In our Ask A Founder series this fall, we follow 10 female founders on their entrepreneurial journey. Thousands of women have experienced our Selfmade virtual business coaching program, led by Brit + Co founder Brit Morin and sponsored Office Depot OfficeMax. Here, we hear from Selfmade alum and digital artist Emily Finta about the risks she’s taken, her path toward believing in herself, and the most powerful thing she does in her day.
How would you describe your brand in five words? Bold, Creative, Fun, Unique, Original.
What mood do you want your brand to evoke? Bold and exciting. My business is my way to express myself because I’ve always been very quiet and reserved.
What was your aha moment before starting your business? My business has evolved a lot throughout the years. I started off with a blog because I felt like none of my friends understood my dream to become an entrepreneur. I thought web design was the only way for a graphic designer to make money with an online business. I’d never really enjoyed the coding side of web design and one day someone made me realize that the options of what I could do were endless.
What were you doing before you started the business? I was working on a degree in graphic design, and I started off at a sign shop creating graphics for signs, billboards, and vehicles.
What’s one thing you wish you knew as an entrepreneur? How much work it is. I have a very creative mind, so the business side of things is very hard for me and takes a lot more research and trial and error.
How do you get in the right headspace to start your day? I listen to my Inspiring playlist on Spotify, which basically includes any upbeat song with inspirational lyrics.
How do you celebrate the small wins? I share my win with my group of business friends and sometimes I’ll reward myself with an iced caramel latte.
What is the biggest risk you’ve taken so far? I was stuck at my first full-time graphic design job and wasn’t making enough to live on my own, so I decided to move from Michigan to Tennessee without a job or knowing anyone. I was stuck in my comfort zone, and I knew I needed to take a big risk to push myself.
What’s your favorite form of self-care? I love reading! I try to read every night before bed and it’s my favorite way to relax after a long day.
What is the most powerful thing you do in your day? As an introvert I tend to get in my own head a lot, so developing the habit of journaling every night has helped me figure out my fears and let go of things that are bothering me. I also make sure to include something I’m grateful for and something I’ve accomplished that day because I tend to overlook how much I’ve done.
What is your go-to productivity hack? When planning out my week, I always break down my goals to specific days so I know exactly what to do and when.
What is your favorite desk essential? My iPad with GoodNotes! I love using the planner I designed to plan everything out. It’s helped me get so much done and work on my daily habits. I love checking off the boxes after I’ve completed a task.
What has receiving the Office Depot OfficeMax scholarship to Selfmade done to help you grow your business? The scholarship gave me so much confidence and clarity in what I wanted to do for my business. I learned so much about the business side of things that would have taken forever to research and figure out on my own.
How have Office Depot OfficeMax services/products helped you accomplish more in your business? They have helped me organize my desk and buy fun pens that make me excited to take notes and make to-do lists.
What does the word “self-made” mean to you? Self-made means to follow your dreams and build the life that you want even if others tell you to take a different path. I have constantly been told throughout my life that I couldn’t do my job because I am a quiet introvert. Being self-made is knowing exactly what you want your life to look like, working as hard as you can to get there, and pushing yourself to do the things that scare you.
Thanks Emily for reminding us that believing in yourself, even if others are skeptical, is the only way forward as an entrepreneur. Office Depot OfficeMax can help you with the rest, including staying organized & saving time with a suite of business services to help you accomplish more – from signs, posters & banners to get your business noticed to marketing materials to help bring your brand vision to life.