The Top 5 Questions I Get Asked the Most (And the Honest Answers I Give)
If you've ever sat down to start a business and felt your stomach drop a little — that mix of excitement and "wait, where do I even begin?" —you are not alone. Every single client I work with starts exactly where you are right now.
Over the years, I've had the same handful of questions come up again and again, from founders launching their very first product to seasoned entrepreneurs pivoting into something new. I've come to love these questions, because they're the ones that matter most, and answering them sets the foundation for a strong business launch. So I wanted to pull them together in one place, with real, honest answers — the kind I'd give you over coffee, not a canned script.
Here are the five questions I get asked the most.
I Made Something Myself — Is It Good Enough to Be a "Real Business"?
This is, without exaggeration, one of the most common questions my clients bring to me. And every single time, I love hearing it. Not because it's an easy question, but because it means someone has already done the hardest part: they've made something real. They've turned an idea into an object, a recipe into a handmade product, a "someday" into a real thing sitting right there on the table in front of them.
The Short Answer: Yes, Absolutely
Here's what I want you to understand first: handmade and homemade products are some of the most exciting and compelling foundations a business can be built on, and it's a genuine advantage.
What is a DTC Business?
DTC stands for Direct-to-Consumer. Simply put, a DTC business sells its products directly to the end customer without relying on traditional retail middlemen such as department stores, boutiques, distributors, or large retail chains. So what does this look like in practice? Instead of placing products on a shelf at Target or Nordstrom and hoping a shopper notices them, a DTC brand creates its own sales channels - typically an ecommerce website – and takes responsibility for attracting customers, processing orders, and shipping orders straight to their doors. The brand owns the entire journey, from product conception to the moment the box lands on someone's porch. That end-to-end ownership is rare in retail, and it's exactly what gives DTC brands so much room to shape their own aesthetic and voice and build a brand that feels cohesive, intentional, and memorable. DTC isn't just a sales channel, it's a philosophy: the belief that the best customer experience comes when nothing stands between the brand and the person it's serving.
What IS a Creative Business Strategist, and why do you need one?
You don’t have to figure out your business alone. You have the idea. You have the drive. Perhaps you even have the finished product. Launching a business is one of the most exciting things you can do, but if we're being honest, it can also feel like an enormous amount to hold all at once. As a creative business strategist, think of me less like a traditional consultant and more like a dedicated partner. Someone who holds the big picture and all the moving parts so you don't have to carry it alone. Someone you can call when you're stuck, think out loud with when you're not sure which direction to take, and rely on to keep you moving forward with confidence.