I often get asked if I still am doing that 'little paint party thing'. Here's why I have been doing this 'little paint party thing' for 9 years now.
1. Money. I make money on a schedule that I create, and unlike most side hustles, not just on the weekends. Here is an example: Wednesday afternoon in an office building in Downtown Denver, Thursday night at a local bar, Friday night with a woman's church group. A total of 9 hours of hands-on work with my customers, another couple hours of prep and picking up supplies. My earnings - $900, or about $70 an hour.
2. My schedule. Is more important to me than making money. When I started this business I was a SAHM of 3 middle-school boys (I survived), and I worked everything around whatever they were up to including being their taxi driver. Then I would go do art at parties to get away from them! Then guess what? Yeah, they grew up and they left the nest. And I could be sitting here wondering what to do next with my life wondering if SAH with my kids wasted my career opportunities. No, I didn't waste any time, I cherished it. I was building my career while being with them. Yes, this little art thing.
My main priority is my volunteer & service work. I have served at an in-depth Bible study ministry - for nearly 10 years now, every Tuesday and Thursday - and this is my passion that is only made possible by the fact that I make money in an un-traditional side hustle. Just like you, I need to make real money to pay my car payment, contribute to the family household, and pay for the pesky college tuition for my birdies.
3. It's more than a paint party.
These are direct quotes from some of my recent events:
At the downtown Office Event: "I got laid off from my job a couple of weeks ago, I had to come to turn in this paperwork but I wanted to wait until I knew you were here so I can make something to make me feel better", "Thank you for doing this, I was so frustrated to go to my afternoon meeting and this seriously made me release all that stress",
At my event at the bar - this woman is a true artist and said "I just never make time to do my own thing or pull out my own supplies, I am happy I got to come here just to get this picture out on the canvas"
From the women's church event - I asked this woman why she hadn't yet finished her project and she replied "because we've been talking and talking and can't you tell I've been crying and crying - you should call this sobbing & painting" because paint parties and GNO's is code for "therapy."
4. My Artsy Family. I own my own business, and in most business industries (especially those direct sales, home-based businesses), you're afraid of the competition or you don't want someone else selling to your customers - but in our business the more the better. At a recent art bar event, 5 of my fellow paint & sip owner friends came to my art bar event to sample my artwork and to talk shop and hang out.
We have been in this business together for many years so we can get better at what we do but so we can do life together - real-life friends, not a competition! Being in business for yourself doesn't mean you're in business by yourself. Together really is better. We share supplies, ideas and call on each other if we have a massive party to work at together. Then we go celebrate with drinks and food afterward!
Have you tried the #momboss life? I bet you were frustrated with money, investing more than you made. Or that schedule, doing home parties during the evening and weekend only to have very few people show up. A side hustle should be like the groovy dance (Saturday Night Fever), not a struggle.
I wouldn't have been doing this for the past 9 years if it didn't work. The opportunities are endless! Downtown offices, hospitals, schools, mom parties, and every other group to have some fun, release some stress and learn something new through art. Art is timeless. Art Matters.
Want to see if this is the right business for you? Download the Pre-Launch Road Map to see if this is the right business for you! Click here https://artsyacademy.mykajabi.com/roadmap
Raise your glass - Maria
Learn more about my Artsy business https://www.facebook.com/artsywithmaria/