Mum in Business: Katie Bell

Good morning everyone. Today we have another lovely mum in business on the blog. Please welcome Katie Bell who creates fabulous pet portraits which you can find out more about on her website here. You can also find Katie on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram so make sure you pop over and say hi.

Who are you?

Katie Bell

What do you do?

I’m an artist and designer producing pet portraits by commission, dog and cat greetings cards, and gift items. As well as other contemporary abstract artwork

When did you establish your business?

I started in March 2017

What made you start your own business?

I wanted build a business which I could fit around being a Mummy and still keep my hand in creatively. It happened by chance. I was looking for a creative project whilst on holiday. After seeing a friend’s dog on Facebook, I decided to illustrate it. This lead to doing more and after re-posting my work back online, I received a superb reaction. This has lead to more, and some commissions, which I’ve now worked on worldwide. It’s very exciting.

What do you love about working for yourself?

I love that it’s down to me, and it spurs me on to work hard, to be the best I can be to make it succeed.

Is there anything you do not like about working for yourself?

It can be frustrating for me not having enough time to concentrate on my business. Being interrupted and not being able to make a phone call can also be difficult.

Is there anything you would go back and do differently if you could?

No there isn’t as I love the learning curve about building my business and trying out different avenues which gain me new commissions. I just wish I had started it sooner!

What advice would you give to a Mum considering starting her own business? 

Just go for it, don’t put to much pressure on yourself, and let things evolve naturally. Always be yourself and always ask questions. Be confident about yourself and your product too as I’ve found people respond well that way.

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