Getting Off The Cash Flow Treadmill

The biggest shift I'm making in my creative business this year

My current studio this time last year (spot the baseball cap!)

Welcome to my first paid post! A huge thank you to the people who have already signed up to my paid subscription level - you are my heroes! And if you’re a free subscriber, enjoy this preview and upgrade your subscription to read the rest ✨

---

Even though this Substack is titled “A Weaver’s Diary”, most of the draft posts I have written so far have been about everything but weaving. I guess that’s because while I’m weaving, my thoughts are often preoccupied with other topics. I’m sure eventually I’ll get round to writing about this craft that I love so much, but in the meantime I want this Substack to be a space where I discuss the reality of running a small business, warts and all. 

In a time where we’re surrounded by perfectly curated brands, it’s more important than ever to do this. Over the years, the authenticity of other creatives has helped me immeasurably, whether that’s in anticipating certain pitfalls or giving myself a break when I struggle with something that actually everyone struggles with. It’s also crucial for creatives who are thinking of setting up their own businesses to know what they’re getting themselves into! I really believe that sharing our battles honestly is the first step to cultivating a thriving creative community. 

Having said all this, I also think it’s important to be smart about what you share and who you share it with. While I’ll be sharing my experience and advice for free in this newsletter, there are some things I’d rather not discuss with the whole entire internet. That’s why I’ve set up a paid level to my Substack, to allow for privacy and to be able to write more honestly about my business to people who have an actual stake in it. 

So in today’s paid post, I’m sharing about the biggest shift I’ve made so far in my small business. If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that there have already been a lot of changes in the last 12 months. I moved from a 1400 sq ft studio to a 400 sq ft one, stopped selling my tapestries and closed commissions. But beneath those big, obvious transitions, I’m working to change something that is less tangible, but goes right to the heart of my business and how it all began in the first place.