I am so excited to share this badass interview with you!
For the longest time I’ve been a fan of Modish, an inspiring eye-candy blog, run by editor Jena Coray, featuring handmade, vintage finds, photography, fashion, art and design. Jena not only has a great eye for beauty, but she is also committed to promoting innovative, independent and sustainable designers, crafters and artists in general. What can I say? She is just cool like that. :) And more, she also runs another space, Modish Biz, where she offers guidance and ideas for turning your passion into a successful creative business. Right up our alley, right? Yep.
I must say that Modish and Modish Biz have been some of the most valuable resources for me throughout my own life transition, towards becoming a freelance photographer. At times though, I wished I could just ask Jena out for tea to chat with her and find out her own story. So there you have it. Another dream come true. Yay! Grab your cup of tea and read on. She was soooo very kind to take the time and answer all my questions… Thanks, Jena!! xo
Ladies and Gents, it is my pleasure to introduce: Jena Coray!

Photo by Clara Fisher.
1. What do you do and how long have you been doing it?

I write Modish, a lifestyle blog about handmade and vintage goods, art, craft and independent design. Yep, I’m a fulltime blogger, which is kind of strange. I’ve been writing Modish for over 3 years and have been doing it full time a little over 2 years. I also just recently added Modish Biztips to my blog writing line-up, a sister blog dedicated to helping indie and micro business owners learn how to market their shops and navigate through the ups and downs of self-employment.
2. What did you do prior to what you do now, and when did you realize this is what you wanted to do?
I was working customer service at a great company, surrounded by even greater people, but felt like I was choking sitting in a cubicle, wasting my life away. I had just graduated with a degree in Writing and Art and couldn’t stand not being creative in my day to day life any longer, so I started making jewelry and created a website from scratch to sell it. In the midst, I discovered this crazy awesome world of independent artists and designers like me trying to make a living doing what they loved, so I started writing Modish to help bring more attention to that community. It just grew and grew and became what I thought about everyday and what I wished I could be doing all day long instead of dwindling my days away answering phones. So once I got to the point where I could quit my dayjob, I did. I never thought this would be what I ended up doing, but when I take into account all the skills and interests I have, I seem to have created a job for myself that utilizes almost all of them. We’ll see where it takes me.
3. What steps did you take to make your transition?

Hmm, see above! :)

Photo by Jena Coray
4. What previous life or work experience applies to what you do now?
I majored in Writing and was sure that I wanted to become a writer someday, I just didn’t know what it would look like. Blogging wasn’t even in my vocabulary yet, but it’s certainly been a great first step into a hopeful writing career in the future. My art minor comes in handy everyday in doing graphic design work. My prior shopowner experience (I also had a consignment shop selling multiple artist’s work for a year) and years of being a blog editor informs my my ability to offer marketing tips to businesses. I also had always been crafty since I was a little kid, even made a line of jewlery when I was in middle school that I sold to my classmates and had a little “shop” set-up at my piano teacher’s house selling to her clients. I guess I’ve always been the industrious and independent type and am interested in so many areas- self-employment or freelance seems the only option for a girl like me.
5. Who or what inspired you to follow your dreams and pursue a transition?

My boyfriend was a major support in helping me work up the courage to say the words “I quit” at my day-job. He has always encouraged every idea I come up with and stuck by me during the trying times when I worked all day and then came home and worked all night. And my parents, my mom in particular, played a big factor in my having the capability to even get to that point in the first place, by always letting me explore my creative passions and encouraging me to have and pursue my own ideas.
6. Was there a special moment or a fact that triggered your leap?

When I had my day-job, I used to drive home for lunch often times and it was so hard to head back to work. I just wanted to stay home and work on my blog, run my shop, do what mattered to me most! One day, on the drive back to work, I started feeling tears bubbling up to the surface…the closer and closer I got to that asphalt parking lot attached to that building full of cubicles, the more emotional I became and I just started to break down. I pulled over and cried and cried on the side of the road, wretched at the fact that I felt like I was wasting my days away serving ungrateful customers and dealing with other people’s problems, when I had so much else going for myself. I knew I couldn’t work there any longer. I finally pulled myself together, drove the way back, pulled into the parking lot and my boyfriend happened to be there eating a sandwich on the curb (he worked there too, that’s how we met) I saw him and just broke down again. We sat there for awhile talking, me crying, he rubbing my back and telling me I needed to do what would make me happiest. I talked to my bosses about quitting soon after. They were super supportive too, they knew what I was up to on the side and could see how important it was to me. They said they’d miss me but encouraged me to pursue my passion.

Photo by Jena Coray
7. What resources helped you with your transition?

All the supportive people I mentioned above were the best resources!
8. How long did it take for you to feel settled in your transition? How long until you reached an income that allowed you to feel that your transition was sustainable?

I felt settled in from day one, it was where I belonged and I knew that. I quickly, really quickly, got over the day to day social things I thought I might miss. I still miss some of the people I worked with, but I’m sooo happy to be rid of the daily gossiping and office crapola. And I didn’t quit my job until I had an income that I knew would sustain me, no way. I would recommend the same thing for anyone else. I also had months worth of expenses saved up, since I had been basically working 2 fulltime jobs at once.
9. Do you have (or did you have) to rely on other kinds of part-time work to keep investing in your dream creative career?

I took my full-time job down to a part-time position for about a month during the “transition” thanks to my kind bosses who suggested I do so. But since I quit, I haven’t done any sort of part-time work. I just keep coming up with new ideas to help sustain this little self-made career I have. Currently, I’m working on getting my marketing consulting services sorted out as I feel that’s the next direction I’m headed.

Photo by Jena Coray
10. Can you quickly walk us through a day in your current work & life routine?

I wake up way too early for someone who is self-employed, head downstairs to my comfy vintage chair while my dog snoozes on the couch, laptop on lap and tv usually on (usually HGTV because we’re looking for a house and are obsessed with house stuff right now) I start by figuring out what to blog about and write posts in the morning- that usually takes 4-6 hours with searching on the internet, hunting through email submissions, writing articles for BIZtips, doing all the graphic work. I let Otis (the dog) out for a break in the day, eat some food and then get back on the computer for round two. I try to answer emails in the afternoon until my mister gets home from work. Then after we eat dinner, if we’re just sitting watching tv I usually have the laptop on my lap, looking for stuff to write about or answering emails (or in all honestly, lately, looking for houses online :) I’m seriously unorganized, get distracted all day long and can’t catch up with email for the life of me. I really need to find a routinue I can stick to, one that involves a to-do list in the morn, an actual accomplishing of that list throughout the day, and some sort of exercize to move these computer slumped bones-o-mine and get the energy flowin’.
11. What are the most rewarding aspects of having gone through with your transition? Is there anything you miss from your previous occupation(s)?

I miss many of the people I worked with. I also sometimes miss the days of free health insurance and a steady paycheck. But I wouldn’t trade those things for what I have now, not at this point in my life at least. Everyday is rewarding because everyday is what I make of it. I answer only to myself (eventho I’m a really awful boss who is never happy with her employee) and am responsible for my career in a really tangible and direct way.
12. What have been the biggest challenges in your transition? How did you (or are you) overcome(ing) them?
By far, my biggest challenge day to day is time management. I’m a big time procrastinator, always do everything at the absolute last minute. It’s really hard to overcome that longtime habit to become the productive getting-things-done machine I wish I could be (or probably need to be to at least get through my dang email!) I still haven’t figured out how to overcome that. I just take everyday at a time and when one is riddled with distraction, I try to make the next one better. I’m a work in progress ;)
13. How do you define success, and what/ who has contributed for making yours, a successful transition?
I think success is different for everyone depending on where they’re at in their lives and what their unique circumstances are. I feel like I’ve had many small successes along the way, and a few larger ones. Every day presents an opportunity to succeed. If I feel happy and content at the end of the day, I feel like it’s been a success. I think we have to allow ourselves an evolving definition of success as our business grows, as we grow- I think it’s a mix of monetary and emotional needs being met that helps one feel like they’re “successful” in whatever it is they’re doing.

Photo by Jena Coray
14. What goals do you have for the future? Where/How do you see yourself 5 years from now?
My goal for the immediate future is to start offering marketing consulting services to indie and micro businesses. Within the next 5 years, I’d love to write a book (or two) about business targeted towards the same type of crafty-entrepreneur audience that my blog caters to. I have lots of ideas on what topics, but I’ll have to keep those under wraps for now! In 5 years, I just hope I’m still healthy and happy and in a career that fulfills me, whether that’s still a self-employed one or not.
15. What advice would you give to yourself when you were still just wishing for a transition? Would you like to share anything else or give any other advice for others wishing to make a transition and follow their dreams?

I would tell myself that it’s gonna take a little time, but just know: “You will escape this cubicle soon enough. Don’t you fret.” I did escape it, with lots of hard work, lots of confidence in myself and lots of support from loved ones. And if I can do it, you can do it. Make a plan, save up money, take time to build your business and figure out if it’s going to be sustainable or not. And have confidence in yourself because if you believe in yourself and your abilities, everyone else will too and their support will help guide your way during the tough times.