This video speaks to me in ways I can't explain.

I provide a broad range of design products and services for budding entrepreneurs, artists, fellow creatives, and enthusiasts. The short-term goals for the business are to successfully complete current jobs/projects so I can rebrand, and to be better able to identify my limitations and expectations (due to health) so as to create a good foundation and structure for my business. The long-term goals are to create and sell products online or at markets and to livestream once a week to promote my business/network with other creatives. These goals resonate with my short-term personal goals of spending more time engaged in my creative interests with friends/family, and implementing better organisational structure into my life. These goals also resonate with my long-term personal goals of improving my health and establishing a Creative Collective where artists, designers, makers, and innovators can come together to learn, create, and grow.

The business will source customers locally (Victoria, Ballarat/Melbourne regions) and globally. The ideal customers are cosplayers, fellow artists and creatives, pop culture enthusiasts, home crafters, art appreciators, and small businesses/entrepreneurs. The Digital Commerce market worldwide is projected to grow by 10.65% (2023-2027) resulting in a market volume of US$9.04tn in 2027. The Global Vtuber (Virtual YouTuber) market was valued at USD 2804.7 million in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 27590 million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 35.6% during 2023-2029. The Graphic Design market is growing. The global market is $45 billion in 2023 compared to $35.7 billion in 2013, and $44.3 billion in 2019. The market dropped to $39.8 billion during the pandemic, but recovered and grew by 3.8%. (IBISWorld) 94% of users will reject a website based on poor design elements (ResearchGate) 4 out of 5 small business and startup founders believe design is important to success (99designs) There are a broad range of competitors for my business including: sites like Adobe Stock/Envato/Cricut Design Space/any similar platforms which offer products or assets other homemakers/artists/digital content creators/vtubers listings on platforms like Fiverr people doing the work themselves using sites like Canva Fiverr is definitely a great place to list yourself as a designer, however I feel it has its drawbacks. There is quite a discrepancy in the prices on Fiverr listings, as well as the quality of work. Many of the listings seem to work from premade templates - which can lack much input from the client - and the listings that don’t work from templates can seem good value on the search page, but long lists of add-ons can make it confusing to the customer. I feel the platform can take away some of the customer service rapport if the right questions aren’t asked, and this can be detrimental to the vision of a project. However it can also be a good place to source customers. I don’t discourage anybody from being creative in their own right, however small businesses and entrepreneurs really benefit by having their branding (eg. logo) made correctly by a graphic designer. Branding is more important than a lot of people realise, as it is one of the main things a customer will remember about a business. Working with a professional who is trained to communicate ideas visually with an understanding of branding “dos and don'ts” will be sure your brand is recognisable - for good reasons!

I really enjoy thinking creatively and metaphorically, or outside the box. I am passionate about understanding my customer’s visions in my graphic design work, and put a lot of thought into different ways of communicating their needs visually, especially if they’re unsure of what they need. I have noticed, as a customer, that there are some gaps in the pop culture niche market. Vendors at pop culture conventions sell fan art when official merchandise of certain fandoms is unavailable, non-existent, or not up to personal taste. Fan made merchandise is often highly regarded and even collected. In my experience as a customer myself, just like with all other markets, there are trends - with certain fandoms going out of and coming back into fashion. While many creators seem to chase the trends, as a customer and collector I am often more interested in looking for merchandise from more specific older popular fandoms, and while I occasionally stumble upon a few items here and there, the selection is often scarce or not a style or item I would use or display. I would like to create products that fill these gaps in the market. As a casual cosplayer with many friends also into the hobby, there are also gaps to fill in the cosplay market. While the cosplay community grows, so does demand for resources to make said cosplays. I have created many costume assets as 3D print files, embroidery files, etc. because I could not find them available on the market. I would like to expand on this range and offer such products for online download and possibly physical items. The products and services that I offer are created/delivered with passion, care and attention to detail. I offer a friendly attitude and good customer service.

My business structure is Sole Trader. Some of the materials and/or equipment I work with are or can be hazardous and require the use of PPE and/or knowledge of safe operating practices. The majority of these do not have any impact on customers. A lot of the work I undertake is sitting at a computer. I need to make sure that I follow recommended WHS/OHS practices and maintain an ergonomic environment. The WorkSafe Victoria website has a repository of resources and factsheets for safe work practices, including office safety tips and ways to decrease work related fatigue, these will be very handy for me. I am required to have Professional Indemnity Insurance, however later on I will likely need Public Liability insurance in order to sell my wares at markets and exhibitions/conventions.

Risk Likelihood Impact Checks in Place Poor Health (physical or mental) High High Learning how to manage my health, improving my health, alternative streams of income for down periods. Learning what realistic timeframes look like for me. Being clear with customers about timeframes. Seeking advice and help from others with similar experiences. Prioritize self-care, maintain a healthy work-life balance, and consider contingencies, such as temporary assistance. After some reflection on my health, I think it is in my businesses best interest not to take on too many commissions and rather focus on creating products to sell and stream online. I will still take on some contracted or commissioned client work, however as it requires a great deal of mental and physical energy to sustain which I unfortunately don’t possess, shifting the focus and gaining a better understanding of which such jobs I am able to take on is vital. No new commissions Moderate Medium One big positive impact from this is that I could spend time refining products I would like to make and sell. Better marketing/promotion. Seeking business advice. Using alternative income streams for income during quieter periods. When I shift focus from commissions to products to sell this won’t be as much of an issue. Market Competition Moderate Medium Stay up to date with trends and technologies, offer innovative and unique solutions. Specialise in specific niches or styles to reduce competition. Brand Cohesion Moderate Medium Develop clear brand guidelines that outline core elements. Make sure all segments stick by these guidelines. Regularly check for and rectify any inconsistencies. Resource Allocation Moderate High Identify which segments are the most profitable and strategically important, and allocate resources accordingly. Track resource allocation and project progress with project management tools. Changing Consumer Preferences and Trends Moderate Medium Keep up to date on trends, use market research to keep ahead of emerging trends. Be flexible for emerging trends. Economic Downturn Low High Multiple income streams/segments help mitigate the impact. Create an emergency business fund for down periods. Intellectual Property or Copyright Issues Moderate High Conduct thorough research to ensure originality and legality of creative work - especially when using references. Seek legal advice if needed. Be upfront and clear with clients/consumers. Supply Chain Disruptions on physical items. Low Medium Work with multiple suppliers to reduce the risk of disruptions. Maintain inventory strategically to buffer any interruption. Make what I can from home with base supplies. (eg. Prints can be done from home on own printer) Client Disputes Moderate High Clearly define project scopes in writing to manage client expectations. Maintain transparent communication with clients. Have a legal advisor or attorney review contracts and provide guidance on dispute resolution. Consider professional liability insurance to cover legal expenses in case of disputes. Cybersecurity Threats and Loss of data Moderate High Implement robust cybersecurity measures, including firewalls, encryption, and regular software updates. Learn best cybersecurity practices. Regularly backup important data. Use automatic backup solutions. Store backups in multiple locations on-site and off-site. Store any physical backups (hard drives etc. in secure locations) Cloud Storage. Implement version control systems for projects, especially with collaboration to keep track of changes and revert to previous versions if needed. Encrypt any sensitive data. Maintain antivirus and antimalware software on all devices to prevent malware. Develop an incident response plan in case of data loss. Enable remote wipe capabilities to erase sensitive data in case of theft or loss.