We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elizabeth Schmehl a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Elizabeth, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

As a micro business owner, my mission behind my business is somewhat personal but as reasons behind why I started my business side of my creative side. Initially I was creative because I enjoyed making my digital art and sharing them on social media platforms, from fanfiction art to art and video content of my art.
My mission when I started my business was to make an income, so I could support myself, and be financially stable. In May 2020, was diagnosed with a chronic back injury, which causes me severe pain, and nerve pain as I have two degenerative discs part of my back injury. I live with pain everyday due to my back, and if I do not go out for walks with my two boys, (Archie & Jack) my dogs, then I loss function abilities in my legs. When my contracted ended at a government agency, I started concentrating on my health and my self care.

So my mission behind my business, was an unstoppable approach, and never giving up, as my life purpose is being financially stable and not just relying solely on disability pension contributions, I am still alive and contributing the best I can to my community even though, everyday is challenged for me, personally.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

In February 2024, I started an online micro business selling my digital art on apparel and clothing, including accessories and home accessories and decorating items. I registered two business names in Australia, and also registered with American government as well, as I wanted to concentrate on the Australian and United States markets for my main businesses.

I make digital art, with digital and AI photography software of various types including fanfiction, fantasy, historical themed art and more. I started making my content in June 2021, and it’s just grown from my family and friends buying clothes with my art on them, to now offering them to the public marketplace.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

In June 2022, opened a store on Redbubble, an online marketplace, selling clothes, accessories and home living accessories. I started it as a side hustle as I was selling my fanfiction art to my family and friends on facebook initially. Which paid for my digital tools I use to make my art. At the end of September 2023, my contract expired with my employer even though I was asked to re apply for my position after the date, in which I did, but never received any offers, and I was dealing with my own health issues and decided to apply for the disability pension due to my chronic back injury, as I can’t stand, walk for long, as the pain is very severe which includes nerve pain which you can’t take medication for, and no operations can fixes. In February2024, I decided to start it officially, as I wanted to make sure I could be financially stable, I made plenty of sales on Redbubble, and I had to register a business name, do a business plan with a government agency to get the ball rolling, I had no capital for a physical store, in the Main Street, so I decided to do a micro business online, print to demand service that ships worldwide like Redbubble. I started out with a shopify store which became to expensive to have as the store during a high inflation economy worldwide was experiencing very low sales, the sales were just paying for my own costs, weren’t even breaking even, one of my providers offers a pop up shop so I decided to open one, my business is registered in Australia and United States for tax purposes as a sole proprietor, I have an EIN. The registered business names, The Studio 2660 (Studio 2660 in United States) and Liz Schmehl’s Art. I still sold to my friends and family even today, even I buy from my own clothing and wear them. Since official a business we have made a effort money to pay for the digital tools I use to make my art in the part of 11 months, hoping next year will be better year for sales, as sales have been way down since I started selling my own products. First a pandemic now a high cost living, and a high inflation economy worldwide with no signs of improvements. In February next year, my micro business turns one, and just got to keep going, and promoted my products on social media.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

Sure, I have tried Etsy, Redbubble, Amazon, Walmart, Fourthwall, Teespring, Cafepress, Printerval, some you make no sales on, yet they are a marketplace that they are supposed to support all there merchants sellers on there platforms but they don’t. If you don’t post about your products on social media then you don’t get traffic to your items. So do not work, some do. You only keep the stores on the marketplaces where you make a sale, and add to it. The marketplaces that are working for my business are Spreadshop /Spreadshirt, Teepublic, Bonfire. Currently. I have made sales through my pop up shop as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lizschmehlsartstudio.wordpress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizschmehlart/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?
• Twitter: https://x.com/liz_schmehl
• Other: Since the last article change of website.

Image Credits

You can give credit to The Studio 2660 as the products are available in my store, that are currently on sale to 5 January 2025.