Diversification: It’s a buzzword found in nearly every business portfolio manual.
Some folks pick up on it early in their careers.
Katie Faith has picked up on it earlier than most.
The 14-year-old self-published author is expanding her entrepreneurial horizon, with a venture into calendar sales. But, much like the creator, these aren’t your typical specimens.
These calendars are missing one major component; pictures.
That’s where the buyer comes in.
“At first, I wanted to use my own art, but then I figured my art wasn’t good enough. Then it came to me. Wouldn’t it be cool if everyone could just do whatever picture they wanted? So for Easter, do an egg picture. Then for July, maybe something Canada… leaves in the fall…”
By buying a calendar now, children can work on them throughout the summer and autumn months, and have them ready to present to grandma, or grandpa, mom, or dad – whomever – as a Christmas gift.
They looked at other samples online, and improved on what they saw available.
The 2018 Faith Art calendar comes on wire-bound 65-pound cardstock, which is more suitable for painting on. Each month also comes with a creative quote, picked by Katie. There is a 12” by 12” paintable area for each month.
“There are so many ways you can use this,” said Katie. “You can bring them out to work on, during a rainy day, or maybe bring it out at a birthday party and let everyone do a page.”
Katie said she went through numerous trials before sending her creation to market.
“I tested all kinds of things – acrylics, pencils, Crayola, water-colour, they’re all good,” she said.
“The alcohol-based felt pens aren’t recommended – they will go through the paper – but anything else is fine,” said Katie’s mother, Gillian Foster.
The 2018 Faith Art calendar is available at Laughing Oyster Bookstore, online through Amazon at http://amzn.to/2pQP0qY as well as on Etsy at http://etsy.me/2oereEt
The Etsy link also offers Katie’s exclusive line of paint brushes – another element of Katie’s ever-expanding portfolio.
And she promises her third book will be out soon.
“Hopefully this year,” she said.
Of course, in addition to diversification, another buzzword in business is prioritization. Katie’s third book may just have to take a back seat to her upcoming final exams … her Grade 8 final exams.
