Why I'm Self-Employed

I'm self-employed because I can have more of the life I want than if I had a job. I'm saying this because I get a little worried sometimes about why people want to be self-employed and how it can sometimes be in conflict with what that they truly value and want from life. Maybe I just need a little reminder myself, because being self-employed is not an easy thing to do! 

Here are a few things I want from my business: I want to feel my work is meaningful and helpful to others. I want to create joy and beautiful things. I want to be paid fairly for the work I do. I want to use my talents. I want to have a voice. I want freedom and choice. I want to be able to say no. I want to feel valued. I want to know why I'm doing something and know that reason resonates with me. I want it to be fun. I'm prepared to work hard as long as it is meaningful and rewarding. I want to learn new things. I want to progress. I want work that is flexible and allows time for family, friends, adventure and good health. I know I'll feel challenged and a little afraid sometimes, but that is for the sake of  growth and I welcome that.

Honestly, self employment can be wonderful or it can end up a terrible nightmare. I've had experiences of both. I just think it is important to look at your big life picture, in terms of your needs, values and wants and decide from there what is best for you. The answer doesn't have to be self-employment or job. It can be a little of both, or it be a tweaking of the type of business you run. I don't have all the answers in this blog post because we are all so individual. What I am saying is it is important to ask yourself why. And ask yourself often. 

ps. this isn't meant as a plug for my business coaching, but if you are interested in that you can shoot me through an email liana@lianakabel.com

  

Big Jewellery Giveaway!

Seems like my plastic jewellery making obsession has been going on for 10 years now! Can you believe it? I'm not sure if I can. Of course I don't see an end to it anytime soon. To thanks all of you wonderful people for supporting me, encouraging me and simply showing an interest in what I've been creating, I thank you. That's what has really been keeping me going.

To celebrate all those years of bending knitting needles and cutting up Tupperware I'm giving away one big jewellery prize! All you need to do to enter this competition (winner will be picked randomly) is:

1. Be a newsletter subscriber
2. Leave a comment below

Easy as that. I'd also appreciate it if you liked my Facebook page although that's not a condition of entry. That would just be nice!

Entries end Friday April 12 and the winner will be announced via Facebook, on this blog and twitter the following week.

Thanks again. I hope you win! x

PS If you are having trouble posting a comment here I've added a post to my FB page where you can leave a comment and enter too (it's the highlighted one). http://www.facebook.com/LianaKabel.art.design.jewellery

Knitwit Bangles - 10 Year Anniversary!

This will be my 10th year of making Knitwit Bangles. Wow I'm a little freaked out by that. But also very proud. When I first started selling my jewellery in 2003 I knew that I wanted to have a career in the arts, creating original work. I knew that I wanted it to be long term, like "this is what I'm going to do FOREVER."

There have been many changes along the way, but  a commitment to making plastic jewellery has been consistent since 2004, with my I'm a Tupperware Lady show. For the last few years, as well as continuing to create and sell jewellery, I've been employed as a Business Coach. That was a wonderful experience and all came about because I gave a talk about my business to a group of the program graduates. This job ends within the next few months so I get to go back to full-time self-employment. Something I have missed. What that means is I'll be increasing my production lines, exhibiting, running my own creative and business workshops, as well as offering private coaching for creative business people (that bit is already happening!).

 This next stage of a 10 year plastic jewellery business is looking pretty wonderful too, even if it will be a little more diverse than when I first started. Being consistent and flexible really are the keys to longevity in this business.

To celebrate there is a Knitwit 2 for 1 SALE in my shop until January 31.

If you are interested in workshops or business coaching you are welcome to email me liana@lianakabel.com

Getting My Sparkle On

I Pulled out the 'real camera' yesterday took a few shots of some new crystal jewellery I've been working on (as you can see above - rings and earrings). Last year I made some pieces with the same collection of vintage rhinestones, but this year I've approached the process a little differently.

I've not used any moulds this time. Instead I've played with free forming the resin and working it by hand. I'm always interested in finding new processes for working with materials and for pieces to evolve individually. I'll continue to play, like I always do, because I really do have many more beautiful bags of rhinestones to work through and, I'm sure, many new processes to discover.

The Art Of Selling Pet Rocks, And Other Business Lessons Learnt

 

Business seems to be in my blood. My parents migrated to Australia from German and Italy, as did many of my other family members. The majority of them at some point started their own businesses. There was jewellery (lots of jewellery!), building, raising Quails, selling sunglasses and of cause Tupperware (if you didn't already know it my mother was a Tupperware Lady for nearly 20 years, hence all the Tupperware jewellery).

 

Since I'd always been a bit creative and loved to build my bank account, when my Aunt suggested selling my wildly coloured pet rocks at her sunglasses stand at Paddy's markets, I was all for it. It was the seventies, so pet rocks were in! I must have been about 8 at the time, maybe younger? I remember clearly that we had to play with price a bit to get the sales and how I needed to make a sparkly and attractive sign. I also remember how exciting it was to receive my first stack of 50c pieces. I had made something and sold it. It was all very exciting! It still is!

 

As a teenager I was asked to bake cupcakes and biscuits for my parents friend's cafe. I was right into experimenting with baking at the time so this pleased me no end. But soon I realised that my yogurt kumquat cake wasn't a big hit and that the customers only really wanted large chocolate chip cookies. That didn't satisfy my creative needs but did lead to a lot more reorders. 

 

 

As a gift I painted a Waratah on a t-shirt for my Mother, who was a Tupperware Manager at Waratah Party Sales at the time. Soon after every Tupperware Lady at Waratah Party Sales, wanted their own t-shirt. I soon learnt that painting one shirt at a time was taking way too long, so I started asking for at least four shirts before I painted them. My hourly rate soon skyrocketed!

 

Running three little home based creative businesses, all before I finished high school taught me a few things. Some things I need to remind myself of even now.

 

The thing I learnt most, was that no business starts off perfect (or probably ever becomes perfect). You have to be willing to look at it objectively and make changes if you need to along the way.  Also, do the most creative things, but maybe also have that chocolate chip cookie in your range. The thing that you don't have to explain, that just sells.

Did you have any early experiences of business? If so, what did you learn? I'd love to hear.

 

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