designer, it's quite difficult to try and branch out and get into some shops. I guess it's like maybe they only hire bigger names or names that they are more aware of. So we decided instead of going through all of that, we will create our own site and that's what we did.
TheDailyScrapper:
What was the driving force that led you and Michelle to own a store?
Digiscrap Boutique:
I always knew that I would be doing some type of graphic design as a business on the internet. I wasn't exactly sure what I would be doing. I thought more or less I would be doing web design. I love doing web design. Although the design part is great, it's the technical aspects that just frustrate me so much that I don't know if I could do it on a daily basis.
As a tagger, I knew I'll probably not make a lot of money selling tag because no one really buys them because they are free. Once I discovered digital scrapbooking, I knew that was it. I figured I'll sell for a year or more, get myself established and then I'll open a store. The way things happened being at Divine Digitals, I ended up selling probably for 6 to 8 months before I actually ventured out on my own with my partner.
TheDailyScrapper:
Are you doing this full time? Is this sufficient to sustain you?
Digiscrap Boutique:
Yes, I'm working on the store full time. I am very, very happy that I did it.
TheDailyScrapper:
How many designers do you have in the store? Do you like to add more?
Digiscrap Boutique:
I have 15 designers. We like to have generally 20 designers.
TheDailyScrapper:
Is there a requirement that each designer must produce per month?
Digiscrap Boutique:
I like our designers to be active. I don't really like to put a requirement although in our contract it says 4 new products a month. I don't like to put a criteria on how much they can design. I just want them to be active and actively promoting themselves.
TheDailyScrapper:
We all know that the digital scrapbook industry has somehow exploded in a very short time with more stores coming up and more people found new occupations in this industry. Would you consider this a trend or do you think it's temporary?
Digiscrap Boutique:
It seems like it is definitely a trend but I think and I believe that it is actually a trend that could actually continue on. In the short time that I have been designing, I've seen the digital scrapbooking world just evolved. I think that's what it's going to do - to keep continuing to evolve, to keep continuing to introduce new products and to keep the community interested.
TheDailyScrapper:
We have also seen more and more designers offer their products in huge discounts. Do you consider this a healthy development or would you say this is a wrong approach if you want to develop it as a real serious business?
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