{"id":46144,"date":"2026-02-02T08:58:55","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T08:58:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?post_type=knowledge&p=46144"},"modified":"2026-04-10T13:50:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:50:05","slug":"abbie-franks-proper-good-business-journey","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/starting-out\/abbie-franks-proper-good-business-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"I quit my job to chase a creative dream \u2013 here\u2019s what no one warned me about"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Abbie Franks, artist and owner of Proper Good<\/a>, never planned to run her own business \u2013 but one conversation changed everything. Going from junior designer to the founder of her own design studio, she quickly learnt that turning creativity into a sustainable business takes more than talent alone.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn\u2019t set out to start a business. I was working as a graphic designer in the fashion industry when I began selling prints on the side \u2013 a creative outlet alongside my day job. A year later, everything changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was my nan who gave me the push I needed. \u201cYou work more than you live \u2013 if you never try, you\u2019ll never know.\u201d I quit my job the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the five lessons I\u2019ve learned about running a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Expect the first few months to feel hard<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Becoming a \u201cbusiness person\u201d takes time<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Let your business model evolve<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    1. You don\u2019t need a lot of money to begin<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Use quiet periods to strengthen your business<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      I started my business with less than \u00a3500 \u2013 turning my hobby into what today is my full time job. Watch this short video to see how I did it and how you can too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      @simplybusiness<\/a>

      Success doesn\u2019t happen overnight, it\u2019s the result of small, consistent decisions \ud83d\udcc8 We teamed up with @Ab Franks | Proper Good \ud83e\udea9 to find out how she went from working on her bedroom floor to running her own studio! \u2b06\ufe0f Click the link in our bio to read Ab\u2019s blog and enter for your chance to win \u00a3500 #SmallBusiness<\/a> #BusinessGrant<\/a> #SmallBusinessUK<\/a> #SmallBusinessGrant<\/a> #FYP<\/a> <\/p> \u266c Presentation – wouldliker<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote>