On Learning to Wear Multiple Hats: Meet Artist and Small Business Owner Nichol Brinkman

When her mother passed, Nichol Brinkman threw herself into making soft toys, pillows, prints and baby mobiles as a distraction from her grief. One thing led to another, and soon she found herself selling her striking products on Etsy.

We caught up with Nichol to chat about the work she put into starting a small business, why pricing for her ideal customer in mind is so important and the different roles she takes on each and every day.

Name: Nichol Brinkman

Business: Pink Cheeks Studios

Started: 2008

How did you create your awesome job?

I Mr. Magoo-ed my way into it! It wasn't a linear progression at all.

I have my BFA in painting, but while I was in college I took a fiber arts class and found working with fabric to be very exciting. After school, when my mom got a scary cancer diagnosis, I moved home to care for her and taught myself to sew during that time. I loved it! It gave me a very physical, tangible, creative thing to spend my time on during a high-stress period. 

After my mom passed, I started sewing little creatures as self-prescribed art therapy. I called them Pillow Monsters. That was around seven years ago, when crafty blogs were popping up all over the place and I adored that little cyber window into people's creative lives. 

I started one of my own called A Pillow Monster a Day and that’s literally what it was about: I sewed one toy every 24 hours and honed my craft. Through the blogging community I discovered Etsy and started balancing selling dolls with other work until I found a way to turn it into a full-time job.

Who was your very first customer?

It was my sister-in-law. Even though she’s related to me, I found it very thrilling to have money automatically deposited into an account in exchange for something I had made with my hands!

When did you know your business was going to work?

I got very serious about Pink Cheeks before a big move. I stopped my regular job after the birth of my first son and tried to supplement my family's income enough with selling dolls so that I could stay home with him. It really wasn't working, though. We were moving to another state for my husband's job and I decided that if I couldn't figure out a way to make my business more profitable, I would give it up and apply for real-world jobs when we moved. 

I got very serious after that decision. I read books on small businesses, arts businesses, marketing — all of it. I made notes and plans. I switched from making dolls to crafting mobiles because I knew people spent money on babies. Newborns are a celebration and I wanted to create beautiful, whimsical pieces for them!

I designed, created and photographed 10 baby mobiles and I followed the advice I read in my books about getting the word out. To my delight, it worked! With time I’ve also added personalized mobiles of families and family portrait wall hangings.

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

I've been surprised by how many hats I can wear. To make a small arts business work I need to be the creator, the marketing agent, the bookkeeper, the secretary, the customer service specialist and the graphic designer.

How do you price your products?

I base my pricing on how long it takes me to complete a project and then I add the cost of the materials to that. I try to make between $100–$200 a day when I’m sewing. The biggest lesson I've learned is that I should not charge for my work by using myself as a barometer. I need to think about who my customer is and price with them in mind. 

When my prices were lower, I resented the work I was doing when I sat down to sew because I wasn't valuing it.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I wake up at about 7am, get the kids ready for school and daycare, then spend some time answering emails, packaging what I've made recently and shipping it out. From 9am I get sketching, particularly if I'm creating a family portrait, which is one of my biggest sellers. 

After that, I spend some time gathering up materials and choosing the fabrics I'm going to work with. Then, the bulk of my day from 10am to 2pm is spent sewing, assembling, cutting and drinking lots of coffee! 

After that, I catch up with social media and I take photos of what I've made before cleaning up and shutting everything down for when my kids come home. All supply shopping is done on weekends or in the afternoons. I live in a tiny town, so I actually have to drive a bit to get to the fabric store.

If you could go back in time, is there anything you would do differently when you were just starting your business?

I would take photography and Photoshop courses. I only have a basic understanding of both, and I feel like more knowledge in those areas would really be an asset for me.

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

I’m interested in photography tips and marketing tips. I would also benefit from getting some nitty-gritty advice about bookkeeping and accounting in my small business!

Do *you* have tips to share with Nichol?

If you have expertise in online marketing or how to best photograph items online, share your tips with Nichol — and all of us here in QB Community! — in the comments below.

We can't wait to hear your stories and experiences. :-)