Illustrator and Designer Zoe Zietman on Catapulting from Freelancing to Etsy Success

Fresh out of college, printmaker and artist Zoe Zietman was inspired to start selling her original works on Etsy, using the platform to reflect her "shop local, shop small" ethos. While her business is still only in its early stages, she’s receiving rave reviews and a loyal following. 

We chatted with Zoe about finding the confidence to promote her own work, learning to sell her designs for the right price and why she *loves* Instagram.

Name: Zoe Zietman 

Business: Zoe Zietman Illustration and Design 

Started: Summer 2016

What led you to decide that you wanted to create your own business? 

I've always made illustrations. I started freelancing just before I went to college in 2011 and then began to think about selling my art — not just making graphic design work on commission — about a year ago. I knew that I really liked the Etsy platform as a shopper. Once I had a feel for the market and the prices other people were charging, it gave me the confidence to think it was something I could do, too!

I also read Elizabeth Gilbert's book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear and it really changed the way I thought about the creative process. Before, I'd been scared about whether people would buy my work, but that book gave me the confidence to just put my prints out there. 

All in all, it took me the better part of eight months to set my business up.

Who was your very first customer? 

It was actually someone I'd gone to college with! I didn’t know them well, but they'd seen my work on Instagram. 

Once you start following the right kind of people on Instagram, you build up a community of sorts. Those are the channels that I sell my products through. I'm still working out a way to break away from my personal circle of followers to reach a wider audience, though — perhaps Instagram is the place to do that?  

When did you know your business was working? 

I suppose I still don't feel like I know whether it's working because it's all so new!

My Etsy business is not my full-time profession, since I also work on design and illustration commissions as a freelancer. But what I love about it is that I can leave it to tick along and grow at its own speed. I don't feel pressured to put products out quickly. It’s been useful starting out not to make what I love the thing that pays the bills. I don't want to create just for the sake of creating.  

What has been the biggest surprise so far after starting your own business?

The main thing that's surprised me has been how welcoming and receptive people are to my work. No one has laughed in my face or been really critical about me putting my art out there, which is great! 

What's really amazing is that the people who follow me on Instagram write lovely comments and engage with my work. That's a huge confidence boost, receiving those reactions — it's the positive side of social media. 

How do you price your products?

I was underselling my pieces when I started. I was keen for people to engage with my work, but the tradeoff was that I wasn’t making much money from it. I’ve had to learn the worth of creating an original piece of art. 

I started by looked at the pricing structures of other sellers on Etsy. In my market of prints, there is a massive amount of cheap, mass-market products. I realized that that's not the market for me and that my customers want an original piece of art or an illustration, not just a generic poster to stick on their wall. There isn't a massive profit margin in it at the moment — I only mark up about 50% over my costs.

What does a typical day look like for you? 

When I was working full-time in an office last year, finding the time to create was almost impossible. I'd be on the train at 7am and would draw for 40 minutes on the way to work because I knew I'd be spending all day at a screen and not doing my art. I had to learn how to utilize my mornings because by the evening I'd be too tired to do anything. 

Now that I'm working freelance, it's opened up more time, but I still find it useful to set aside specific times to work. I approach creativity like exercise and I have to do it every day, even if I don't feel like it. I tend to work on my own pieces in the evenings, from 10pm through until 1am or 2am because I don't have to get up early in the mornings anymore!  

If you could go back in time, is there anything you would do differently? 

As I'm just starting out with my prints business, I don't have many regrets and I feel very optimistic for what's ahead this year. 

I suppose I would have liked to have found a reliable and well-priced printer earlier on, but I'm taking things slowly at the moment. As the business picks up, I can grow my production with it. I'm generally just excited to see what's to come! 

 What would you like to learn today from a community of fellow small business owners and self-employed professionals? 

I'd love to learn how to promote my business digitally and expand my customer base from my circle of friends and Instagram followers. 

I'd also be interested to know how people go about promoting their work through other small businesses. I know I can reach a wider audience by displaying my work somewhere like a cafe, rather than just self-promoting online, but I'm not sure how to set up that collaboration so that it can benefit both parties involved.

Do *you* have tips for Zoe that she can use to expand her reach as a small business owner?

Calling all QB Community promotional experts! Can *you* help Zoe understand how best to publicize her work, not only on social media but in collaboration with other small businesses? 

Whether you’re an artist, a freelancer or a business owner — we want to hear your thoughts and experiences below. :-)