Standing out Among the Ordinary

 

"Wish" Original painting by Jacy

Yay another Monday is here! Are you ready for the same ol' same ol'? Or are you ready for some change?

When it comes to making a name for your business, it is too easy to get swept away by every single piece of advice out there. For me, I often find myself changing things in my shop, blog or even in my artwork based on what I have heard from other people. Taking advice is great, but where's the line?

I was pondering about that this morning. Mondays are never easy, even working from home. The motivation is either there all the way or dead. But what keeps me positive and excited about getting work started is knowing who I am and what my business is. What I personally bring to the table of creativity.

To stand out among the crafting community is hard especially with the internet and all sorts of outlets. But there is one key factor that will always help you when you are trying to build a business: YOU!! Sounds so simple but there is no one else like you. Your individually and personality was made for a reason and a purpose. Once you embrace the kind of person you are and your business starts to reflect that, you will undoubtedly stand out among the ordinary.

"Farewell" Original Painting by Jacy

How many of us have spent countless hours searching through the creative pages of Etsy, marveling at other people's works and comparing what we do to what they do? How many of us even changed our entire shop appearance based on someone else's shop or even the products we feature because of someone else's idea? I am not saying that we cannot gain inspiration from our fellow peers. But we must not be creative-copy cats just in tune with the fads and trends of the handmade movement,

Being you, in all your uniqueness and quirkiness, is how your business will succeed because people are not just giving into how you do things but from what point of view you are doing them in. As an artist, I know I can go so many different directions. Abstract, mixed-media, oils etc. But I found out that I love working with acrylic and I really am more of a realistic painter, painting people and landscapes and how we as humans interact with God's natural order. That is my passion. That is where my personality can be used to its utmost potential. 

What is your passion? Where can your personality grow? When you take advice, do just that: take it but don't conform to it! Allow it to have its perfect work in your life but try not to base your entire business off of it. Remember what you are trying to accomplish and stick with it.

Because when the trends and fads fade, and we have our businesses following every move of advice given, we will have no solid foundation and we too will fade. It is how we were created, in our own special way, that will help build a solid ground for our business to be built upon. To stand out, and stand up, among the ordinary!

"The Bloom" Original painting by Jacy