Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stephanie Michaud . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Stephanie , appreciate you joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?
Without a doubt, running a business that is heavily (if not solely) reliant on online traffic and sales will have its fair share of challenges. Over the last several years, making a business out of crochet and fiber work has led to several trials and tribulations. From fighting to remain relevant and distinctive against competitors and the fast-fashion industry, to battling burnout from the constant juggle of creating, marketing, and self-promoting–my own creative journey has been everything between exciting and exhausting.
I’d like to start with the elephant in the room: social media burnout. As an independent brand, I handle all aspects from crafting physical products, and managing website listings, to creating advertisements and maintaining an active online presence. The workload can feel never-ending, especially with the expectation to remain available at all hours to respond to inquiries and concerns. And contrary to popular belief, personally trading the typical 9-5 for my small business has required an even greater commitment of time and resources. While social media has had incredible benefits in building my audience and brand, management of my platforms has become a full-time job in itself trying to keep up with changing trends and algorithms. The pressure to remain constantly active and engaged had taken away from my productivity and creative focus, and at times my own well-being and passion.
To combat this, I’ve recently implemented strategic and essential breaks from my accounts/social presence to free myself of distractions. Although fearful at first that I would lose support and engagement, many of AstroKnotty’s supporters have actually encouraged my time away. The benefits of these hiatuses have allowed me to recharge my passion and freely create new content and products, while also establishing a healthier set of boundaries with my media usage.
On top of experiencing and overcoming burnout, another significant hurdle I’ve had to navigate is the recent saturation of the market, making the demand for my own products dwindle as overnight self-taught artists and businesses increased. Previous customers were now learning the craft and transitioning from purchasing to creating their own pieces. And while I fully admire and support all fellow crafters and startups, I realized in order for my own business to survive in this market, I needed to change and adapt my niche. My once thriving market of one-off handmade pieces shifted, and my physical items were no longer sought after, but rather being recreated freely.
This ultimately led to a pivotal moment in my career and I have since switched my brand’s focus to offer digital downloads and instructions for my original crochet designs and patterns. This has not only brought new life into my business, but also opened an endless realm of possibilities for future digital work. With tutorials, I can continue to create what I love, empower other fellow artists, and maintain a consistent customer-base and traffic by attracting new and seasoned artists to learn from my freehand work. This new revenue stream of passive income has taken a large weight off of my shoulders, and I am no longer constrained to relying solely on custom orders for physical products. I have a new-found freedom and passion with my creative endeavors again!
Despite these obstacles in my journey, each one has had a valuable lesson and impact for my personal growth and brand resilience. AstroKnotty’s longevity and success are ensured by prioritizing emotional balance and practicing patience/rational decision-making. Surviving today’s chaotic online business world requires us to adapt and persevere with our challenges, and I encourage all artists to find positivity in the change that these challenges bring.
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.
My name is Stephanie Michaud–pronounced “me-show” in a French accent–and I am the sole owner and designer for my small, online shop “AstroKnotty.” (Like astronaut, but with knot.) Cheesy? Absolutely.
The name is a play-on-word for what I like to describe as my “otherworldly fiber arts,” emphasizing my love for all things cosmic ~ Anyway, I am 28 years old, currently living in Central Pennsylvania and sitting on a psychology-neuroscience and sociology bachelors. While I had every intention of pursuing a medical doctorate, my life took an unexpected turn when I started a family early in college. This shift led me to re-evaluate my path, and ultimately opened the door to my creative journey and business endeavors.
For years, I felt guilty not following the conventional path that was programmed into me by the education system of the capitalistic “dream.” I wanted something simple, slow and more fulfilling, even if it meant sacrificing the promise of success and financial stability. I started with direct care, offering home and community services to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, alongside doing self-employed janitorial work–jobs that still offered forms of reward and satisfaction. However, without regret, I found my true calling along the way. As a self-taught crochet artist and pattern designer, I have now transformed my pastimes into profits. I am proud to share my story–written in the stars–for *Miss Astroknot* (who still cleans and caretakes too).
Growing up, I always had an itch to create something out of nothing–literally and figuratively. Inspired by fictional role-playing games, my early creative outlets focused on illustrations and compositions (I always thought I would become a writer). Money was far and few with the family, so my later extracurriculars were clubs like council, choir and theater–you know, the free ones.
While being lower income limited my options, it fueled me to think outside the box. On top of theater, I found joy in experimenting and developing my self-expression with fashion and style. I pushed small-town boundaries, and enjoyed taking on roles and dress-ups for characters both in and out of the classroom. From cutting and coloring my own hair, to wearing mix-matched outfits with clashing patterns (I’m talking cheetah with floral print–something my partner still debates the compatibility of as to this day), I have always thoroughly embraced individuality and finding ways to stand-out.
And while I could reminisce all day on where my passion for fashion and design originated, let me get to the point. I wholeheartedly believe making my side-living as an artist and pursuing entrepreneurship was my destiny. From taking commissions for friendship bracelets in 7th grade, to experimenting with Myspace coding in 9th, the starseeds of AstroKnotty were planted for over a decade before she was intentionally born– finally coming to bloom in my college years.
With heavy inspiration from the music and arts festival scene, I developed an obsession for beadwork and jewelry. Macrame served as my gateway to work with other fiber types, which include but are not limited to: sewing, weaving, rug-tufting, and my personal favorite: crocheting. Over the years, I have meticulously built a brand around my passion and now proudly offer a range of handmade clothing and accessories from crochet sweaters, to sewn matching sets, and now my best-selling digital download patterns.
Despite battling imposter syndrome, I can’t help but feel an immense amount of pride and gratification for how far I’ve come as a self-taught fiber artist in such a short span of time. I’ve successfully built a recognizeable and reputable business with AstroKnotty, offering customers the opportunity to either purchase original physical prototypes, or tutorials and patterns that will empower them to create their own works. I am eternally grateful to be part of a supportive community that allows all parties a mutual benefit, and I heavily encourage others to start their own creative journeys! You do not have to change your crafts into a career, but you can change your life with art and self-expression. Fiber arts have profoundly impacted my own life, as have each and everyone of my customers and supporters.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Pursuing a career as a fiber artist has been a cosmic dream come true and I am thankful for my never-ending journey to continue learning and expanding my creative abilities. AstroKnotty marks just the beginning of my artistic endeavors, and I plan to explore far beyond the physical and digital items that I offer now. Especially with the ever-changing competitive markets, I now have a constant drive to further build my brand and skill sets. I personally thrive in the challenge of adapting and embracing change in order to stay inspired and relevant.
This business has not only empowered me to feel confident in my self-expression, but I’ve also gained valuable personal and professional skills that I can carry with me into other fields. My career also allows my lifestyle to be more flexible; I can travel with work, spend more quality time with loved ones, and ultimately not abide by any other schedule or force other than one on my own terms.
Moreover, I’ve been fortunate enough to build a large and beautiful support system, creating friendships and connections around the world that I would’ve never imagined. Seeing my creations worn and sold globally, on top of being recognized in the wild at music and arts festivals, these are moments that continue to make me feel valid and grateful. Even after four years, I’m still in shock that I’ve made a career out of my passion, and built memorable relationships with other artists on the same wavelength. Waking up everyday as AstroKnotty is a reward and blessing I am forever thankful for.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I believe society can best support artists and their ecosystem by re-evaluating their spending habits towards large corporations that are notoriously based on exploitative and inhumane labor practices. Unfortunately, the issue is so prevalent that many consumers are not aware of the impact that supporting mass-produced companies has on small businesses and artists, who often struggle to compete for their own value and worth. When we start to engage in small ethical consumption, it can empower artists and promote fair financial treatment within the economy. Myself and many others have often lowered our worth and prices in order to compete with fast-fashion and mass-produced corporate products, an issue I hope to one day combat as a society.
For those who cannot financially support, there are other means that are just as valuable to us. By sharing our work through word of mouth, or social media, this can increase the visibility and impact for small businesses. Barter and trade systems, I believe, also work well for alternative methods of support–through an exchange of equally valued products and skills–meaning both parties benefit.
Moreover, collaborating and community-building are essential too. By coming together as a collective, artists can expand their reach and public image. I’ve personally experienced the power of collaborating with brands both smaller and larger than my own, but with separate skills and products, in order to reach new audiences and expand our businesses.
Through small changes in our daily habits and mindsets, we can truly create a sustainable and thriving environment for small businesses and artists.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.AstroKnotty.com
- Instagram: @Astro.Knotty
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hempbysteph/