Meet Sarah Srdarev

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sarah Srdarev a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?

When I first started my art business, I was working a full-time job as a writer, freelance writing outside of that, helping out at a local shop on weekends, AND trying to build an art business. I remember I would regularly work 14 hours today trying to balance everything. It was tiring, and the quality of my work was taking a hit, as well as my physical health.

So I didn’t avoid burnout at all, but I did eventually overcome it. I had to take a step back and realize that this lifestyle wasn’t sustainable and also wasn’t helping me grow. I couldn’t take the time to grow my skills if I was constantly pushing myself to depletion.

It took awhile to realize all of this, but once I did, I was able to have more time to actually think about what I wanted from my job, freelancing, and art business. This allowed me to find a balance that would allow me to grow in both places, while also enjoying life outside of my work.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Hello hello! I’m Sarah and I’m a medical writer by day and small stationery business owner by night! My stationery business is called Srdarev Creative, and I love creating pieces that are inspired by nature yet are relatable to humans.

I have silly geese, Todd the Snail, a ton of mushrooms, and the current star, Freg the Frog, who are all featured across cards, stickers, prints and more. I just really love creating products that can brighten someone’s day, and I think it’s important to have little silly things that bring us joy.

As a small business, it’s important for me to support other small businesses, which is why everything is either made in-house by me or by a local manufacturer. I love being able to put a face to who’s helping my business and support other businesses as I grow my own.

As for what’s coming up at Srdarev Creative, we’re looking forward to launching notepads and our very own little Freg the Frog plush keychain! Keep your eyes peeled for those new products coming in a few weeks.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I would say having patience with yourself is a major component when starting your own business. Not everything needs to happen at once, and that’s a good thing. It gives you time to sort out manufacturers, products, your strategy, and discover what you love doing in your business. If I went viral right off the bat I probably would have felt extremely overwhelmed. But looking back, slowly and steadily growing has allowed me to sort out all the logistics in the background at my own pace (I’m looking at you shipping), while still allowing myself to explore my artistic practice.

Having the discipline to keep yourself accountable and continue pursuing your dreams is another skill. I studied advertising and know a lot of creatives who start their passion project, but only pursue it for a few months before ultimately quitting. However, you’re not going to see results in just a few months. You need to give yourself at least a year, if not two, to really see what’s working, what’s not, and how you feel running a business. And you need to be consistent. Yes, take breaks when it’s needed, but as long as you keep coming back and you keep showing up, you’ll keep growing.

Finally, take everything as a lesson. I’ve done quite a few art markets that were just flops. And while it definitely was a hit to the ego, they weren’t complete losses. The market is slow, and you know what that means? It’s time to walk around and meet other vendors! I’ve made many friends and connections at slow markets that have added so much to my life.

All of these were lessons that took time to learn, but looking back, all of these are for the best and have helped me continue to grow. I’d say to anyone starting out, just remember to have grace for yourself and as long as you stay consistent and keep at it, you’ll start to see the results.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

I would say the number one obstacle I face is myself! Which bugs me because having this little art business brings me so much joy, but then I get so in my head about everything.

“How do I protect all my designs from being stolen?”

“Do I need a lawyer?”

“What if I never reach X goal?”

All these questions flood my brain, leaving me paralyzed with the fear making the wrong next move.

I talk about giving things time to grow, being patient with yourself, and being consistent, and I need to start taking my own advice that I’m giving to others! I need to keep moving forward and go back to why I wanted to do this all in the first place.

Taking a step back to evaluate what I’m doing and why I’m doing it helps me refocus on what I need to do, and also reignites my passion for why I’m doing this all in the first place!

At the end of the day, I want to make silly things that bring people joy while supporting local businesses, and I need to centre myself around my original vision for Srdarev Creative.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.srdarevcreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/srdarevcreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/srdarevcreative
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnV4M204KEq7FRNAsIcyhgw