The difference between a business and a hobby

There are always going to be differing opinions on what makes your status change from hobby to professional. This is my opinion and it will probably change over time.

If you really want to be black and white about it,  anyone who calls something art and offers that something for a price that someone else pays,  is a professional artist.

This includes all manner of things; a stack of bricks, a messy  (and gross) bedroom,  a single line of paint on a bare canvas.  I have no idea how the "artists" manage to get these things seen as art.  

The first thing that you need to bear in mind, is that it has nothing to do with talent.  There are some amazingly talented artists who are in the hobby group.  So with that in mind,  here is my jurney into the professional world. 

Step one is the most important;

You have to see yourself as a professional artist.  Like in all areas of life,  you are what you believe you are.  I know many extremely skilled sculptors who cannot see that anyone would be interested in buying their creations or feel that they don't want to sell their work for all sorts of reasons. 

Although that first step is really vital,  you are still a long way from it being true.  

For me,  I  found that I had to fundamentally change my relationship with my art form.  When it was a hobby,  I  would make only what I felt like,  I would work at a very slow pace,  not worrying that much about the quality.  So long as I liked it,  then that was fine.  I never spared a thought about what I spent,  as I got so little.  I was not bothered about having the right tools or about studying the subject.  It was just play.

Now, I had to get my materials for the cheapest price possible, I have to become a marketing expert,  a excellent customer services personnel,  a book keeper,  a market resercher and analyser and I have to make things that are low cost and worth the price.  I have to think about what people want.

I found out that because I am disabled and can only manage around 12 hours of work a week,  that the benefits system had catered forme  (I was very surprised). The rule is called Supported Permitted work (different from Permitted work).

If you work for less than 16 hours a week and earn up to £115.50 a week. This must be part of a treatment programme, or supervised by someone from a local council or voluntary organisation whose job it is to arrange work for disabled people.

I found out that a charity called EmployAbility was Surrey's only organisation that fulfilled this.  I got onto their books and got assigned an officer. 

They helped me do the paperwork for the benefits agency and register with the inland revinue.  He helped me with a few other bits as well.  

I started doing my research.  I  found the cheapest supplier of Fimo professional. As well as placing my first large order, I got in touch with the owner of the business and started to build a friendship.

Robbert is very important to my business and I wanted to get to know him. He is actually a wonderful, kind man who also feels as strongly as I do about customer service and business integrity.

I recommend him to anyone I can, as the price difference is astonishing and there is no hassle  (even if something goes wrong,  he does all the legwork).  I have had people accuse me of being on his pay roll. I assure you that I am not.

Check out the price difference for yourself;

http://www.tumdee-dollshouse-miniatures.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d351_FIMO_Soft_350g_Blocks_Polymer_Clay_For_Moulding_Modelling_Jewellery_Craft_Art.html

I  decided to focus on Etsy because it was cheaper than eBay and Amazon to list your stock and where eBay and Amazon focused on the cheapest prices possible, Etsy focused on hand made items.

This meant that eBay and amazon's clay items are all from moulds.  The speed at which you can knock out a finished product is so fast,  that they can make a charm in a couple of minutes.  It takes me a few hours.

I personally defined my start date;  on 1st July 2015, I  had made 10 different types of charms  (4 of each sort, so 40 in total) I had a cousin who had a etsy shop,  so she was able to send me a link that gives you 20 free listing (if you want to start a etsy shop,  then message me and I will share the link with you).

I  then spent the first 2 weeks nervously watching the etsy app on my phone.  Fortunately, I did have a few kind friends and family who bight bits.

I worked from my bed,  making more stock, setting up a Facebook page and getting my shop looking ad good as I possibly could get it.

Over time, I have set up this blog,  a Pintrest account,  a LinkedIn account, a Instagram account and I do post on Ebay when they have free listings months  (I have never sold a thing on ebay). I do find it difficult to keep these all up to date, but it is important.

I have sold at 3 fairs over the last year,  but all made me incredibly ill.  I have joined The British polymer clay guild and a lot of clay groups on Facebook.

I have had several sales now and even a few commissions.

You have to be quite self disciplined to make sure that you are always doing something in your allocated work hours. No matter how boring, if it could help you get on with it.

Don't forget to keep your receipts and make a table of all income and expenditure.  You will need this for the tax and benefits.

Also, don't forget insurance.  You need public liability and product liability.  The public bit,  protects against accidents in your work area and the product bit protects against someone hurting themselves on something you have made.

I have loved the journey so far and I have a lot of plans for the future.  But it really is not easy.