MEET THE FREELANCER
By James P. Ong
88DB Editor

ESTHER SIM, 22, sells handmade cards

Tell us about yourself.
My name is Esther Sim and I am born and raised in Singapore. I'm 22 and still single. Since young, I've always been intrigued by any form of art, whether it's drawing or painting, digital designing, music, or even interior design.

I realized that I love getting my hands dirty and doing things myself. So I  started making cards for every occasion, small gifts and even my own clothes. 

My friend, who knew that I liked making my own items, introduced me to start work in a scrapbooking retail shop. I enjoyed my time there, and also started to learn more complicated techniques and got introduced to a whole range of items that are perfect to add to cards!

What first made you want to create  handmade cards?
In the beginning, I only made cards and gifts to give them away to friends, but I started making more than I actually need. So I eventually decided to sell my creations online. I shared this idea with a few friends and my parents, and they were very excited for me, encouraging me to continue. I've only just started on this path and I am already excitedly looking forward to it.

Who are your customers?
Since I just got started, I haven't got much order coming in yet, so I can't quite tell who my customers usually are. I am, however, hoping that I would appeal to many young adults thinking of just sending a heartfelt, special card to their other half or to their parents, but haven't got the time to really sit down to make it.

What hospitality service do you most use?
I love going to the hair salon. Somehow there's something therapeutic about having someone wash your hair and massaging your head and cutting those untamed curls off! Of course it's also the feeling of being pampered with people fussing over you making sure you're as comfortable as you can be.

Name your top favourite...
...Books: First would be the Bible! I like reading biographies, too, like Brother Yun and Kathryn Kuhlman. Scrapbooking related, I love The Big Picture by Stacey Julian, and Substance of Life, a combination of 15 scrappers produced by Chatterbox

...Movies: My all-time favourite has to be Hitch and Mr and Mrs Smith! Romance and action are what attracts me. I love movies that don't really need much thinking, oh, and they must have nice endings like Enchanted, Evan Almighty. And I gotta say, High School Musical!

...Songs/Musical Groups: Chris Tomlin, Brian Doerksen, Desperation Band, Matt Redman and really, any hymns you can find.

...Websites: YouTube! Where else do you get so much information and practically everything that you wanted to see and know! Gmail, scrapbooking/sketch blogs. And not forgetting Wordpress where I host my online site!

What advice would you give to freelancers who are new to 88DB?
You might like to do a little research on how others are marketing and pricing their products, it gives you a gauge on where you should position yourself. Be open to new ideas and suggestions from friends or customers who visit your site. And just enjoy yourself while working on your products!

What are your favourite features on 88DB? What new features would you like to see?
I like reading articles in the 88DB Interact knowledge Q&A especially the interviews. Some of them really inspire me with their life and encourage me to truly step out of the box to try something new.

How do you promote your work?
To promote my work, sometimes I participate in scrapbooking challenges where I get a chance to park my link on their blog so that I reach a wider group of customers. Most of the time, however, I promote through word of mouth. I talk to friends about my site and cajole them into telling their friends who might be interested. =P Or use online ad sites like 88DB.com to reach people whom I don't even know!

In five years I'd like to be...
I would like to have a teaching class where I can conduct lessons to people who are interested in creating their own cards, even to go shopping with my customers, giving them ideas on how to create their albums and hand made products. Basically share the joy of creating!

Check out Esther Sim's ad listing now!

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