My first year of business, an honest reflection...
Share
As I round up my first year running Barley Designs, here’s a totally honest look at how it’s gone so far…
1. It’s way harder than I expected
I never thought starting a business would be easy, but I did think I’d be taking home a profit after a year. Not quite! I feel closer to that point now, but pouring your heart and soul into something and essentially working for free is tough.
At some point, I might need a side hustle to my side hustle, but I’m giving myself until Christmas to keep giving this my all.
What’s been harder than expected? Not the motivation or working alone, I have plenty of that. It’s growing a following, both on Instagram and via email. You quickly realise that art, even affordable art, isn’t a “must-have”, it’s a “nice-to-have.” And with the current economy, that’s a challenge.
I’m naturally an introvert, so reaching out to companies and facing rejection (or silence) can really knock my confidence. It’s something I know I’ll need to work on if I want to grow.
2. You can’t do it on your own
When I launched my business, a friend sent me this message:
“The main thing I’ve learned from working with entrepreneurs is that it’s hard to do it alone, but entrepreneurs are amazingly supportive of one another.”
They were right.
In January, I invested in an online art course. It was aimed more at fine artists than printmakers, but it helped me in so many ways; improving my website imagery, collecting reviews, refining email marketing and learning the importance of sending weekly newsletters.
One key lesson was about the funnel, the average website conversion rate is only 1–2% (for context, Amazon’s is around 74% for their Prime members). That means for every 100 people who visit your site, maybe one or two will buy. If you’re not getting enough people in at the top of the funnel, nothing will come out at the bottom. I'm currently at 1.75% conversion rate which isn't bad but I need to get lots more people in at the top end.
So since September, I’ve been investing in Meta ads. They’re helping me get more people to my website, more people purchasing and from there I can understand which prints resonate most and who my audience really is. There’s been a lot of testing with pricing and offers, so if things look like they’re changing often…that’s why!
3. It’s been fun and I’ve learnt so much
I wouldn’t still be doing this if I didn’t love it. I’ve always been fascinated by business; how they grow, how brands build identity. I’ve worked in marketing and events for years, and this business feels like all my skills coming together.
I absolutely love the creative side, coming up with ideas, designing new prints, experimenting with colour and lettering. Working for myself means I can follow my own rhythm. Some days I’m buzzing with ideas; other days I hide under a rock. Some days I quit (and have a bath). Some days I work late into the night.
4. The kindness of others
There have been some truly incredible people and organisations supporting me this year.
Yoga studio Mission invited me to do a pop up late last year. The charity From Me to You helped me distribute a cancer card survey over the summer. Melanoma Focus and Melanoma UK have both been so supportive, and I was thrilled when Altruist, a sun cream brand I really admire, wanted to collaborate on a giveaway. I was so proud to get four pages of coverage in the East Anglian Daily Times as well in May.
Taking part in the Super Seconds Festival and meeting other makers was a huge boost too, that sense of community and generosity is amazing. Friends have been endlessly supportive (one has commissioned about five prints!) and have kept me going when I’ve doubted myself.
5. I don’t think I’ll ever figure out instagram
I have a love, hate relationship with instagram. I’ve tried so many different strategies…and I'm no where near cracking it! I keep hoping for that one post to go viral, but I’m learning that slow, organic growth is best. I don't particularly enjoy myself being in videos and reels but I'm trying to get myself out there a bit more.
Competitions and collaborations have been the most effective way to reach new audiences, and my current plan is to share more about building the business itself. I’d love to know what you’d like to see more of too!
6. Things I need to work on
I’ll be honest if something pushes me out of my comfort zone, I tend to avoid it.
Reaching out to potential stockists is one of those things. I'm not the best at taking rejection, and that fear often holds me back. I will be working on this next year though.
I’ve also stepped back from doing fairs and markets this year. After doing three last year that took so much energy for little return, I’ve been hesitant. The work involved is huge, the costs, the logistics, the setup, the risk of damage. Next time you pass someone selling prints, remember the love and effort that goes into every stall.
7. Don’t ask me when I’m going back to work
Please don’t! I can’t tell you how hard I work on this business or how much space it takes up in my mind. Sure, it’s not paying the bills yet, but one day, I hope it will. This is my work.
So here’s to year two
I honestly don’t know where I’ll be this time next year. My dream is to reach the point where I can take a salary and eventually outsource printing and fulfilment.
I hope to collaborate with more brands, keep learning, and most importantly keep creating.
So here’s to year one, the learning, the late nights, the little wins, and everything in between. Thanks for being here on this crazy journey with me.