We were lucky to catch up with Megan Crowley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Megan, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Maintaining success as an artist can be tricky. I’ve experienced exhilarating highs and worrisome lows in the past few years that have left me questioning my choices more than a few times. The biggest issue I face is the inability to turn my brain off and relax at the end of the day. As an artist and small business owner there is always technically something you could be doing to further your success, sometimes simply to maintain that success.

These are the times I wonder what it would be like to just have a regular job. To know the peace of being able to leave your work at the office at 5pm and enjoy your evenings, your weekends. I’m constantly considering the possibilities of what I could do next, new products designs, and how to get them in front of there right people.

Don’t get me wrong, I love what I’m doing and working day by day to create this dream for myself has been the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done. However I am a one woman team as of now. I design, I market, I e-mail, I ship, I’m customer service. It all falls on me and the stress of making it all work can be overwhelming at times.

Just this week I’ve wondered if my life would be more peaceful if I got a regular job. But then an e-mail for a custom macrame wall hanging came though. I stepped into my workspace and began creating and in that moment I knew there was nothing else I’d rather be doing. This is my happy.

Megan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Megan! A full-time traveler and macrame artist from Savannah, GA.

My creative journey as a macrame artist started as a girls night. The idea was that we’d grab a glass of wine, pop on a YouTube tutorial, and create a cute new piece of home decor. Little did I know that night was about to change the course of my entire life. I fell in love instantly. That was 4 years ago. Fast forward to today. I work full time as a macrame artist and I also teach fellow makers how to utilize social media to get their work seen. All while traveling with my partner.

When I first started I was selling pieces to friends and family. I created an Instagram account to showcase my work in the hopes of others possibly being interested in my work as well. I had orders here and there, but for the first 2 years macrame was simply a creative side hustle. I saw others who were successful and used social media to market there products but I couldn’t figure out how they were gaining so much traction. I dreamed of being able to work for myself doing something I loved, but had no idea how to get there.

After a few discouraging years I finally decided to put my head down and figure out how these other these fiber artist I looked up to were making it happen. I researched, I listened to podcasts, I watched YouTube, I paid close attention to what successful artists were doing, and I began testing different strategies out with my own Instagram account. I eventually developed a strategy that worked, and I was able to quit my full time job as a nanny and move into a van with my partner to travel the states.

When I realized how much of an incredible tool social media could be more my small business, I immediately knew that I wanted to help other women in the position I was in not to long before. Social media can be overwhelming and confusing if you aren’t sure how to utilize it to your advantage. I decided to start offering one on one coaching calls to my community which eventually lead to creating an online course called Instagram for Makers.

Instagram for Makers is my guide to building your community and connecting with ideal customers using Instagram, and I’ve been able to help hundreds of fellow makers build their small businesses. It has become my passion to cultivate community and help other women achieve their small business goals.

I call my community the “fiber fam” and we are truly something special. We learn and grow together. We lift each other up. We offer each other support. We are friends. I am so proud of my community and we continue to grow daily. Everyone is welcome. “Community over competition” is a big deal in our maker community and the positivity is abundant. This is what sets Offhand Fibers apart!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

As a macrame artist in particular I’ve noticed a rise in the ability to purchase macrame pieces from popular big box stores such as Target, Home Goods, and Urban Outfitters. That’s just to name a few. They sell the pieces for dirt cheap which is incredibly disheartening for a macrame artist who puts their heart and soul into their work.

I would encourage society to shop small when it comes to all forms of art. Sure, it may be a little bit more expensive. But every time you shop small you support a real persons dream. We rejoice every single time an order comes in. You are helping us support our families. You are fueling our passion.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I built my audience by staying consistent with the proven content strategy I developed for my small business.

If you are just starting out my number one tip would be to focus on building a community, not just a following. I tell my community this all the time: Having thousands of followers does not matter if they aren’t invested in you and the products you create. Start connecting, show up as your authentic self, engage with the people who already follow you.

Show up consistently and you will learn along the way!

If you are unsure of how to create a successful content strategy to show off your products, you can follow me on Instagram @offhandfibers for social media advice and more information on my online course Instagram for Makers.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @offhandfibers
• Youtube: Offhand Fibers
• Other: TikTok @offhandfibers Pinterest @offhandfibers