The Journey of How I Started My Creative Business

First blog post, eek! I thought it would be great to start this blogging journey with a little background of how Amber LeBlanc Studio got started and the do’s and don’ts that I learned along the way.

If you’re new or don’t know me, nice to meet you!

I am a fine art wedding stationer, abstract impressionistic painter, & brand designer currently residing in Austin, TX.

I work with brides and art enthusiasts across the country. I love experimenting with fresh ideas and methods, from implementing watercolors onto wedding invitation suites to exploring new techniques on canvas. I particularly love traveling, meeting new people, and being outdoors (particularly running) with my golden doodle, Archie :D.

HOW AMBER LEBLANC STUDIO BEGAN

I started off as a small kid with an interest in art and had high hopes and dreams to become an artist. I was raised by entrepreneurs who owned several small businesses which helped shape my mindset of one day hopefully owning my own.

I took a few art classes in high school which ignited me to graduate with a BFA with a concentration in Graphic Design from Nicholls State University.

I landed my first job two months after graduating in the Summer of 2015 in New Orleans for a brook & mortar stationery store. This had to be my most creative job. I spent my days designing wedding stationery on crazy fabrics with printing methods I’ve never explored before. I worked on projects for in-house clients as well as for the brook & mortar store.

And this, my friends, is where my love for wedding stationery started.

August 8, 2015: my first day working at a stationery store designing invitation suites.

After a year in with the company, I attended the New York Stationery Show in 2017 and the company placed best in show for two of the wedding stationery designs we created. The recognition, feedback and kind words from hundreds of strangers was remarkable. I was so excited and at that point I knew this was my calling for the type of design work I wanted to make a career out of on my own, but how?

I STARTED RESEARCHING, CREATING, AND SAVING MORE THAN EVER SO I COULD GET TO MY END GOAL — MAKING MY BUSINESS A REALITY.

I continued working at a 9-5 job for 3 more years — 2 different jobs, still in the creative/marketing industry. I worked for large corporate-sized companies to smaller ~50 employee companies so I was able to see a full range of management.

I am so thankful I did this and didn’t jump ship too early.

I knew I wasn’t ready just yet to start my business and still wanted to learn more under others. I wanted to know how businesses operated, their marketing strategies, and most of all… made connections that I still hold today. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES! They are a big reason of what got me to where I am today!

While working, I was working late nights and on lunch breaks taking on any painting and wedding clients that I could while building my business. I made small and big business goals for myself. Small business goals being things like “enter an online art juried competition” to large ones such as my financial goals. “Once I save X amount of dollars, I’ll go full-time!” I believe I allotted $10,000 to live off for 3 months (2018 times). I saved that amount and decided it wasn’t enough and decided to double that amount (thankfully) before I threw in my notice and went full time. Before I get ahead of myself, I must mention you will need to get your legal things in order before you go full-time. Setting up an LLC/Sole Proprietor, taxes… all the things! Highly recommend doing your research on your small business laws of where you live and hire an attorney if you need!

NEW YEAR, NEW BUSINESS, NEW DECADE…2020. A YEAR I’LL NEVER FORGET.

At the end of November in 2019, I couldn’t resist the calling to go full time with my business. I actually told myself I’d give it until May 2020, to “pay off some bills”, but God had other plans for me. I felt it —”new year, new business and a whole new decade” sounded to be just the right timing to push through my end goal! So, I took the leap of faith and put in my two weeks at the end of the December of 2019. **Pro tip: never turn your back on an employer. Instead offer becoming an independent contractor and still work for them, just under your business ;). You’ll thank me later.

BAM. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

Well, the curveball I never saw coming. Great. How will my business ever survive?? I thought, okay, I still have my old employer under me now, so I’ll be fine. Nope. I was terminated only a few months after the start of the year. Which, in hindsight, I am thankful it was only terminating a contract and not a “laid off” situation where my going “full-time” business announcement wouldn’t have been filled with as much hope as I went into the year with. I knew I had the fire still under me and I was going to make it work. I had to make it work.

It was a rough year. I turned to painting a lot to cope and escape from the stressors. I had a lot of life changes and at the end of the year found myself more than I ever have before. It was like the year of shedding away of the things that held me back. It shaped me to take on whatever was thrown at me to help me with my business moving forward.

IT’S FUNNY WHEN I ASK A NEW ENTREPRENEUR, “HOW ARE YOU LIKING FULL-TIME ENTREPRENEUR LIFE?!” AND THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS “IT’S GREAT! BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE MORE FREE TIME AND IT’S THE OPPOSITE.” I ALWAYS LAUGH BECAUSE THAT WAS ME.

Staring a business is a lot. It won’t happen over night and it may lead to long nights and early mornings. The main thing is staying dedicated, consistent, and have a support system and surround yourself with people who inspire you. Small progress is progress.

If you have any questions or want to connect, please feel free to get in touch.

xoxo, Amber