We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Adie Buchanan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Adie, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into the heart of things. Outsiders often think businesses or industries have much larger profit margins than they actually do – the reason is that outsiders are often unaware of the biggest challenges to profitability in various industries – what’s the biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?
Staying ahead of trends. Being part of trends without letting trends over sweep your business and identity of the business. Being able to participate in trends and still keep yourself in your business.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’ve always been obsessed and involved with art. As a highschool student I did custom character commission work and other things related to that. As I started working as a digital art teacher I expected my business to being enamel pins. From there I extended to pop goth inspired house hold items and other goth accessories.
I am always looking and spreading myself into new ventures with teaching myself animation and learning how to run a YouTube channel.
Ultimately everything I learn I end up using to teach my students how to make a living as a freelance artist.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Most artists have to unlearn comparing themselves to other artists. What someone is doing isn’t always a competition. You do you and keep doing things that makes you happy. It isn’t always about the trends cause trends end.
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
Most of my items are manufactured by a professional manufacturer. Enamel pins are made by professionals. There are tons of different places out there to start. Alibaba is a great market place to start on the search for that. Other things I sell I get produced but I put personal touches on. The flasks I sell are produced by a company. I design and laser the flasks myself in my outside building. My cups are produced by a company. But I design and sublimate print the cups myself.
A lot of times companies will offer samples. But custom designed items like enamel pins sometimes come with the risk of not being high enough quality. Risk comes with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.catheadpins.com
- Instagram: Catheadpins
Image Credits
Myself. Catheadpins