From Doodles and Kicks to Graphics, POD, and Digital Downloads
I have always been a doodler, and for the longest time I would tell people I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. After years of being taught that artists are broke in life and only famous in death, I gave up on that dream. Not knowing that the world of graphic design was right in front of me, and I wouldn't discover it until I was well into my 20s.
As a kid I was picked on a lot, and I also loved movies like "The Karate Kid." So I guess starting martial arts training was inevitable. I earned my first black belt in 2001, and my third in 2009. I am not the best, but I train hard to do my best, which is all martial arts should really be about.
In 2012, I hit a crossroads and needed a new career, and that is when I discovered graphic design on a list of "Jobs that are Good for People Who Aren't Good with People" (not kidding). Art and computers are among my favorite things so I decided to give it a try, and I still to this day absolutely love it.
Finally, I learned what print on demand (POD) was in early 2023, and all I could think was, "where has this been all my life?" I get to be my own boss, sell my art, and I don't have to invest in a lot of inventory just to get started. So, POD became my side hustle, someday it will be my full time job and I'll be able to work from home and spend more time with my kids, but side hustle suits me fine for right now. After learning more about Etsy, I decided to add digital downloads to the mix too! So now you can make rank certificates for your students, or you can use my art to make stickers on your Cricut (personal use only please).
So that's my story, I hope you find inspiration in it, or it at least provides better SEO that leads you to my store in the first place, lol.
