~ NOW BOOKING PROJECTS FOR MARCH ~ I’ve intentionally designed my schedule in a way that I can accommodate near-immediate start dates for projects that are just the right fit. If you are interested in working together, I’d be happy to start the conversation and share more about how I can help you with your branding, design, and custom merchandise needs.

BUSINESS JOURNAL: A PLACE TO CELEBRATE WINS & REFLECT - 50TH EDITION

February’s highlights include launching a new passion project to support Divine Dine Food Tours, moving my courses to this website, working on a new collection of stickers, and helping plan the first Makers United Chicago Meetup.

The Big Wins

1. Launched my latest passion project in support of Out the Block Experience and Divine Dine Food Tours. Read more about how I gifted my custom merchandise and branding services to a local, Black woman-owned business here.

2. Officially moved my courses over to Squarespace (aka this very website). Self-Made Artist Academy, The Power of Passion Projects, Are You on Brand? and Learn Lettering with Chelsie Tamms are open for enrollment and are all on-demand, self-paced courses.

General Updates + Accomplishments:

• Visited my friend Casey in South Carolina. Highlights of the trip included soaking up the sun, sketching on a patio overlooking the water, exploring Savannah, and attending a Taste of Gullah Festival. (I got to see my work at the O’Hare Airport at both Hoypoloi and The Field Museum shops).

• Set up a monthly auto-transfer to contribute to my retirement savings. I also spent time simplifying my social media strategy and defining North Star metrics for my business.

• Celebrated seven years of dating Daniel! We celebrated all throughout the month with a Spanish-themed dinner at the Dining Room at Kendall College, The Joffrey Ballet’s Studies in Blue, a photoshoot, two Broadway shows (Girl from the North Country and Mrs. Doubtfire), and by making some good progress on wedding planning.

• Opted out of attending the Business of Art Conference for the first time since its inception in 2016. Ultimately, I feel proud that I’ve outgrown being a speaker and can still support artists through my courses and programs like Take Chelsie to Lunch.

• Worked on a collection of new stickers as well as two Artist Trade Projects: custom merchandise and a custom logo design.

• Met my mentor Randi in person for the first time. I’ve been meeting with her virtually since early 2021, so it was really exciting to attend the Next Level Exchange graduation and networking reception with her (and grab a drink together beforehand).

• Went to a meeting at Navy Pier to discuss my souvenir products and got a literal peek behind the curtain at Flyover Chicago, which opens March 1st.

• Helped plan the first Markers United Chicago Maker Meetup, which will be held on March 9th at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art. Register here to join me and the other Makers United Ambassadors, Emilia and Lin.

February is always a very hit or miss revenue month for me. This February was unfortunately one of the lowest revenue months I’ve had to date. Fortunately, I am no stranger to the ebbs and flows of owning a business and still have confidence in the trajectory of my business for the year. I am glad that I was able to spend time in a warmer place and get to work on a new personal collection and internal projects, as well as some exciting trade projects.

In March, I am most looking forward to visiting my friends in Portland and having a new collection of stickers to share!

Thank you for being here, for supporting me, and for following along with my entrepreneurial journey.

PS - Have a project you’d like to chat about? Send me the details now to ensure your project gets on my calendar in 2024. Bring on all the logos, branded merchandise, + brand identity projects… let’s make some beautiful + impactful things together.

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