Author Archive
This contributor post was written by Vanessa of Thrift Core.
Do you long to fly free doing what you love?
Of course you do. It’s the American Dream, and it’s not some ethereal fantasy; it’s attainable. If you hate your day job and long to create full time, quit!
It’s always going to be scary to leave a “real” job with a steady paycheck. Every successful artist will tell you of times of self-doubt and fear of going broke. It takes sacrifice to live your dreams. So while you still have a steady job, here is something to help move you forward toward your dream.
The following three action steps will help you prepare for your career as an artist or freelancer while you’re still working a day job:
1. Plan Every Day: Dedicate at least 30 minutes per day toward your goal of leaving the day job. You can read inspiring business stories or work on your product. Be consistent and dedicate time to making your dreams a reality.
2. Work Part-Time: Set up your online shop, sell at art fairs or get yourself set up in galleries or boutiques. Whatever your dream is, do it part time while you work the day job. This isn’t easy, but it does more than help you get established. It’ll help you figure out what path to take. You never know if you’ll like the job until you actually try it!
3. Write Your Business Plan: No matter how small your operation is, you need a write your business plan. It will help you determine how you’ll earn money, pay the bills, and so much more.
Hint: Set a Date Think about a comfortable date to leave your day job, and mark it on your calendar. Even if it’s years from now, giving yourself a date to work toward will keep you motivated.
Remember the Strangest Secret To Success: We Are What We Think About. Keep your dream on your mind, and failure is impossible.
Let’s make 2012 the year we do what we love.
–
*image above She Looks for Adventure
Vanessa wrote this post. She left her job as a fulltime copywriter and webmarketer and has made a career out of her passion for art, creativity, and thrift. She writes about thrifting, creating, and saving money every weekday on her blog, Thrift Core.
As a retailer, you should prepare months in advance for the Holiday season, but this doesn’t mean you can’t increase sales if you’re late to the game.
These 5 Quick and easy Action Steps will help you make more Holiday Sales this season:
1. “Hey, did I mention it’s the Holiday season?”
Do This: Sprinkle reminders you so happen to have a holiday sale and some holiday stock that would be perfect for gift-giving in your blog and social media posts.
2. Create a Holiday Sale for your online shop.
Do This: Get creative and make a fun holiday sale for your shoppers to enjoy, then promote it on your blog and social media sites.
3. Ask to Host Holiday Giveaways
Do This: Ask blogger friends if they’d be willing to host a Holiday giveaway for you, maybe you can do an exchange, too.
4. Make Gift Guides
Do This: Divide your shop into fun gift guides: for him, for her, for the kids, for tech-lovers, etc.
5. Make it seen: add buttons to your site
Do This: Add a prominent button on your blog or website to remind shoppers that you have holiday gifts available for sale.
Everyone’s looking for something handmade and special for friends right now, it’s up to you to remind them that you’ve got what they need. Just be natural and have fun. Don’t push too hard, you deserve to do some Holiday celebrating and R&R of your own!
(Just take notes on the experience now and get ahead on making Holiday merchandise with the new year!)
image credit Jolliest of Jollies letterpress print
Vanessa wrote this post. She is a full time copywriter and webmarketer with a passion for art, creativity, and thrift. She writes about thrifting, creating, and saving money every weekday on her blog, Thrift Core.
We love to pile hundreds of tasks onto our overflowing proverbial plates. Creatives are passionate, you become obsessed with your work and unable to stop.
But you have to remember that your work suffers when you push yourself until you’re strung out.
So, here’s what you should do to avoid burn out:
Don’t slack, schedule your tasks and hit them. And when you’re done, stop. Don’t work 24/7. It’s easy to do as a freelancer or creative, but don’t. When your list is done, stop and reward yourself. Do something simple that you love: read during a bubble bath, enjoy a pot of tea with friends, or vegetate on some horror flicks in a dark room (one of my favorite rewards!).
Finish a big project? Did you score and exceed your sales expectations? Go out to dinner, get your nails done, or buy that little thing you’ve been wanting.
Remember: In a way, our work is out life, but don’t forget that we’re working to enjoy our lives! On that note, I’m stopping now to watch some horror movie goodness.
How will you treat yourself this week?
Leave your response in the comments below.
image credit Take Time to Do…
Vanessa wrote this post. She is a full time copywriter and webmarketer with a passion for art, creativity, and thrift. She writes about thrifting, creating, and saving money every weekday on her blog, Thrift Core.
This contributor post was written by Vanessa of Thrift Core.
You just can’t do it anymore. Every time you clock in at the day job, your soul dies a little bit more. I know because until last week I was right there with you, working as a writer in a cubicle. Now I’m a freelance writer, PR assistant and artist and I want to give you advise of leaving the day job, too.
I wasn’t too hasty, you shouldn’t be, either. Here are 5 Ways to Tell You’re Ready to Quit the Day Job and become a full time Creative:
1. You’re Making Money From Your Creative Efforts
Do you have a steady revenue stream coming in from your creative endeavors? Are you positive that you can make more if you were able to transition to it completely? If so, you’re ready to go!
2. You Can See Yourself Doing Your Creative Self-Employed Work for Years
Turning your crafty hobbies into full time work could take the magic out of it for you. You need to be able to see yourself doing your creative job for years without it losing its allure.
3. You Already Have a Five-Year Business Plan Ready
A business plan is essential before you fly free. If you need help writing a business plan, I highly recommend Brittni’s Track This if you need help writing a business plan.
4. You’ve Already Put in Years of Hard Work
I didn’t blindly quit my day job without a safety net in place. I’ve been working hard at networking in the art community, building up clients, and building up my side-business for almost as long as I’ve been employed as a webmarketer. Sometimes it took working 80 hour work weeks (50 at the office, 30 more at home!) to make this happen, but it was all worth it in the end.
5. You Can’t Focus at Work; All You Think About is Your Creative Job
This is a big one. Sometimes it will get to the point that you just CAN’T cut your day job anymore. If your creative work is all you can think of, you need to put that energy into it so you can move forward.
If the five above facts apply to you it’s time to move on to becoming a full time creative. I know how you feel, you’ve completely outgrown the “nest” that was your work. It’s time to fly free.
Good luck, and remember to tackle your new creative career with the same dedication you gave to your former boss!
image Quit your Day Job
Vanessa wrote this post. She is a full time copywriter and webmarketer with a passion for art, creativity, and thrift. She writes about thrifting, creating, and saving money every weekday on her blog, Thrift Core.
This contributor post was written by Vanessa of Thrift Core.
You might be like me, in limbo. You’re still working full-time as a creative for “The Man” while your handmade business is growing out of control.
Assignments at work have to get done, meanwhile, opportunities are coming up left and right for your dream job. You struggle to do both, but just like weeding a vast lawn you’ve neglected all summer, the task is daunting and seemingly impossible.
During these hard times, I center myself. I remember to enjoy the “now”. In this internet-era we’re used to instant gratification and we want to hit our long-term creative business goals NOW, NOW, NOW; but we can’t. We can’t get where we want to be with our business goals TODAY, so we need to relax andenjoy the journey.
Do This:
If all of the deadlines are driving you crazy; stop working. You can’t make good art while you’re stressed, anyway.
Take a break: Brew yourself a cup of tea and do something effortless. Take notes, read a book, or write a less ambitious to-do list 
. Reflect on how far you’ve come and remember to enjoy the success you’ve already created.
Do this and you’ll work more effectively than if you try to power through with stressed-out, negative energy. (And talk to your boss and to get a day off when needed. These are busy times, they’ll understand!)
Vanessa wrote this post. She is a full time copywriter and webmarketer with a passion for art, creativity, and thrift. She writes about thrifting, creating, and saving money every weekday on her blog, Thrift Core.
Halloween is already a month away! What happened to September?
Halloween is my favorite holiday and I have so many crafting ideas in the pipeline, but deadlines and life got in the way…
That’s why I was happy to discover It’s in the Details on Etsy. They have paper goods for every occasion, and the Halloween-themed goods really hit it out of the park. My favorite is the candy corn garland, but everything in their shop is fun!
Special Discount: 20% discount on purchase (excludes shipping) when the coupon code PAPERNSTITCH is used upon checkout at Etsy.
Vanessa wrote this post. She is a full time copywriter and webmarketer with a passion for art, creativity, and thrift. She writes about thrifting, creating, and saving money every weekday on her blog, Thrift Core.
There’s an inspirational recording from the fifties called “The Strangest Secret.” It’s old, yet remains relevant. I’ll cut the fat from it for you and reveal The Strangest Secret to success right now (though it’s a good listen, check it out if you can)!
The Strangest Secret to Accomplishing Your Dreams:
“We become what we think about.”
This means you must keep your dream on your thoughts at all times to succeed.
Action Step for Achieving Your Dream: Keep a card with your dream written on it in your pocket at all times. Check your “dream card” often if that’s what it takes to keep your dream on your mind. That’s it.
I know this sounds like intangible optimistic nonsense from a new-age guidance counselor, but this works! Let me tell you how it worked for me. I wrote a post on my blog about my Dream Shop, in it I painted a vivid picture of the Brick and Mortar shop I’d love to open. When I wrote that post my dream shop was a pipe dream, as impossible as high-fiving my hero, the autobot leader Optimus Prime. Now it’s a reality.
I talked to people about my dream, people read the post and resonated with it. Then I received both monetary and volunteer support to transform my shop from an ethereal fantasy to a brick and mortar reality! And it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t broadcast my dreams.
Write about your dreams, tell your friends and family, and evangelize about your passions. We are what we think about; think about your dreams and failure will be impossible.
Vanessa wrote this post. She is a full time copywriter and webmarketer with a passion for art, creativity, and thrift. She writes about thrifting, creating, and saving money every weekday on her blog, Thrift Core.
