How I started my creative business // Reflecting on 7 years of being a creative entrepreneur // The first steps

Times have changed, instead of doing interviews about my designs I get asked to talk about running my business and how I started as a creative entrepreneur more and more often. Instead of replying to all those individual messages I thought it was about time to sit down and write a little something about the start of Little Smilemakers Studio.


My E-mail, Instagram and Facebook inboxes are filled with questions like; how did you start your business? What tips do you have for a starting creative like me? And you know, the questions seem so straight forward but the answer’s not that simple. So here you can ready a little something about my own experience as a designer.


The first steps
In 2011 I registered Little Smilemakers Studio as a new business. But things started way before that. When I was in design school I had so many ideas and projects I wanted to work on, and by the time I started out as a graphic designer here in The Netherlands (2004) I was working on all those projects at night after I got home from my job, which was less fulfilling then I had hoped it would be.

After two years of working full time I decided I wanted to specialize in Graphic design and Typography and went back to school. With a full time design job and classes 4 nights a week I still had this itch to create my own thing. I always felt I needed to find a way of expressing myself, pushing my boss and teachers boundaries time and time again. Because I didn’t have much time in between work, classes and school homework, I did not have much time to create my own stuff. I always needed to create, so carrying a camera along was the way to keep creative and true to myself. I always carried along a camera. First an analog Minolta, then my Lomo and after that the digital camera’s came. I captured everything in images.


A passive income
I worked at a design firm in The Netherlands where I had the chance to create the most amazing things, but sometimes, budget and time was restricted and we had to fall back on stock images. I started selling my first photographs on iStock. Images of Rotterdam and The Hague. Typical Dutch street scenes but also raw textures and details, rust, paint, decay. My photography finally had a purpose and it’s the balance between creating from the heart and making a living that challenges me, keeps me energized up until this day.

During my studies on the art academy I started freelancing. One of the first jobs I took on was creating Back-to-school items. Working on school accessories for kids was the start of my career in print designs. I started creating illustrations and surface pattern designs. All sketches and left over creations that didn’t make the final cut were added to my stock portfolio. This created a passive income for me. The foundation on which I could later on built my company.


The leap
After working for another design company for a few years I realized working for a boss was not for me. I missed the freedom to put my all into the job. I started as a graphic designer when things were all peachy but in 2010 the industry was one big mess and the graphic business pretty much collapsed. The design agency struggled with anxious clients and budget cuts. And the job got so stressful my fibromyalgia got so bad I couldn’t sit, stand, sleep, I was in pain 24/7. I knew it was time to leave and take the leap. I had gathered enough experience to know how I did not want to work so I though, what the hell, let’s do this.

You have to be a little naive to start your own business. At least you need to have the courage to think you can figure out, even though you’ve never come across so many challenges you’ll have to believe you can do it all. And so I did. And yes, I did have a lot of experience to take with me. But there was also so much I had yet to learn. And I was not healthy. I was struggling with my joints. But the decision to start my own business was such a relief. I never had to cross that line of physical exhaustion again. So I thought.


Taking on the first projects
Looking back I believe I was a pretty clever one starting out. I had a plan A, B and C. A passive income stream that was growing and now was enough to cover my basic expenses: mortgage, utilities and such. And the stock websites turned out to be a pretty handy tool to show businesses all over the world what I had to offer. I didn’t have to spend too much time on my own website because all my work was already out there to see. The first year I started working with companies from 18 different countries. I has to hire help every now and then. Pretty amazing when I look back on it. I worked with companies in home decor, textiles, kids fashion brands. The first year was definitely exciting! But it hasn’t been all easy.

The first year I was definitely high on the excitement of doing everything for the first time. New jobs coming in. new collabs. New finished work. But with 18 different countries comes 18 different cultures. 18 different ways in which to approach my clients. Working in the creative field is fun, but it’s also being your own accountant, design strategist, trend watcher, you have to become a writer, content manager, communication specialist. It’s a job allright. The creative field is not one to become rich over night. And that was never the goal anyway. I am not a big spender and want to know everything I need to run my business. I am very reluctant to hire help. I want to know what it’s about, and try to teach myself whatever is needed to resolve the problems that I come across.


The ultimate tip
Over the years I have done writing courses, online marketing classes, sales and business coaching sessions, I spend hours and hours on researching copy cats to fight giant corporations using my work without paying. An ongoing investment for my business. It’s been fun but mostly it has been hard work. With determination and time you can do it! The only quick tip I can give you here; if you’re not up for the task, don’t start. If this seems like a hassle to you; keep working for your boss and let him take care of it all. Sometimes the rough and the rude gets to me. But one thing I know for sure: I will always keep creating. And if you have this all consuming itch for creation like I do. You’ll be fine. Trust in your skill and create from the hearts and there will be no one like you. And that’s exactly what the world needs.

How to set new goals when you’re forced to redirect your attention and energy // spoiler alert: haven’t got the answer yet

It has been a while since I posted something a little more behind the scenes of the studio. The past year has been pretty much a deep pit and it’s pretty hard to find something positive and uplifting to share about business when yours just went down the drain. But I think there have been so many 'after' and 'reflection' stories, it's time to speak up when things are in fact still dark and fuzzy.

In 2016, I signed the papers for the new business: opening a shop and starting my own fabric production has been a long time goal, and I was working my way up to this moment for a couple of years when I decided I had to share the energy and workload to build a strong foundation for this new venture. And so I did. I sat around the table with my new business partner for over a year until it felt like we had talked over and tackled most bumps in the road. We signed contracts, looked for a place to rent with an office space, storage and storefront. And we set everything in motion to get things going. I invested all my savings for renovations, production, decorating the new space. And it was a good energy, things were moving, things got checked from our list. The website was ready to be filled with new products and our store was finished. Then my colleague flaked. After giving a go on our first fabric collection to our producer, a day later she told me she wanted to step away from the business, and she already started to put everything in my name.

The first cracks
During the renovation of our new space already noticed the fair of making decisions for my partner. We had written down our thoughts and expectations before the start but I noticed she did not keep her end of the deal. There had been some discrepancies. Trust was broken. Eventually, I found out numbers were a mess too, and I was glad my gut instinct told me to pull the plug right away. I could not run a store, creative studio and keep busy with productions all by myself, so after our shop finished in February, we only stayed open for two months until things came to an end. We hadn’t even sent out our grand opening invites yet.

The goal
Some of you might know I struggle with fibromyalgia. For me finding another way to earn a living, without having to create every day (but not giving up on the drawing either) was my goal to start this venture. My fingers are not very reliable so I cannot count on my hands to keep drawing for another 10 years. Working on a more sufficient income stream was one of the reasons to get into the process of starting a Little Smilemakers fabric production. My designs are copied so quickly, this was a good way to keep new prints private and only expose them as a finished product. Stay afloat as a designer and keep making a creative living.

The shop was closed a year ago already and has left me empty. Only a giant pit filled with smelly leftover shit to deal with was left. This week my accountant closed the 2017 books. And I had to face it all over again. The financial loss, the financial insecurity that came with investing so much time and energy into the shop and not building the studio. Trusting someone who completely went Houdini on me was another thing to deal with. I felt like I lost my spirit. My little fighter mentality. My determination.

Recovering from scattered dreams
If you have your mind set on something, you take all steps necessary. It is a clear vision that drove me towards building a store for years. And if someone suddenly takes away that future, that vision, and that goal, pretty much everything is up for discussion. It was my own decision to stop, and I think it was the right one. But I felt forced. It is not what I pictured. I was thrown back to my bare foundation. Felt so lonely emptying out the shop, by myself, on a rainy afternoon. And I haven’t shaken off this feeling yet, not even after a full year has gone by. Yeah, sorry this story will not be a very inspiring one. But I receive so many comments from other aspiring designers. Questions about how to successfully build a business. Well, I have felt like a fraud. I don’t have a clue. If anything it is all hard work, determination, setting goals and stay focused, but that’s not all, clearly.

Getting up again
A year has passed, and I am still making up for the financial loss and probably have to keep on doing so for the upcoming two years. My health is getting worse, so long working days are pretty much impossible. That, and the fact that this entire thing has cost me so much energy I can come home completely exhausted after just doing some groceries. So this is not an inspiring story. Just a real one. And I still feel very much stuck in that pit. I have more ‘good’ days that a few months ago. (Breaking your heart is not a very awesome thing to deal with during all this either, minor detail) But I think writing down this story might help some of you that are also not quite ready yet. Stuck in some darkness, feeling lost. Lonely and defeated. Usually, you get out with some big eye-opening epiphany and you look back on it think I survived. There are so many stories they actually make me feel worse, I am simply not there yet. I am not even remotely gone processing this. And that’s OK.

The future
What’s up next is seeing something in my future again. Something that makes my heart tick. Creating a new goal. Going toward something meaningful. It’s times like these when you are thrown to the bare version of yourself. You have to trust your own foundation, and maybe that is what makes it harder, when your foundation isn’t all warm and steady, you have to get that light on all by yourself, it takes a while. I noticed some of the people I had been close with suddenly make me feel worse. They kept asking me why it would feel this mayor. Why I couldn’t just get over it and be happy with what I have. I heard so many things that just made me feel even worse, made me feel I had to apologize for feeling shitty. So at this point, I have stripped my circle to the bare minimum. I have to be OK with myself first before someone tells me they're not OK with where I am right now. If there is any advice I would give at this point is that you can do it alone. It is pretty awesome to get some ‘happy’ injected from others but don’t make other people make you feel even heavier when you’re down. I put some people on hold. Not because they are bad people. I just had to put my own needs first.

I hope with all this said; some of you might find the OK in not feeling OK. For every bad trip, you need time to recover. I am so not there yet. At all. But with the 2017 books closed this now finally feels like a new chapter. Slowly things are moving towards the right direction.

Sources of inspiration // Top 10 favorite world wide Modern Art Museums & Galleries

As an artist, I can find inspiration in everyday things — but traveling, that's a whole different creative source. Maybe it's the need to feel connected to the bigger picture, or a different culture; or to get more insight into who I am and explore things from another perspective. Maybe it's simply stepping away from my routine and overlooking things from a distance. But one thing is for sure: traveling provides an endless flow of inspiration, and there's an entire world to explore.

How often do you visit a gallery or museum? Holland has some great art galleries and museums and I love to see all these different artists and skills come to life. I often visit the Pulchri Studio close to my home in The Hague where they have new art up on the walls every few weeks. I try to visit museums during my travels. It is lovely to see cultural differences, there is a different way of expression in each part of the world. What museum would you recommend in your country/city? For this post I have selected a top 10 of personal faves. I have seen quite some Modern Art Museums and would like to share those with you. Some awesome gems of The Netherlands and some less obvious choices, places I have seen during my travels. Enjoy!

1 // MAXXI - Rome
Rome is not a typical place to visit if you love modern art. Also modern architecture is not really common in the city, but if you take a train out of the city center you can visit a few very interesting places if you stop at Euclide. The 'bugs' at the musical auditorium for instance are a architectural feast. The arena Palazzetto dello Sport built in 1960 for the summer Olympics is a very interesting piece, could use a fresh layer of paint though. But the real gem for me was discovering the MAXXI. The National Museum of contemporary art and architecture. The building itself is simple beautiful and only open for public for 6 years now. With it's sharp edges and overlaps it's a surprisingly pretty composition in a slightly neglected looking area of the city. The exhibits are surprisingly well set up and diverse. I was very happy to see a some Italian parents brought along their kids to explore this place. There is a nice library dedicated to the building and Roman modern architecture. Check out the website before you go. All exhibits are contemporary. The ones I visit were conceptual, highly political engaged and visually powerful. But of course every artist and every expo will be different. Enter a place like this without expectations and it will surprise you.

2 // Pulchri Studio - The Hague
This Art gallery is a place you can just walk in free of charge. Every few weeks there is something else to discover here. The short term exhibitions are great for a little break during a busy working day and I visit this gallery in the old part of The Hague frequently. You can also enjoy a good lunch in the restaurant area, or sit down and have a coffee.

3 // Brandhorst Museum - Munich
The museum itself is a great piece of architecture that is already worth a little glance. Inside of the museum you can find a collection of modern art with a large representation of work by American artists. My personal favorite is the collection of paintings by Twombly on the first floor. Unfortunately the Museum prohibits photography. Such a shame since I love to capture the amazing visual art to take them home to stash in my box of memories.

4 // Tate Modern - London
On the bankside of the river Thames you can find one of my favorites of all time. The very immense and industrial looking The Tate Modern is a place for modern and contemporary art. If you ever get the chance to fly in to this city do check what is happening here. There have has numerous amazing exhibitions in the part. Malevich, Kandinsky, Hodgkin, Hopper, to name just a few. You can easily spend an entire day at this place.



// Brooklyn Museum - New York
New York has so much to offer for the creative soul. There are many places worth visiting but on my last trip to the Big Apple I crossed the Brooklyn Bridge to watch the Ai Weiwei expo in the Brooklyn Museum. I am a big fan of modern art but this museum also shows a little bit about the history of Brooklyn and I was surprised about the variety and quality of art that was shown here. It is a gem and truly worth crossing the river for.

6 // Moderna Museet - Stockholm
Pay attention creative peeps! If you ever visit Stockholm: visit Skeppsholmen. You need to visit this little creative island. I was lucky enough to spend a truly magical summer night here with some live music and street food in the Moderna Museet garden during the Yayoi Kusamas exhibit. Surrounded by Picasso scultures I was enjoying a live performance of one of my fav sing and sing writers José González. You can visit the Moderna Museet but don’t forget to enjoy the outside sculptures by Calder and Jean Tingely and Niki de Saint Phalle. From the island you have a beautiful view over Stockholm. Walk around the island and check out the little harbor on the northern part with old steamships and fishing boats. A great place to enjoy the sunset. From the south side you can take a ferry to the Abba Museum or Nordiska Museet.

7 // Louisiana - Copenhagen
As a graphic designer I adore this amazing Danish museum of modern art. If you ever visit Copenhagen make sure to take the train to this museum. It will take you an hour traveling North but it is a lovely way through a beautiful area of Denmark. The museum is located in the most lush area near the seaside and the sculpture garden has a breathtaking view over the water. But trust me, you don’t need the water, there is so much to see inside alone. With over 3.500 pieces of art, a combination of American, European and Danish art from 1945 till now, there is enough to see to keep you busy for a day without noticing the surroundings. Warhol, Picasso, Kiefer, Kandinsky, they are all there. But if you visit the museum on a summer day, do take a stroll through the park and enjoy sculptures from Calder, Henry Moore and my personal favorite: Miró. A must see, beautiful museum. Definitely one of my all time favorites.

8 // FOAM - Amsterdam
My favorite museum for Photography is located in Amsterdam. I think it is the museum I visit most frequently in Holland. They have temporary exhibits and change their walls every few months. I have seen numerous great photographers here. Helmut Newton’s life work. Annie Leibovitz with her famous portraits. The Kate Moss Show. Vivian Maiers black and white, street photography and this winter there is another big name to add to the list: Weiwei. FOAM is a lovely place to pop in for a quick visit. You’ll be in and out in 2 hours so if you want to see something during you stay in Amsterdam but don’t want to wait in one of those crazy museum lines go visit this little photography gem.

9 // Blain Southern Gallery - Berlin
This contemporary art gallery is located in the old press building and offers a huge canvas to artists. This summer the gallery has an impressive exhibit of Morellet. You can see his paintings and also his later work: neon installations. His work was influenced by artists like Piet Mondriaan and Max Bill. You can see some similarities in the movement and the composition but using materials like neon, concrete, metal, and leaving out color were considered to be quite modern back then and still make his work very unique. What I love about the gallery itself is that it has a huge main area with one high sealing stretching up into the sky. The canvas for the work makes the art even more astonishing.

10 // MoMa - New York
New York, one of the most inspiring art museums are based here. With the Frick Collection, the wonderful Guggenheim with temporary exhibits and of course the Witney. All amazing places to go and check out but my fav: the MoMa will always be one of the greatest places to visit if you are an artist, I think this museum is a must see. Don’t get me wrong, there are other awesome places in New York, I will have to type down a top 10 for New York only some time… The MoMa has some iconic pieces every artists should see i real life. Monet’s Water Lilies for instance. Picasso, Matisse and our very own Piet Mondriaan and Willem de Kooning spreading our strong Dutch Design. The sculpture garden has some wonderful pieces too, don’t skip those. But I particularly like this place, not because of those great names but because there is a mix of so many different techniques, that really trigger my imagination. Why choose paper or why stick with ink? Sculptures, paintings, architecture, graphics. Very inspirational place!