We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Susan Newberry a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Susan, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
I began selling my designs online in 2012 through Etsy while also teaching design at a local college. The journey started slowly, but my business began to grow steadily. By 2018/2019, I was able to quit my job and devote myself to my designs full time. I expanded my sales to several marketplaces, including Michaels Marketplace and my own website. My latest venture is with Zazzle.
I started by selling only prints from my bedroom. Eventually, I moved my operations to the family dining room, and now we have a dedicated office space at home. I refer to “we” because my daughter works with me; she handles more of the business side, which allows me to focus on creating. Today, we offer a variety of products, including canvases, framed items, mugs, blankets, and wood prints. Our most popular design is our word clouds.
Working for myself has its challenges, but I feel I have grown since 2012. The years during the pandemic were our best-selling years, as more people turned to online shopping. However, the past few years have been quite challenging due to the economic issues we all face.
At nearly 70, I am still learning and eager to grow my business. I hope to find success with Zazzle, as it offers the possibility of more passive income.
Susan, 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 have always been passionate about design and hold a degree in Interior Design. I have also taken many classes in graphic design and discovered that I love that field as well. While I was teaching, my colleagues encouraged me to start selling some of my designs on Etsy, a platform I had never heard of before. Looking back at my beginnings, I am pleasantly surprised that some of my items sold! Over the past 13 years, I have learned a great deal.
Providing excellent customer service is very important to me. If you check my shops, you’ll notice that I’ve received outstanding reviews, with over 6,000 reviews—most of which are five-star ratings. Customers frequently seek my advice on colors and sizes, and I genuinely enjoy helping them. I often ask them to send me a picture of their space because it brings me joy to see how my items fit into their lives. When customers leave reviews that include photos of their purchases, it makes me incredibly happy. If they are satisfied, then I am satisfied as well. I also cherish my returning customers; many come back year after year to buy items for special occasions, such as the birth of a baby, weddings, or anniversaries.
I enjoy creating custom designs, and many of my best works have been inspired by customer requests. My word clouds are my best sellers, and I particularly enjoy making them, especially when a customer asks for the words to be arranged in a specific shape. I have created word clouds in various shapes, including a kidney, shoe, logo, tree, and fish, to name a few. With each new request, I feel as though I am expanding my abilities. To me, word clouds are like puzzles, and I enjoy figuring out how to fit the words together. They are a wonderful idea for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, retirement celebrations, and graduations.
I partnered with a major home decor company and have sold some of my designs at retailers such as Home Goods, Wayfair, Walmart, and Home Depot, among others. I was recently thrilled to see my ballet word cloud displayed at my local Home Goods store!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I truly love what I do. Bringing a client’s vision to life and helping customers solve problems is incredibly fulfilling for me. Designing doesn’t feel like work; I could spend hours creating without even realizing how much time has passed. In fact, I often have to remind myself to take breaks!
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
It takes patience; nothing happens overnight. I’m still learning. Right now, I am focusing on three things: Pinterest, my website, and Zazzle. For example, I have been using Pinterest since I started, but I wasn’t using it correctly. Currently, I am watching YouTube tutorials and taking classes to learn from the experts. Pinterest seems to be the best platform for driving traffic, which is crucial for running an e-commerce shop. Etsy used to send traffic, but that hasn’t been the case for the past couple of years. Therefore, it is up to the seller to generate their own traffic.
Do your homework. I recommend checking out other sellers on social media to see what strategies are effective and what aren’t. I particularly like Pinterest because it provides insight into popular trends. Use their work for inspiration, but do not copy it! Additionally, explore tutorials on YouTube. There are several creators I follow, and if you find someone you like, they may offer classes that you can take.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.susannewberrydesigns.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susannewberrydesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snewberrydesigns
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannewberry/
- Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/snewberry55/
Image Credits
Susan Newberry
Adrianna Molinet