HOW TO KEEP BUSINESS COSTS TO A MINIMUM

BE INSPIRED BY THIS SAVVY SAVING ADVICE

KEEP WORKSPACE COSTS LOW

Use your home to your advantage.

Carve out space and run your own business from your kitchen table.

Anna’s workspace is not self-contained in a separate studio, so has to work hard for both her printing work and family life. ‘My husband, Clinton

– a former fireman, turned sculptor – had the opportunity to purchase the bungalow from his grandma 25 years ago and jumped at the chance to get on the property ladder,’ says Anna. ‘It was a huge stretch for him, but since moving in together in 2004, it has become our family home and the place we have both realised our creative potential. If we need something for work or home, we make it – the fireguard, brackets for artwork, replacement Crittall-style doors and windows. It’s how the house evolves, nothing is purchased new and everything has a story.’ A large metal storage unit at the end of the table (a piece formerly used in Clinton’s father’s garage) has been repurposed and provides abundant storage for work materials. ‘It makes it easy to tidy away at the end of the day,’ says Anna. ‘Even our kitchen sink doubles up as a studio clean-up area – the paints and blocks are cleaned using olive oil rather than chemicals, so they’re safe. I love not having to factor in studio costs or deal with commuting every day.’

REDUCE SUPPLY COSTS Anna always keeps waste paper to reuse as tags and other smaller items. Each piece of art that goes out to customers is cardboard backed and simply enveloped in tissue. Eco-friendly recycled brown paper and natural string is used to wrap postal orders – each parcel stylishly handaddressed, using Anna’s calligraphy skills. Maximum impact, minimum cost.

BARTER Occasionally Anna will barter with other creatives, swapping a piece of her work for a piece of theirs – a few examples of which are displayed on her sitting room walls. ‘When decorating clients’ homes, I often trade prints for a piece of furniture they are happy to pass on. It benefits us both and encourages sustainability. Nothing in our house was bought new – we are always upcycling,’ she says.

SAVE TIME BY SELLING ONLINE ‘The growing trend towards selling online, both via Instagram and my website, has freed up a lot of the time I used to spend visiting prospective shopkeepers. I still enjoy selling to independent stores, but I find that retailers approach me more now, having found me on Instagram or stumbled across my website, which means I can spend more time at home creating,’ says Anna.

DO YOUR OWN MARKETING Anna designs, builds and manages her own website. ‘This was important to me as website construction can require a lot of set-up funds and a constant level of investment to upload new work,’ she says. ‘Advertising budgets are nonexistent. For me, it is very much about word of mouth. Given the limited-edition quality of my work,

I find that cards as well as prints are often framed by customers. A lot of work comes from people who have seen my designs hanging in someone else’s home. Above all, follow your own path – trust your creativity and others will follow your style, because it is your own.'