Some Creative Lessons from Running a Business
Some creative lessons I have learned from running a business in 2025.
Hello from Sketchy Traveler, a mostly free, mostly biweekly newsletter on finding flow, ease and joy in life and work. Paid subscribers make this newsletter possible and keep it free for those peeking out of their inboxes. Scroll past the fold for the latest creative adventures, tips, and tricks.
Welcome to 2026 everyone! You may notice a different styling to the newsletter as I have transferred to a new newsletter service provider. Outside of the slightly different look though the newsletter will continue to focus on living a creative life. The last few years the newsletter has been really focused on drawing, but this year I am planning on expanding to include other aspects of a creative life like job search and community building.
Thanks for a Great 2025!
2025 was an exciting time for me as I was launching a coaching practice and beginning to offer drawing classes. This newsletter has been an important part of that journey, and I want to say thanks to everyone for being a part of this journey over the last year. I am humbled every time I see an email coming through my inbox about a new subscriber, and it is a deep honor when someone wants to take a class or set up a coaching time with me. The end result being that a year later I am still in business and am optimistic about continuing to grow and support this community in 2026. Heading into 2026, I wanted to share some lessons I learned in the last year.
Find a Small Action and Commit to It
No matter what you are hoping to achieve in 2026 (find a job, learn to draw, deepen your connections), identify a couple of actions you can complete in a single seating that will move you forward on that goal. Then set a regular cadence (daily, weekly, monthly) when you will practice these actions and commit to this routine for a set amount of time. Generally speaking, it takes around 3 months to see change really take effect from a new routine. Not all of these practices will pay off over time (my mailer campaign did not really come to anything:), but with time you will start to see where to really focus your time and effort.
Want some accountability around a micro-action as you start 2026? Email me your micro-action and I will check in via email to see how it’s going in 2 weeks😊
Yes, Slowing Down Really Helps
An odd experience from running the business this year was that it was often the months when I did not get as much done when I earned the most. And of course, struggled with this as an overachiever. But after you have done the tasks that move the needle in the last section it is really best to simply stop and go do something different. I am writing this on a sunny day in Corvallis while out on a walk after completing the emails that I know have a high likelihood of generating income. What different looks like for you will vary though. This last year for example, I had a writer take a drawing class as he wanted an alternative creative outlet after he had written for the day.
What's something fun you do after you finish your critical tasks for the day?
What now?
Wow, you read all the way to the end of the newsletter. Your dedication shows that you are serious about starting, growing, and navigating a creative life. This is the end of the newsletter, but not the end of your journey. Here are some next steps to deepen your practice:
Respond to this newsletter to say hi and share your current drawings or creative project😊
Schedule a time to learn about creative coaching and share your current creative project
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