Today we’d like to introduce you to Dina Lu

Hi Dina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I’m a multi-passionate content creator, calligrapher, and creative entrepreneur from Vancouver, Canada. Since I was 20, I dreamed of being my own boss, living a creative life, and making money doing something I love. A year into my first 9-5 job, I knew it was time to make a move.

I started a side calligraphy business, selling greeting cards and teaching workshops. After a few months, I took the leap and quit my job in 2019. Though I struggled with imposter syndrome, I knew I had to bet on myself. That calligraphy business was just the beginning of building the creative, flexible life I wanted.

Since then, I’ve tried multiple things: teaching calligraphy workshops, doing on-site calligraphy, coaching creatives, building a YouTube channel with over 75,000 subscribers, running an Etsy shop, and creating courses. For a long time, I thought I had to stick to one niche, but I’ve embraced being multi-passionate, and now I’m thriving by doing it all.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

This journey has been fun and really rewarding, but it has definitely not been a smooth road. I struggled with imposter syndrome a lot at the beginning when I was starting my calligraphy business. I thought that my calligraphy wasn’t good enough and kept comparing myself to other calligraphers.

Six months after I quit my job, the COVID pandemic started, and that was really difficult too. I had to cancel all my in-person calligraphy workshops and switch to online workshops. But that time really challenged me to be more creative with my income streams since everything had to be online. It was during this time that I started offering business coaching services to calligraphers, and I ran these programs for two years.

Starting my YouTube channel was also a huge struggle due to a variety of things: figuring out equipment, learning how to not be awkward in front of the camera, learning video editing, and having the patience for my channel to be monetized.

Right now, I’m still having trouble balancing everything. I’m doing a lot, and even though it’s fun, it’s hard to manage it all. So I really need to prioritize. I also have a few contractors that I outsource some work to.

There are a lot of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

Right now, I’m most known for my YouTube channel, which has taken almost four years to reach 75,000 subscribers. It’s a business education channel that helps people start creative businesses and side hustles, covering topics like freelancing, Etsy shops, calligraphy businesses, and business mindset. I’ve tried a lot of different hustles myself, so I share my experiences on the channel, and people follow my journey.

I’m most proud of achieving my own dream—having an online business that allows me to travel. It was always my dream to become a digital nomad since I was 20 (I’m 30 now), and four years after going full-time in my business, I finally got to try it out. I spent seven months in Asia last year, working and traveling.

What sets me apart from others is that I’m willing to try new things and make mistakes, and I enjoy sharing the journey along the way, bringing everyone along for the ride.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?

I’d say I’m a medium risk-taker. If I think the risk is worth it, I’ll go for it, but I still like to stay on the safe side and have alternative options available in case things don’t work out.

The major risk I took was quitting a very stable 9-5 job in 2019 to pursue my calligraphy business full-time. I knew I wanted to do something like this, but I did have a backup plan: I would try out self-employment for one year, and if it didn’t work, I’d find another job.

When it comes to starting a business, there’s always some level of risk. But the question is, do you believe the reward will be worth it? I’ve always believed that, and I think it’s crucial to have that mindset to keep you going because it may take years to build up to a stable income.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dinalucreative.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dinadlu/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DinaLu/