Quit Your Day Job: Art 2 the Extreme

With almost 10 years of expertise as an elementary artwork instructor—and over 14 years expertise promoting on Etsy—Nicole Lewis is not any stranger to the facility of creativity.

Inspiration for her signature design, The Unique Rainbow Crayon® struck again in 2007 when she entered one in every of her kindergarten school rooms on Earth Day, seeing damaged crayon stubs scattered about. She determined to gather the items together with her college students and melted them down in wax paper cups to create bigger multicolored crayons.

The end result? “It was horribly superior,” says Nicole. “Undoubtedly messy, working with kindergarteners and melted crayons! Nevertheless it was superior, as a result of we had been in a position to recycle these discarded items, and create one thing new and practical.”

From there, Nicole labored to refine her multicolored crayon idea, creating a smoother manufacturing course of and extra polished design. Within the 14 years since, her Etsy store, Art 2 the Extreme has reached almost 50,000 gross sales. Her stock has additionally expanded 12 months after 12 months, that includes multicolored crayons molded into a spread of shapes, together with mini donuts and personalized pet portraits.

She left educating to run the enterprise full time again in 2014 and her husband, Eric, got here on board just a few years later. Collectively, they run Artwork 2 the Excessive from their residence in Noblesville, Indiana, the place they’re elevating two sons.

Lately, Nicole spoke with Vendor Handbook Senior Editor Katy Svehaug about how she’s developed her inventive interest right into a thriving enterprise that celebrates the artist in everybody.

When did you resolve you had been able to formally give up your day job?

My store began out as a interest again in 2007, then become a aspect hustle to help my educating job. When my first son was born in 2014, I made a decision to go away educating and switch Artwork 2 the Excessive right into a full-blown enterprise. It was very scary at first, however has turned out so nicely since taking that leap. We’ve finished higher and higher every year, particularly since I’ve extra time to place into the enterprise.

In 2018, my husband was in a position to depart his job as a faculty principal to come back work with me on the enterprise full time, too. It has been an exquisite journey, making the transition regularly. Promoting on Etsy has given us the possibility to observe our children develop whereas constructing our enterprise as a household.

How does your expertise as an educator components into your designs?

As a instructor, I do know that not everybody learns the identical means. Equally, no two individuals are inventive in the identical means. I would like our crayons to empower folks with completely different talents and concepts. It is one thing we take into consideration in having a number of methods to grip the crayons, and chunkier shapes that aren’t going to roll off the desk. Our crayons are additionally sturdy, which is very nice as a mum or dad, so that you’re not always having to sharpen them or purchase a brand new set.

“A part of what I like about multicolored crayons is that they get folks excited to create, even when in their very own eyes, they don’t see themselves as an artist. As an alternative, it’s about having enjoyable and being inventive.”

Inform us extra about your workspace, and the way it suits into your house life.

We began Artwork 2 the Excessive from the laundry room of our one-story home again in 2007. Through the years we’ve moved just a few occasions, partly simply to maintain up with the expansion of the enterprise. We have now two completely different workspaces in our residence: The makery, as I wish to name it, is the place all of the melting and making occurs, out in our storage. We’ve set it up with superior air air flow and loads of counter house, so we will actually unfold out on no matter we’re engaged on.

Our second workspace, within the basement, we use for packing orders and managing the enterprise aspect of issues, together with the whole lot from present wrapping to social media picture shoots. It’s vital to us to have a protected house the place our boys can come and spend time whereas we’re working. We designed it with vibrant, energizing colours that additionally really feel inviting for the children. I like that they get to create alongside me on a regular basis utilizing merchandise that we’ve created.

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Do you’ve got any plans to develop past your house studio?

Again in January of 2020, we had been pondering severely about taking the subsequent steps in rising our enterprise, together with hiring staff and increasing right into a warehouse. When COVID-19 hit, we determined to scale issues again a bit, which led to us shifting into the house we’re in now. Total it’s been an amazing choice for our household, particularly since we’ve renovated the basement and storage areas to accommodate our enterprise wants.

Are you able to stroll us by the method of making a multicolored crayon?

To start out, we minimize every crayon’s wrapper off individually, after which break them into items by hand. From there, we select completely different coloration items to mix. After placing them into oven-safe cups, we soften them within the oven. Then we pour the wax into molds, and allow them to harden. As soon as cooled, we pop the brand new crayons out and get to see how they’ve swirled and melted collectively—no two crayons end up alike.

With over 14 years of expertise since launching your authentic multicolored crayon design, how do you method evolving your stock to maintain patrons coming again?

We come out with one or two new designs every year, and regularly consider what’s promoting so as to make changes. We additionally make it a degree to hearken to what individuals are asking for [in messages and on social media], together with present tendencies. One other vital realization for us was that curiosity from prospects in personalization is just not going away. Folks love that additional little particular contact {that a} maker or a present may give to somebody, particularly if they cannot normally discover their title on different merchandise.

Any closing ideas you’d wish to share with the neighborhood?

I like seeing how far I’ve come over the past 14 years. I imply, I look again on a few of the pictures and listings I first had on Etsy, they usually’re nearly embarrassing—however everyone has to begin someplace. It’s been an unbelievable journey, to have gone from the little wax cups to issues like customise pet portraits, to not point out all the small enterprise expertise I’ve realized alongside the way in which: pictures, branding, social media, even constructing buyer relationships.

All of those expertise take time to develop. I believe for a profitable Etsy store, it’s vital to begin small and determine what you do greatest. In the event you unfold your self too skinny, with too many concepts, it’s simple to get overwhelmed. For me, it’s been about leaning into what I used to be good at, and studying the elements of enterprise I used to be not so good at, or didn’t like, over time.

My hope is that our enterprise can encourage not simply our boys, but in addition different folks, and different households. The standard 9-to-5 is not the one resolution; you generally is a maker, you may observe your goals, and pursue what you are captivated with. I get up with a lot pleasure within the morning realizing that I get to go downstairs and make one thing that I like.

To see extra of Nicole’s colourful designs, go to her Etsy store, Art 2 the Extreme. To appoint your store for the Stop Your Day Job collection, fill out the Seller Handbook pitch form.