I was looking at some of the stuff they were doing. It was like how are they selling so much? They're not selling it from their own place, like they're not making this stuff themselves, because it was just this little woman, I don’t remember it was like Illinois or something like that I mean, I think she's doing all of this custom t-shirts and mugs and things but she's not physically creating them herself.
Kaylie Edwards: 26:33
And then that's how I got onto print on demand, I think and then I found YouTube videos on how to do it, then I started with Printify integration and my Etsy shop. It's a bit time-consuming to start, but it is worth it. But the fact that you don't have to hold your own inventory and make your own things, I just find it brilliant, especially when you have a toddler well, I had a baby at the time, but, yeah, that was such a game changer.
Delores Naskrent: 27:00
It totally is. If you're that person who was making all of your stuff by hand and trying to keep up with producing enough stuff to have a good amount of stock to go into a pop-up or a craft sale or even to put into stores.
Once you realize that you don't have to do all that work yourself, you can get somebody else to do it, and I mean that really was like wow, like mind blowing and then when you didn't even have to ship it, that was so huge.
Kaylie Edwards: 27:40
Yeah, because when I did my handmade candle business that was the one thing that I absolutely hated shipping my products.
Kaylie Edwards: 27:47
So that's why I loved going to the craft fairs because I didn't have to ship them. I didn't have to sit there for hours putting them all in boxes and making them up pretty. And then, because obviously, I don't drive, so it was so much more difficult because I had then had to lumber all these boxes and find somebody to take me to the post office.
So, yeah, I'm so glad that that is over with. But, Delores, I know it's all about exploring and finding that sweet spot where your passion meets market demand. How did you realize digital art was the right niche for you?
Delores Naskrent: 28:27
well, it was that journey, that exact journey, because I had been always a person that would, you know, love just sitting and drawing and sketching and, of course, originally it was in analogue form and I was taking stuff to craft sales and having stuff in local shops, even had my own shop for a little while.
But you know, it was super time-consuming because I would be hand painting these things and then also just to try to figure out what was the thing that you're going to hand paint that the person is going to buy.
So you could be great at hand painting, but if you're not creating a product that a person wants, they are not necessarily going to be buying from you. You know, just your flat paintings weren't, for me anyways, were not the thing that would sell.
If I painted a chair, like I would take a wooden chair and refinish it and spend two weeks painting with just a lot of detail and just a gorgeous finished piece. But it had taken me two weeks to do it.
Delores Naskrent: 29:35
And no matter what I sold it for, I was probably losing money every single time I did that. So I think for me, once I realized that I could really increase my production by doing things digitally, it changed everything, because even at first, I wasn't painting and drawing in the software so much as just scanning or photographing some piece that I had done and then putting it into the software and then adding lettering or quotes of some sort.
And it wasn't until, really honestly, until the iPad came along that it really made everything gel for me. Anyways, I was completely comfortable with the sketching and drawing already, so that was a completely new thing for me was to take it instead of doing it in a sketchbook or journal or on a piece of wood or whatever I was painting journal or on a piece of wood or whatever I was painting.
It was so different because I think it made everything just feel new again and it put the excitement back into it for me.
Delores Naskrent: 30:45
Honestly, I was so excited when I was first illustrating on my iPad and this was well before Procreate you guys, if you're listening to this, it was prehistoric. I think the first software that I was able to do that with on my iPad was called ArtRage. I think it still exists. It's a really simple program, but it was amazing. I was able to do a lot of the stuff that I could do with natural media stuff that I could do with natural media and the more excited I got about it.
Delores Naskrent: 31:18
And at that time in the schools students didn't have iPads, like nobody owned iPads, only the teachers had iPads and I had gotten one for Christmas and I was so excited about this project, this product and what I was doing that my students started to get excited about it.
And next thing, I knew my students were bringing iPads from home or we would have a single iPad in the entire school that we could sign out, bring it into the classroom, but people were excited about it. So I think that it's just something that gives you really good energy and the more you get excited about it, the more everybody around you gets excited about it.
Kaylie Edwards: 32:04
Oh yeah, I remember doing Photoshop and things on the laptops and the PCs at school and I was so excited when I got to play around with digital things, but then when it came to actually doing it for figuring out how to sell I was. I felt a little bit like I was cheating. What I mean?
yeah, I was so used to painting and sketching and using clay and doing sculptures and things.
Kaylie Edwards: 32:36
When I actually came to doing digital, I thought this is, it feels like I'm not actually doing art. But then obviously over time, you start realizing actually how much you can do with it and how arty you can get and how creative you can get with digital art, and it then becomes so freeing because then you don't have to get all your supplies out, you don't have to tidy up after yourself after you've finished and with the toddler it's yeah, it's just a murder.
I cannot get paint back with my toddler because he's just in everything. So now, yeah, Affinity Designer is my favorite and Canva I'm in all the time.
Great, yeah, I love them. So, yeah. So starting small is essential for minimizing risk and building confidence. When I began my journey, I focused on creating small batches of candles, and this approach allowed me to experiment with scents and designs without overwhelming myself.
Kaylie Edwards: 33:42
It was a great way to learn what worked and what didn't.
Delores Naskrent: 33:47
That's a good way to go, you know when you're first starting out. What do you recommend for newbies?
Kaylie Edwards: 33:53
I recommend starting with one platform to sell your product. Payhip is a fantastic option for beginners. It's a free website hosting platform. It's user-friendly that's what I started off with and allows you to set up a shop without any upfront costs. So if you're selling digital products anything like that that's brilliant.
You can also sell physical products on there. You can even do courses and memberships within Payhip. It takes a small percentage of the sales, but they offer various pricing plans as well if you want to reduce the cut they take.
Kaylie Edwards: 34:29
Personally, I just went and stuck with the free plan because it provided a great deal.
I tried with WordPress and I just went down a complete rabbit hole with it. I probably spent more on wordpress even though it's free, but the plugins and the themes and stuff they're not always free, so it does mount up after a while.
So I would say find a website that you can start with, like Payhip or Squarespace. They integrate with print-on-demand sites as well. So if you want to go that route, you can do it through Squarespace. I found out the other week.
Wix they do the same, depending on the pricing plan that you choose. But once you're settled, you can branch out to other marketplaces like Etsy and Zazzle and Card Isle all those you can start using them, but I would highly recommend getting a website up and start putting products on there and drive traffic to that and then obviously start with the likes of Etsy, because at least then you're securing the fact that you own the website, not renting space on Etsy and potentially being shut down.
This strategy in particular is beneficial because if one platform encounters issues, you'll have others to rely on.
Kaylie Edwards: 35:52
I learned that the hard way. I had over 135 products listed on my Etsy shop when I was creating printables and designs for clothes and decor. When I had to step away, my shop listings went down and now I have to start all over again. I renewed my listings the other day on my Etsy shop
Delores Naskrent: Great.
Kaylie Edwards: But then I realised after I'd done it I was like do I really have the time to go back to it? Well, we'll see. I renewed my Christmas listings and everything, so maybe I'll get a few sales from it, but if I don't, then I'll just have to wait until I've got some more time to work on that.
You know it's a reminder that diversifying where you sell your products can be a crucial step in protecting your efforts as well because if they're all gone, they're all gone. You know you want to make sure that you've got what they call a backup plan when it comes to a business.
Delores Naskrent: 36:51
Absolutely, it's great advice. Anybody listening today, you know, just try not to put all of your eggs in one basket. Yes, have you got any other advice, kaylie? Because you're just like on the advice. You're on a roll.
What other small steps like when you're first starting out?
What are the small steps that someone can take? For our listeners here. If you could even offer one of the juiciest little tidbits that you have, that would be great well beyond choosing where to sell.
Kaylie Edwards: 37:26
There are other small steps to focus on. When starting one, set realistic goals, because I've done it before, I'd set too high a goal. Start small and then work your way up.
Obviously still have something that is ambitious, because you want to be reaching further than you're comfortable with, because that is how you grow. So begin outlining what you want to achieve. That could be as simple as creating a certain number of products each week, setting sales target for your first month.
Setting small, achievable goals can help keep you motivated and give you a sense of accomplishment as well. And a focus. Two I would create a routine. So establishing a regular routine for your creative work can help you stay focused and productive.
Kaylie Edwards: 38:26
Whether it's dedicating specific hours each week to creating or marketing your products, consistency will help you build momentum and even if it's only small things, if it's consistent over time, it will compound and you will see results over time.
Three seek feedback. Don't be afraid to ask friends or family or online communities that you're part of for feedback on your creations and your business.
It can help you on your creations and your business. It can help you refine your products and better understand what resonates with your potential customers as well, which is invaluable if you know what your customers want.
Yeah, Four, I think four. Keep learning.
Kaylie Edwards: 39:16
Embrace a mindset of continuous improvement. People look for online courses or workshops related to your craft and your business skills, because that is one nobody has business skills to start off with, and you do need to work on them. I still work on mine. The more you know, the better equipped you'll be to succeed.
But don't fall down the rabbit hole of just buying a load of courses and never actually using them or implementing them, because I have so many courses that I haven't actually finished yet, or I've gone through them and then actually not implemented it, but at least I've still got the knowledge in my head.
Delores Naskrent: Exactly
Kaylie Edwards: 39:53
Another one I would do is document your journey as well.
Kaylie Edwards: 39:59
That's one thing I wish I'd done more of keep track of what I'm learning, how my journey's going, and any challenges I face.
Kaylie Edwards: 40:09
This can not only help you reflect on your progress and give you a little boost as well, because once you start seeing that you have had progress, it also serves as a valuable resource if you decide to share your experiences with others in the future.
Yes, one lady I love is Carrie Green, and she's fabulous at doing it. She has journaled and had a diary for years, like, I think, the first diary entry that she ever had was like 2011 or something like that, and I love Carrie Green because she goes on about it and she sometimes if she's doing a live and it's relevant. She will go back through her journals from past years, of when she first started her business and will show you the progress that she's made and what she said on those days. Some of it's a lot of swearing, but that would be in my journal as well if I journaled enough but, you know she journaled her ups and downs and I think that is an important part of business that you should do.
Kaylie Edwards: 41:16
I didn't do enough of it and I wish I had and even the bad days. If you can look back and go, that was a really crappy day but I carried on. I got through it. The next day wasn't as bad then. I think that's it's progress that you can look back on and share with others..
Delores Naskrent: 41:36
I agree with all of that, Kaylie, even just sometimes, the fact that something that was so big and so significant, when you look at the big picture, like you're looking back at your last five years, you're sometimes looking back at that thing and going, why did I think that was such a big deal?
Because in the end, it really wasn't. So I totally agree with it. Everything you've said here, like those are five what I think it was five great points, and I agree with every single one of them, and I love the idea of putting systems in place, because I think that's what helps you to be consistent, you know.
Delores Naskrent: 42:11
So keeping a list of all of those strategies that you just listed there, Kaylie, is a great way to start and just revisit them on a regular basis, maybe at the beginning of every month or something.
Delores Naskrent: 42:26
Put it at the beginning of your journal, your diary or your planner. Just stop yourself at the beginning of every month and just reflect on that previous month, and I think it'll get easier as you go through that process, because you're going to be seeing these different things that you are doing regularly.
You'll get to know which one of those things are really benefiting your business and I think it gets easier as long as you keep at it and you're going to get much better and much more comfortable at working within that rhythm.
So even somebody like you, Kaylie, with a toddler, you know you've got things worked out now in such a way between all of your sort of scheduled things that are going to happen no matter what, when your Partners's home, when you're making dinners, when you're putting your son to bed, all of those things kind of play into that whole idea of having a routine and a rhythm. And I think when you have that, you are able to worry less and work more.
Kaylie Edwards: 43:34
yeah, all I'll say is with when you've got a toddler, sometimes the transitions can be a pain in the ass. Yeah, you'll get used to getting used to a routine and then suddenly it needs to change. Then it's like scramble day oh yeah, everything back in place of what do I need to do when, how to plan everything out again yeah but that that just comes down to.
Kaylie Edwards: 44:10
I would say you need to be flexible when it comes to business, especially if you've got responsibilities in your personal life, like children, or you're caring for a family member or for somebody else.
So, yeah, I would definitely say you need to be flexible and always, always, try and stick to a schedule when you can, but it's definitely a must because, running a business, you need to know what's going on.
Delores Naskrent: 44:39
Yeah, and it makes it easier then to shift, because if you do have to change your schedule, you just have to relocate that thing that you were doing at that time to another time slot. But you can still keep doing that thing.
It just has to be reworked and knowing what that system is for yourself, what that schedule is, the kind of things that you have to do, then you are able to kind of work it all in if it has to change.
Kaylie Edwards: oh yeah, what small steps did you take when starting your journey into selling your art?
Delores Naskrent: well, I kind of did that like scheduling and just saying to myself listen, if I want to make this work, I'm gonna have to figure it out, and I was still working full-time all day, every day at that point.
Delores Naskrent: 45:26
So I really had to be disciplined about producing art.
Delores Naskrent: 45:30
I would carve out as much time as I possibly could every single day and, and you know, honestly, sometimes that meant I was working through my lunch hours.
Delores Naskrent: 45:41
I was at work, working, but I would also, during that one hour of lunch, I would sit down and do some art, or I would take it with me and have it just as long as I had it on my person.
Wherever I was, that I was suddenly just sitting there, either waiting for something or watching my kids at a game Not really watching, but kind of watching. I would always have art with me that I could do just anytime, and sometimes, honestly, they were like 10 minute illustrations.
But then when I had a chance, I would take and finish that. I would finish the artwork I would be able to, because I would have already gotten the start, the idea and the bones of the project kind of on paper, and so that would help me, you know, in the long run.
At that time I wasn't even doing any online sales at all, but I just knew what I needed to have in place for when our craft sales season would start yes, that's definitely something, um, that I think listeners can relate to.
Kaylie Edwards: 46:46
Sometimes you have to just find the pockets of time to do your art and get started, and when it comes to business tasks, you can split them up into pockets of time and do them.
There's no excuse, I don't think you know. Sometimes you feel like there's no time in the day to do it when you've got so much stuff going on.
But if you really thought about it, what can you sacrifice in some areas, like if you spent hours watching tv at night, vegging out your kids have gone to bed, could that be more productive time? I know sometimes it can be difficult if you're knackered, because I feel like that all the time.
Delores Naskrent: 47:22
That’s my most productive art time is when I'm watching tv with my husband, because I kind of am watching the show, but at the same time I'm also drawing or doodling or finishing some piece of artwork. So it, for me, is the time when I'm doing a lot of my art.
Kaylie Edwards: 47:50
Yes, I totally agree. Let's outline some practical steps for our listeners, for turning your hobby into a business, if you haven't already one.
Kaylie Edwards: 48:04
I would create a simple business plan. I know that sounds scary, but I'm telling you it's not. You can literally do a one-page business plan that can help clarify your goals and your actions. It doesn't have to be complicated.
Just jot down a mission statement, your target audience, product offerings and some market strategies that you want to start with. It'll serve you so well as a roadmap and you can move forward.
It's sometimes just getting some things on paper is really helpful. You don't have to go for a full-out market plan, but I would definitely get one set up. I wish I'd done that a bit more when I first started my first business.
Kaylie Edwards: 48:47
Two obviously we've already said this setting realistic goals. So breaking your goals down into achievable milestones. So, for example, aim to create a certain number of products each week. Set a sales target for the first month.
Celebrating your small wins helps provide a big boost of morale as you progress, so I would celebrate small and big wins. Have a few rewards that you can choose.
Like one of my big rewards I want to do next year. It might sound extravagant for some people and it does to me, but I want to take my mum on a spa day. Yeah, I've never been, she's never been, and I think that is just something that I could really do with, and so can my mum.
Kaylie Edwards: 49:36
And that is one of my goals for next year, but it will also be a reward for completing goals that I finish in the first two quarters. So that's a goal for me.
For small wins is I get to watch my TV show for an hour. That's a small reward for me if I have completed my tasks for the day.
Kaylie Edwards: 50:02
It's just taking out things that you can do to get you motivated.
Delores Naskrent: I love it
Kaylie Edwards: Try to sacrifice it if you do not hit your goals, because then at least it helps motivate you to do the next day.
Another one budgeting for supplies and marketing. People please budget, because I've done this, I overspend, and then at the end of the month when you haven't got what you need to finish a few bills off is scary, so track your spending.
Kaylie Edwards: 50:33
It's crucial to avoid overspending. List out all your potential costs if you haven't started yet, including any materials, marketing, any platform fees. This will help give you a clear picture of your financial landscape and help you make informed decisions.
Moving forward, make sure to keep all your receipts and your invoices. You may not need to declare anything for the first year if you're in the UK, that is. I don't know about any other country, I can't attest to that.
Kaylie Edwards: 51:03
Find someone who can do financial things for you but, keep it all in case you do, and make sure to check your country for the rules and laws around business tax.I am not a lawyer.
Kaylie Edwards: 51:15
I only know enough to get by in the UK. So please make sure that you keep all your receipts and everything. Anything you spend, anything you think you can use as an expense. Keep that behind as well, I would say, because sometimes you can claim for like I know in the UK you can claim a portion for like internet if you're an online business from home.
Delores Naskrent: 51:39
So things like that you just want to have a look at yeah, don't forget all those little things that come with being in business, and I know it can sound scary. You've listened to us talking about all these different things today and it seems like a lot, but if you break it down it's very manageable.
And it takes a little bit of time to get all this set up, but it'll be more than worth it to just have the systems in place. You don't want to be at the end of the year trying to figure out all that kind of stuff in retrospect.
You want to be doing it in advance and just kind of giving yourself the groundwork to do it in an organized way. And then, yeah, most definitely, I definitely want to emphasize what we talked about today with setting up the online presence for sure.
Delores Naskrent: 52:41
So, if you can start early, do it. If you have time, do your basic website, put up a portfolio, have a few lovely pieces that showcase your work that you can use to attract potential customers and collaborators.
Like you can have all of that as a work in progress. As you are completing your beautiful pieces, you can be photographing them and putting them online and building up that portfolio.
I don't think you're going to regret that at all and I think that a lot of us as artists really hesitate at the beginning to do that, and I think it should be the opposite.
You should get your work up there as soon as you can, as you're starting to develop maybe a possible line of products or a style, and you can always replace it. You can always replace it, so don't let it stop you.
Kaylie Edwards: 53:35
Oh, yeah, like portfolios is so important. If you're an artist or a creative, if you want to attract people to buy your things, or even if you want to get into people's stores and things, you want to have a portfolio of your work. And yeah, try not to rush too much with it, because I did that.
I wanted to get on a marketplace called Creative Fabric. I love buying stuff off of there and I had a subscription with them and it turns out I could sell my own digital art on there and my own templates and things.
But they wanted a portfolio sending to them before they would accept me. I rushed to get it up and the problem was some of my artwork that I'd used had little bits of clip art from other people and they flagged me. That was my fault.
Kaylie Edwards: 54:31
I didn't check my artwork I had used in the portfolio, had some of the clip art from previous buys I'd done and yeah, it annoyed me because then obviously they rejected me and I had to wait three months to resubmit my portfolio.
So what I'd say is make sure you check that if you are doing a portfolio, make sure it's your own artwork first. I know it's so easy to buy a load of clip art, stick it all together and add your unique twist to it.
I do it and there's nothing wrong with it. But if you're going to try and get it on other sites or if you want to get your art licensed, make sure that it is your own or at least changed enough to be part of your own.
Kaylie Edwards: 55:23
Then it's wise to obviously choose one social media platform that feels comfortable for you and where your ideal customer hangs out.
For example, if you're selling handmade crafts, places like Pinterest and Instagram might be a great fit. Due to its visual nature, a simple Google search can give you insights into which platforms are best for your niche as well.
Using social media, I would consider starting with one platform that resonates with you and with your audience, to figure out if the people that you're trying to target are actually on there.
First, Facebook's obviously great for community engagement. Tiktok obviously a lot for fun. So focus on your efforts wherever you can, and you don't need to be everywhere at once, so start with one and then move off to the next.
Delores, what advice do you have for someone who feels a bit overwhelmed by the thought of creating a business plan?
Delores Naskrent: 56:21
just do it and just get started, even if it's just a rough outline, if you see it on paper, it makes you start to think about it differently.
Delores Naskrent: 56:32
I can remember just kind of roughly outlining a kind of a plan that I had, and then the fact that it was on paper, I could be lying in bed at night like just pitch black and I would be visualizing that piece of paper.
And the next day I'd be able to go in and add some stuff you know, maybe additional points or a little bit more detailed things that I might not have originally considered and it really helped me to start gelling a plan together. You know what I mean.
I think that process is what's important. It's that you, you can, I think having it, you can then just dig in and start working on it. So if you just even start it, give yourself a little bit of grace, give yourself time for that piece of paper to actually materialize into that real solid plan.
But I think having it on paper like that you're more likely to think of little things every day that you can do that are going to get you towards your goal.
Kaylie Edwards: 57:38
Yes, I totally agree that just starting off small and just getting your thoughts down on paper, like what direction do you want to go in, what are your goals, what do you want to achieve is so important so celebrating small victories is vital for motivation.
Kaylie Edwards: 57:57
One of my biggest moments was when a lady at my first craft fair bought like several of my wax melts, candles and tea light packs in one sitting. This was after she had already been to my stall and she had said, oh, I'll be back, and that doubt in my mind tells you that will be the last time I will see of that lady.
But she came back with her partner a couple of hours later, half an hour before we were about to pack up, and it was the largest order I've ever had at a craft fair and that feeling of having created something that a complete stranger wanted to buy in such a great volume that I wasn't expecting is such an incredible feeling.
You're just so elated and feel so much joy in that moment and such disbelief.
Kaylie Edwards: 58:49
But I celebrate small wins with little treats, whether it's a happy dance or a cup of tea and some chocolate biscuits.
If I have a few great wins in a week, I might treat myself to a takeaway or watch a favorite movie or tv show when Aston is in bed. That's my win. And whether it's a win that looks different to you or looks the same, yeah, find something that's good for you and what makes you feel good and motivated to keep you going.
Delores Naskrent: 59:23
I 100% agree with that, because you just have to kind of view those setbacks as learning opportunities, because every challenge helps you grow. So when you do have that moment, that exhilaration, you really want to kind of pocket some of that so you could use it later.
Kaylie Edwards: 59:42
Yes! Delores, can you share a setback you faced and how you overcame it?
Delores Naskrent: 59:48
yeah, I mean I hate to dwell on those. You know things happened. But I think one of the worst setbacks that I endured when was when I had a gift shop with a couple of what were my best girlfriends.
At the time we had decided to partner up in creating this little gift shop and when it broke apart, I mean it was really, really heartbreaking.
Honestly, it was a difficult time because suddenly I had no place to retail my product and we had been so intertwined, you know, just in our friendships and I don't know. It was just a really a big turning point.
Delores Naskrent: 1:00:32
Like, looking back, I can see it was a big turning point because I had to kind of start thinking about my production and if I wanted to actually sell anything that I was making, I would have to figure out a way to do it faster.
There was just no way that I could, you know, keep doing it the way I had been doing. And you know that was a whole messy incident in my opinion. But it forced me to go out and look at other gift shops and ideas kind of started coming to me and at that time I bought myself a good quality printer.
So before that I didn't have my own printer. We had one collectively as a business, but at that point I decided to buy my own printer and that kind of started me on that whole journey of creating my artwork, like digitally, or either photographing or scanning it and then adding quotes or whatever.
Delores Naskrent: 1:01:31
But at least I was able to make art in kind of groupings of, let's say, six or eight pieces. They were at that point I was still hand-cutting them with a little fret saw, if you can believe it, but I figured out how to mount the artwork onto the boards and then I had kind of a varnish that I would put on them and it really at that point had forced me into developing my first product line.
That was like the first of me ever producing something that I could produce in quantity, that didn't require me to hand paint individually.
So it really helped because it had me then getting into these other gift shops in our area and stuff started to sell. So that changed everything for me because it gave me the confidence that I needed to sell my product.
And that was before I ever even started doing craft fairs. So really that setback ended up being quite a boost. Once I looked at it later, you know what I mean.
Kaylie Edwards: 1:02:45
Oh, yeah, setbacks are unfortunately part of life, but, yeah, we all go through setbacks and it is awful when it happens. But then sometimes you can look back and go okay, yeah, it was horrible, but it helped me grow in a different way and gave me opportunities I probably would never have saw if I'd carried on with that.
And I think that's one takeaway you can take.
To wrap up, turning your creative hobby into a side business is not just achievable. It's a journey filled with excitement and growth and, yes, setbacks, but it is full of joy if you really look at it, and by identifying your niche, starting small and celebrating every step along the way, you can build something truly beautiful.
Delores Naskrent: 1:03:37
Absolutely, and I thank you for joining us today and listening to us talk on and on about this. But remember, no matter what point you're at right now, it's never too late to pursue your passions and turn them into something truly rewarding.
Kaylie Edwards: Absolutely.
Delores Naskrent: If anybody wants to hone their creative digital art skills, definitely check out my school. You can find courses for all skill levels. Honestly, I start at the very basics and take you into some really involved kind of projects. I'd love to have you there.
Kaylie Edwards: 1:04:15
Yes, she has an awesome school, so I will link that below. If you found this episode helpful, please leave us a review or share it with someone who might benefit.
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode Until next time. Keep creating, keep juggling and, most importantly, keep finding joy in the process. There's joy in the journey, even on the craziest days.