Blog!

So, this is my first blog and I've got to admit, it feels a little strange writing this!  So a bit about me....

Well, my name is Sam.  I used to work in local government as a project manager which was exciting for the first couple of years, but I never really felt completely satisfied in the working world.  I always felt like there was something missing.  And I now realise that that was a creative outlet. 

I wouldn't label myself as an artist; more a 'maker'.  I can turn my hand to pretty much anything: DIY, furniture making, sewing, painting, paper craft, making jewellery.  I guess that once you've mastered one technique, it's easier than you'd think to use those skills on a new medium.

Last summer I took voluntary redundancy and realised that I had an opportunity to try making a living doing the thing I love - playing with power tools, creating and 'making stuff'.  I love it, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit to being slightly terrified!  The days of a regular and steady income are behind me.  The thing I love about self employment is also the scariest - it's all in my hands.  Making money, paying the mortgage and bills - all of it is down to me.  There's a satisfying sense of freedom about it, but there are days when the reality hits that not enough money is coming in to cover my costs.

So how to handle that reality?  Keep learning and evolving.  I've always been a bit of a geek in terms of falling back on piles of books for information and that's where I'm at right now.  I'm throwing myself into the world of social media, marketing and all things 'small business'.  I'm determined to make this work and I now know that my initial impression of spending my days making beautiful things was missing a huge and vital part of the picture - it's still a business.  I'm hitting the steep bit of the learning curve and swotting up on information and learning as much as I can about the world of social media and getting my stuff 'out there'.

And so, this blog is my first step to getting into the business mind-set, embracing the world of social media and creating a bit of structure around the fun bits.