Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jazmin Welch, Owner of fleck creative studio, located in Hamilton, ON, Canada.

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

fleck creative studio is a book design company that creates and collaborates on books of all kinds, from novels, poetry, and non-fiction books, to kids' books, journals, planners, cookbooks, guidebooks, reports, and more for traditional and hybrid-model publishing clients, organizations, as well as self-publishing authors.

Tell us about yourself

I fell in love with book design while studying typography during my Fashion Communication undergrad at Ryerson University, but I had been nurturing various passions, such as a love of craft, illustration, paper products, and reading for a long time before that. It was the typography course that made me realize that all of my favourite things could come together in the world of publishing. Fast forward a few years, I began recognizing how many people want to be published authors but don't quite know how to do it or where to begin with design, so I knew that with my love of books and graphic design skills, there was an amazing opportunity to flourish with a book design business. That's when fleck really took off.

I have a friendly approach and teach my authors about publishing along the way, aiming to ensure the process is transparent and enjoyable for them. I love all the details involved in book design and really revel in the problem-solving challenge that each new book poses. Every day in my industry is completely different for this reason, and that keeps things interesting! I love what I do because I get to be part of making authors' dreams come true, which is incredibly rewarding.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

For me, it's the intangible quality of freedom. I'm at a place where I now have the gift of choosing who I want to collaborate with and the type of work I want to be part of. In the beginning, to make the business work, I needed to take everything on, but now that word-of-mouth referrals keep me busy all year, I can be more choosy with how I spend my time and working on things that don't just put food on the table but feed my soul too. Starting a four-day work week this past year is also a big accomplishment for me, and I'm loving it!

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

You're responsible for everything that goes well or poorly in the business, from the admin side, communications with clients, and customer care all the way down to execution, so it can often feel like there's a lot of pressure on you to do everything right. This can also lead to a sense of loneliness as you try to tackle things head-on as a boss, on your own, but I've learned to support myself with other folks in my industry with aligned values. Since we share the same approach to how we conduct our businesses, we can lean on each other for support, understanding, design tips, and business advice.

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

  1. You don't have to do it alone! Free yourself from any gatekeepers of industry knowledge, and find great people to connect with who have an abundance mindset. You will all grow together and lift each other up through shared knowledge.
  2. Starting a business isn't easy. When you see people on social media seemingly quit their jobs overnight, it likely wasn't that simple. You will need to take risks in business, but saving up 6 months of rent and expenses before quitting your day job isn't a bad idea!
  3. Keep the human connection. 99% of my business is word of mouth. I nurture fun and uplifting professional relationships with the people I work with, so regardless of my product and service, I know that people enjoy working with me. Being kind goes a really long way, and fostering the connections you make with people online is very valuable. By having discussions, sharing advice, and showing up authentically, those connections keep you in mind when they are ready to buy your product or service because they genuinely want to work with you and support you.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://fleckcreativestudio.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fleckcreative/

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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