Don’t forget to change your sales tax (if you have an account to charge GST / HST in Canada)!

Here are the changes you have to make today:  July 1, 2010

Ontario:  13% HST

British Columbia: 12% HST

Nova Scotia: 15% HST

GST is still 5%.

If you have questions on how to charge sales tax in Canada / Internationally, please call GST / HST Rulings at 1-800-959-8287.  They have sales tax information for your specific province / territory.

If you’re starting a new business in Canada, please visit the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) online.

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself; by the author, Chris Guillebeau.

This guide will help you learn how to start a small business and create personal freedom through self-employment!

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself!

If you don’t live in earthquake city and your art won’t get bumped by kids or drunk people…. then continue reading.

Push pins. That’s right. Push pins are your friends.

The original Japanese paintings that I sell on eBay are so lightweight that hanging the paintings can be as easy as having each canvas hang on two push pins! That’s how I personally hang unframed artwork in my home. Done, fini, easy peasy!

Here’s a video of me, Soniei, trying to explain the evolution and inspiration behind my contemporary Japanese art, canvas art, and art prints.

This video includes a brief explanation of how I left the 9-5 work world to live my dream as a full-time artist.

I wanted to start my own small business at home so that I could be my own boss, make the paintings I was inspired to create, be in charge of my own schedule and live a fulfilling life.

Sounds good. But…. now what?

After reading dozens and dozens of business books, I was still waiting for a book that would show me how to start a small registered business STEP BY STEP! I had no experience in starting a business of any kind… until, voila! I found Canadian Small Business Kit for Dummies by Margaret Kerr and JoAnn Kurtz*. No joke! This book made it possible for someone like me to start my own registered business within a few weeks. And, it was super easy!

So, no more excuses. Get the book and start reading.

The only other thing you might need to set up your registered business is software like Simply Accounting First Step 2010 (by Sage). If you don’t know anything about accounting, I was in your shoes. I’m still partly in your shoes, to be honest. I don’t know much about accounting, but Simply Accounting made it easy enough for me to do what I needed to do for my one-person business. I even got audited from 2006-2008 and I had no mistakes!

*They have an American version called Small Business Kit For Dummies.

If you’re interested in starting an eBay business, check out my other blog posts:

• New to eBay? Get Started with eBay Tutorials.
• 18 Tips on How to Sell Your Art on eBay
• Don’t Lose Your Mind Because of a Bad eBay Buyer

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself; by the author, Chris Guillebeau.

This guide will help you learn how to start a small business and create personal freedom through self-employment!

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself!

This interview is part of Laura’s Artist Series.  Listen to the interview to hear about my journey of how and why I became an artist.  I also talk about money (including how much money I used to make before and after the economic collapse) and how the economic crisis negatively and positively affected my art career… and my life.

Listen to the Artist Series interview!

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money; by one of the authors, Chris Guillebeau.

“If you have a friend that dreams of one day becoming a full-time artist, think about buying them this guide. It would be such a great gift! I mean really… what better gift than to give your loved ones inspiration and knowledge in how to pursue their dream job? Seriously, name me one gift better than that.” – Soniei, Full-Time Contemporary Artist

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money!

I care about my customers.  However, at times, I think I care TOO much.

Sometimes the customer’s disappointment is my fault, but I’ll do everything in my power to fix the situation.  Most times those customers will leave happy or return again for more business.  It makes me feel good to know that I’m trustworthy and I’m doing my best to satisfy my customers.

Other times, I get a customer whose problem I cannot fix.  The disappointment usually has to do with the post office delivery time.  I ship paintings within two days of receiving payment for the painting, and then the delivery is totally out of my control.  If a parcel is late, open communication is essential.  After I call the Post Office or US Customs, explain to the customer why the parcel is late, the customer is usually very patient.  However, every once in awhile the buyer will reply with a nasty email, usually with reasons as to why they will never buy paintings from me again.  Even though I know I can’t fix the problem and I had nothing to do with the slow delivery, I still feel horrible.

Again, I care TOO much.

There are those types of customers that you just cannot please, no matter what you say or do.  I have to learn how to deal with such customers, without getting knots in my stomach and losing my mind.  The illogical stress can’t be good for me.  So when I have to deal with these bad eBay buyers who are blaming me for things that are obviously out of my control, I’m going to start repeating to myself:

“Their anger has nothing to do with me.”

There’s a problem with the customer that’s much deeper than getting a late parcel in the mail.  My job is to make and sell art, not to fix people.

(You may also want to read How to be at Peace Around Negative People.)

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself; by the author, Chris Guillebeau.

This guide will help you learn how to start a small business and create personal freedom through self-employment!

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself!

Below, I share my tips and tricks on how I sell my paintings on eBay. For a view of my own eBay listings, please visit my eBay store.

1. Take at least 2 or 3 clear photos of your art. Include a picture of the front, side(s) and back of the artwork. If there’s a lot of detail in the piece, take close-up pictures.
2. Make sure that the background of your photos is attractive to the eye! You don’t want to take a picture of your artwork next to an opened garbage can. Image is everything, especially in the art world!
3. I definitely recommend that you select the “Gallery Plus” option (US$0.35) when listing your art. This is your first chance to impress buyers when they’re browsing for art.
4. Write A LOT of information about the artwork, but keep your eBay listing organized. You want the buyer to be able to find information quickly and easily. Information to include:
   • Title of the artwork
   • Artist’s name
   • Year
   • Size of the artwork
   • Weight of the artwork (optional)
   • Medium used
   • A description of the piece (may include which country the artwork was made, its condition, whether its an original piece, if a certificate of authenticity is included, etc.)
   • Colors (Here I always include: “Colors of painting are represented as accurately as possible, although colors may vary from monitor to monitor”.
   • Shipping & Handling (Include delivery times to different countries if possible.)
   • Discounts available (optional)
   • Sales Tax (if applicable)
   • Payment information
   • Refund Policy
5. The only way eBay buyers are allowed to pay sellers is through PayPal. Make sure you have your PayPal Business or Premier account all set up BEFORE listing anything on eBay. My advice is to sign up for a PayPal account now.
6. Definitely create an About Me page. This is where you should tell people who you are! Telling eBayers about yourself makes them more likely to trust you. Also, the About Me page is the only place you’re allowed to link to your website(s). So, take advantage of it!!
7. Feedback on eBay is one of the most important ways for people to see if you’re trustworthy.  If you don’t have any feedback, I suggest that you buy 10 small things on eBay.  Not only will you get feedback, you’ll also get to experience how eBay works.
8. I always leave feedback for the buyers, but I never ask buyers for feedback. If they want to give you feedback, they’ll leave it.
9. Try to ship the artwork within 2 business days of receiving complete payment.  Never ship your artwork without being paid first.
10. After the buyer has won an auction (or used the Buy It Now option), send an email to thank them and to let them know that you’re there to answer any questions they may have.  Opening the lines of communication right away makes the buyer feel like they can come to you with any question or problem they may have about paying and receiving the artwork.  This decreases your chance of getting negative feedback posted on eBay.
11. Reply to a buyer’s email ASAP.   (I try to reply to my art buyers’ emails within 12 hours).  Excellent customer service is one of the best ways to get an eBay buyer to come back and buy more of your artwork in the future. Also, it increases the chance that the buyer will refer you to family and friends.
12. If you’ve tried all of the above and you’re still not getting traffic to your listings, try a 99¢ auction with a reserve price.
13. The more artwork you list on eBay at one time, the better the chance of someone “bumping” into one of your listings and finding out who you are as an artist.
14. In each listing, put an image (or image gallery banner) of all your other works of art.  If an eBay buyer doesn’t want to buy the art in that particular listing, they might see another piece they would like to buy.
15. Get an eBay store.  I personally like the basic subscription, which is only US$15.95/month.   An eBay store will provide you with a mailing list.  USE THIS FEATURE!  It’s an easy way to remind people of how fabulous your art is.  You don’t even have to write anything, just present beautiful pictures of your artwork!  Inspire their eyes and their souls.
16. Try using social networking sites such as twitter, facebook and youtube.
17. Have an blog with a link to your eBay store.  The more content you put out on the Internet, the better your chances of getting new visitors from search engines such as Google.
18. Last, but not least…. Create a niche. Sell artwork that is unique and different from the rest of the artists on eBay.  For example, my niche is selling contemporary Japanese calligraphy paintings.  A niche is probably one of the hardest things to come up with, but it is definitely the thing that helps me out the most as an eBay seller.

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money; by one of the authors, Chris Guillebeau.

“If you have a friend that dreams of one day becoming a full-time artist, think about buying them this guide. It would be such a great gift! I mean really… what better gift than to give your loved ones inspiration and knowledge in how to pursue their dream job? Seriously, name me one gift better than that.” – Soniei, Full-Time Contemporary Artist

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money!

Here is a sample of the Certificate of Authenticity I make for each original painting I sell online.

Things to include in your Certificate of Authenticity are:

• The title of your painting / artwork.
• The artist’s name and year the artwork was created.
• The country where the artwork was created.
• Total height, width, number of canvases, single canvas size (weight is optional).
• If the painting is an original (or print, reproduction, etc.).
• The medium used to create the painting.
• Certificate ID (I use the eBay Item Number for the Certificate ID, but you can have your own numbering system).
• I always include “This is to certify that the painting with the above specifications is an authentic original painting created by and purchased from Soniei’s Contemporary Art“.
• Then I sign my name, add the current date, and I stamp my Hanko (Japanese signature stamp) for an added touch.
• On the bottom of the Certificate of Authenticity, it’s always good to put your logo and website address (mailing address / phone number is optional).

Although this sample is on a white background in order to make it easier to see on your computer screen, I print my certificates on beautiful printing paper that I buy at the art store. The type of paper you use for your Certificates isn’t really important, but try to find paper that matches your personality and your artwork.

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money; by one of the authors, Chris Guillebeau.

“If you have a friend that dreams of one day becoming a full-time artist, think about buying them this guide. It would be such a great gift! I mean really… what better gift than to give your loved ones inspiration and knowledge in how to pursue their dream job? Seriously, name me one gift better than that.” – Soniei, Full-Time Contemporary Artist

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money!

These tips are for Canadian artists who want to package and ship their own small to medium-sized paintings.  (Of course, other people may benefit from this post as well.)

1. For fragile paintings, especially oil paintings, put a piece of acid-free glassine paper on top of the painted part of the canvas, wrap the painting with bubble wrap, then put two pieces of foam or cardboard on the top and bottom of the canvas, and wrap another layer of bubble wrap around the painting. Make sure the painting fits snugly into the box.  Do not use packing peanuts.
2. I buy my boxes and packing material online at staples.ca.  I buy the 22″ x 18″ x 12″ white boxes (they look really nice) and I custom fit them for my paintings with a simple exacto knife and packing tape.  For savings, you can join the easyRewards Savings program.  I usually get $20 off every $150 I spend at staples.  Plus, I get bonus coupons every 3 months.
3. Put a copy of the sale invoice, the certificate of authenticity and a few business cards in the package.
4. You can ship valuable or extremely fragile paintings using wooden crates.  You can visit your nearest UPS store for more information.
5. Find Canada Post’s shipping rates and delivery times to different parts of Canada, the USA, and the globe online.
   
6. Both Canada Post’s Expedited and Xpresspost shipping are great for deliveries in Canada and the USA.  Expedited delivery times are not guaranteed, while Xpresspost delivery times are much faster and guaranteed.  Expedited shipping from Canada to the USA can sometimes take up to 12 business days or more.  If you ship to countries outside of Canada and the USA, Xpresspost is the better option;  this shipping service may cost more, but the Expedited shipping (known as International-Parcel) may take over a month to deliver.  (I once shipped a painting to Australia using International-Parcel and it took almost 2 months to arrive.)
7. There are maximum size and weight restrictions for different shipping services at the Canada Post:  Domestic Regular/Expedited Shipping, Domestic Xpresspost Shipping, Expedited-USA Shipping, Xpresspost-USA Shipping, Xpresspost-International Shipping (after clicking on the links, see “#4. Size and Weight”).
8. For larger paintings, visit the nearest UPS store.
9. If you’re a small business, sign up for a Venture One Card to get discounts at the Canada Post Office.  You will also get domestic expedited shipping for the same price as regular shipping.
10. If you ship your painting to the USA or Internationally, don’t forget to bring the addressee’s phone number.  It is required for international shipping labels.
11. Write ‘DO NOT SAFE DROP’ on the package with a bright colored marker.  This is so the delivery person won’t leave your painting at the addressee’s door, patio or apartment entrance.  Since I’ve been putting ‘DO NOT SAFE DROP’ on my packages, I haven’t lost one painting. *knock on wood*
12. If your painting is really fragile, mark ‘FRAGILE’ on the package with a red colored marker.
13. It’s better to print out clearly typed letters, rather than write, the addresses on the package.  Spell out the province/state (“Florida” instead of “FL”), and put lots of packing tape on top of the addresses to make sure the labels are secure.
14. If you ship paintings regularly, it’s OK to ask the Post Office employee to give you Expedited-USA, Xpresspost-USA, and Xpresspost-International shipping labels to bring home.  Then, you can fill out the labels at home.
15. If you’re shipping a parcel to the USA, then try your tracking number on both www.canadapost.ca and www.usps.com.  Sometimes, one website will have more recent tracking updates than the other.

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money; by one of the authors, Chris Guillebeau.

“If you have a friend that dreams of one day becoming a full-time artist, think about buying them this guide. It would be such a great gift! I mean really… what better gift than to give your loved ones inspiration and knowledge in how to pursue their dream job? Seriously, name me one gift better than that.” – Soniei, Full-Time Contemporary Artist

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money!

My review of this guide is:

“WOW! BRAVO on writing such a GREAT guide! I wish that I had read this when I first started out as an artist!”

Even though I’m featured as one of the artists in this guide, I have to say that I’ve learned valuable tips and tricks that will help me in my business. This guide is definitely perfect for all stages of an artist’s career, especially for visual artists (painter, photographer, sculptor, illustrator, and other crafts).

One last note before I stop writing and go paint: If you have a friend that dreams of one day becoming a full-time artist, think about buying them this guide. It would be such a great gift! I mean really… what better gift than to give your loved ones inspiration and knowledge in how to pursue their dream job? Seriously, name me one gift better than that.

Here’s a video of one of the authors, Chris Guillebeau, describing The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money.

Here’s a video of the other author, Zoë Westhof, talking about The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money.

Right now, I’m doing my happy-dance because I’m honored and delighted to be in Chris Guillebeau’s manifesto, 279 Days to Overnight Success! Guillebeau is also the author of The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself: Creating Personal Freedom through a Very Small Business.

If you’re a writer, a blogger, an artist or you’re thinking of creating your own dream job, you must read “279 Days to Overnight Success”. It’s full of advice on how to be successful with your own project and how to expand your online presence. If you want extra motivation to live your best life, then make sure to check out the rest of Guillebeau’s website, The Art of Non-Conformity. You’ll be glad you did!

I’ve also been added to Chris Guillebeau’s 26 People I Highly Respect list, which includes some of the top online entrepreneurs!  This calls for a happy-break-dance!

*spins on ground and hurts thyself badly*

You can download the PDF 279 Days to Overnight Success for FREE! So what are you waiting for? Happy reading! =D

To Chris: You’re definitely generous with your advice! Your manifesto was helpful and inspiring beyond words. Thank you so much for making me a part of this whole exciting experience! I’m truly grateful.

Here’s a video about The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money; by one of the authors, Chris Guillebeau.

“If you have a friend that dreams of one day becoming a full-time artist, think about buying them this guide. It would be such a great gift! I mean really… what better gift than to give your loved ones inspiration and knowledge in how to pursue their dream job? Seriously, name me one gift better than that.” – Soniei, Full-Time Contemporary Artist

Buy The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money!