so, it’s been awhile…

… like a little over a year now since I quit my job and started working for myself. I did a lot of painting and experimenting but not so much business. I told myself when I started that the first year was going to be a time for learning. one of the biggest things I learned this past year was 50% of your time should be spent making the art and the other 50% spent on the business. 😳

I’d rather just make stuff. I knew there were business things I wasn’t doing (see also: avoiding) and there are a ton of things I don’t know but mostly, I knew I needed help. I was avoiding doing my taxes and I had analysis paralysis about creating a line sheet to be able sell wholesale.

I needed hand holding, pushing and guidance so I lobbed the idea on instagram one day and within seconds, my wish was granted. cue brittanny taylor.

I met brittanny in early 2018 after following each other on instagram and we hit it off. I also had the chance to work with brittanny in a strategy session with the branding edit (one of her many hats she wears with patsy culp and olivia rodrigues.) I love her acerbic wit, her photographic style and how involved she is in the providence community and different organizations.

at the start of this year I committed to working with brittanny monthly to have photos taken - photos of me, wearing my jewelry and photos to use for branding, etc. and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made to date. so when I lobbed my need for a business nanny and brittanny responded within minutes that it was a service she was putting together I knew I found the person to help me get my business shit in a pile.

photo by brittanny taylor

we sat down after a photo session and as brittanny was asking what I thought a business nanny would help with, I listed not only time management and line sheet help, but I started dreaming BIG.

we talked for over an hour and nailed down:

• scrapping my bigcartel URL to combine my blog and shop into the one URL - elizabethcraneswartz.com - over on squarespace. (yeah, she can do that, too)

• line sheet help for wholesale channel

• increasing my mini photo sessions to include more style shots

• creating more of fashion/lifestyle presence on instagram, etc

photo by brittanny taylor

so it’s been two weeks since I started brittanny’s bootcamp and I can’t tell you how relieved, and excited, I am to work on the business side of all of this. I found the perfect person to work with so I can get my business shit in a pile.