STUDIO VLOG 🌧 The Truth: Do I Regret moving into a big studio? A Heart To Heart~ Small Business Vlog 

I would love an actual Katnipp Cafe where I could drink a cozy latte and browse all of your fabulous products!

Summer is always slow business, except for bars around beaches... Keep hope, christmas is always a good moment for us! And you'll need that space!

Blimey, I'm so glad I've a home based studio. Weighing up the pros and cons of a larger studio must be a nightmare. 😬 I'm sure things will pick up after summer as it's generally SO quiet for creatives. Good luck!

I think moments of self doubt are inevitable for small business owners, but what matters is how you push through that! Belief in yourself takes you a long way, and we're always here to support you however we can 💕 Watching your business grow and seeing you move from studio to studio so quickly has honestly been so inspiring for me personally. Anything is possible 🥰

Buy a house a have your studio there and used the money for renting in paying your own house. Smart Money ✌

I’ve been thinking of renting out a studio space for a while, but money keeps holding me back. It’s a vicious circle: I would feel more motivated in a studio and be much more productive (whereas it’s almost zero productivity at home) and with that earning more money, but it’s being daring and taking that plunge. That’s what I love about you. You don’t just talk about it; you plan, you do and you succeed! A true inspiration to us all 🥰😘

ive just moved out 3 months ago and its much quieter! summer is always like this ( before the pandemic ) things will pick up again!

I just signed up for your Marshie Mail Club on Patreon to help support you 💖 Thank you for creating such fun, inspiring, and positive content! 🥰 I always look forward to your new uploads~ xo Sandi

I appreciate that you're willing to share all of the aspects of being a small business owner, thank you!

I understand when the pandemic happened I lost my studio because I lost my job, I was an after-school teacher and my only income since I wasn't making money from my art rarely or at all. I was so sad and upset cause I went through so much in the process of having to end my lease early. I had big plans for that studio since my room at my mom's place wasn't big enough for me, my fiance, and my kid then my art career before we moved back into our new place. My studio was for my college stuff and my art career and I was planning on making studio vlogs as well in there since I didn't have to worry about interruptions, etc. I don't regret it either the process of having given me more motivation to have another one in the future though this time I'm planning on one build in our backyard when we buy our first home!

owwww sweetie! you made my heart feel very warm with this one. i’ve been watching your vlogs since day 1, since the very beginning (i can’t believe it’s been 3 years, wth!!!). and i think i’ve never actually replied to any of your videos. during today’s vlog, i was reminiscing on how proud i’ve felt of you. how exciting it’s been watching you (and katnipp) grow and accomplish all those big milestones you've accomplished so far. i love how transparent you are, and i cant wait to see you shine even more! you’ve got this! im rooting for you from afar!!!🌸✨🌼🌷🐝 much love, xx💖

I'm a newer subscriber but I'm really loving this channel. I've just recently started getting onto digital art and making my own stickers. RU-vid actually recommended me to watch this channel, and I thought, yeah...why not. But I'm glad I did. I'll keep watching it, you're such an inspiration.

Oh my gosh I just freaking adore you! The soft pastels of your entire personality is amazing 👏😍

As an artist and a vendor at markets, sales are all over the place! I may sell just 1 item all day or 20 on another. Those slow days sometimes make me doubt my decision to become a full time artist and small business. But I have to remind myself on those days when I get lovely comments from people of how much they love my pieces & especially those returning customers! I've only been doing this full time for 7 mths, so still a newbie. Thank you for sharing your ups and downs. Makes me feel not so alone on this path. 😊

So very generous of you to share aspects of your business that are more personal. You have created such a fun environment to watch.

I am always glad someone tells the honest story about their business. I really envy you and your business, but of course succes comes with struggles. Happy to hear so much about it, thank you! 🥰 Love your channel so much!

as far as not too many sales , we're all noticing it! not just you. I personally am spending a bit on socializing atm because of us coming out of lockdown in the uk so i dont have the spare money to spend on stationary etc ( honestly devastating ! ) but it should start picking up

You are such an inspiration to my own studio vlog journey here on RU-vid 🌿☺ Thank you so much for always being so open and honest with us! I really appreciate it. Seeing all the good, bad and ugly! It's human xx

I can't watch this atm but I plan to watch it later with a Tesco meal deal while waiting for my train 😅. Just wanted to say whatever you say in your video, thank you for your honesty and for always being real about your journey. Xxx

I hope you can eventually upgrade to a subscription box every so often, like on September have a seasonal box where we can get some of your seasonal designs, I would definitely buy

You've come such a long way Catherine and you have been an incredible, invaluable, role model to small business owners. I have seen your videos on and off since the very beginning and you have shined and grown 💕 My small business has been doing incredibly slowly as well, and in a way, I'm glad for that because I can focus on making educational crafting videos for my subscribers. There is always a silver lining !

I’m so happy to be available to see your videos again (It was a very difficult 3 months for me and my son who was hospitalized, but thank God we have already returned home). my Etsy store was closed all that time. And I had doubts about reopening but I listened to you and I realize that it is good to have moments of doubts, the important it’s move forward. Thank you 💜💜💜💜💜💜

Chin up buttercup! The holiday season is right around the corner and we’ll all be so busy! This summer has been exceptionally slow because people are buck wild enjoying the outdoors after long lock downs. So many different types of businesses are quiet, even my hairdresser friends from my past career. Travel and accommodations are booming because people are out and about. Autumn and Winter will boom. 😊

Growing from a small business into a bigger business is always frightening! You are doing a wonderful job and this time will pass! I'm sure you'll get it all sorted. Good luck!

After working in retail for a bit, you're right please remember things get slower in summer (people are on vacation) and after Christmas. You're doing great :-)

watching to transform from the small studio to this one has been a pleasure to see your journey. Your business is growing and like you stated you wouldnt have room for all the stuff you can do now.

I always appreciate how transparent you are! It can be so easy to fall into a comparison trap with other businesses similar to your own (I also live in a coastal city and have a similar business to yours) when you don't get to see what's going on behind the scenes but I never feel like that with your videos because you're so open about everything - good and bad! I love hearing how your challenges are both similar and different to mine and how you deal with them. My product sales have been soooo slow this summer but I've decided to spend more time on doing commissions and bigger design project work and prepping for the holiday season. It will pick up before we know it!

oh my stars, every time I watch your videos I NEED an iced coffee!!

Katnipp grew SO SO FAST. I remember watching one of your first really popular videos when you had about 9K subscribers! That being said, you will always have your fanbase here on RU-vid and Patreon for sure. So although the Etsy business might be slow, you've done an amazing job in just a year or 2 to grow a fanbase and that's super important! If Etsy isn't where the money is coming in, maybe focus more on RU-vid because we all absolutely LOVE your content here. There's definitely a lot of burn out in the artist community. I'm struggling as well with sales, but in some ways that pushes me to try other things and reinvent my brand! We are both graphic designers as well, so don't feel like you can't take on a project or two from some clients if things get tough. Stay strong! We'll get through the hurdle!

Hello~💛💖💖 thank you so much for being open and honest with whatever you're going through as a shop owner! It really gives comfort knowing that as humans we really go through these times, but still we keep going and looking forward for exciting things to come. Rooting for you that one day you will get your own Katnipp building! Thank you for being such a huge inspiration for the sticker and stationery community! You are one of the people I look up to ^^ Thank you!!!

yes. having own studio sounds brilliant

If you have a pension fund or you start to save into one, my accountant was telling me about a SIP fund where if you buy a building for your business and use your pension fund the government will match it 50/50

That seems cheap for the size space you have compared to US. TYPICALLY COMMERCIAL SPACE HERE IS ABOUT $3000-4000 us dollars depending on location and size and they make you sign 5 year leases so that becomes very scary. Your doing great, always ups and downs and your doing a great job

If you ever have the budget for a new employee - dibs on being head of the corner cutter 😆

You have done amazing! I think people often don’t realise what a huge lap or is to be able to go from or king on your own to earning enough to employ someone and moving into a studio. You is awesome! Xx

I think the running costs should not be so high, because that puts pressure and that hinders creativity.❣️

Thank you for always sharing each stage in your journey Catherine. You are an inspiration and so sweet. x

It’s been so quiet for my business too and the worry is just so much :( I’m so thankful for you sharing that you also feel sorry about it and that you’re also seeing a slow down in sales ❤️

wishing you a very very busy autumn period 💖 my summer has been dead too, i’ve had to get a real job 💀 hahahhaa

Loads of support for us from us downstairs in the Redcar Palace x

My husband is a tattoo artist, and his slowest months are summer. We go from making 20k a month, to about 11k in the summer. Everyone says Christmas is slowest, but Christmas we usually make even more money.

Thanks for the openness & honesty. I wondered if you considered self-storage for your plushies if you find you run out of space? You could have some on hand, some stored locally somewhere maybe

I think getting out Halloween stuff asap will give your traffic a big boost! I feel like everywhere people are so excited for fall and ready to start getting their festive goodies!

Studio vlog!!🤩🤩🤩

Thanks for your honest sharing. As a newbie in the business world of creativity you inspire me to keep plugging along towards my goals.

It's easy for me to say as I'm not in your position but I think your business will be just fine! You'll definitely make up for the lack of sales at Christmas, and the fact that you are breaking into other markets is great. Your plushies will sell like wildfire and if you start making jewelry, that's a whole other niche you'll get into. Also, if you do more Katnipp home goods like the drink tumblers you designed and things like that, that's just another market that you'll be exposed to, and you better believe I'll be buying some Bumblebutt drink tumblers! I would also buy all the hoodies and t-shirts you make if that's something you ever want to consider. Socks! Ball caps! Gloves! Scrunchies! I'll take it all!! Keep up the good work- your art is very cute and original and one of a kind! Can't wait to order my Bumblebutt plushie! :) ❤️

You are not alone. Our UK online sales plummeted hugely from 14th April. It's a struggle :(

So cccuuutee :) love your vlogs you inspired me to start one too!

Sending out a physical newsletter is so smart! 🤯 I’m always seeing stuff telling me I should have an email list but I’ve been resisting it, and this is a perfect alternative! And those Marshy stickers are sooooooo cute 🥺💕🍰 edit: i just got to the part where you mentioned the rude comment about your coffee- I LOVE seeing the drinks that people make in their vlogs! ☕️ coffee is such a decadent drink, and any vlog that starts with closeups of coffee or tea being made hook me immediately.

would suggest the lavazza my way machine subscriptions for the studio - you get the machine for £1 and just pay for the capsule subscription over x amount of months at the same price as usual. we got the one with the milk frother over lockdown and really love it!!

I love your honestly 💜💜💜

Thanks for always sharing so openly. I’m sure it’s hugely helpful to those looking to build their small businesses. For comparison sake, there are no spaces available here for anywhere near 1k pounds per month, and leases are generally 3-5 years. Chin up, I think things will pick up after the Summer - Summer is slow for many businesses. Steph

Hi Catherine, thanks for sharing and I hope you're all managing where you are x

Having your own studio would certainly push you, a great motivator to keep your creative brain ticking. All the best to you and Dean on your wedding day 💕

I'm from Newcastle and your accent intrigues me, its like geordie and yorkshire at the same time! lovely :)

You are so amazing and inspirational! Thank you for being so honest and sharing your business adventures with us. I hope everything picks up to where you find yourself renting the whole building for your business!

The highs and the lows is all part of the business I'm sure and I have good faith you will be fine Catherine. Can;t wait for the next video! x

Awesome honest talk, great vlog! Now I kind of want to upgrade my Patreon 😅😆 Love your illustrations!

Thank you for continuing to share your journey Catherine and happy belated birthday to Emily 🥳🎉

Catherine you keep being you! Can't wait for Momento Mori vlog!

im going to embark on a new journey of launching my own small biz brand and you are one of my inspiration 💕 I enjoy watching your vids and fantasize of achieving my dream like you did 😊 pls continue to do what you do best as you’re inspiring loads of people like me 🙏 thank you

This was really interesting, especially the part where you share the actual cost of your space. I'm local (that's how I found your channel) and literally walked by your building at the weekend and wondered about the prices but they're difficult to find! That's all far in the future for me anyway but still good to get a rough idea of what these things take. I'm sure things will pick up again soon, it seems like creative businesses have struggled across the board this summer. Have a great time in the Lakes!

You are simply beautiful, in and out! I’m sure things will go back to normal very soon. ❤️❤️

I’m always excited to see what you push out for Halloween and Christmas. Things will definitely pick up for you, don’t stress, just enjoy the ride. 😊💕

I’m so happy that you got the bigger studio, I’m sure business will pick up after summer✨ You got this! It has made me so happy to see you and katnipp grow these past few years and I’m so excited for where the future leads✨ Can’t wait to see the new plushies!

Thanks for sharing, its a weird one at the moment, everything is slowing with the sunshine, things opening up etc, an idea for you, how about renting a shop space with workshop/studio space at the back, sh you could have an amazing Katnipp shop where folks can come in and buy (that would give extra revenue) and the rent might be cheaper, I guess its hard though after you have just done all the work to get it looking beautiful

Marshie Mail looks so adorable but July and August are normally slow remember Christmas is around the corner and with new plushies the sales will pick up for sure hopefully your shop will continue to progress.

Also, I adore you 🙌🏻💜

I really actually like the clips of you making coffee, it’s really relaxing☺️, it would be really cool even if you maybe made a video of you making your go to drinks for work, although I know that’s not really the content you usually make😅 A really nice and relaxing video as always💜

I love the little grocery segments… it makes me miss living in birkenhead :’(

Thanks for showing this side of running a business, I really think your future self will be happy with your decision to get the studio 😊

Hey Catherine 🤗 thanks for your openness and honesty - I really do hope things pick up for you ☺️ xxx

Have you ever considered print on demand companies such as printful to expand your brand into clothing? Your character would look great on t-shirts and hoodies ❤️

Happy belated birthday Emily, 🎂🥳

The journey towards your wedding has seemed so fast, despite the lockdown. Exciting times!! And good for for being so vulnerable about your business - you will get there!!

Thank you for being so real & transparent! I've been contemplating renting out a studio, but my sales have also pretty slow atm, so I'm waiting to bite the bullet. I started watching your videos a few years ago & your videos have been so inspiring to running my own shop. Things will definitely pick up again in the fourth quarter so keep going!

hopefully soon you will achieve that dream dear of owning your own building...it will come soon!!

I looooove postage stamps and postcards!!

Hi Catherine! How do you sign up for next months Marshie Mail Club?? Thanks for another fantastic studio vlog - they’re my favourite and most looked forward to video!! 💖⭐️

Love your video, I hope things pick up!

Sending you all the love and support!! Hopefully sales will pick up soon and you can stay in your beautiful studio! 🥰🤎🤎

Oh my gosh, that food looks so gorgeous xox

I do chuckle to myself every time I see you with your “cheap ar$e” coffee 😂 L’or is classy in my book though

Damn when you said 1,000 pounds that sounds cheap but when I converted it to Canadian its like damn that's the price of a one bedroom here. The more you grow within your business the more room you kind of need to make production. I feel like your business is well off enough to be able to cover the cost of the studio, it seems more worth it for you in the long run.

So excited for my Marshie Mail to arrive! I’m sure sales will pick up a lot with the plushies coming in, fingers crossed I’ll be one of them!

You and @furrylittlepeach are both rocking gingham dresses recently.

Also, I think you meant tintoretto gesso, which is a warmer type of paper usually used for invitations

Very beautiful video

I have never watched you befor and from first watching this video im inlove with your videos they are so cute and entertaining for some reason to me

You are fabulous🌸💗💕 This is so helpful! I can’t wait for the Halloween stuff💕💗🌸

halloween, can't wait to see what's coming to the store!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ❤️👻

Hi Katherine, I am so glad to hear that you do not regret it and it always nice to see you, your business and your team are growing together. I almost closed my shop this summer due to bad sales. If I don't save enough I can not be able to pay rent in the winter time which is very dark and long it means there are no visitors and sales. since it was very tough to survive last winter it was really crazy and I got really depressed and discouraged. I doubt a lot myself and the decision I've made but I don't regret that either because I learnt a lot from this and also grow a lot. I just need to make more sales and grow my art business a little bigger so I don't suffer too much and spend more time to get better artist. Still its tough but my awesome landlord came to visit me last week from California and we talked about it I am so glad that my landlords are very kind and love my art so we can trade with my art by reducing the rent in the winter time. Hope I can survive the winter fine and have good sales next summer. I wish I can have more times and energy to focus on creating art and RU-vid too but with 4 kids it's hard enough. Anyways we are all working hard here to support each other and I am so thankful for that. You are someone's hero or dream or sunshine. Love you and it was very nice to hear your thoughts and opinion. Love all your new cards, stickers and your cute studio as always. You are my dream. Have a great week.^n^

Yay! Love new studio vlogs hehe

I care about your cheap ass coffee! I love the little breaks you show throughout the day and I appreciate your honesty in this video. Keep doing you, also I love your lashes!

You’re incredible.

I love your videos!!! When my finances get a bit better, I totally want to sign up for your Patreon! 😊💖

I can’t wait for the plushies!!!

It's a marshmaillo

I Love the texture of your greeting cards. Did you remember what the type of paper is called? By the way love all your products and your videos are wonderful to watch 💕

I definitely think Brexit has had an affect along with covid. I don't order anything from the UK anymore and unfortunately almost most people I know have stopped too. Then the reverse has also happened and that is I don't ship my creations to the UK anymore. The extra postage, customs, and forms that have to be filled out is soul destroying!!! I hope sales get better 🌸