Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in arts and crafts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alyssa Bird, owner of Picto Kits, located in Rogers, AR, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Picto Kits are a NEW unique (Patent Pending) DIY art experience allowing individuals of all ages to create amazing displayable memories, combining upcycled textiles and laser-cut wood. We know that everyone wants to be an artist, and now you can!! With our fail-proof Picto Process, no matter what skill level, every Picto Kit turns into a clean-finished masterpiece you’ll be proud to display.
Our customers are mostly parents/grandparents with kids ages 3-12, but these kits are also a hit with adult women who love getting together with friends for a wine and craft night. The kits are designed to let your mind escape into the joy of creativity while learning something new and inspiring conversations through the fun-facts story and questions that come with each kit.
Tell us about yourself
I’m Alyssa Bird, designer, and creator of Picto Kits. My husband, Nick Bahash, and I currently run this business out of our home in Rogers, AR. My background involves all sorts of creativity, but I started in fashion design. I graduated from FIDM (the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising). I worked for three years in the Los Angeles fashion industry. This is where I saw first-hand the amount of quality fabric becoming waste during clothing production and what inspired me to start a business that could utilize this abundant resource and save it from filling the landfills. So I take these otherwise discarded fabrics and sort them into coordinated color and texture bundles to be transformed into beautiful mixed-media art.
Textile waste is a huge problem that doesn’t really get talked about, from pre-production cut-offs (the excess around a pattern that gets discarded when clothing is being mass-produced [what we use]) to post-consumer use (clothing that gets thrown away and not donated to the appropriate places after it’s used). This is also another reason we designed the kits to be quality art that people will be proud to keep and display, not disposable fast messy crafts.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I feel like every day that lists get checked off, and progress is being made towards the big goals is an accomplishment. So when asked about one big accomplishment, the first thing that came to mind was just simply starting the business. So many people talk a big talk about all their great ideas or get paralyzed and overanalyze, wanting everything to be perfect. This holds them back from taking the first steps just to start something. Picto Kits isn’t even a year old yet, but I’m proud of what we’ve already been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. I have no idea where this business is going to go, but I have lots of ideas of what I’d love it to turn into. As anyone who has started a business knows, it’s insanely hard, so celebrate the wins, big and small, and know that you’re accomplishing greatness just simply by doing something you feel called to do.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Ummm, can I say everything!? Haha, But seriously, I don’t have a degree in business. Only a background in working for other people. I’ve learned everything I know from first-hand experience, asking for help, educating myself through online courses, books, and podcasts, and lots of failed attempts. So I feel like one of the hardest things is trying to determine if I’m making the right decisions, but within that, I also know if I make the wrong one, I can always try again. This has helped me to become better at listening to my customers and trusting my gut. I’ve also learned that the vast majority of people have no idea what they’re doing. We’ve all just gotten really good at faking it. Most people are just winging it as much as I am, so that takes some of the pressure off. It’s actually pretty funny; you’ll probably begin to notice too, if you start paying attention.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Well, like I said in question 3, just START. If you have an idea for something, be brave, and PUT. IT. OUT. THERE. That’s the only way you’ll know for sure if it’s a good idea or not. You don’t have to have everything together all at once. Start small and build brick by brick. I full-heartedly believe that it’s SO MUCH better to try and fail than never to try at all. The world needs that special thing only you can bring.
If you already took that brave first step and are chugging along, YOU ROCK!! Congrats friend!! Do you take time to review and analyze what you’re frequently doing? This has been one of the most helpful things to keep us on track and get real and honest about where we’re at and where we want to go. I do a mini-review at the end of each week to check and see what got accomplished that week, what went well, and what can be improved. Then the same thing on a larger scale each quarter. This is incredibly helpful to plan out goals and make sure we’re working towards them.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
So, after all the positive biz talk, I have to balance it out with… Also, this is not for the faint of heart. It’s REALLY flippin hard!! You’ll be tested and tested over and over. The learning never ends. So proceed with cautious optimism and be prepared to get really honest with yourself. But, you got this!! ;)
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.pictokits.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PictoKits/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictokits/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/pictokits/_created/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/picto-kits/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.
