Ink Tuesday, Month 3: Giving My Artist Shop a Refresh

Trying to start a brand from scratch while still having a day job is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Some months it feels like I have all the time in the world, and others I’m lucky if I get enough sleep and food in me, let alone work towards my side hustle. Despite my obstacles, this past October, I was still able to put out Ink Tuesday content, go viral once with a TikTok video that receivedRead more

Ink Tuesday, Month 2: My First Sale, the TikTok Algorithm, and More

Starting a brand from scratch is thrilling, but after that initial enthusiasm wears off, things get progressively harder. Especially when you don’t see much success posting online to keep you motivated. It’s easy to get frustrated making artwork no one sees. This is part of what I experienced during Month 2 of Ink Tuesday, my 365 project where I freehand paint for 52 weeks straight. Even though I didn’t see the kind of growth I wanted during September, I’m stillRead more

Three Ways to Make Money at Threadless

For many members of the Threadless community, making art is a lifelong passion. But how does an artist turn that passion into not just money, but a reliable source of income? That’s what Threadless focuses on since we set up shop more than two decades ago. Over the years, we’ve partnered with thousands of independent artists, many of whom experienced great success. Some have even gone on to create their own businesses. And we couldn’t be more excited! If you’reRead more

Curating Gift Guides for Your Artist Shop

As a small business owner, you know how important it is to utilize every tool you have — newsletters, social media, a promotion schedule, and keeping your shop up to date with your latest designs. It can be overwhelming, but there are easier ways to elevate your customer’s shopping experience in your shop without thinking about it too much. This is where curating a gift guide for your customers comes in! Finding your target audience Gift guides are a greatRead more

Four Painless Ways to Grow Your Email Marketing List

The good news about email marketing: it’s an easy way to leverage data to better communicate with your customers and drive sales. The bad news? When you’re not actively adding new contacts to your list, you’re slowly losing them. (People opt-out of your communications, change email addresses, and abandon old accounts.) Even as you’re adding fresh emails, your overall list could be shrinking. That’s why it’s imperative to diligently collect contacts on an ongoing basis. These two guides are incrediblyRead more