"One of the big failings of art schools is that students aren't given any teaching on how to survive as a one-person business, which is what it is." ~ Stuart Pearson Wright
Running the business side of art is a pain in the butt. Shipping fees, tax rates, shopping carts, websites, photos, measurements, pricing, legal hurdles... all while trying to make enough product to actually supply the business. And the best part is that I don't have a clue how to do any of it. Every time I need to do something, I have to spend several hours looking it up online, and there's NEVER a clear answer. People tend to think that I sit in my room all day and do nothing, but my brain is constantly at work trying to figure everything out. It's stressful and exhausting, and days like today make me think "What the hell am I doing here?" But then... I think about working for someone else. "Oh... yeah..."
Oh well. That's life. It's rough and confusing and never cooperates with you, but there it is. So anyway, upgraded to a PayPal business account today, which didn't cost anything extra, surprisingly. Now once I figure out shipping and tax rates, I can put a shopping cart up on the site and it will no longer be a pretty little picture gallery. Must. make. money.
Had to bump up all the prices on my necklaces, because as Amanda over at Balagan Art pointed out, I was accounting for supplies and my time but not for profit. So... apparently I'll have to be a bit more expensive than I'd like just to make any money from my jewelry. Oh well. At least I can sell my prints for a reasonably cheap price... once I figure out where I'm getting them made. Ugh. More thinking and deciding. Sooooo tired of it.
I'm off to get some lunch. Maybe then I'll be less cranky and depressed.
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