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

Alright, Saloni thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Growing up, I guess I was a pretty artsy kid- my idea of leisure was sitting with a blank piece of paper and some crayons. I loved drawing silly cartoons and landscapes and later on, studies of paintings. This love for creating stayed with me all the way till college, and it showed up in glimpses throughout my time in a corporate job as well.

Then 2020 happened- I was graduating from my masters degree, in the midst of a global pandemic, after having worked full-time for nearly 5 years in a cushy job as a financial analyst prior to college. I was overwhelmed by the uncertainty around me. Job offers were being rescinded, mass layoffs were happening, and there was no idea of when things would stabilise. It was in this year that I finally decided, after a lot of thought, that “if not now, then when?” For the first time in my adult life, I felt like I had the option to follow my creative dreams!

I had an Instagram account since 2014, where I occasionally posted my little creative projects. But then in 2020, I started making and posting sketches and drawings from my iPad. I purchased a proper sketchbook and started dabbling in watercolor and ink. Within a couple of years, I reached 10K followers. I also started an account on Twitter, which also got a few thousand followers in a year.

In late 2021, I finally opened my small art business- chaioverdose.com- where I sell stickers and prints and original artworks. I learned so many things along the way (with a lot of help from my best friends!)- business legalities to manufacturer sampling to website setup and product photography and social media marketing.

My shop is still young, but I make modest sales- enough that I’m able to cover my living expenses and reinvest further into the business. I have a long way to go still in terms of growth, the products I want to make, and figuring out what my niche is. But I’m happy I took the risk, I have never felt this tired yet fulfilled in my career before, and I only wish I would have started it sooner!

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.

I’m an illustrator based in India. I have a Bachelors degree in Economics, and a Masters degree in Business, however, art has been a constant in my life since I was a toddler! Even in college, I was the creative head for several inter-collegiate events.
In the past few years, my works range from paintings to products like stickers, prints, sticker sheets, postcards, and washi tape. I want to explore more merch, especially related to stationery, because I believe that beautiful, practical stationery is a source of art and joy that we can indulge in our every day.

Chaioverdose emerged as a way of expressing my own dreams and struggles through a handful of characters. As a result, I think what sets my works apart are my silly, colourful critters who engage in very relatable activities- like a chonky frog working hard to tend to his plants, or a cat who seems to be having a terrible day- they’re all trying to do their best but also facing daily battles, much like us. I have often been told by friends and customers that they love using my products to decorate their walls and their daily objects (some even including pill boxes!) This always makes me so happy to hear because I have always believed that stickers are one of the most accessible modes of art- they are affordable, they are eye-catching, and in their own small way, they add and display a sense of individual identity- be it inside your notebook or on your waterbottle or anywhere else.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Starting out, I would literally post whatever I had made, whenever I made it- no caring about post scheduling or content curation. However, I soon realised that 80% of my posts would need to be something that my audience would expect/want from me, while 20% could be experimental, new stuff I made. I also learned that my followers like to see updates, behind the scenes, and process content too. Through this trial and error of figuring out what I like to draw balanced with what folks want to see, I gained a lot of traction on social media.

Here are some lessons I learned that I hope will help you too:

First things first, not all social media platforms are the same- what you post on one platform, may not perform the same way on another. The way the apps are designed to the demographic types active on each site can vary immensely. You may also find yourself more comfortable with certain apps versus others. But try to be active on at least (minimum) two platforms- because dependence on a single one may cause issues in the future (like an app ban, site policy changes, algorithm changes, the app getting acquired, etc)

Moreover, engage with others in good faith. When posting content, be regular- I don’t mean daily (unless that’s something you enjoy doing) but even 2-3 times a week makes a huge difference. Heck, even once a week can work on some sites! Also, it is okay to repost and/or remix old work- as artists and creatives, it is ridiculous to expect yourself to complete new works every few days.

One of the critical things is that you don’t let your social media stats affect your mental health too much- please remember that algorithms are random and fickle and sometimes you may have record high engagement, while at times posts may sink before even being seen by anybody. Don’t give up hope- these numbers are not an indicator of your worth nor are they a measure of the worthiness of your art.

One of the main goals of social media should be to develop a community of friends and like-minded folks- share resources, share updates, have genuine conversations, and most importantly, be yourself. I have made some great art friends, and found lovely, loyal customers due to this approach, and the way they cheer me on makes me so grateful for the community I have found and motivates me to continue pursuing art.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most joy I get as an artist is in the process of creating- of letting my thoughts flow, letting my hand loose across the surface, playing around with ideas, form, and colour.
And what further heightens that joy is the happiness I get from folks telling me how much they resonate with it- how they feel seen in some way. I love the fact that my art brings joy to others. I love how folks use my art to brighten their environments.

It is also a great plus that as a creative I’m able to have a flexible work schedule, and I’m able to spend time to think deeply about my art- researching, studying, gathering inspiration, and experimenting are so enriching at a personal and professional level.

Sharing my labours of love with like-minded people has been immensely rewarding, and every single customer, every single social media follower, every friend I made along the way, is a person I am grateful for- they are a lovely reminder that there are others besides me who want to see more of my work. Being a full-time artist is truly a dream come true.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chaioverdose.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaioverdose/
• Twitter: https://x.com/chaioverdose
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chaioverdose?si=x7XsnDmv8LRL-ATf
• Other: https://bsky.app/profile/chaioverdose.bsky.social
  https://chaioverdose.tumblr.com/