I was thrilled to be featured in the Guardian this summer. Although I have been making personalised towels and gifts for friends and family for nearly 25 years & selling at fairs - I decided to make it an e-commerce venture five years ago. What a roller coaster it's been! Being creative and following your passion is very different to setting up a business. I've been lucky, I have some fantastic customers who keep coming back for more. Social media has enabled me to reach a different audience and enabled me to be found. I have done a lot of local networking in and around Ipswich in Suffolk and found the business community to be incredibly helpful.
My advice is to make a plan, don't waste precious money when you first start, do some networking and follow your dream! Good luck