Small Business, Big Impact

NA.Creatives x Esther21

If you follow along on Instagram, you may have noticed this week was packed with some cool collabs! This weekend, I got to collab with a sweet friend of mine and was able to share my story of my small business with her + her readers over at esther21.com!

Below you'll find my post that I wrote for her blog! Read all entire post for a sweet surprise!

Hi everybody! 

My name is Nicolette and I’m so excited to be sharing a little bit about my journey as a small business owner with you! Esther was literally there with me since Day 1 when I first decided to sell my sticker designs on Redbubble. It was actually her encouragement that made me take the leap of faith to begin doing that and what got me pursuing this business (yay for freshman roomies!). 

I’ve actually been an artist/creative all my life. Before launching NA.Creatives, my art was a way to decompress and I rarely, if ever, shared it with anyone. It wasn’t until I met Esther and so many other encouraging people at Azusa Pacific University, that I realized I could take my passion and share it with my community. 

When I launched my Redbubble account (a great place if you just wanna get your feet wet), I knew I had little to lose, and soon after that I felt like I wanted to grow, I just didn’t know-how. I created a separate account to share all my art and use it as a source of encouragement on other people’s feeds. I’ve always wanted my art to create a sense of community and to empower other people, especially young girls/women. All of my art, whether its stickers, art prints, or paintings, is made with the intent to make someone smile and to somehow show them that they are loved! 

Since quarantine started, I’ve shipped to nearly 20 states and even Canada! Every time I get an order, I can’t help but smile and do a little dance because I know all my hard work is paying off.

Not every day is all sunshine and rainbows though, some weeks I barely make one or two orders, and sometimes I lose all creative energy which can really bring me down. When I hit a creative block, I recenter myself on Jesus’ love and refuel myself with him so I can pour out to others again. I’ve learned to try to not force myself to create when I don’t think I can. Doing this is the fastest way I have personally experienced burn out. Give yourself permission to rest. 

For anyone looking to start a business, find your niche, and do what you love. Whether it’s photography, jewelry making, or clay art! Having a small business comes with its hardships, but I can imagine it being 100x harder when you’re not completely in love with what you get to do! Packaging and branding are WAY more important than you think. Opening products that were packaged with love and care make the customer experience so much more memorable and make them want to come back for more. Branding yourself makes your small business recognizable and easy to spot. Plus packaging supplies don’t have to be anything crazy, they can be things bought from the dollar tree/spot. Also, never be afraid to ask questions! 

Check out my website: www.nacreatives.com  

Or shop my ETSY: NACreatives 

Instagram: na.creatives

TikTok: NA.Creatives 

If you made it to the end, congratulations! Check out the exclusive sticker found ONLY on the na.creatives website!

Use code ESTHER21 to recieve a special discount on the stikcer!

Click here to be directed to the sticker!