Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in arts & crafts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sarah Johnson, Founder, 3D Paper Designer & Illustrator of EssyJae, located in Idaho Falls, ID, USA.

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

My business is called EssyJae, and I design 3D paper craft projects and video tutorials. I focus on designing what are called SVG cut files, which is a file type that can be used in electronic cutting machines and in vector software. My customers are creative people who want to do fun projects for holidays, birthdays, and other events but want to skip directly to the fun part of doing the project without needing to spend time designing it.

Tell us about yourself

I've always done a lot of creative activities and crafts, but my YouTube channel is what got me started on this particular endeavor. I began creating craft videos in 2011 while I was in high school and eventually narrowed to the subject of paper crafts, mostly 3D projects. I received a Cricut as a Christmas gift in 2016, and in 2017 I began designing paper crafts formatted for these cutting machines so others who had them could do my projects, too. I believe being creative is a powerful thing and brings a lot of joy in life! It is very motivational to me that I can have this creative outlet while also helping others explore their own creativity and benefit from it. I also absolutely love to see all the wonderful things my customers do with my designs!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I'm proud to have designed over 125 designs which have achieved over 20,000 sales, but ultimately I feel my biggest accomplishment is getting to a level where my earnings support and allow me to continue to do this. Getting here felt really out of reach in the earlier years, so I'm very grateful for this.

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

One of the hardest things about being a business owner is being "on call" for your business 24/7. When you work for someone else, typically, you can clock out for the day and stop working until you return and clock in the next day. When you're the business owner, you are responsible for dealing with any issues that may arise with your business day and night. It can also be difficult to allow yourself to shut things off and take time to relax.

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

  1. Learn SEO and how to best optimize your products so people can find them. Best practices can vary a lot depending on the platform you're selling on, so be sure to research your specific platform if you're not using your own website. Having things optimized makes a huge difference in whether your customers can find your items.
  2. Don't give up without giving an idea a chance (and enough time) to succeed. It's tempting to move on when you don't see immediate results from something. Most businesses have a slower start than it appears from the outside looking in. Slow and steady can win the race!
  3. Put your best effort into everything you do and only sell things you know are quality and original. Your customers will recognize the quality of your items and service, and you will be happy knowing you are serving your customers well.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://essyjae.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/essyjae
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/essyjae/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahejohnson11/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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