C A R E E R   C R U S H

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If only we could all be a Brittany Fuson illustration! She shops, she exercises, she vacations, she has quite the social life, and she dresses like a BOSS every day. Ugh, #goals!

The creator herself is just as gorgeous and chic as the women she puts on paper, plus focused, creative, and business savvy. She turned her talents and passion into a fulfilling career, and is spilling her insight and advice with us here!

Creative entrepreneurs, read up!

I admire your job because every day you have the opportunity to create something pretty and original. What do you love most about your job?

I love a fresh start each day, the freedom to create something from scratch with no parameters, no specifics. I try to start with a “warm-up” sketch each day, and it gets my wheels turning and my creativity flowing before jumping into the more tailored projects. Those are often my favorite illustrations because they’re usually a true reflection of what’s inspiring me at that moment.

You earned a degree in Fashion Design, but decided to go into Fashion illustration. When did you make that decision and what helped influence it?

Fashion Illustration was actually one of the last classes I took in college and I was hooked the second I got started. I knew instantly I had more of a gift for illustration than design. While it might seem like the same thing, I prefer to just create head-to-toe looks and complete illustrations instead of focusing on designing a particular blouse, dress, skirt, etc. I feel like I have more freedom than I did when I was designing apparel.

 What has been the biggest struggle or hurdle in starting your own business?

Something that’s a daily struggle is staying motivated. I might work on a bigger project for a few months, so I’m putting in work that isn’t going to come to fruition or be published for a while. It can raise questions of those around me of “what are you working on right now?” While I don’t always have immediate project releases, I’m always working on something! I try to let my work speak for me instead of justifying what I do day to day. I saw a quote a while back that makes the late nights and working on the weekends worth it – “Work until you no longer have to introduce yourself”

What would you say has been the biggest reward to being a business owner?

I think what makes work worth it is seeing, reading or hearing a client’s response to their custom project when they see it for the first time. While I don’t strive to be praised for what I do, hearing the joy and excitement when they see their completed illustration is something that will make your day. Working with brands and individuals is something I feel very lucky to do in bringing their visions to life in the BFP voice.

So you’re glad you did it?

Every day isn’t a fairytale, but everyday is unique and brings something completely different to my daily routine. It’s exciting to see what awaits me in my inbox or on social media. Hard work pays off, but hopefully this is just the beginning!

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to start their own creative business?

Start small and stay true to who you are. I did a few projects in the beginning where I sacrificed who I was and my true style. I didn’t stand my ground and completely caved to the client’s wishes. Those projects don’t feel like my brand and my voice, but I learned from those experiences. You occasionally have to turn down big projects if they’re not on brand for you. Learning to say no was a huge stepping stone. It’s still tough to do, but you simply cannot take on every project that comes your way.

What do you see next for yourself? Anything you would love to do in your career that you have not yet done?

I try to never plan too far in advance because you never know what opportunities are going to present themselves. I am always looking for ways to expand my product line, but I’m also interested in live illustrating at events. I’m hoping to transition into traveling more and doing events but also bringing the signature BFP look to more solution-based products. While the “fluff” products are great, I would love to develop more products that are usable and fill a need while also being the chicest version on the market!

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Shop, browse, admire, and gush over all of Brittany’s Illustrations on her site: BrittanyFuson.com

And follow her blog and Instagram for non-stop inspiration!