Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jenna Rose, artist, writer, and actor from  Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

I am an artist, writer, and actor. I create art that speaks to the dreamers, the feelers, the seekers, the visionaries- art that honours both our humanness and our infinite soul. My work is for the free spirit who feels the depths, beauty, and the calling of their soul during this short, precious life. The greatest gift we can offer the world is our freedom, and that freedom comes when we allow ourselves to be seen in all our glory- the highs and the lows, the beautiful complexity that exists within each of us.

I recently released the #1 Bestseller "Crashing Waves: Meditations to Set Yourself Free." The book is a companion on the healing journey towards freedom, offering solace, hope, and surrendering to the magic and mystery of this life. Crashing Waves is a reminder that we are free.

Tell us about yourself

I have been an artist for as long as I can remember, however when I moved to Toronto about five years ago, I got my first art show. I began creating heaps more work and finishing more work. Finishing is the key here- I have learned throughout my work and life that letting go of perfectionism is crucial to creating works that will actually have an impact. I have thrown so many types of spaghetti at the wall. Though my path has taken many different directions, I wouldn't take anything back. It has all been soul-led, and all continued my growth, expansion, and clarity.

For me, my career path has also been determined by my soul yearnings. I have never been very satisfied working for someone else, so for about the last ten years, I have found a way to work mostly for myself, wearing several hats, in order to maintain my independence freedom and live a fulfilling, artful life. I began acting about four years ago after writing a script about a personal story. I fell in love with the art form- as a spiritual practice and also a type of emotional expression and liberation I had never experienced before. Three years ago, after a heartbreak, I began writing poems. The writing evolved, and my focus evolved, and eventually, it led me to write the full book Crashing Waves.

I have always been a deep feeler, a lover of spiritual and personal growth, and someone who looks at the world through a dreamer's lens. Art, creativity, and spirituality have been my way to make sense of the world. I feel an intense need to create, to express the inner workings of my mind, body, and soul. I have gone through difficult periods of depression, trauma, suicidal thoughts, and art has been my way through. I think we each come into this world a little differently, and part of our journey is to make our own way through in a way that fuels us, keeps us going, and gives us meaning.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The biggest accomplishment I've had as a business owner was writing my own book. It is becoming a #1 Amazon Bestseller in the first week. I remember when I started the process and experienced many obstacles along the way, I told myself, once I have this book written and in my hands, I'll know I can do anything. It felt amazing bringing that dream to fruition.

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

One of the biggest challenges I've felt is taking a rest from my creative work mode. I think more creatives, entrepreneurs, and business owners can relate that unless you intentionally turn your brain off, your work feels like an extension of you and feels impossible to separate from. As an artist, I feel like every waking hour, and even in my dream state, I am looking for inspiration, sifting through every thought for worthy creative ideas.

I only got Wi-Fi for the first time this year, along with a projector and a boyfriend who loves just to lay back and enjoy the good times - these have all been amazing changes in my life that have allowed me to learn the value and necessity of rest, relaxation, pleasure, fun, and play.
It's an ongoing journey of learning and self-reflection, and I think that people who choose this path understand the value and have the capacity to work on their relationships with themselves.

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

  1. Do it! Do it. The world is truly waiting for you. You are the only one of you, and the way you are, who you are, and what you have to offer is needed.
  2. If you have a drive, a soul calling, a big vision, I believe that you have it for a reason and that it was entrusted to you because of your unique ability to bring it into the world.
  3. Throw spaghetti at the wall, keep trying, try new things, completely new things, follow what is calling to you. The greatest hindrance is indecisiveness. If you try and allow yourself to make mistakes or take the 'wrong path,' you will learn, grow and come closer and closer to your dreams and goals. Choosing the path of entrepreneurship, running your own business, and living an artful, soul-driven life, is not a clear and easy path, but it is a meaningful life, and if you have the desire, you have everything you need within you to make it happen.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Each person comes with gifts entrusted to them that only they can offer in their unique way. I believe it is the divine task of our lives to leave our soul's signature here on earth, to bring our visions into reality, and offer our gifts to elevate the human experience for all. You are innately unique, powerful, and have the ability to create your reality. I can't wait to see what you create.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.jennarose.online/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennarosebc/

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.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.