It’s quite interesting how things have come about- starting my business by accident in November of 2023 was wonderful yet destined to happen. Being a 22 year-old college grad was extremely intimidating. It’s so easy for people to say that persistence is the key to being a successful business owner; heck I even say that! But it is really true. That doesn’t mean to keep going if things aren’t working. Sometimes, methods and products need changing. But it means to keep trying to find the things that will work at the very least. Anyways, being an artist is wonderful. Being an artist in a small town is also wonderful. Here are some reasons why:
- It’s a small enough world here that I get recognized and conversed with on a weekly basis just because of my business. I love talking to people, so it works out for me. And I love to hear about how people know me, what shirts of mine they own, etc. It never gets old.
- I usually spend half of my day downtown which has a lot of nice spots to do laptop work. My favorite places to get work done are Luma Coffee Roasters and Bayou Booksellers. Sometimes I also go to PJ’s and Courtyard Cafe. But that’s not as often just because I know a bit more people at my other two spots. I still think they’re pretty nice. & I LOVE the crepes and a good caramel granita.
- It’s always nice to see people walk around with my designs. You spend so much time working behind the scenes. And a lot of times, people only see the final product. Unless they follow me on instagram. But especially to see people wearing them out in public, and to realize I don’t even know the person wearing the design- it’s so cool!
- Hammond also has a lot of neat stores and events in nooks and crannies you’d never known about. For example, the cutest vintage shop, Stable and Coop, just opened up. The owner is so sweet and she has so many neat finds and jewelry in there. I also went to Susan’s General Store for the first time a couple weeks ago. I usually take walks around the block when I’m taking a work break so I don’t get a headache. And I like to pop in places and converse with people behind the counters. Which brings me to number 5,
- I love to talk to the business owners around here, too. It’s so personal. It’s so easy to come across someone who owns your favorite brewery or coffee shop or to show up to Bayou Booksellers and talk to whoever is behind the counter or to meet the owners of like some other totally new business you’d never even heard of. It’s so easy to cultivate relationships with people here. Not just the business owners, but other people too. No one is hard to reach.
So yeah, I enjoy owning a business at the age of 24 here.