Let’s face it… University can be rough and stressful. It can also be very expensive.
A few years ago when I first started my nursing degree I started to paint. I started off by painting little welcome signs and birdhouses, mainly for my family and some enjoyment. Little did I know that one program change later and four years, I would have made my artwork into a little business! Not only it is a great stress relief now, but it’s also helping me to save up some money!
One thing that I learned from running my own small business is that the Thunder Bay community is that they are very supportive. No matter what you are selling, if you stick a post in one of our local Buy And Sell Facebook groups, or on kijiji, you’re bound to find a lot of people interested in your product! For almost three years I sold my paintings, welcome signs, and eventually dreamcatchers on Facebook groups. I did custom orders and sizes all while I was a full time University student!
Here are my tips to you if you are looking to start a small business in Thunder Bay, and be a university student at the same time:
- make yourself a Facebook, Instagram and/or LinkedIn page and spread it. Put posters up on the bulletin boards at the University, and post your link all over social media. We are a small community and the market isn’t so saturated here, so you’re bound to find someone who is interested!
- manage your time wisely. Sometimes I would be up until 4am working on a paper after finishing up a custom order that was due to be picked up the next day.
- look into local events. If you’re selling handmade or home business items, you can sell at the hundreds of craft shows and markets we have every year (especially around Christmas). I’ll be doing a craft yard sale soon, and I’m super excited!
- build your client base. Be friendly, kind, courteous. Good customer service goes a long way.
- open up an online shop if you have the means and the inventory. About a year and a half ago I started my own Etsy shop and it’s been taking off! You’ll need to make sure you have enough inventory and be able to figure out your shipping, but it’s really not that hard. Bonus tip: the University bookstore sells stamps and shipping supplies. When I’m in a pinch, they are my go-to! Local post offices can also give you a hand.
- chat it up with people in your classes or on campus. Do you make jewelry, do nail art, or sell bath bombs? Flaunt them around campus (or at least smell nice). People are bound to ask. Make sure you keep some business cards (or even printed pieces of thick paper) with your contact information on it. You can all put your business cards up at local businesses with bulletin boards downtown.
- If you want to get super serious, try taking a few business classes – accounting and marketing could be super helpful if you want to grow. There is an entrepreneurship class that is also offered by our Business faculty!
In the end, being a small business owner and a University student is tough. It’s a lot of work but for me, I’m doing what I love – so it’s well worth it! A lot of people don’t understand that they can make a business work in such a small city. What they don’t realize is that there are so many resources here, and because we are small, our markets aren’t so saturated. Honestly, it doesn’t hurt to try. So get your name out there, do what you love, and make good money while still getting your education!
Lakehead Saradise 