The Accidental Business Owner / How Fitzy Was Born

If you had told me two years ago, that I would be running my own business,

I would have laughed in your face. At the time I had just finished up my first

year of psychology at the University of Toronto, and was taking some time

off to reassess my career path. I knew that I wanted to use this time to get

back to my roots (I already had a Bachelor of Fine Arts), and start making

things again.

Inspired by my friend Marta Ryczko, I decided to start a 365 project. This is

a project where you make something everyday for a year, and post it online.

Marta had been doing amazing digital posters, but I decided to widen my

scope and to any form of art, craft, or design.

Everyday I would make something new, be it a hand dyed scarf, a leather

tassel, digital pattern, a photograph, and the list goes on, and on. Then I

would photograph my project for the day, and post it on my tumblr before

midnight. As I started making things, and experimenting with new materials,

I discovered that I loved working with leather. Soon after, many of my

projects were made using just that.

As I was making and posting these projects everyday people started telling

me that I should sell them. At first I resisted, I’d never pictured myself as a

business owner, and I’d certainly avoided any and all business classes in

high school and university, but as the months went on, it seemed more and

more doable. I already had a few friends who ran their own creative

business, and so I thought what the hell, I’ll give it a try.

In January of 2013, four months after I had started my 365 project, I

started Fitzy. From that point the 365 project took on a new direction. It was

filled with logos, and business cards, and packaging and websites, and so

many leather products, and the occasional digital pattern.

On September 19, 2013 I finished the project. I had made 365 things in 365

days, and started my own business!!! While I’m happy it’s over (those daily

deadlines were killer), I’m so glad that I did it.

On the last day of my 365 project, I made a video showing every piece I'd made that year.

You can also view the project's archive here.