Tapping into your passion and taking your creativity in different directions allows you to embrace the changes and the seasons in your life. Doing what interests you now and pursuing what inspires you enables you to be adaptable and do things that work with your lifestyle at the moment. 

Working on your passion is all about getting yourself out there, allowing yourself to make mistakes, and connecting with your audience to deliver value. The internet has made it easier than ever to gain the traction you need to be a successful small business owner and create a living out of your dream. 

So many business owners opt to promote themselves and sell through social media vs. having a small storefront, which has given them much more success. However, in order to be successful with this, you have to be flexible with your strategy as the platforms are constantly evolving and changing.

In this episode, Michelle Mackay, an illustrator, artist, and crafter, talks about her talent. She also explains how you can live your dream, work on things that inspire you, and create a living out of it. 


“It’s okay if you’re not doing the exact work that you desire because it will come if you keep putting yourself out there.”


 
Snapshot of the Key Points from the Episode:
[02:37] Michelle shares her journey and what led her to where she is today.
[08:07] Michelle’s doll-making and sale evolution story from teenage to how she does it now. She also talks about her illustration work and other things she is working on. 
[15:33] The skillsets and superpowers that Michelle has discovered throughout her journey that have helped her stay focused and be successful.
[17:00] Some of the strategies that Michelle uses to create more interest and engagement to build a larger fan base on social media. 
[21:03] How is Michelle able to channel her creative side while also navigating the business side of her business?
[23:53] What is Michelle’s greatest accomplishment that she is super proud of that wraps all her interests in one place? The biggest challenge that Michelle ran across and how she navigated through it. 
[27:33] What does working from your happy place mean to Michelle?
[29:46] Michelle's biggest piece of advice to someone who is starting out as an artist.


About Michelle Mackay - 

Michelle is an illustrator, artist, and crafter living in the green mountains of Vermont. Mother of two, she spends her days outside with the children, painting pictures, sewing dolls, and collecting tiny things. Influenced greatly by the natural world and her children’s stories, she creates tiny worlds of her own to share. She offers a whimsical illustration style rooted in nature, the beauty of the simple things, and tiny extra details that offer a story within a story.

She graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design with a BFA in Illustration and moved to Nantucket immediately after graduating. There, she met the love of her life, and they've been together ever since. After having their first child, the return to art was slow. At first, she was painting portraits of parenthood, which was fun for some time but eventually, she craved making more of her own work rather than custom work. Michelle started making cloth dolls, which she used to do when she was a teenager, and the first few batches sold within seconds. Dollmaking became her 9 to 5, and she still loves it, but it's not her main focus. 

Dolls continue to sell well, which she is so grateful for, but her focus has been shifting to more illustration work. She has been illustrating for Taproot Magazine for a few years now, in addition to illustrating toys or postcards for children's companies. Michelle is starting her venture into children's book illustration by actively seeking representation and continuing to make and sell her own work in the form of prints, cards, or handbound zines. She started zines with a friend, and it gives them a chance to use all their favorite talents; writing stories, drawing, crafting, baking, bookmaking, plant dyes, letterpress, and so many other aspects!


How to connect with Michelle Mackay:
Website: https://www.danceypantsdisco.com/
https://www.edielune.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danceypantsdisco/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/danceypantsdisco/
Discount code: “HAPPYPLACE”



About the Host -

Belinda Ellsworth is a Speaker, Trainer, Best-Selling Author, and Podcaster

She has been a professional speaker, mover, and shaker for more than 25 years. Having built three successful companies, she has helped thousands of entrepreneurs make better decisions, create successful systems, and build business strategies using her "Four Pillars of Success" system.

Belinda has always had a passion and zest for life with the skill for turning dreams into reality. 

Over the last 20 years, she has been expertly building her speaking and consulting business, Step Into Success.
 

How to Connect with Belinda:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/stepintosuccess
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindaellsworth
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stepintosuccess/
Website - www.workfromyourhappyplace.com