5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Calligraphy Business (So You Don’t Make the Same Mistakes!)

I started my calligraphy business in November 2016 shortly after getting married and creating my own wedding signs for our wedding to cut costs.

Shortly afterwards, I started selling handpainted signage to others via Gumtree and Facebook Groups (before Facebook Marketplace was even a thing) and that's how my side hustle was born!

Here are 5 things I wish I knew before starting my calligraphy business (so you don't make the same mistakes!)

2016 - the year I started Nikki Design Co. creating wedding signage

1. Find Your Calligraphy Niche

It's important to establish what you want to offer in your calligraphy business. There are so many ways to monetise calligraphy but this doesn't mean you have to offer everything to everyone.

Here are some ways you can monetise calligraphy:

• Wedding signage
  
• Invitations
• Teaching calligraphy workshops
• Cricut handmade items
• Sell your calligraphy goods on Etsy, local artisan markets, and online via your website
• Live calligraphy for brand activations
• Luxury engraving for brand activations
• Corporate calligraphy and team building calligraphy workshops
• Digital calligraphy using Procreate 
• Custom commissioned work like shopfront murals, custom signatures, and other special one-off projects

This is the first sign I ever made for a client - it was for Selina and Allan's wedding. She found me on Gumtree and that's how I made my first sale ever! 

 

Teaching one of my modern calligraphy workshops in Sydney

 

Live calligraphy for United Airlines at Sydney Town Hall

 

2. Have a Business Plan 

I didn't have a business plan when I started my calligraphy business. I realised later on that I needed to create one to make sure I had a plan on how to actually run my business, and run it well!

A business plan doesn't have to be complicated. It needs to set you up for success and will help you identify your business' purpose and your 'why'. It also helps you implement and have a plan of action for promoting your business, pricing your offers, and next steps. 

3. Get an ABN

Setting up your calligraphy business in Australia means you will need to apply for an ABN. You also need to register your business name. If your business is likely to exceed the GST turnover threshold, you'll need to register for GST with the ATO too. It's important to set everything up correctly in the beginning to avoid any problems.

I also recommend securing your business name ASAP on Facebook, Instagram and any other social media channels you'll be using for your business. Do your research and make sure your business name is available as your first step. 

You'll be needing a website so don't forget to check that your domain is available before you register your business name! 

4. Invest in Your Branding

Thinking of a business name is like one of the most exciting things when starting a business. I love branding, cool fonts and graphic design so this was something I really enjoyed when I was first starting out. 

But if designing a logo isn’t your thing, don’t worry! You can always hire a graphic designer to create a cohesive brand that aligns with your vision.

5. Think About Your Ultimate Goal

This is something I wish I realised earlier and really thought about. 

When I first started my calligraphy business, I didn't really think about what my financial goals were for the business - I enjoyed what I was doing, I was getting clients and I was happy to have found a cool side hustle.

I ended up taking on too many projects and almost always said yes to every calligraphy job under the sun - wedding signage, custom calligraphy requests that I spent waaaay too much time on, and plenty of last minute projects!

It is so important to be clear about what your ultimate goal is for starting your business in the first place. What do you want to achieve and how does this align with what you are going to offer in your business. If there's one thing to take away from this, this is it!

I hope you found this helpful! 🤩

If you have been dreaming of starting your own calligraphy business but unsure how to turn your hobby into a thriving, profitable business, let's change that!

I’m inviting you to join us at our powerful 1-day Calligraphy Business Masterclass in Sydney designed to equip you with the tools, strategies, and confidence to build a creative business that works with your lifestye AND pays the bills! 🥰💸

x Nikki