Tools and Supplies for Running a Small Business
Welcome to my journal! I thought I’d kick off with a topic that I can asked about a lot - what tools and equipment I use to run my small business. When I started my business back in 2019, I had no idea where to begin - the options were overwhelming. However, over the last few years, by a process of experimentation and testing, I have found resources that are perfect for me. Whilst I can’t run my business without them, they may not all be perfect for you, but at least may provide a starting point and a way to start thinking about what equipment you may need to get up and running.
I intend to use this journal entry as part of a bigger project which is a more in-depth downloadable guide to many different aspects of running a small business. I think as business owners AND artists, we have to wear many hats! We are creatives ultimately and may not be effective or trained in all the aspects that we need to be. I wish this kind of information had been around when I started, but I have learnt in many ways, the hard way! By making mistakes and by a process of trying, then eliminating certain tools or equipment. So enjoy the read and I hope you find it useful.
For Home Printing:
Printer - Canon TS9551C . This is a mid-range printer (I paid around £200) that seems to function really well. I have 2! It is quite heavy on ink usage, but combined with the paper I use, it creates very vibrant results. The main thing I like about this printer is it can handle weights up to 350gsm - perfect for making your own greetings cards. I also find Canon support really helpful (trust me you will need to use them at some point!).
Paper - I have recently changed my paper as my beloved hammered watercolour paper has been increasingly difficult to get hold of. I use a Velvet Fine Art 275gsm from Paper Spectrum. I chose this because a coated paper will always give more vibrant results and I also wanted a fairly smooth paper but with a little bit of texture, as I find it more forgiving when printing. Whilst this paper may not be perfect for you all, I do recommend Paper Spectrum as a company - they will send you free samples of papers so you can test them at home, and have a really good range.
For Processing Orders:
Please note, the following product was gifted to me by Munbyn, however I have been using their printers for a couple of years and would never promote a product I didn’t believe in!
I use a new, more budget friendly Munbyn printer (Affiliate Link). I also have this one. I love both but the Bluetooth printer is more handy than the USB one and I love making my logo stickers with it! It’s also perfect for shipping labels and really easy to set-up and integrate with Click and Drop and Etsy. I have to say these printers are a game changer and really improve my order processing.
For Drawing:
Ipad Pro 12.9 inch 2022 - 256 GB. I went for the largest capacity I could afford as it affects the number of layers you are given when drawing. This is a really good amount and gives me plenty of storage.
Procreate App - just the best app! I love how intuitive it is and the snapping feature for pattern designers makes making repeat patterns so straightforward. I couldn’t live without it.
Website
I’ve used a couple of different providers in my time but currently use Squarespace and am more than happy with it. The templates are so clean and easy to use, the commerce features are seamless and generally it just looks really professional and slick. It’s a bit more on the expensive side ( I pay about £28 a month for the business plan which has basic commerce features) but it’s definitely my platform of choice.
Memberships
The amount of memberships you can join can be overwhelming - from small business support, drawing clubs, directories and pattern design communities, the list is endless! When you’re on a budget it’s impossible to just join everything - so here are some I am part of now, or have been in the past, and are worth checking out.
The Studio - Liz Koehler Brown
The Association of Illustrators
Other Resources:
An amazing free resource is Creative Howl - they have incredible guides for illustrators and also a Surface Pattern Directory that you can apply to join. Well worth a look.
Finally, Mimi for Creatives - workshops, podcasts and a member directory by illustrator Melanie Johnson.
If you want even more tips and resources from me then please do look out for my E book Guide which will launch later this year! I can’t wait to share it with you :)