What I'll remember
Month 11 of building Chumi Studio
I no longer count every order the way I used to, but I still smile the same when someone sends me a picture of a card they bought.
Every other day, I hand-score and fold some cards, pair them with kraft envelopes, and put them into bigger ones. I put a stamp on them, label them, and occasionally write little notes to my customers. Then I take those envelopes with me and throw them into the nearest mailbox on the way to wherever I need to go.
What I have been up to
This month, my focus has primarily been on writing applications and diving into AI safety, which also meant less visible progress for Chumi Studio.
My highlight was a promising conversation I had with a bookstore. Other than that, I found myself pondering over something my friend Jackie had said earlier that month. She challenged me on the assumption that I need to have my printing setup figured out before I scale, which I realised was very valid.
I have been quite MIA on the social media front, especially on Instagram. But I can’t say that I miss it much. I tend to feel freer and more clear-headed on days with less screen time.
I’m still figuring out how to get better at planning and creating content without it draining me. I can see myself enjoying it when done properly, but these days I find it hard to muster the energy to do so.
Writing is not the problem. I love writing. But speaking in front of the camera? That’s taking me time to get used to. It’s a gentle reminder that everything that looks effortless in others is a skill they have honed over a longer period of time. Even the most unfiltered content requires a level of courage and nonchalance that doesn’t come from nowhere.
How it’s going
I keep joking with friends that I’m the brokest I ever have been, and the happiest too 😆 Of course, that’s not entirely true. I do have some savings and investments that compound. But I don’t have a stable income, and yet, life feels so fulfilling.
I mostly attribute the sense of calm I’m experiencing amid all the uncertainty to the self-trust I have accumulated over the years.
But I could also really relate to this phrase I came across when I was reading in a teahouse on a drizzly afternoon:
Uncommon sense 😄
I stumbled upon it in Derek Sivers’ Anything You Want, where he talks about the lessons he learnt building an accidental business as a musician.
I really love the philosophies he’s come up with for entrepreneurship, which is mostly about helping people and making dreams come true for others and yourself.
His book reminded me that it rarely feels great when you’re onto something. Initially, it will feel like uncommon sense, because you’re doing things differently.
Although I haven’t built a business before, I can attest to that with my non-linear career. At every change, there was a dip: disbelief, doubts, and judgement. What I did didn’t necessarily make sense to others, but it made me happier in the long run.
Whether that will be the case for what I’m doing now, I cannot tell.
But there’s only one way to find out.
Stay tuned
And this was month 11 of building Chumi Studio.
At times, I wonder why I’m writing these updates when I don’t have any solid achievements to show. But then I remember that I don’t owe anyone anything, and I’m doing it for myself: my 8-year-old self and my 80-year-old self.
I don’t know what my 80-year-old self will think, but my 8-year-old self would be very happy at the thought of people using our cards to write to loved ones. I think she would also be quite proud that we managed to overcome our shyness and are now writing so openly about our thoughts in a way we never imagined we would.