Work through Discomfort in Your Creative Business
Image inspired by the Ten of Swords in the tarot representing exhaustion, burn out, defeat
Discomfort in our creative business is never easy. Whether sales are slow, things aren’t happening, you’re overwhelmed, or questioning everything you’ve built or created.
After a challenging year, I’ve been pushed into discomfort zones that forced me to look at myself and my business in-depth. First, I needed to better understand what was happening and why. What was working, what wasn’t, and how can I explore other avenues of opportunity to keep paying the bills. And even WHY I wasn’t seeing opportunities that would help.
Then it got a little deeper to where I was exploring the idea of how I could build a business that is more authentic & unique to me. One that was more aligned with my values. Even questioning if a product-based business was right for me.
In this blog post, I’ll share the changes I’m making and the path that led me. I hope that it offers some insights for your business or creative efforts and to know that you’re not alone if you’re facing this.
If you’d rather watch the TLDR video update, feel free. But I get into more details below.
Building our foundations
When we start business, often, we build our foundation based on those who have blazed that trail before us, which forms our opinion of what we THINK it should look like. (Maybe that’s just me?) So we create. We experiment. We improve. We see success. Perfect! We’re on our way.
But then things stop working for us.
The economy changes. Our buyer behaviour changes. Our interests or passions for something changes. So then what?
Enter mid-life crisis. But, for business. Mid-business crisis?
That’s when the big scary questions start to happen, followed by even tougher decisions. Whether we like it or not. Whether we’re ready or not. Panic might set in & we may start making strange decisions. This is when it’s time to stop. This is what I wished I had been warned about before I starting my business. Building it is the “easy” part.
Until it’s time to let go.
After some time, maybe years, we come to conclusions about what feels right. What makes financial sense. What the numbers are telling us. And that’s when we have to start letting go.
This is really tough. No matter how much you’re excited about the idea.
It feels like we’re chopping away at our business foundation, worrying it will crumble to dust with the first hit of the hammer. Maybe it will. But maybe it will free up time, space, energy, and money for something better? This is where we must have faith. Faith in our instincts. Faith in our leadership. Faith that we’re doing our best and leaning into our greater good.
It’s ok to cry while laughing here. It’s a weird experience that spans the spectrum of emotion.
Opportunities await!
This is where it gets interesting. And where I’m currently at. What’s on the other side of these changes? This proverbial “break down”? I have no fucking idea.
But I do know, THIS is the place where YOUR and my authentic path is carved. And maybe why it’s so scary.
It might not be where you expected to go or where you feel you “should” be. But maybe this is better than what you envisioned? Maybe this will help your business and you, survive these hard times? Maybe this will lead to more success?
And there’s only one way to find out!
I’d like to think if you’re open to the changes, opportunities will be available to you.
So, with that, let’s get into the updates.
Discontinuing my Card Product Line
I had originally brought in greeting cards as it seemed like a natural step to expanding my catalogue. I loved the analog aspect to cards, the personalized touch of hand writing, & I’m a sucker for paper goods. I am a graphic designer after all.
So I designed and brought in some cards as a starting point, making sure to not invest in hundreds of designs or large volume of inventory to test the waters.
They sold. But sales just weren’t strong enough so I thought by boosting the line with more designs, I would see a shift. It never happened.
So I had to check in with a few things before officially making the decision.
Have I given this line a solid shot at sales?
Do I have enough in the lineup?
Am I capturing more than a year’s worth of data?
Can I compete with what’s currently on the market?
Am I truly passionate about designing greeting cards? Or am I doing it because everyone else is doing it?
What does it take to bring these to market?
Design (and are they unique to me & the market)
Photography (and how complex)
Storage (requiring more than stickers due to the envelopes & sleeves)
Shipping (bulkier, esp when ordered in volume)
Big questions that churned up some uncomfortable answers.
I sat on the answers for some months before deciding that my heart was not in it and the effort to bring these to market, without much payoff, made it time to let this line go.
When I was able to remove emotion and fear from this decision and base it in a place of reason, logic, and alignment (or realignment) to my true passions, it really became clear as to what I needed to do. I still didn’t like it. And I don’t know where it’ll take me or what might replace this line - if at all. But I have to trust it’ll be good in the end.
Opening the door to commercial illustration work
My graphic design career was sprinkled with freelance work. Much of that work was taken on for experience to build my portfolio and extra cash. But it was never fulfilling work and the clients I attracted weren’t right for me. (I go into this in another video about landing dreams clients). I felt like I couldn’t please them or deliver something that would help reach their goals. And the pay wasn’t great which made it more difficult to do so.
Over the years though, I’ve come to understand what actual collaboration looks like, how to flesh out the needs of (and share ideas with) a client, and what I needed to change to improve the experience for all of us involved.
I also have more confidence coming to the table with my experience, lessons, & leadership, which has truly helped new work become more collaborative and successful.
While I’ve dipped my toe in freelance work for a number of years since opening my own business, I was always weary of officially offering it. I was letting my previous experience with client work and my lack of self worth, hold me back and keep this door relatively closed. Without even being aware of it.
However, with the help of a coach, I was able to understand that I can have good freelance experiences if I:
align myself to the projects I want to work on
identify what clients are a fit and which ones aren’t
have policies in place to help me set healthy boundaries
understand my own value & worth is, and know how to stand up for that
know what my minimum engagement level is so I avoid wasting energy & time on projects that don’t have a solid starting point or budget in mind.
In considering all of this, I decided that I could open myself up again and so far, it’s been a wonderful new source of income I probably wouldn’t have explored had I not been forced to look at other avenues of income and my own self-limiting beliefs.
So, know of a business that’s looking for commercial illustration work? Contact me!
Stepping out of comfort zones without fear
When we’re faced with moments of discomfort in our creative business, it is a call to check-in with ourselves and our business health. Even lead us to new, and possibly better, places. Despite what the end result of this exploration is.
Discomfort and stagnation are opportunities to explore. Not to bypass our feelings, but as an action to take after we’ve dealt with the emotions of sadness, frustration, failures, doubt, fear…all of them are valid here.
To work through them, ask yourself:
What’s working and what’s not?
Are you feeling aligned with what you’re doing?
Are there limiting beliefs to work through in order to move forward?
What other opportunities exist that you’re overlooking or haven’t explored yet?
Do you need a break – and can you afford to take some time for yourself now?
Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, our business may fail completely. Which is the worst fear of every business owner. I’ve seen this happen so much over the last few years with brands I’ve followed, supported, and loved. It’s hard! So I’m trying my best to avoid that myself.
But I do hope that, even if discomfort leads me or you to close up shop, I can only hope it leads us to a beautiful new place that offers ease, fulfillment, and success.
Where has discomfort led you & your business?
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