The creative process, side hustles and where life takes you

Interest in fine and applied arts typically begins with childhood, and my story is no exception. I have fond memories of sitting at a table in the corner of the kindergarten sleeping room, under the guidance of one of the teachers, with a pencil, colourful paper, scissors and glue.

This continued in my teenage years, with Studies in the Technical school for Fine Ceramics and Glass art. This opportunity introduced me to a variety of possibilities — first being a Decorator, storefront curator, and subsequently finding love for fashion.

My entrepreneurship journey begins there, in the early 2000's, with a side hustle involving fixing, tailoring and making suits for others.

In the recent years, I discovered the world of knitted toys, and is what my business is currently based around. I also continue to make themed decorations from fabric.

The biggest difficulty I faced as a one-woman army, was building my B2C business operations almost exclusively through Facebook. Building a brand from scratch, actively promoting the page, and having product inventory was not enough. People have to trust you, and reputation takes time to build.

My creative journey continues, and I look forward to future challenges.

About the author: Rositsa Belcheva is a serial side-hustler based in Bulgaria. RosBel Handmade creations