Happy New Year 2025!

“Consistency = Growth”

2024 is Ending. It’s December, the month when I exhibit my work as merchandise at events and schools. This has been ongoing since 2017.

My close friend once advised me, “Why don’t you try putting up a stall at my school? This is a way to grow, Kriti. Try it!” With a mix of fear and uncertainty, I set up my first stall. The experience was a whirlwind of emotions, marking the beginning of my journey of yearly exhibitions, from Comic-Con to numerous schools, music festivals, and hotels.

But is it all smooth sailing and guaranteed success?

Absolutely not! 

Initially, I was more of a “procrastinate and hope for the best” person, which I eventually understood was merely an illusion and a source of uncertain expectations.

The thing is,

I’ve always focused on making one core product: The Calendar. Therefore, my planning, designing, and manufacturing efforts for the calendar were always distinct. However, the selling aspect remained uncertain. The expected outcome never aligned with the actual results.

I faced losses and still have some inventory left as a reminder of that period. However, as I mentioned earlier, Consistency equals Growth. Growth encompasses more than just sales figures. It’s about self-discovery, understanding your audience, refining your artwork, developing observational skills, and making informed investment decisions.

In 2022, I decided to quit my full-time job to dedicate more time and value to my artistic pursuits. This decision paved the way for professional growth. For the first time in 2023, I sold out 40 calendars.

“40 is nothing,” someone remarked.

“It is for me!” I countered.

Indeed, 40 was a significant milestone for someone who had typically sold a maximum of 10-15 calendars. 

This success boosted my confidence to experiment further. As a result, 2024 saw me design and produce nearly 90% of my merchandise from scratch. Along with a new calendar, I also introduced a 6-month custom-designed journal to my product line.

Events are in full swing this busy December!

You know the feeling when you create something and receive the anticipated reaction from your audience?

It’s like watching a director witness the desired response from their audience. I experienced that same sense of fulfillment when people admired my calendar and journal.

However, let’s rewind a bit. As mentioned earlier, my sales had been limited to a maximum of 10-15 calendars until 2022 and 40 in 2023. Consequently, I didn’t plan for large production runs. Thankfully, my parents’ persistence encouraged me to produce around 30 calendars and 20 journals. Honestly, I hadn’t anticipated needing to reprint anything.

To cut a long story short, I ended up reprinting the calendars and journals 5 and 4 times respectively, often at short notice. This unexpected surge in demand resulted in the sale of over 100 calendars and 60+ journals to date.

Something I least expected actually happened. And it took nearly 6 years to achieve this level of success.

For many, 100 might seem like a small number, but it represents a significant growth for me.

Thank you to everyone who believed in me and supported my journey.

P.S. I still have few pieces of each product remaining! If you’re interested, please visit my shop now...

Thank you so much for reading.

Lots of Love,

Thoughtpotarts