When one door closes another opens.....

Recently, the selling platform Etsy suspended all of my art stores.   I was crushed.  I had built my business with their platform since 2005.  I had thousands of sales and customers, many that were close friends that I had met on Etsy and Facebook.  When I received the notice, I was shocked and confused.   I was warned last year that my Harry Potter cats were reported for copyright infringement.   I didn't understand why, since these were cats I drew dressed like Harry Potter and his friends.  Everyone suggested to me to just change their names to a silly version of the character.  For example, Harry Potter became Hairy Pawter.  I thought I was following the correct guidelines by not mentioning the franchise or the movies.   To my surprise, on the 6th of January, I was shut down.  

It took me a few days to process this news and then I decided I will look at this as a new opportunity. I will not be a victim.  My art is amazing and it needs to be seen and shared.  I shifted my thinking to what a fun adventure this could be.  I will be the captain of my own ship, steering on a magical course of happiness and prosperity.   I made the decision to NOT let anyone control my business or my customers again.  I want to be the one that makes those kinds of decisions.  I was thinking all of the fees associated with a platform and they tend to add up to the point they receive a substantial portion of my income.  Why not invest in me, skip the middleman and take charge.   I'm so excited about this new chapter in my business life.  It's going to be a lot of work to recreate the wheel so to speak, but I accept the challenge and I only see a bigger and brighter future for my art and me.  

I've decided to invest in myself and my website.  Before I just treated my website as a location to inform people who I am, what I do, and examples of my art.  I used Etsy as my main selling hub.  Now?  My website is going to do it all!  It will have so many versions of my art, it will have my blog, my social media, and a lot more merchandise that I can market and sell my way!  I'm super excited and can't wait to see how all this unfolds.  

I ask you to please, join me on this wonderful adventure.  I know there will be lots of joy, happiness, and fun on the course I am steering my ship!   I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship!