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

Sandy , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The idea about to start an art business was after a few years I graduate from a collage, there were not much jobs relater about my career back in 2018. I live in a small town and could not find any job, my daughter introduced me with the idea about making paper flowers, we started to see different artist tutorials and practice just like a hobby. After a few months we like the idea about making paper flowers and she asked me to try to make prickly paper flowers and I did. I loved to make this kind of flowers that I started to study them in the desert and take all kind of pictures to get the exact approach. I discover paper mache would be a great idea to start making my very first piece. As soon as master it I decided it to find more about how to get a business license permits etc. and I decided to start an event business in 2018. I started [participating in different events around town and finally felt that was a great business that I can work form home and make some money. We were having a great success the COVID came and 2020 and my business went form making profits to zero. There were not events around town so I decided to start teaching classes about paper flowers and paper mache and kept my Cactus art apart as a my signature art. I opening a studio in 2020 and was a challenge for while, but got a free small loan through a womens group and that helped me to continue to survived during that difficult times. I still have my paper flower business till now I do not participate much in event but I teach classes about paper flowers and paper mache. I focus more teaching traditional paper flowers and Mexican Folk Art with paper mache..

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Becoming a business person in the art industry has been the best chose I ever done, even though it has its ups and down still something very beautiful to part of. Been in this industry is a challenge when it come to get customers, the art that I teach and sale is rear and I do not have many audience as other art business, but I like it because is unique and you do not see this kind of art in every corner and you do not have competition. The art I teach is for most of people, but I have found out that many people find it complicated and for others is beautiful and they like the skills. Social media been helpfully to invite more people to my classes and sales as well, but I am popular in Instagram the FB for some reasons. The only problem with social media is that my followers are not local and affects my classes and sales.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media pros and cons, social media been helping a lot to build my business to spread the word to different audience and been helping me so people will see all about my classes and events. But I just wish it can reach more local people then around the world. One advice I can tel people is that not just because you have a lot of followers does not mean you will have more clients. at your shops or classes you need to promote your self in different placers and do more collaborations around your area. Social media is just a part of building audience but you need to work on your promotions too.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

After COVID it was a very difficult time to continue my small business starting form zero is not that easy, but had determination and hope. I did a lot of outdoors events before covid and all that finished after covid, had an idea how make money again and put it on practice in 2020 since there were not events I started to teach paper flowers and paper mache classes and I decided to rent an space in a Mall. Money for rent was difficult but had some savings and I paid rent for two months and start moving on. I continue putting a lot of ideas about how to teach a class and that sis how I started making money again. I am a survivor of a small business during covid and I feel very happy I never gave up.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lunaspaperdesigns.com/
• Instagram: @lunaspaperdesigns.com
• Facebook: Luna’s Paper Designs LLC
• Twitter: Lunas’s Paper Desimgs