Clare – Bon Maxie

I’m a Brisbane-based new mum.

I’ve always painted and drawn, but I’d been focusing on other things leading up to the birth of my son. So when little Max came along, I found I had some time (not heaps of it, but enough!) after he went down at night to get back into my artwork. I felt a little lost when Max was first born and needed to feel like I was still able to contribute to the household! I started putting the call out for more commission work (mainly custom portraits) and the orders really came in. I realised that there was no reason why I couldn’t make a business out of my work, so here I am now – in the first few weeks of my online business, Bon Maxie, being open and I’ve realised that I’m so passionate about making this work, that I’m already on to making my second range.

My first product range is the Woodland Critters collection – featuring a fox, deer, squirrel and hedgehog, all with human accessories. I’ve got these available in a few sized art prints, but my favourite products are the unique bamboo printed versions of these guys. I guess they suit baby or kids’ rooms, but I’ve had a few people buy them for themselves as well, so the designs really are for any age.

I’m really excited to be working with Word On Baby as well – they’re a local baby/Mum wear company who print onto garments – my four animals are available on onesies and t-shirts. It’s so exciting to see pictures of customers’ babies wearing my designs!

Top 3 Tips for Starting an Online Store

1. Reach out to other small businesses and network, ask for advice and see if they might collaborate with you
2. I’m only new on the scene but this has been the biggest advantage for me: get on social media and look around for similar businesses to see what’s working for them
3. If you have suppliers, chat to them about their experiences and ask them for their input – they’ve been in business longer than you and chances are, they have some relevant insight to help!