As I sit here and sip my coffee next to my kids getting ready for their first day of 8th and 4th grade I am feeling present to a door that is opening for us all.
After 10 years of running an Etsy and a year after creating my Shopify I launching my website today.
If I could tell my former self anything 10 years ago when I stumbled into the world of creative entrepreneur it would be to build an actual website.
Let me tell you exactly why.
Sustainable business growth is totally out of your control with shops like Etsy. Yes they do have an amazing shopping community. But you have no way of communicating with your collectors directly through an email list.
And while they do have SEO tools, sales events, and an easy listing process the missing element of an email list means 10 years of growth just slipped through my fingers. Will my collectors return? I can only hope so.
I have been blessed to have a thriving supportive Facebook community. My Facebook following ignited my full time artist career in 2020 when my serving job washed away with the pandemic.
For two years my sales grew. And for the past two years social media has become very problematic for small businesses and my sales have done a major backslide. I made the mistake of resting on my laurels relying on Facebook in lieu of an email list.
I dug my heels into the ground running ads and paying for advertisement on both sites. It wasn’t worth it. I couldn't come back from the social media restrictions. Collectors have had no way of staying connected to my evolution without a reliable platform of communication.
Now I find myself with my back against the wall getting a second job and launching an independent website. I’m building a solid foundation finally. It’s never too late y’all!
I should also add my ADHD had played a major role in my execution challenges.
ADHD has provided me the unique experience of being endlessly creative, fast thinking, independent, highly motivated, yet tragically unorganized and easily distracted. I have so many dreams and that’s part of the challenge with ADHD. I’ve conceptualized so many projects that never came to fruition.
Alas! I found medication. I now take 10mg of Adderall daily. I am finally executing the launch of my website (and so many other things I have struggled with). This isn’t a ad for Adderall. It’s simply my story. And I’m thankful for modern meds to keep up with the current capitalist society so many of us creatives struggle to keep up with.
It is my hope that this new website will be my springboard back to expansion. The art continues. The dreams keep coming. I hope to see you on the other side!
Thank you all for sticking with me over the years. I am because you are.
🌟Please subscribe to my website email list and take 25% off any order of $120 or more🌟