Entrepreneur At Home: My Creative Process

I must say, when I started this journey of having my own business and working from home, I didn’t imagine how it would work out or where it would take me. I’ve been doing this for about four years now, but I can say my process and business direction has changed more than once along the way.

If I was to give any one piece of advice at all in the world of entrepreneurial-ship, it would have to be “be adaptible”. Especially if you work from home, as is so often the case, your home environment changes, so why wouldn't your business or your process? Besides the fact that it’s always good business sense to examine how your business is flowing and readjust where necessary, at least once every year.

Of course, my business may be unique in that every step, every direction I take is directed and created by me. All of the stuff I have created and produced and shown online through Youtube, Instagram, my planner, my sticker shop, my blog, my portfolio is all made by my mind. There was never any collaboration with anyone else at any step in my process, which really creates a sense of freedom. I don’t need to check in with anyone, or on any project because it all belongs to me. It’s definitely freedom, as well as a sense of pride, whether I’ve succeeded or failed in something. Every failure should not be seen as a failure, but as a learning opportunity. I take those projects, or moments or ideas and turn them into a new thought or idea which has a new direction and flow, but it still stemmed from the original idea. Sometimes it’s not necessary to go back to the drawing board - you just need a new perspective or angle.

So you might ask me how I stay productive and in my creative mindset at home with kids. I can tell you that I don’t, at least not all the time. Again, it depends on what my kids are doing and where they are. My son might be at school, and my daughter is sleeping or playing quietly, so I’ll use that time to film a video, or simply to get some brainstorming in.

I have some amazing tools that I use, and which I have written about in previous blogs about online business, so please feel free to visit that section of my website. They help me with productivity, and definitely help in saving time and making me the best version of myself.

Since all my ideas are my own creations, I spend a lot of time on the brainstorming process. Sometimes a question or comment from one of my viewers will open my brain to more ideas. As soon as I think of these ideas, I jot them down. I keep a notes area in my planner at all times so I can be free to record these ideas as they arise. Reading books helps, browsing the internet and other social media sometimes de-fogs my brain.

Another thing I like to do is keep a learning notebook (aka: a commonplace book). If I read a book about an area that interests me, or maybe I pick up some good tips from a YouTube video, I record them in this book. You never know when one of those quotes or ideas will spark something. Creativity breeds creativity, and re-reading this book gives me new inspiration each time, depending on what project I’m currently working on. I have about five of these books now (I have used a B5 sized stitched notebook in the past, but I now currently use a Field Book).

Since I have been doing this for a couple of years now, I also use the data I’ve collected from my social sites and blogs to come up with new ideas. This is something that all YouTubers talk about in business strategy. It’s important to look at your analytics on a regular basis to see where you can improve, what your viewers like and what they maybe don’t like. This helps you determine where to steer next in any case and is very helpful. I would almost liken this to using a practice exam to study for an upcoming test (which is the one of the best ways to study by the way!)

One of the best ways to maintain clarity in my creative thoughts is to remain organized. I’m not just talking in a business sense. (Here you might be thinking, “All her files are organized along with her brush pens”). While that is true (LOL), since I work from home, I find having a clean work and home environment really helps me to think more clearly since it lessens the distraction. Have you ever been trying to write something and you just can’t stop thinking about the mess on your desk? Before you know it, you find yourself in a stationery re-organization mess instead of a finished piece of writing.

Besides for a clean and tidy work and/or home environment, it’s a MUST that I keep a planner. (Check out my latest setup here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7ndUNubqSU) , and, that planner has to be organized. I have it set up in a way that makes sense to me. I recently put my business info together with my personal stuff and it’s convenient, because I have it all in one place. There’s no searching in a separate area for anything, and I really like that; it’s a huge time saver.

Having all of the above items and organizational tools ends up helping you with the most important thing we will ever have: time. Organizing your time and making the most of it is essential to working from home, and more specifically, being an entrepreneur and working for yourself. If you think about it, all the time is your own when you work for yourself - any time you invest in your business is for you. So if you don’t have that drive or motivation, you’re not going to get anywhere. You need to make and set goals, and then actually get up and do the follow through. You shouldn’t expect someone else to help you with that or depend on someone else to give you that push. (It can help at the beginning, but you need to pick up the slack and follow through on your own merit).

The one thing that excites me is the changes that have taken place in my business over the last couple of years. I would never have thought to start new projects or open a sticker shop or blog if I hadn’t followed my passions. I don’t know what’s next for me around the corner, but I’m always open to new ideas. It’s exciting to think about starting a business, but it’s easy to get lost along the way. You need to think broader and long term and not just focus on the day-to-day activities. Trust me, they will consume you and take up all your time! It’s easy to get frustrated with new tech tools, and really, any part in the process. Make sure you ask experts in your field for help if you need it. (Sometimes this can be as easy as reaching out to fellow YouTubers in your niche and collaborating ideas). Also, any new learning tools you can pick up along the way are all helpful at some point. It keeps your mind fresh, and you might find a fantastic new way of doing something.

Keep going and try not to get discouraged. Being an entrepreneur and starting your own business can take time, and not everyone is an instant overnight success. Don’t give in to the internet trolls or the people in your life that say you can’t, because guess what? You can set your mind to do whatever you want! Don’t be afraid to take risks and always think outside the box!

💛 SAN