pov: a 23 y/o business owner ✿ designing a new collection & making my first plushie! #studiovlog

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28 Apr 202416:19

Summary

TLDRIn this engaging vlog, artist and small business owner Tammy shares her journey to relaunch her art shop with a new business model. Transitioning from made-to-order to made-to-stock, she plans a limited drop of pre-made items and incorporates outsourced manufactured goods she designs, like plushies and lamps. Tammy uses Milanote for project organization, showcasing her creative process, from sketching new characters to sculpting and pottery. She candidly discusses the challenges of self-employment, emphasizing self-care and the importance of process over perfection. The vlog offers a behind-the-scenes look at her work-life balance, manufacturing inquiries, and陶designs, ending with her first plushy sample order and a peek at her Notability sticker pack project.

Takeaways

🎨 Tammy is an artist who runs a small art shop that was closed for a few months but is now preparing to reopen.
🛍️ She is changing her business model from made-to-order to made-to-stock, with a limited drop of pre-made items ready to ship.
🔄 Tammy plans to include more outsourced manufactured items that she designs, such as plushies, lamps, and stationery, alongside her handmade crafts.
📋 She uses Milanote to organize her shop launch, which helps her visually plan and track her tasks and ideas.
🎨 Tammy is working on new character designs for her upcoming launch, including a bunny cake and a peach Maxine sculpture.
🍑 The peach Maxine sculpture is made from translucent clay to give it a jelly and glass-like appearance, which is a new technique for her.
🥚 Tammy emphasizes the importance of self-care for self-employed individuals, like taking breaks and eating well to avoid burnout.
💻 She is also exploring Alibaba for manufacturing plushies and other items, which is a new and challenging step in her business expansion.
🛠️ Tammy discusses the sampling process with manufacturers, which involves multiple rounds of feedback and adjustments, and can be costly.
🍲 She mentions the importance of taking care of oneself while working from home and the benefits of self-employment, such as getting more sleep and listening to her body's needs.
🖌️ Tammy is working on a pottery collection and a sticker pack for Notability, showing her versatility as an artist and her involvement in various creative projects.

Q & A

What is the name of the channel owner and what does she do?
-The name of the channel owner is Tammy, and she is an artist who runs a small Art Shop.
Why has Tammy's Art Shop been closed for a couple of months?
-Tammy's Art Shop has been closed because she has been taking a break, but she is now ready to open it again.
What major changes is Tammy planning to implement in her business model?
-Tammy is changing her business model from made-to-order to made-to-stock and she plans to include more outsourced manufactured items that she designs.
What is the tool Tammy is using to organize her May shop launch?
-Tammy is using Milanote to organize her May shop launch.
What is the purpose of the mood board in the center of Tammy's Milanote board?
-The mood board in the center represents the vibe Tammy wants for her shop launch, aiming for a summery, fresh Farmers Market feel.
What is the significance of the 2024 vision board for Tammy?
-The 2024 vision board helps Tammy stay grounded and reminds her of the goals she set for herself for the year.
What is the first task Tammy focuses on for creating her new products?
-The first task Tammy focuses on is making rough sketches of her new characters to determine what she wants to release next month.
What materials does Tammy plan to use for her peach Maxine and strawberry cake sculptures?
-Tammy plans to use translucent clay for the peach Maxine and strawberry cake sculptures and shade them with chalk pastels.
What is the process like for Tammy when working with manufacturers on Alibaba?
-The process involves submitting a design, waiting for a sample to be made and shipped, which costs around $100 per sample. If changes are needed, additional samples and costs are incurred.
What is Tammy's experience with ceramics compared to polymer clay?
-Ceramics is a different game from polymer clay because with polymer clay, Tammy knows exactly what it will look like before baking, whereas ceramics involve a longer process and more uncertainty.
What is the issue Tammy found with the ceramics she picked up?
-Tammy found glazing issues on the rim of some of her ceramics, which could affect their food safety.
What is the task Tammy is doing for Notability as their Ambassador?
-Tammy is designing a sticker pack for Notability for the back-to-school season, including academic and lifestyle stickers.
How does Tammy feel about her self-employment and its impact on her life?
-Tammy feels that self-employment has taught her to love herself more, allowing her to get more sleep, exercise, and listen to her body to avoid burnout.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Art Shop Reopening and Business Model Change

Tammy, the artist and owner of a small Art Shop, is reopening her business after a few months of break. She introduces her channel and shares her plans for a new launch that will differ significantly from her previous ones. Tammy explains her shift from a made-to-order business model to a made-to-stock model, which involves pre-making items for a limited drop. Additionally, she plans to include more outsourced manufactured items that she designs, such as plushies and lamps, while still hand-making items like polymer clay creations and ceramics. Tammy uses Milanote to organize her shop launch, which she finds visually pleasing and helpful for keeping track of tasks and ideas. She also discusses her vision board for 2024 and her excitement about the new direction of her business.

05:01

🛍️ Expanding Product Range with Outsourced Manufacturing

Tammy dives into the details of her new business direction, focusing on the inclusion of outsourced manufactured items in her product range. She shares her experience of designing and planning to outsource plushies and other items, which has been a long-term goal for her. Tammy discusses the process of working with manufacturers, which includes submitting inquiries and dealing with the costs and time involved in creating samples. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, she remains excited and optimistic about expanding her product offerings and the potential for growth in her business.

10:01

🤹‍♀️ Balancing Self-Employment with Self-Care

The paragraph highlights Tammy's journey as a self-employed individual, emphasizing the importance of self-care and work-life balance. She talks about the challenges of separating work from personal life when working from home and the need to intentionally set aside time for meals, breaks, and exercise. Tammy reflects on how being self-employed has taught her to love herself more by listening to her body and taking care of her physical and mental well-being. She also shares her experience of dealing with Alibaba for manufacturing, the time differences, and the process of ordering her first plushy sample.

15:03

🎨 Artistic Process and Overcoming Challenges

Tammy shares her experiences and insights from her artistic process, particularly focusing on the challenges and lessons learned from working with ceramics and polymer clay. She discusses the issues she encountered with glazing in her pottery and the differences between working with ceramics and polymer clay. Tammy emphasizes the importance of patience and the understanding that good things take time. She also talks about her work as a Notability Ambassador, her first illustration client work, and her plans to design a sticker pack for the back-to-school season.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Art Shop

An 'Art Shop' is a business that specializes in selling art-related items, often created by the owner or other artists. In the video's context, Tammy, the artist and business owner, is preparing to reopen her Art Shop after a break. The shop's reopening is a central theme of the video, as she discusses changes to her business model and the types of products she will offer.

💡Made to Order vs. Made to Stock

These terms refer to two different production and inventory management strategies. 'Made to Order' means products are manufactured once an order is received, while 'Made to Stock' involves producing items in advance and storing them for sale. Tammy is transitioning from the former to the latter model, which is a significant change allowing for quicker shipping and a more predictable inventory.

💡Outsourced Manufactured Items

This concept involves contracting external companies to produce goods based on the business owner's designs. Tammy mentions her intention to include more outsourced manufactured items in her shop, such as plushies and lamps, which she designs but cannot produce by hand. This indicates a shift towards a broader product range and a more scalable business model.

💡Polymer Clay

Polymer clay is a type of modeling clay that is popular for crafting and sculpting. Tammy plans to continue hand-making items from polymer clay, which is a key material for some of her art pieces. The mention of polymer clay highlights her commitment to handcrafted items despite the shift towards more manufactured products.

💡Ceramics

Ceramics refers to the art of making objects from clay that are then hardened by firing, usually at high temperatures. Tammy discusses her ceramics work, mentioning that she has pieces in the kiln, indicating that she is creating unique, handcrafted items that will be part of her shop's offerings.

💡Milanote

Milanote is a digital project management and organization tool. Tammy uses Milanote to plan her shop launch, mentioning how it helps her keep track of tasks and visualize her project's progress. Milanote's use in the video illustrates Tammy's approach to organizing her creative process and business operations.

💡Vision Board

A 'Vision Board' is a tool used to help visualize goals and aspirations, often consisting of images, words, or affirmations that represent what one wants to achieve. Tammy refers to her 2024 vision board, which serves as a constant reminder of her goals and helps her stay focused and motivated throughout the year.

💡Plushies

Plushies are soft toys made from plush material, often designed to resemble animals or characters. Tammy is excited about designing and manufacturing plushies, which are a new addition to her product line. The process of creating a plushy sample is highlighted in the video, showing Tammy's journey in expanding her business.

💡Alibaba

Alibaba is a Chinese multinational conglomerate known for its e-commerce platforms, which are used to source products and services, including manufacturing. Tammy mentions Alibaba when discussing her search for manufacturers to produce her plushies, illustrating the global nature of her supply chain.

💡Self-Employed

Being 'self-employed' means working for oneself rather than for an employer. Tammy reflects on the challenges and benefits of self-employment, such as the need to take care of oneself and the freedom to manage one's time. Her experiences highlight the personal growth and self-discipline required when running a business.

💡Notability

Notability is an app designed for note-taking, studying, and sketching. Tammy mentions that she is a Notability Ambassador and has been asked to design a sticker pack for the app. This part of the video showcases Tammy's involvement in other creative projects beyond her Art Shop.

Highlights

Tammy, an artist and small business owner, is reopening her art shop after a break.

She plans to change her business model from made-to-order to made-to-stock for her upcoming launch.

Tammy will introduce more outsourced manufactured items that she designs, such as plushies and lamps.

She continues to hand-make items like polymer clay creations and ceramics.

Tammy uses Milanote to organize her May shop launch, which she also used for previous launches.

She describes her shop's vibe as summery and compares it to a fresh Farmer's Market.

Tammy maintains a 2024 vision board to stay focused on her annual goals.

She discusses the process of sketching and sculpting new characters for her shop.

Tammy's idea for 'bunny cakes' involves creating layered fruit cake designs.

She sculpts a 'Peach Maxine' using translucent clay and chalk pastels for a realistic look.

Tammy emphasizes the importance of self-care while working from home and being self-employed.

She shares her experience of ordering her first plushy sample from Alibaba.

Tammy discusses the challenges and costs associated with the manufacturing sampling process.

She explores different manufacturers and communicates her fabric choices for a plushy project.

Tammy reflects on the patience required in the ceramics process and the lessons learned from it.

She shows her pottery pieces, discussing the glazing issues and food safety concerns.

Tammy works on client tasks, including editing a sponsorship and creating illustrations for Notability.

She shares sketches for a sticker pack designed for Notability's back-to-school season.