Anticipation and panic: Back on track.

The festive season is here, and for anyone in the business of selling, this is when everything comes to a head. It’s equal parts anticipation and panic. On the surface, the formula is simple: prepare, show up, sell. But behind the scenes, it’s months of planning, endless decisions, and one enormous leap of faith.

In 2024, my business was uprooted.
I lost my workspace.
My freelance designer took a full-time job.
My long-time printer passed away.

These were the pillars of my brand. Almost overnight, my income and creative identity collapsed. After years of momentum, I had no choice but to hit pause.

2025 became my rebuilding year.

My small art business isn’t my whole life, but it is woven into who I am. In hindsight, the upheaval was a difficult, unexpected gift. It forced me to rebuild with intention, creating systems that matched the reality of my life instead of the pace I used to keep.

Small, practical steps helped me regain traction:
• A solo exhibition restored visibility.
• I found a graphic designer aligned with my values.
• And, after numerous false starts, a printer willing to work with my unpredictable ordering patterns.

Momentum returned.

Growing Pains

I knew I needed more than just momentum. I needed a transformation. I centered that transformation on three pillars:

·       tightening my brand identity

·       overhauling my product lineup

·       launching a new e-commerce website

Naturally, I did everything in the wrong order.

I hired the web designer before building the brand kit.
I finalized the brand kit before defining the business overhaul.
I shot website photos before the products were ready.

Chaotic? Completely, but always learning on the go, waiting for perfect sequencing would have meant never starting at all.

When my website went live on October 1st, more than 400 people visited that first month, a small number for some, monumental for me. Even better, my first online original art sale went through within weeks. That small victory reminded me that persistence pays off, even after months of setbacks, and gave me the confidence to keep moving forward.

Energy Saving

I live with Lupus and APS, two autoimmune conditions that shape my productivity in unpredictable ways. Some days I’m unstoppable; other days I’m horizontal. When I founded The Drawing Donkey, my immune system was far more cooperative. Now, my business had to evolve to work with the unpredictability of daily life.

I shifted my focus toward creating passive and semi-passive income: less admin, less exhaustion, more stability.

To conserve creative energy, I design new products around existing artwork. I create rough visuals in a simple design app, my graphic designer transforms them into print-ready files, and from there I collaborate with suppliers to refine costs, finishes, and materials.

The right people don’t just support my business, they help shape its direction. My relationships with creatives and suppliers are the golden thread holding everything together.

Grounding

Creativity, for me, happens in motion.
Walking clears my mind, reduces inflammation, and sparks ideas. Almost every concept, product, or theme begins somewhere along those roads. And with seven dogs, an early start isn’t optional, it’s a lifestyle.

If You Lose, Don’t Lose the Lesson

Progress and healing are rarely linear. Business mirrors life in that way. Growth comes from movement, not certainty. Life throws curveballs whether we’re prepared or not, and rebuilding is an ongoing process.

If you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
Adapt. Shift. Rethink. 
If you don’t know where to start, start anyway. The impermanence of life is not to be feared it is a reality that should propel you forward. 

2026: Ready or Not

My goals for the coming year are simple:

·       grow website traffic and convert visits into sales

·       streamline operations and accounting systems

·       diversify and stabilise revenue

·       make peace with social media (maybe)

I’m a one-woman show with seven dogs, three donkeys, and a handful of chickens cheering me on. They remind me why daily perseverance and simple joys matter.

If you’ve been through a season of loss or rebuilding, in business or life,  remember this: momentum doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from movement. Keep going, even imperfectly, and the wins will find you.

Follow along for more behind-the-scenes ramblings, explore my new shop, or join my mailing list. Growth happens in motion

With love and paint,
Annick xox
The Drawing Donkey