We recently connected with Susan Strenkoski and have shared our conversation below.
Susan , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risk taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
Going out on your own and starting a business is always a risk. The comfort of a full-time paycheck, benefits and knowing how you are going to pay your bills, keep a lot of people in their jobs. So, imagine having the idea of starting two new businesses at the same time.
If jumping ship from your full-time gig and starting your freelance career wasn’t challenging enough, I really have always felt compelled to start an online business selling my creations. In 2012, I started illustrating, selling online and at art shows. I am a crazy dog mom, and I found a lot of crazy dog/cat people like me that spend a lot of money on their furbabies. I started offering custom dog portraits and other custom artwork that all involved furbabies. The online business was okay, but the market became saturated with pet portrait companies that had bigger marketing budgets and lower price points I couldn’t compete with. I took a step back for a few years because my marketing company is my main source of income, and it demanded a lot of my time.
This past year I found myself watching a lot of embroidery videos on Instagram and read that it was a great way to relax to lower your blood pressure. I became inspired to give it a try. It was like no time had passed and I was able to remember stitches my grandmother taught me when I was 10. I took on a new perspective of embroidery, it was like painting with thread. I could use my talent as a graphic designer to design unique patterns and then hand embroider them. One thing I have learned as a business owner is to be able accept when something is not working and pivot to a new idea. I immediately fell in love with embroidery all over again and knew this was what I wanted to base my online business on. I’m still building my product line, but see the potential for so many new hand embroidered products.
Why did I take the risk of leaving a full-time gig to start two new businesses?
I love learning new things and expanding my creativity, that wasn’t going to happen in my previous FT job. I made the jump, so I could find my balance between work life and time to be creative outside of work without burning out. So far, I am loving every minute of it.
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
Let me back up and explain a little about myself. I went to school for graphic design and have worked in advertising as a creative director for most of my career. I’ve helped set-up and manage in-house design departments, as well as start-up agencies in my career. In 2011, I decided it was time to take a chance on me and finally make the jump. It was terrifying and exciting, but I knew I had the knowledge and experience I needed to succeed in the marketing world. I enjoy being able to call my own shots and work with clients to implement marketing strategies to build their business.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the idea of failing is bad. In the past if I failed at something it was set in my mind I wasn’t trying or pushing myself hard enough. It wasn’t until I started my own business that I realized failure will happen, it’s a part of the growth process. What you learn from it and what you decide to do next that makes all the difference. In the design, not all ideas are going to work. Accept some ideas are duds and then move on. It’s out of failure I find my best ideas come to life.
How did you build your audience on social media?
When I decided to build an online presence I got started on twitter, I believe in 2012. I wanted to connect with dog/cat owners because I started out selling custom pet portraits and artwork. I have met some of the most wonderful people I would never of met in real life. I have a group of women that are truly my best friends and sounding board for my online business. We have even done meet up “girls vacations”. The pet community on twitter and Instagram is the most amazing and supportive community. I never expected to connect with so many amazing people. I started on instagram late but found the same supportive community there as well.
My advice for anyone building a media presence is to be authentic. People don’t want to be sold to all the time, they want to who you are as an artist and person. If your consistent with your posting and authentic with your content you will find your audience.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.strengthindesignstudios.com
- Instagram: @strengthindesign
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StrengthInDesign
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanstrenkoski/
- Twitter: @labsontheloose
- Other: My marketing business website is: www.strengthindesign.com but if I had to pick one website you list I would prefer the www.strengthindesignstudios.com