Reflecting on Year 1 of full-time self employment
I't’s been a whole YEAR since I quit my magazine art editor job and started running A Little Brush full time - it’s gone so fast!
2025 overview
2025 saw us fulfil 396 orders, create bespoke wedding stationery for 37 weddings, showcase our work at 6 venue open events, add 28 new venue illustrations to our shops (and reach 200 venues in our portfolio!), launch our new front door portraits and original pet portraits, change frame suppliers, and celebrate 8 years in business. What a year!
Now let’s get into the specifics…
Physically…
I work from home everyday (my favourite place!) and am able to do all the school runs, whilst working around the kids during the school holidays. Being able to manage my own time was the number 1 reason for taking the leap - it’s SO important to me at this point in my life, with two young children. Being at home means I can keep on top of the house chores, there’s no exhausting commute, and no-one dictating my schedule. I’m able to take time out for walks along the river, I can have a cuppa with a friend on a Wednesday morning, or rest if I need to, without feeling guilty.
Emotionally…
I am SO much happier working for myself than i’ve ever been as an employee. My stress levels have dropped massively, and my confidence has grown by having the time to say YES to new opportunities and by putting myself out there. Running A Little Brush doesn’t feel like a hardship, and there is definitely no Sunday night dread anymore - I actually love my job so much.
Financially…
Overall, I made 10% less revenue working for myself, than I earned as a full-time Art Editor per year. Not bad at all for year 1! My financial goal is to equal (and eventually earn more than) my previous job, so I’m hoping to continue growing in my second year. Of course it is unnerving not to have a guaranteed monthly income when you have a family to support, and some months are definitely better than others! As a big percentage of our work is wedding based, the summer has always traditionally been our most successful time of year - However, we had an amazing pre-Christmas period for the first time ever in 2025 (thanks to all of your lovely custom orders), and October turned out to be our best month financially!
I am very aware that I wouldn’t have been able to make this decision if my husband wasn’t still working full time, and I’m eternally grateful to him for all the work he puts into the business, whilst supporting our family also.
Looking forward
I’m hoping to continue growing all areas of the business in 2026. We already have a new product that I’m excited to launch later this year, and we’re also planning on adding a new branch of venue portraits to the shop too. I am over half booked already for wedding stationery designs for the year, and I’m looking forward to pushing my creativity (and trying out some new things with my Cricut machine!).
Thank you for all your incredible support, whether you’ve followed our journey right from the start (back in 2017!), or if you’ve only just discovered our work - we couldn’t do any of this without you.
Abby x