Have you ever played around with the thought of quitting your current job to start your own business? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! A survey says 44% of workers quit their jobs because they want better wages and benefits, 42% want to focus on their health, and 41% desire a more rewarding career.
Unsurprisingly, there has been a visible increase in startups, especially during the pandemic. Many have lost their jobs, and some simply got lethargic with the long hours of work in a corporate setting. Also, physical and mental challenges are factors when it comes to employment burnout.
“Art is a powerful medium to inspire people and touch other people’s lives.”
– The Art of Mar
Marianne Rabang (26), also known as ‘The Art of Mar’ in YouTube, is an artist and a local stationery business owner from Ilocos Sur. Like many business owners who are former corporate employees, she was constantly stressed and exhausted.
“Ever since I was young, I always wanted to keep doing art. But this stopped when I was studying in UP Baguio for university and had to focus on my academics. But during this time, I was also surrounded by art as a way of life,” Rabang said. “Since Baguio City was really filled with creative people, various artistic and creative careers are widely accepted and sometimes even encouraged. So that really had a huge impact on me and how I viewed life as an artist.”
Starting a stationery business
It was only a few years after graduation that Rabang decided to pursue an art-related career and a business that is related to creativity. Aside from her fascination and love for art, another factor which lit her passion in this craft were art business videos and blogs that she read and watched online.
It was also around this time that her brother told her that there were plenty of sticker cons, anime cons, and kpop cons — which just includes some of her interests — that are popular in metropolitan Manila. These events give artists opportunities to exhibit their creations with people who share the same interests with them. Also, conventions like these help artists to obtain profit from the artworks that they crafted with hard work.
“I’ve always loved collecting art and stickers ever since I was young. I wanted a business that was well-suited with my skill set, with my resources, with my talents, and my interests. The thing that I really like about it is if my products do not sell, I can always use them for my own projects, and I can always gift them to my friends.” said Rabang. “It’s a win-win situation for me.”
Rabang also emphasized her love of art, and she will keep doing art as a means to spread positivity and encouragement to other people.
[ALSO READ: Stable Businesses During the Pandemic]
Inspiration from everyday life
Creator’s block is something that many, if not everyone, in the creative community experience. It is nothing new. However, it can greatly affect a creative if he or she will allow it to take over his or her time. A creator’s block is ‘a condition in which an artist or a creative is unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown’. For Art of Mar, this is something that comes often.
“It usually takes a while for me sometimes to come up with fresh ideas which are different from the ones that I did before,” she says. “I think, sometimes when there are personal struggles or challenges in our lives, it also affects our art and affects the quality of the products that we put out there.”
Rabang handles the creator’s block as a way to take a rest. She recommends stepping back, and if you feel that it is taking too long to pass and is affecting your motivation — just grab your art materials and do it. “Because building discipline is so much more efficient and effective than relying on motivation alone.” says Rabang.
“Start even before you feel like you’re ready!”
“No one will ever be fully ready for everything,” said The Art of Mar when asked for advice about those who would like to start their own sticker or stationery business. The following are the three tips she shared:
1. Always be open to learning.
There are so many artists out there that you can learn from, even those business owners who are not in the stationery industry. The Art of Mar suggests to surround yourself with content that is related to small businesses. Observe how they market products, and how they interact with their customers. Also, take note of what products are selling the most and see what works for them and try it out for yourself.
“Of course, you have to know that things work differently for each shop, so you also have to experiment.” she emphasizes.
2. Put yourself out there.
“Make your own social media accounts, like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and even Twitter. But if it gets too overwhelming, I suggest you focus on one or two of these social media platforms and try to grow it from there.” She also suggests to follow other artists to be inspired and help you practice.
“But never copy, never trace, and never ever plagiarize other artist’s work because respect begets respect!” The Art of Mar said. She also says to have a regular posting schedule. Moreover, one of the things that she likes the most is meeting other artists through the help of social media.
3. Learn to communicate with your audience.
Rabang advises to build real connections with your audience and to not treat them as a transactional thing where they just buy from you and that’s it. Ask them questions about what they want to see, get to know them well, but don’t lose yourself in the process. Communication is not only the key to establish connections with your audience, but it also helps in giving clarity to the outputs that they want to purchase.
“Always remember that life is so much more than just generating profit, but it is also about giving value to people and making their life a little bit better in your own small way.” Rabang said. “…I wish I started [an] art and stationery business sooner, but resources don’t come available for everyone at a specific point in time. So if you are still wondering if this kind of business is right or not right for you, I suggest you just try it out! You can have your own equipment or you can have them outsourced – it’s up to you and just see where it takes you.”
Generally for those who are just starting out this kind of business, the proper tools are what will really help you jumpstart your business. There are tons of printers, inks, and sticker papers to choose from, but consider looking out for bundles and packages that will really save you the time, effort, and money on whether this printer will work for a certain print, or if an ink is suitable for this kind of paper and whatnot.
The reality is you never really know until you try. But one thing is for sure, whatever your decision may be, there will always be people who will root for you and will see your true potential. The life of a sticker business owner or any business in general will always have ups and downs, but don’t be that startup owner who becomes disarrayed when something doesn’t go their way. Stay focused on what you want to achieve, be open for learning and criticism, and always be prepared for possibilities. That way, you may just be perfectly ready to start and take your business to succeed in the long run!
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