We were lucky to catch up with Amy Thakrar recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amy, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I definitely wouldn’t consider myself a naturally confident person. Developing confidence and self-esteem has been a journey of consistent action and pushing beyond my comfort zone. For me, it started when I decided to leave home and travel for a couple of years. I challenged myself to take this trip alone. Being an introvert I always felt extremely nervous and uncomfortable around new people, especially in big groups. But I realized to make the most of my travels, I had to change my mindset. I had to become comfortable being uncomfortable. I realized it was in those experiences when I felt awkward, uneasy, and self-conscious, that I learned the most about myself and what I am capable of if I push through uncomfortable challenges. I never knew back then that this would have a huge impact on me starting my creative business.
In terms of confidence within my creative business, I truly believe that confidence grows through action. I make a point to be consistent with doing one thing a day that is beneficial toward my business. Some days it’s a small step like research or editing a design and other days it’s bigger steps like coaching a client and planning out new designs/products. Whether big or small, each new step helps grow your business and confidence.
Lately, I have been actively seeking out opportunities that I know will be intimidating or uncomfortable because I really believe that true confidence is developed in the doing. Even though it scares me most times, I try to embrace these challenges and say yes to opportunities even when I feel unprepared. I’ve discovered that the most rewarding experiences often lie beyond my comfort zone. It could be as simple as initiating a conversation with a stranger or taking on a new task that stretches my abilities. I consistently make it a point to challenge myself.
It’s important to remember that confidence is not a destination but a continuous process. As I evolve personally and professionally, new levels of discomfort and fear emerge. However, instead of viewing this as a setback, I see it as an opportunity for growth.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I had always known I wanted to have a creative career but it was a long journey to discover what exactly I wanted to do. Sadly, a lot of the creative career paths are not commonly known. Growing up, I was always looking for ways to be creative. Whether it was crafting, hand painting candles, make up, henna, graphic design etc. I took so many courses and classes to explore my options. Honestly, it was pretty exhausting and I still felt lost in all of it. Fortunately, it all came together for me when I discovered the world of Surface Design. I was able to bring all my passions and skills together and have my dream career. Diving into this world opened my eyes to endless possibilities for a creative career and it has opened up so many opportunities for me that I never would have imagined were possible. After moving from the UK to the US and receiving my permanent residency, I couldn’t wait to get my business started. I had spent a few years learning and working toward this day and it finally happened.
In 2022 I started my own business, Amy Thakrar. I am a Surface Designer, Illustrator and Coach to new and aspiring creative business owners. This year I launched my Rise Up Coaching Program, which I’m very excited to offer and work with brave, risk-taking creatives looking to start their own business. The idea grew from working in different creative communities and realizing a common theme of struggles. I heard countless stories of people feeling stuck with their next steps, feeling overwhelmed and sadly not being consistent because they felt lost. I know that feeling because I felt the exact same. I knew something had to change. My business wasn’t going to work unless I put in the work and made it happen. I had to create a plan and step by step, little by little, I had to build my business. It wasn’t easy. To be honest, sometimes it was really hard. But please know, it is worth it. Little by little, step by step, with consistency and the right mindset, I did it. Going through that process, I have grown a special passion for helping new and aspiring creatives that are starting their creative careers because I know and understand that the journey can be challenging. It requires mental, emotional, and personal growth. I realized I want to help others get unstuck and encourage them to make progress, unlock their potential and set them up for success in starting and growing their creative businesses.
I started Rise Up Coaching to offer 1:1 coaching that supports creatives on their journey and helps plan a personalized roadmap that will take them step by step through the stages and struggles that come with starting a business. It offers guidance, encouragement and support from someone that understands the joys and pains of the journey.
I am also currently working on a very special workbook to help people that aren’t ready for 1:1 support yet but need some help sorting through their ideas and creating a plan of action. This workbook will encourage them to take steps on mindset and personal growth that are essential in starting and running a creative business. There is a lot of information out there on the practicalities of starting a business and learning creative skills but there is not much focus on mindset and personal development, specifically for creative entrepreneurs. My goal with this guided workbook will be to prepare new business owners with the mindset and plan to succeed.
I dream of opening up an online community to create a space for new and aspiring creative entrepreneurs to teach how to set themselves up for success. A community that encourages them to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and making progress taking small steps and a supportive community.
Alongside Rise Up Coaching, I also work as a Community Guide with some well established artists in the Surface Design industry, helping their students and members in their online course and membership communities. I love that I am able to take my knowledge and experiences to help others. It’s so special to be a part of their creative journeys, watch their growth and celebrate their successes with them. I also have a digital downloads and printables Etsy store, sell my pattern designs on Spoonflower and hope to branch out into art licensing later this year. It never gets old seeing my designs on products and in other people’s homes.
I have plans to offer creative workshops, locally and virtually, to encourage kids and adults in exploring their creative passions and teach them new skills. I think it is so special to be able to teach others and pass on what you know. I truly believe it creates a ripple effect and also shows others what can be possible with their passions and hobbies. The fact that it took me until my late 20’s to discover Surface Design encourages me to make others aware of it too.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I have learned so much on this journey of becoming a business owner, some things are definitely more enjoyable than others. I’d say the three things that have made the biggest impact in my journey would be:
– Having a growth mindset
– Consistency
– Goal setting and planning
After discovering Surface Design and discovering many people with successful careers in the industry I saw that it was in fact possible to have a thriving creative business. This got me thinking that if they could do it, so could I. Seeing their businesses inspired me. I believe it is very important to have a growth mindset and really challenge your limiting beliefs. They are lies that other people have made us believe or that we have made ourselves believe. I encourage anyone starting out or feeling like limiting beliefs are holding them back to write out some daily affirmations and read them before starting your work day. I have to admit, I was never into doing this myself but I do it now and it is very helpful. It’s also inspiring to watch others that are a few steps ahead of you, not as a way to compare yourself to them but instead be inspired by them. Watching their journey can be very encouraging.
Consistency was, and still is, one of the most impactful things in my journey. A few years ago I learnt the importance of consistency from my coach and mentor, Bonnie Christine. Not only has this impacted my business but it has also been so good for me personally with becoming better at creating new habits. I began by committing to spending at least 15 minutes every single day working towards my goals, whether it was sketching, researching, listening to a podcast or audiobook related to my business, etc. This consistency is what helped me build confidence and begin taking my goals and dreams seriously.
For anyone early in their journey I would highly recommend becoming consistent in working toward your goals, if you aren’t already. Many people struggle with making time in their day but even just 15 minutes a day will get you closer to your goals than spending zero minutes a day. It may be helpful to use a tool like a habit tracker to track your progress. I still use one when I want to create new habits.
Before I began planning and goal setting I was making progress but it was slow. I felt scrambled and extremely overwhelmed. I wanted to work on everything at once, which led to a lot of unfocused and unproductive days. This is a practice I try to continually improve but since I started planning and goal setting it has really helped me to make better progress on what I am working on.
No matter what stage you are at I believe it is so important to set clear goals and have a plan. Getting started with this early on in your journey will really set you up for success. I recommend having goals for the year, but picking 2-4 to work on each quarter. Break these goals down into small actionable steps to work on everyday and work on at least 3 tasks each day that will progress you towards your goals. Keep track of your progress by reviewing how far you have come each week and each month. Also review your progress every quarter and carry over any goals that you are still working on into the next quarter.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Overwhelm was something that held me back and stalled my progress more than anything. I was so overwhelmed with all the possibilities, all the information I had gathered, all the courses and memberships that are available etc. As creatives we have more ideas than we can realistically work on. We are often working on something and an idea sparks for a new project that we want to work on right away.
Becoming aware of when I’m beginning to feel overwhelmed and finding strategies that help reduce it has been so amazing for me because now I am able to recognize when it’s creeping back and take action before it gets out of control.
When I get overwhelmed with so many ideas and thoughts I like to do a brain dump. This is a practice of writing down everything that is in your mind. For me this is usually writing out new project ideas, content creation ideas, things to write about to my email subscribers, what to buy from the grocery store, an appointment I need to book, and anything else that is taking up space in my mind that is distracting from working on the task at hand.
When I’m feeling completely unfocused and irritated because of overwhelm I like to go for a walk and get some fresh air. Now, this isn’t always possible and the air is not always fresh in the Phoenix desert heat, so sometimes just stepping outside the house for a few minutes can be all that I need. Usually it is simply that I need to take a step back from what I’m working on, so if I am unable to go for a walk I will move onto another task or do something creative to calm my mind.
Starting my day off with a few non-negotiable activities has also been very helpful to me. These are activities or tasks that I have to do before I do anything else in my day. These include working out, reading the Bible, and planning my work day.
For anyone dealing with feeling overwhelmed, I encourage you to try the strategies I shared to see if they help you. These are common strategies that people use to reduce overwhelm and find them very helpful. But more than anything, begin to take notice of what is causing you to feel overwhelmed. Pay attention to things that you already do that calm your mind. The next time you feel overwhelmed, rather than giving up and being hard on yourself, try different strategies and keep note of what helps. The more you get into the habit of doing this, you will have a toolbox full of strategies that work for you in different situations.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.amythakrar.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/amythakrardesign
Image Credits
Loralee Joy
