Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in digital arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Zenja Gammer, Founder of Zenzdesign, located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I have several businesses which are all connected to creating art. Zenz Courses is the core business where I help people to learn Adobe Photoshop. Most of my customers are photographers and Photoshop enthusiasts. I focus on beginners to help them get started and go from beginner to expert with my courses and coaching.

Tell us about yourself

I installed Photoshop when I was 15 years old, and till today I never stopped using it. Not long after I discovered the software, I started creating artwork for friends that organize events. The Netherlands has a lot of events, so it was kind of a daily job for me to learn the software and improve my skills by creating art for these parties. I also got my bachelor's as a visual designer, but the biggest learning phase was when I started creating daily artwork and uploading it on social media. This was when I started to grow an audience. I found my passion in creating digital art with wildlife, so the audience that enjoyed seeing my work was my motivation. Once I started creating tutorials, I noticed that I could do more than just make YouTube videos. This is where I began with making more detailed videos which became my courses.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is having a community of students in my courses and social media pages, and partnerships with art decor stores. I have seen students go from beginner to expert just by watching my courses. Helping others in this field is something I am passionate about, and seeing how people can develop a skill in such a short amount of time drives me to help more people to reach their goals.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

The hardest thing is to keep innovating and creating better courses. In this digital world, everything evolves really quickly, so you have to keep up with the latest trends. It's also hard to be creative all the time; there are days that you just don't have any inspiration at all, so many times you just spend time creating something and throw it away because you know you can do better.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Never rely on one stream of income. Create multiple incomes because every one of them can go down or even stop.
  2. Learn marketing/advertising, and don't be afraid to spend money on advertising. You can have a great business, but if no one knows about it, it's a useless business.
  3. Work out or practice a sport as much as you can. Personal health is good for your brain and mood, and it will help you with staying in shape.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.zenzcourses.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenzdesign.nl
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenzdesign/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zenzdesign
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenzdesign/?originalSubdomain=nl

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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