This is the eighth post in a new weekly series called “10 Questions with” that will feature creative entrepreneurs and small business owners who have incredible stories and advice to share. It’s the perfect series to follow for budding entrepreneurs and creative people who want to know more about other people’s creative processes. Check back here every Wednesday to see who will be profiled next.. The interview is below the images.

One of the more rewarding and inspirational experiences I’ve had as a small business owner was participating in The Collective {of Us}. I was introduced to this amazing course by Keri Wood of Little Big Dreamers, who participated in the course before me. She sang its praises, and it sounded like a great fit; I was looking for business coaching, but nothing seemed right. I wanted collaboration, and and I wanted to hear from other small business owners who were in the creative space. I applied and was accepted to this past session, with a group of incredible entrepreneurs. Throughout the weeks, coach and creator of the program, Cyndie Spiegel, led bi-weekly Skype chats with us in smaller groups as we talked through our biggest challenges, our goals, and where we needed to improve. The things I learned in that program changed my business forever and for the better.

Cyndie’s incredible, but I was also connected to other incredible women, and continue to stay connected to them through social media and a Facebook group only for members of the collective. One of those incredible women is Casey Sibley, the founder of Casey D. Sibley Art + Design. Her work is EXACTLY what I love; modern, colorful and unique. I am in the middle of an office remodel, and you better believe one of her original works will be hanging there soon.

I got the chance to chat with Casey, and her words about small business, the challenges she faces, and her advice for aspiring business owners will leave you feeling inspired and uplifted. Believe me. Without further ado, the interview.

Glad to chat with you! First, tell us where we can find you online.

My name is Casey and I own Casey D. Sibley Art + Design, a Reno, NV based studio where I specialize in colorful and abstract designs for textiles, accessories, and home goods meant to inspire a happy life. You can find me at caseydsibley.com and on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest @caseydsibley. I also write a blog for aspiring creative entrepreneurs called LeapRepeat.com. It’s all about starting before you feel ready and building the life of your dreams on your own terms.

What inspired you to start your own business?

I always knew I wanted to be my own boss, but didn’t really know what that looked like for me until about four years ago. I’ve always been a creative person, yet I was really nervous about trying to sell my work. When my husband and I made a big move across the country, I had a lot of free time while job hunting in Reno, and decided to (finally) list a few items online. I was hooked after my first sale and have been pursuing my creative business ever since. Now, I do it full time, which was only a daydream four years ago when I first started.

Now I am so driven by the desire to do something I love for a living, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

What inspires your work and what sets you apart from everyone else?

My work is largely inspired by the pursuit of a happy life, free of “shoulds”. I’m also very inspired by nature and geometry. Many of my designs are bright and bold with pops of color, which is my way of bringing all those inspirational elements together. I like to think that my products and artwork inspire a happy lifestyle.

I’m also meticulous about the construction of my items. I want them to be used daily and stand wear and tear over time, while helping people express their fun and carefree sides.

What is your background and how did you develop the skills to start your business?

I started my career in architecture, and became a licensed architect before deciding to go full time on my own creative business. I chose architecture because it seemed like a practical application of my creative skill set, but after several years in that field, I started feeling jaded with it. I was craving something different and felt very creatively stifled in architecture, even though it’s such a creative field! It just wasn’t the right place for me.

But I did learn SO many things while pursuing my architecture career that have served me well in pursuing my own business. I’m very good at managing my time and general project management. I also developed a thick skin and learned to critique my own work and take criticism without taking it too personal (although growing a business can feel very personal at times!). I learned so many design fundamentals in architecture school, and I am so grateful for that. And I became very comfortable experiementing with various materials and techniques, because the curriculum exposed me to so many different types of projects that were not just about putting buildings together.

Long story short, my architecture background has been invaluable in growing my business.

What has been your biggest success to date?

I can’t think of one single event that felt like the biggest win. It’s been an accumulation of wins along the way that have allowed me to achieve the main goal of being my own boss. I’ve achieved things that used to feel so far away, simple things, like getting my products into stores and boutiques and growing the wholesale side of my business. I used to be so perplexed by that and now it’s a regular thing. So that feels like a big success and has been a big part of growing my business.

What has been your biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge is definitely committing to long term plans for my business. Since it’s just me running the show (with occasional help), it’s so easy to shift gears at the drop of a hat. I have so many ideas! But I’m learning that committing to a solid plan and tracking long term goals is important to actually reaching those goals. The more serious aspects of running a business can sometimes be the most intimidating (and easiest to avoid), but those are the aspects that need the most attention.

Describe your typical work day.

I’ve been assigning days of the week to batching certain tasks, so it changes each day slightly. I usually wake up very early, anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30–I’m a morning person and love being up before everyone else! After I take the dogs out, I like to meditate for about 15 minutes and then jump right into work. I have the most energy in the mornings, so I try to knock out more mentally demanding/less fun tasks first, like administrative tasks. Some days I take a mid-morning break to work out. If I have a lot of sewing to do, I try to knock it out early in the day so that I have the afternoons and evenings free to do less demanding work or run errands and ship orders. I usually start winding down around 3:00. Sometimes I will get a burst of energy in the evenings if I have a lot of work to do or am working on an exciting new project. And I’m usually in bed by 8:30 or 9:00 (because I get up so early!).

Which small businesses are you inspired by?

So many. I really love Susan Petersen’s business story with Freshly Picked. She started with very little startup capital and turned it into a thriving company. And she doesn’t pretend that it happened overnight. She tried a few things before her moccasins took off. I love the stories of people who just kept trying and eventually hit their mark.

I also love Emily McDowell‘s work. Her brand is super approachable and funny as hell. I don’t know her, but I feel like I know her. Also, when I was starting out, I reached out to her (more than once) and she emailed me back and was so friendly, exactly how she comes across online. It meant a lot to me as I was embarking on this new thing in my life, facing tons of self-doubt.

Both of these examples are small businesses that grew into larger companies. I love seeing people start from scratch and build something amazing. I also love a good makeover story (ever seen Working Girl? 80s hollywood gold!).

If you could go back to the beginning knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?

I would have launched sooner! Other than that, I don’t think I would do too much differently. One thing I’ve learned is that you’re not supposed to know all the answers. You gotta try stuff out and put yourself out there over and over.

What’s your best advice for someone who wants to start her own creative business?

Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can. Just start! It’s so easy to talk yourself out of doing things because everything isn’t perfect or you don’t feel 100% ready. You have to make a move and stop waiting for everything to work out just right. You have to make opportunities for yourself.

Also, don’t worry about what other people think about what you want to do. A lot of people will try to give you bad advice from a place of fear and caution you away from taking any risks. You have to trust your gut in most cases. Your intuition is a powerful tool!