Ken Meyer Jr. is a seasoned artist whose creative journey spans decades. After honing his skills in various 9-5 art jobs, he took the plunge into full-time freelance work in 2002. His artistic roots trace back to childhood, where he began by copying comic book illustrations. This foundation evolved into contributions for Magic the Gathering, a game that significantly impacted his career. Operating his Storenvy shop since January 2018, Ken’s advice to emerging artists emphasizes finding a distinctive artistic niche and navigating the challenges of the industry. His remarkable journey is marked by a deep connection with fellow artists and fans who have been profoundly influenced by his work.

I think the last one was Elvis Costello (and Nick Lowe) at a nearby casino, where I met him (for the third time) to give him some artwork and talk a bit…awesome!

Are you surprised at the success of Magic the Gathering? What is your favorite Magic card and did you design it?

Oh hell yes…I had no clue when I did that art so long ago! I wish I could have seen into the future, I would have done sooo many things differently! As to the card, I usually say Stone Throwing Devils (now outlawed), because it is a fun combination of realism and goofiness.

What are the most challenging and rewarding parts of pursuing a creative industry?

Even with the internet (and maybe because of it), reaching people can be hard. The internet is the most vast ocean, and we are all, to some degree, little prawns swimming around in it. As with the previous question, the toughest thing is the time you have to spend getting to the level to be a professional. Also, knowing when you have NOT reached that level can be important. There are so many variables and facets to being a commercial creative person. It does feel good, of course, to know people like your work…and show it with their bank accounts!

Can you tell me more about your transition from working traditional 9-5 art jobs to becoming a full-time freelance artist? What actually prompted this change?

Wasn’t my choice! The last full time art job I had was at an online games division of Sony, working on Everquest… but, like most companies like that, they are pretty mercenary. They let me go (on my birthday, no less) for a bogus reason. The real reason, I suspect, was that they wanted more people with multiple skills, whereas I was hired mainly for drawing (and more exactly, texturing) ability. I went freelance out of necessity, and it took several years before it was really working out.

What is the most rewarding part of going freelance full time?

Not having to wear pants?

Do you have any advice for those who want to start pursuing a creative interest as a business?

Open a sandwich shop? Seriously, if someone has the art producing ability, the imagination, and the drive, it should be a no brainer. But, most people don’t know the time it takes to learn all you need to learn to produce art that satisfies both you and enough people to make a living at it. It is tough!

What are some overall things you have learned from selling your work that you think every artist should be aware of?

Figure out the niche you are best at occupying and really work it. Don’t be too put off if you are not immediately successful. Ask fellow professionals…it can never hurt to ask, and most artists I know are pretty giving people. Research those that are successful and don’t be shy about modeling yourself after them.

Can you recall a challenging situation you faced as an artist and how you managed to overcome it? What did you learn from that experience?

Boy, my whole life (like most artists) has been a challenge! Still is! There have been many times when, luckily, I had TOO MUCH work, and had to really put in the time to meet those deadlines. ALWAYS meet your deadlines! If you get in the habit of turning work in late, sending orders out late, people will say aloha. And I don’t mean hello! One specific recent challenge was doing a mural for a game store, featuring a battle royale between multiple game characters. And it was 15 x 5 feet, soooo much larger than my usual work. In addition to the actual physical strain of painting so big, because of the budget, I had to keep the level of detail to a comparative minimum. And I had to adjust to my surroundings, since I don’t have a huge studio. There will always be hurdles along the way.

Is there anything you have done as an independent business that really impacted your success?

To be honest, I think I am still waiting for that success (or at least, the level of success I would love to have). There are new problems to solve constantly, as well as new highs.

How did you find Storenvy? Can you tell me a little bit about your early experiences selling online?

Easy! A fellow artist friend had set up his store and I asked him about it, since I had been looking for something like it (my website had a too complicated process of setting up shopping cart ability). It took some practice to master even the simpler processes of the site, but it goes really smoothly now.

What is the hardest part of running your store?

I don’t know if it is that hard, but keeping up with orders can sometimes be difficult, since I travel a lot for my art. But I try to be very, very communicative with my customers, so they know of any problems, or delays.

What is the most thoughtful experience you have had as an artist?

For me, hearing people say things like “your art made me become an artist” is pretty humbling and gratifying, whether it is my comic book work or, usually, my Magic the Gathering art (done many years ago). I have many artists that I idolize myself, and meeting them (especially if they are familiar with my work) is an incredible high.

If you could spend the day with anyone real or fictional, who would it be?

One possibility would have been Frank Frazetta, during his real busy years (the 70s), watching him draw and paint, getting tips and, knowing him, probably throwing a baseball around (even though I have never been into baseball). Either that or a favorite musician like Kate Bush.

See more of Ken’s work

http://www.kenmeyerjr.com/

https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/ken-meyer-jr

https://www.instagram.com/kenmeyerjr/

Art of Ken Meyer Jr. Storenvy Store

https://www.storenvy.com/stores/1107543-art-of-ken-meyer-jr

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Our 4th annual Best of Storenvy awards. This award highlights some of the top performing brands from the previous year. All brands were judged by how many Envies their products received, the number of watchers their store gained, how quickly they shipped out orders, buyer ratings, and GMV (gross merchandise value ,a.k.a., the total value of all the things they sold).

You can find out just how awesome they are by checking out their stores at the links below.

Envy on!

I SURVIVED THE WAR IN IRAQ

GOBLIN GRIMM GIFTS

I’m a freelance comic book artist and illustrator out of Michigan. I focus mostly on pinups, horror and fantasy.

uru.chan’s Store

Creator of unOrdinary and OFR – Ice

Caligari Records

CALIGARI RECORDS is an Underground Record Label & Distro. Attention: International orders – We recommend registering orders to countries in Asia, South and Central America as well as Italy and Mexico.

MAGIC MARKER ART

Mark Pingitore is an illustrator/animator who created the artwork for over 100 Garbage Pail Kids card fronts as well as concept work, sketch cards, and paintings for various other trading card series. More recently, he has gone off on his own releasing independent series inspired by 80’s pop culture, including Disasters of the Universe, Horrorible Kids, G.I. Jokes, and Mutagen Canister Kids.

LIBBY FRAME ILLUSTRATION

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Our third annual Best of Storenvy awards. This award highlights some of the top performing Marketplace brands from the previous year. All brands were judged by how many Envies their products received, the number of watchers their store gained, how quickly they shipped out orders, buyer ratings, and GMV (gross merchandise value ,a.k.a., the total value of all the things they sold).

You can find out just how awesome they are by checking out their stores at the links below.

Envy on!

Needles Knots n Bows

Extraordinary fashion for baby girls and boys.

JoceBoss Boutique

Unique clothes for pin ups and creepy ghouls. Handmade by owner and seamstress Joce.

Sphynx Swag

Handcrafted fashion to keep your hairless feline friends looking their best.

Sword and Scale

Sword and Scale is an internet radio show and website covering the dark underworld of crime and the criminal justice system’s response to it.

This is the official store for merchandise related to the Sword and Scale brand.

Thred

Inspiring luxury women’s fashion.

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By joining the Storenvy Seller Beta Program you will be the first to receive the latest features, and site updates. Due to the nature of the Beta program your feedback is vital to ensuring that the program works for you and other sellers on the platform. So please send us your feedback, good or bad.

Wanna join? Open up your account page and select Beta Program from the list then check the appropriate box to join.

We highly encourage you to report problems, things you like or feature enhancements to our amazing Support team or hit us up in our Facebook Group so other sellers can chime in.

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That’s Awesome!

We believe everyone’s story leads to something special and we thank you for wanting to tell yours. Below you’ll find tips to get you started. When you’re done you can email us your video or tag a post that includes your video with #StorenvySellerStories so we can share it with everyone we know.

Location and background tips

Some of the most amazing brands get their start in the strangest places. Even if you don’t have a dedicated shop, show us what you got. Just make sure there isn’t a ton of background noise.

Some places to consider for shooting your video include;

Inquiring minds want to know…

• Who are you?
• What is your background?
• What is your brand/store?
• What do you do or sell?
• Where are you located?
• How long have you been in business?
• How did you get started?
• What makes you/your brand unique?
• How long have you been selling on Storenvy?
• How has Storenvy helped build your brand?
• What makes Storenvy great/fun/easy/useful?
• Would you/do you recommend Storenvy?
• If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
• If you could speak to your younger self, just starting out, what advice would you give him/her?
• Who inspires you (alive or not) and why?
• How do you personally define business success? Is it money? Freedom? Influence? Creative expression and innovation? Something else?
• What are your hidden inspiration sources? How do you generate new ideas?
• What does the future hold for your brand?
• Where can people follow your store/brand?

Start with this

Please begin your video with the sentence below. It’ll help us connect your entry to your store.

Hello 

my name is___________(use your username if you want)

and ____________(your store name) 

is my Storenvy Store

Ready to send?

When you’re ready, please send your video file or a link to it to featuredbrands@storenvy.com . You can also just tag a post that includes your video using #StorenvySellerStories on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

If you’re camera shy you can submit your answers to the questions above via text and/or photographs.

Legal stuff

By submitting your Storenvy Seller Story to Storenvy you agree to allow us to use any or all materials for marketing purposes in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

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A yearly salute to our top stores. These stores have earned the title #BestOfStorenvy by collecting the most product Envies or store Watchers, selling the most stuff, or shipping faster than lightning. Each of them represent what it truly means to rep your brand on Storenvy.

You can find out just how awesome they are by checking out their stores at the links below.

Envy on!

Brainstorm School

Brainstorm School is a concept art, design and illustration focused private learning center based in Burbank, Ca.  Artist’s from around the world gather to learn & develop in our friendly community.  All of our courses are guided by industry professionals teaching current design and art techniques used in today’s entertainment industry.

Peg Leg Porker

Peg Leg Porker is a family owned and operated restaurant and catering company owned by Carey and Delaniah Bringle. At Peg Leg Porker, we pride ourselves on excellent customer service and great food. Our award winning BBQ is what makes us stand out above the crowd. It doesnt get any better than this, except maybe your Grandmama’s house. Our southern hospitality is one you wont forget. Remember, we are more than just BBQ. 

burittobreath

I would describe my style of art, as irreverent commercial illustration. I wouldn’t consider there to be any specific sources of inspiration for the stuff I make. For the most part life in general is a source of inspiration. It feels like in a some ways my work comes from the same place as a standup comedian’s material. Just taking note of the people and things around you gives a lot of inspiration for humorous creative output.

Holley Tea Time

Holley Tea Time was founded in 2009 and opened its 1st online shop in 2010. By creator artist and designer Holley Khuzaie. Holley Tea Time is a cute shop specializing in Japanese inspired clothing, jewelry and accessories. The shop has a magical theme with lots of glitter and pastel colors. All designs in our shop are original illustrations drawn by Holley. The goal of Holley Tea Time is to make a world filled of happiness and magic in everyone’s hearts.

Tittybats*

Thanks for checking out my terrible art!

*The first 2 time winner and it’s only year 2!

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We all know that having a sale is a great way to increase interest in and drive traffic to your store.  Creating a sale or one time promotion for either of your Storenvy stores is super easy. In this post I’ll show you how to combine Product Collections and Super Discounts to create a sale that you can promote on your Marketplace or Storefront store.

First we’ll need to make a Collection and add some products to it. To create a product collection log into your Storenvy store admin and navigate to the Products tab. From there click Manage Collections from the header.

I want my sale to be rad so I’m going to call my sale The Super Duper Sale!!!, with extra exclamation marks just to make it fun.

Select all the products you want to be included in your sale then hit the save button.

Next we need to create a Super Discount promotion and associate it with our new collection. To do that you’ll have to go to the Marketing tab in your Storenvy admin.

Once you are on the Marketing tab you can create a new promotion or use an existing one. For this exercise I’ll go ahead and create a new one.

To keep things nice and tidy I’m going to name the promotion the same as the collection. Any of the promotion types will work for this type of setup. I’m creating a super awesome sale and I  really want to give shoppers a deal so I’m going to make this promotion a 50% off deal. 

I want the discount to automatically apply so I’ll check that off. I could create a discount code, which I could give out when promoting the sale, but I want anyone shopping my store to be able to have this deal. 

If this were a limited time event, a store anniversary sale for example, then I could set a date for the promotion to expire. I don’t need to do that now so I’ll set the expiration date to never. 

I don’t need a minimum purchase amount for this promotion so I’ll let that remain 0.00. And lastly I want this promotion to apply to all the products in the Super Duper Sale Collection

Products that are added to a % off or Dollar off promotion will display an On Sale flag on their search tiles and on the product pages. The original price will also show with a strike-through and the new price will be displayed.

Now that we’ve created this sale we have to promote it. These days it’s pretty easy to post a link to your collection or store on social media. There are ways to promote your sale within your store as well. 

On the Discount Codes page of the Marketing tab, the same place where you made your promotion, there is a tool called Featured Promotion. You can use this to place a banner on your Storefront store that will inform shoppers about the deal.

Additionally you can make the  products from this or any collection be the first products shoppers see when they enter your store. To do this we need to update the Featured Collection attribute on the Storefront > Theme page. It’s near the bottom of the page.

You may find it helpful to update the number of products shown per page if you have many products in your collection.

And that’s it. We’ve created a product collection and a super discount promotion and now we have your own sale event that we control. The only thing left to do now is promote it. Check out our other posts for tips on running your store, promoting your products, your brand, and more.

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A time honored tradition to salute those who have achieved things on a yearly basis. #BestOf2019

Scott Straka Art

I am a celebrity/character freelance portrait artist. I travel all over the United States and sell my artwork at Comic and Horror Conventions.

enerjax

Hi I’m Jackie! Illustrator of the nerdy variety; avid Cumberbunny, Star Wars trash, I love all the things

airafleeza

Queer. Nerd. Artist.

Writer.Currently owned by: Overwatch & Marvel.

Godjinie Store

Streetwear style from Godjinie Store

Tittybats

Thanks for checking out my terrible art!

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One of the toughest decisions when running a small business is determining when it’s time to get an extra set of hands.

Sure, sole proprietorships require an almost fanatical focus on managing costs to help boost profits, and you might wince at the idea of spending any money at all elsewhere. Even so, there still comes a point when trying to do it all yourself can actually be counterproductive to your revenue goals.

Here are some ways to help you determine if you’re trying to do too much yourself or, more important, if you’re doing the wrong things with your precious time. Both situations can keep you from higher profits and self-employment life satisfaction, and that might show that it’s time you hire help.

Home is where the help is

If running your business is running you ragged, you might be in need of some extra hands. It’s not uncommon for those who work out of their homes as a cost-saving measure to become overwhelmed in their efforts.

Oftentimes, the help you need might not pertain to running your actual business but, rather, to everything that is keeping you from doing so.

If you’re constantly reminded of the domestic duties that need attention (house cleaning, property maintenance, laundry, meal prep), then you’re losing precious focus that could be going to your business.

A start to finding help could begin here: by hiring a housecleaner, a yard maintenance service, or even a handyman. These are good choices for easing yourself into handing off work to others that can often be achieved in as little time as just once a week—and that’s pretty easy on expenses, too.

Offload your business busy-ness

If your mundane distractions are already taken care of but you’re still not achieving your business goals, you might need additional help. Consider these areas where you might benefit from bringing someone on to ease your load:

• Order invoicing
• Packing and shipping
• Email monitoring and response
• Data entry and product listing management
• Office supply maintenance
• Managing customer lists
• Bookkeeping

You get the idea. These are just a few of the items you could potentially hand off to an assistant while setting your own focus on developing new products, marketing plans, professional networking, and everything else that will take your business to the next level.

Day-to-day tasks are critical to keep a business running, but when it comes to growing the business, you need to focus on the strategic matters while leaving the tactical activities to someone else. That’s where you’ll be most valuable!

Delegation is a beautiful thing

Delegation is crucial for those who truly want to expand their business, but learning to hand off tasks and responsibilities is still sometimes the most difficult challenge to overcome. After all, in most cases, small business owners started with a unique vision, developed their own plan, and have addressed any issues that have arisen along the way all by themselves. Overall, achieving their goals for business success has always been a deeply personal task!

Letting someone else take over even the tiniest of responsibilities can leave a business owner feeling anxious and vulnerable—they may even feel a strong instinct to outright refuse! However, since learning how to delegate tasks is a necessary first step for any business owner who wants their small business to grow, why is it that small-business owners are reticent to delegate? Usually, it boils down to three issues:

• The cost: Cost is usually the top reason cited for not bringing on help, as any employees will, obviously, need to be paid. While it has already been acknowledged that hiring can actually help reduce costs in many cases, you’ll need to honestly weigh whether doing certain tasks is what is keeping you from realizing greater profits.

Much like your money, you need to spend your time wisely in order to reap the greatest benefit. You might excel in your profit potential in ways you never thought possible if you can leave certain tasks to others.

• The loss of control: Some argue this is the top reason for not delegating, and it’s a compelling case. If you feel no one can tend to all aspects in and around your business better than you, then you are actually the greatest limiter to your business’ growth.

You’ll simply need to identify the time-takers in your daily work and make the decision to find and train someone else to do them for you.

• The time it takes to explain: Many lament that by the time they train someone else, they could have completed the task themselves.

While that may be true today, you need to focus on freeing up your tomorrows. (If you teach a man to fish…) The time you take to train someone to take duties off your hand is an investment in your ability to spend more of your time working to grow your business. That’s a good investment, every time.

Most business owners will agree that delegation is difficult—at first. Yet many who have done it will sing the praises of the freedom it brings once they embraced the idea.

Bringing on help can open new avenues for developing new business ideas, finding new customers to serve, and expanding the business to reach its original goals and beyond but which might have become obscured through all the busywork. It’s all too much for one person to manage and, when a businessperson wisely chooses to employ some extra hands (and minds), the potential for that business can grow, sometimes exponentially.

Like this article? Find even more helpful tips on Auctiva EDU.

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Perhaps the most discouraging form of feedback that online sellers receive comes from customers angry over being shipped products broken in transit. Along with being disappointing for both parties, it can be doubly upsetting because it’s so entirely preventable.

I once sold a three-piece set of nesting Italian terracotta serving bowls with a smooth, white glaze. I placed some newspaper between each bowl and then stuffed some more around the edges for (what I thought was) a little extra insurance. The buyer anticipated giving the bowls as a gift to a friend who had been looking for the set, and—needless to say—they were both quite upset when the box arrived and all three bowls were cracked in two.

I was new to selling at the time and didn’t yet understand the ins and outs of shipping, and assumed that the bigger the box, the bigger the cost. My inexperience resulted in broken pieces time and again because I was trying to save on shipping by using smaller boxes. What’s more, some really nice pieces of work wound up in the landfill.

After a couple more shipments that ended with broken items (and broken customer hearts!), I swore off selling “fragile” items altogether.

A package’s journey

Soon after, I tried to imagine what it must be like for a box to travel through the postal system. As soon as a package leaves our possession, it’s placed in a large basket where other boxes are collected for sorting. From there, it’s routed through various hands, conveyor belts, baskets, and trucks. By the time it reaches its destination, a package has likely faced quite a few opportunities for damage!

Among the many other boxes our packages are shipped alongside, some are likely going to be heavier and sharper, and could possibly even crush our package as they tumble into large bins together. When I consulted with a postal worker about my suspicions, they confirmed that my imagined scenario was very close to the real thing. This is why, he said, shipping carriers recommend you give a good two inches of padding between your fragile items and the box edges.

While a bigger box does figure into the cost of shipping, what matters most is the weight of the package. A bigger box means added weight only from the extra cardboard and packing materials, which usually amounts to very little—and probably significantly less than a replacement product will cost if the one you send originally ends up broken.

Recommended shipping materials

Though it’s great for lining birdcage bottoms, newspaper is not recommended for packaging material. Not only is it below professional standards, but it’s also quite heavy. Take a stack of newspapers in one hand and a huge bag of packing peanuts in the other and see for yourself.

After you’ve ensured that your product has enough room for protection, the next thing to note is the size of the box. The U.S. Postal Service accepts “packages or thick envelopes” with a maximum length (the longest side of the package) plus girth (distance around the thickest part) of 130 inches. Anything larger is considered a “large package,” which will cost more.

Likewise, UPS and FedEx accept packages as long as 165 inches (plus girth) before they start adding costs to your shipment.

Weighing the alternatives

To give an example of how to package a fragile item, I’ve prepared a shipment for a large vintage Pyrex mixing bowl step-by-step in the images below. I first placed it in a box that fits the bowl nicely, but doesn’t allow much room for padding around the edges. (Obviously, a big no-no!)

This package weighs 3 pounds, 12 ounces, and has a 35-inch girth. USPS shipping cost: $13.58 for standard, or $18.35 for Priority Mail.

Then I placed it in a bigger box to allow for more padding.

The second package weighs 4 pounds, 8 ounces, and has a 46-inch girth. USPS shipping cost: $14.20 for standard, or $21.20 for Priority Mail. For standard shipping, the cost is only 62 cents more, and the package has a far greater chance of arriving fully intact. Without a doubt, the larger box is definitely the way to go!

Packaging items securely

Now, with the appropriate box selected, it’s time to package this item sufficiently so that it’s protected during shipment.

First, I blanketed the bottom of the box with a few layers of a lightweight, reliable packing material—I decided to go with packing peanuts.

Next, I covered the dish with bubble wrap for added protection.

I took extra care to protect any protruding pieces (such as the handles on this bowl) by making sure the bubble wrap was fastened snugly around them.

I then placed the product in the box, angling the protruding handles toward the box corners to give them more space.

Next, I filled any empty space with packing material. (Make sure to stuff the sides as well!)

Lastly, I closed the box and gave it a little shake to see how secure my packing job really was. As a general rule, if the product is still shifting around, add more packing material before sealing your package.

I decided to wrap this package in brown paper for a more professional look. Whether you wrap your boxes or not, be sure to seal lids, edges and corners with packing tape.

Now that I’m a more experienced seller, I’ve gained confidence in my packaging skills, and have added breakable items back to my listings. I try to collect recycled peanuts and bubble wrap whenever possible, but otherwise I purchase a large bag from the local U-Haul for only $5.

These days, I receive glowing feedback about how well my items are packaged—I hope you will, too!

Like this article? Find even more helpful tips on Auctiva EDU.

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