The 18th of June marked my debut as a seller at a local market. Here’s a breakdown of my expenses:

• £38 lustre paper + printing
• £2.40 sticker paper
• £22.80 card reader
• £7.99 craft bags
• £3.98 thank you stickers
• £10.37 white envelopes
• £6.65 breakfast and lunch
• £3.50 tram
• £2.90 snacks
• £8.00 a crochet chicken from a girl at another stall
• £15 stall

TOTAL: a lot of money

Unfortunately, my sales were disappointing. I didn’t manage to sell a single print, not even one. However, I did gain some other valuable assets from this experience:

• 8 new followers on Instagram.
• 8 new contacts within the Manchester art scene.
• Three pages of my notebook filled with notes, advice, and areas for improvement for future events.

Now, I would like to share some of the lessons I learned today:

1. Research is crucial. Take the time to explore different ways of setting up your table instead of relying on improvisation.
2. Have paper and pen available to collect names and email addresses for your newsletter.
3. Consider offering various options for displaying prices, such as thematic cardboard, a chalkboard piece, or a wooden holder.
4. Provide framed options for your prints.
5. Engage in an activity by hand during downtime to prevent boredom and demonstrate your artistic skills to potential customers.
6. Display prints in cellophane folders to protect them from getting dirty.
7. Consider offering product packs or bundles to attract customers.

But the most valuable aspect of the market experience was not captured in the list of expenses and gains. It was the realization that being immersed in a community of talented individuals who make a living from their art, or are on their way to doing so, provided the final push I needed. Surrounded by all those prints and the invaluable advice I received, I was inspired to take the leap and open my own online shop, giving my art the attention and recognition it truly deserves.

Kamila Muffin Shop.

Opening: 07/07

what I am doing

June has been a crazy month. I quit my boring job and focused on the exciting work. And exciting it is, but also exhausting. I’ve been working as an event photographer, had the launch of our final exhibition (which was stunning, a million times better than I could have imagined), and graduated with a First Class Honours degree. Personally, I also graduated from my running club, which technically means I can now run 5 kilometers. The thing that has taken up most of my time is working at Kamila Muffin Studio: printing photos, packaging products, defining strategies, learning a lot (especially from Susana Torralbo’s Ohlala! course on launches and campaigns), setting prices, calculating costs, and all the other small tasks of running a business that ultimately make it function.

I’ve also been working on a secret product that hopefully will see the light very, very soon. Or at least I hope so because if I have to keep quiet about what I’m doing any longer, I’ll explode 💥

what’s next

The shop launch is the top priority. To ensure a successful outcome this week, it’s time to continue working hard on preparing the website and completing the product photos.

See you on the 7th of July! ✨