Michelle – Bandit and Fox

My name is Michelle Tickle, my hubby and our two wonderfully wild girls live in Toowoomba Queensland. I am a qualified teacher and have taught both high school and now teach primary as a Specalist Arts teacher. I guess this skill, and more so passion for the Arts, gave me a base for Bandit and Fox. I adore my girls, but I still need an outlet, me time, and post kids, especially post second child I found it difficult to find the right outlet – one that worked around our family schedule; one I could do from anywhere, and one that connected to me. A few sketches, an Instagram account, a free bigcartel website and a PayPal account and I was started. I began by setting some realistic milestones and quite low expectations, not because I didn't want to succeed I just wanted to be sure I was succeeding for me, at my pace. Now creating hand drawn artworks is my outlet and my small business – Win Win. The name Bandit and Fox is inspired by my two beautiful girls. Ava (my bandit) is the elder, brilliant and capable of so much which includes mischief hence, the bandit. Elsa the younger is my fox, to be exact my little red fox. She is tiny in size, not spirit or attitude, with stunning red hair also with penchant for mischief.

Top 3 Tips for Starting an Online Store

1. Use Instagram methodically- plan your posts. Use some posts simply of your work, add some that ask for feedback, even some that support other small businesses (generally kindness repays kindness but don't demand or expect it). The ability to post work, receive feedback and use that feedback to guide my next step has been crucial.
2. View Instagram and other social media platforms as more than just a medium for you to post and sell your work. Use them as a way to connect with other businesses, build partnership both with brands in your same field but look beyond too, sometimes unlikely collaborations breed the best work.
3. Be bold. For me using email and direct messages on social media was a bold (anxious) step but it paid off over 60% of the time. The worst that can happen is a “No thank you”, but that's no worse off than not asking at all.

Instagram @banditandfox
Website http://www.banditandfox.bigcartel.com