Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fine arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Abigail Penner, founder of Abigail E. P. LLC., located in Lincoln, NE, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am an illustrator in Lincoln, Nebraska, I use she/her pronouns, and I have a broken brain and a broken body. I draw things that my broken brain tells my broken body, usually a lot of monsters. It turns out that a lot of people have monsters, and it’s nice that we can share in that darkness together. It makes it seem a little less scary, maybe even a bit friendly. Not all the way, but at least a little bit. My customers are vulnerable and caring, bright, sensitive, and resilient. I am in the business of feeling deeply, with art on the side.

Tell us about yourself

I was studying fine art at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, but I had to drop out because of my chronic illness. My pain was preventing me from keeping up with the courses…I just couldn’t physically do it, and there was no way around it. It wasn’t so much of me starting a business as it was me not having any other options. I could draw, and my boyfriend could make websites; it just made sense. I think the fact that I am literally not good at anything other than drawing and making coffee motivates me to succeed in my business because there’s not much else for me. I don’t know who I am without drawing, you know? I don’t even know if I’m motivated to “succeed” with my business, so much as I’m motivated by the connections I’ve made through my drawings. The people on this planet are really amazing, and I think if I lost those relationships, it would be really devastating.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Honestly, the biggest accomplishment was when I was able to hire my husband (the web designer, of course, I married him) to work with me full-time. Ever since we met, he’d been working at jobs that just weren’t very fulfilling for him and didn’t value him. And if you ever met Cam Penner, you’d understand how much value he has. He now works with me in a Creative Director type role; it’s just the two of us, so there are not really titles. But I thought that sounded nice. He also gets to work at our favorite brewery and learn about beer and brewing (his other passion); it just feels like he’s finally settling into who he’s always been. It’s really nice. God, I like him.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I mean, have you ever tried to buy a house as a small business? Nearly impossible, hahaha. I think outside of material things, the hardest part of owning a business is knowing that it’s all on you. If there’s a mistake that’s made, you have to figure it out. Sometimes it feels like there are so many eyes on you, and they’re all watching you rise and fall, and you’re not sure who’s rooting for you and who’s waiting for you to fail. And then, when you think those thoughts, you wonder what part of your brain is telling you the truth and what part of it is lying. And then, when you realize you have a brain that is this messy, you wonder if you should even be in charge of a business at all. I guess we call that imposter syndrome. But it feels like there should be more words for that. It’s just that kind of sinking feeling you get in your chest when you have no idea what you’re doing, but your family and your bills kind of depend on you to keep doing it.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

I don’t think anyone should listen to me about anything because I am a true dumb dumb. But if someone was super insistent on getting advice from me, I guess the first thing I’d tell them to do for their business would be to hire a CFO. Navigating business ownership is already hard enough; give yourself a break and pay someone to do your taxes. I would also say to surround yourself with people who believe in you. You know, when you’re starting, and you don’t know if you’re going to make a single sale, make sure you have a friend that’s going to buy something and gas you up and be that first customer. You deserve to have friends who will do that for you, and then on those days that there are no sales, you still have their hands to hold, and they’ll still gas you up because you deserve that, too. The last thing I would say is to have a heart with it. I mean, at least I think. I think having heart in your business makes it all worth it, but then again, you could invent the next paperclip and become filthy rich. Remember me when you’re at the top.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Since it’s AAPI heritage month, I’d like to share two of my very favorite Asian American artists (and friends): Lindsey Yoneda and Pha Nguyen. Lindsey is currently apprenticing at Iron Brush Tattoo in Lincoln, NE, and when I tell you, she’s good…I want her drawings tattooed on my stomach, on my face, on my throat; I want my mom to get Lindsey’s art tattooed on her; hell, I’d even pay my grandma to do it. She’s selling some work (prints and shirts) with donations going to Stop AAPI Hate (a coalition addressing anti-Asian discrimination and hate in the US), and it’s beautiful. And she’s beautiful. And she’s funny, and she’s kind and has the best style and great taste in music. We love Lindsey.

Pha Nguyen is a photographer based in Lincoln, NE, and everyone loves him. Pha has been one of the best friends a human could ever ask for. Not only is he a dear friend, but he’s also genuinely, to me, the best photographer on the planet. I’ve had the pleasure of him doing my wedding photos, family photos, merch photos, headshots, you name it, it’s Pha Nguyen. He’s currently doing a lot of weddings and commercial shoots. He makes everything look like it’s in heaven, and he makes you feel like you deserve good things. Both photographs I used in this article are Pha Nguyen.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://abigailep.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abigailepenner
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abigailepenner/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/abigailepenner
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigail-ervin-penner/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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