Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Adriana Ramirez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Adriana, thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

When I first started my side hustle, I was focused on making enough money to provide for my little one on my own. I never thought of the “big picture”, and I sure as heck didn’t have any long-term goals for the business. (Not a great way to “start” a business!) But as things progressed over the years, it became impossible to NOT set goals. The more success you have, the deeper you’re enmeshed with it all, and you eventually have to decide if this is the route you want to keep going down. I have always loved creating new things out of nothing, so I challenged myself every year to reach new goals. It took 5 years, but my little side hustle turned into a full time job where I make a full time living! I set my own hours, create content for others who want to learn to do what I do, and have carved out a community where I fit perfectly at home. Doing something like this is not an easy journey, but if you’re passionate about it, you can make it happen for yourself!

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

Adriana’s Paper Crafts was founded when I became a single mother and needed a way to make income without leaving the house. I have always been crafty so I already craft supplies to get me started, so I figured, “What’s the worst that could happen?”. I never intended to make this my entire life. I figured I would sell custom party supplies until a good enough “normal” job came around, and that would be that. Thankfully, any job I ever got never held a candle to making money by crafting. So, I kept crafting. Through the years, through normal life, and boring jobs, I continued to follow my passion, and I learned as I grew. The “normal” life is definitely not for me. I am so glad I never gave up. I went from handmaking party supplies with little to no profit, to becoming a legitimate graphic designer and content creator. When I first started out, my passion for providing assistance to low income single parents like myself is what set me apart from the rest, and today, that spirit of sharing is still alive in me. I’m known these days for sharing the “secrets” that others in my industry refuse to share. The small business community can be very cut throat, which is why I’ve dedicated years to building and growing a community full of support, education, and resources for those wanting to start their own journey in crafting. Like my favorite Spanish saying goes, “El sol brilla para todos”.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission at the beginning of my journey back in 2015 was simply to make money. I mean, isn’t that what everyone is trying to do, every day, everywhere? I was legitimately just trying to survive. But as the years passed by, and my following grew, I realized that people were looking up to me as someone who could have answers for them. Not just in crafting the way that I did, but in how to make money crafting, how to run their social media presence, everything. So eventually, my mission changed. I realized that I got much more enjoyment out of TEACHING people how to do what I do than I got from actually crafting. And suprisingly, it grew from a passion project, to something that provides the most to my full time income, essentially being a win-win!
I don’t know if my mission will change again as time goes by, but at this point in my journey, everything feels absolutely right, as if I am exactly where I should be, doing exactly what I should be doing, and that is the most amazing feeling that no “regular” job could ever have given me.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

The hashtag #SupportSmallBusiness is a popular hashtag for a reason. We, as a society, have gotten much too dependent on big box stores, and fast delivering internet shops, that small businesses just can’t keep up with them. When people realize that they can get some generic items for super cheap online overnighted to them, they tend to forget that those items are cheap for a reason, and the delivery people overnighting their package to them aren’t even getting paid a living wage, let alone being respected by their employers.
Small businesses on the other hand are ran by people who do happy dances every time they recieve an order. They pour their hearts into their handmade items, and use thier income to keep the lights on, and provide for their family.
So what can society do to best support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem? Support. That’s it. Support small business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://adrianaspapercrafts.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrianaspapercrafts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adrianaspapercrafts
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AdrianasPaperCrafts