First Nations artist Delvene Cockatoo-Collins has done a bit of everything in her career. As a multi-disciplinary creator, working on Quandamooka Country, Queensland, she’s made costumes for the theatre; built a thriving business selling ceramics, sculpture and homewares; and even created the medals for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. It’s hard to squish her art into a single category – some things don’t fit into neat, little boxes – but everything she makes is inspired by stories, culture and heritage, passed down from her mother, Evelyn, and her grandmother, Bethel. 

With the help of our pals from Square, we sat down with Delvene to ask how she went from a bustling market stall to running her own retail space in Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island). Here are her tips for budding creators. GET THE TOOLS TO SCALE Delvene began using Square at local community markets, but she says Square has also been instrumental in helping her grow and scale the business. “It started at the markets with the little Square Reader, but then I got the shop and I needed something bigger, so I got the handheld machine Square Terminal,” she explains. “Then I graduated to the cash register Square Register. Now I use Square to manage my inventory, too. I get these business reports every day, so I can see exactly what’s been sold.” Delvene says her philosophy is to grow the business slowly, in stages, adding new functionality and tech when she can afford it. 

DON’T GO IT ALONE It’s hard enough being a creative, or running a small business, without doing it in a vacuum. Delvene says the trick is to build a supportive community of people who have been down this road before. “Everyone’s nervous in the beginning, so go and talk to people! Go get some good advice. Tap into people who have been there,” she says. “With the markets, I was always talking to people, learning from them, and I even got a few collaborations out of it. And there are so many makers around now! More than ever, even here on the island.”DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND At some point, every successful creative will have to ask themselves the question, “What won’t I do for money?” Delvene says this is something she’s still trying to work out – where exactly is her commercial boundary? “I think most creatives get this,” she says. “How do I respond to interest while maintaining the integrity of my work? That’s a real tension for me. A company recently reached out to me and said, ‘We love your work. Can we put it on our product?’ And I had to say, ‘Look, thanks, but that’s not the direction I’m going.’” There’s no right or wrong answer here – every creative will draw the line somewhere different. For Delvene, the test is: does this feel true to me? 

ALWAYS BACK YOURSELF Delvene says success in small business is as much about attitude as anything else, because a good attitude will help you through the lean times. When that little voice in your head is saying “Quit. Quit. Quit. No-one likes your art,” you need to counter it with a healthy dose of confidence. “The one thing that my friends have said to me is, ‘I love the way you back yourself’,” Delvene says. “You need to believe it’s going to work. It’s that attitude, once you know what you’re doing, and you can see your progress. The best advice I can give is to just go out there and have fun.” WORK IN AND ON YOUR BUSINESS Delvene’s day, like most small-business creatives, is divided into working in her business and working on her business. “I’d say the split is probably 50-50,” she says. “I’ll spend maybe two or three hours making in the morning, or at night – because of the heat. Then during the day I’m taking phone calls, or working on project applications, or doing my books. That’s one thing I’ve learnt the hard way: if you don’t spend any time working on the business, you miss out on opportunities. Don’t neglect the hard stuff.” 

SORT OUT YOUR INVOICES If you’re a small-business creative and you haven’t moved to digital bookkeeping and invoices, get onto that pronto. Delvene says it’s been a game-changer. “It’s especially good for big orders over the phone,” she says. “Like if some organisation needs some end-of-year Christmas gifts, I can do everything over my phone with Square. Send the invoice straight away, paid quickly. It’s super cool.” It’s also important to remember that most creatives take some time to learn the business stuff. It doesn’t always come naturally. And that’s OK. “Man, I’m still learning!” Delvene says, laughing. “I’m not a natural businessperson, and I don’t have all the answers. I think the important thing is to never stop trying, never stop learning.”

These helpful tips were brought to you in partnership with our pals at Square. No matter the size of your business, Square has a range of tools to help you level up and thrive.