Y'all I may have found my new medium. So many things I like about making zines (and this is only my second finished one).
The hand drawn element.
Tiny thumbnails.
Glue sticks and paper scraps.
Also, being able to have a narrative but being very limited in how many pages and space I have.
The idea that the messier, the better (in my opinion).
Getting to write without overthinking it or copy editing it.
The low cost entry and assumed low cost price to sell them, if I ever do, but the non judgment of it's value if it's given out for free.
Not having to adhere to branding. And the fact that I can choose to ignore any of the above in my next one.
More, please!
My first FINISHED Mini Zine!
I made this as sort of a love note to anyone who's working on creating, scaling, or just keeping their small business afloat. I wish everyone had control over their income, and a business is one way to do that, no matter how simple that business is. But you have to keep working on it and nurturing it, and that's really hard, sometimes.
So this zine is dedicated to those of you in that struggle right now. I hope you keep your business. And if you're scared of even trying, I hope you at least start a business to get it going, and take small steps from there.
Flip through this zine using the viewer below!
Zine Text
Page 1 cover: This zine is black and white with no color, and hand drawn except for the text. The text on the cover says Yes, You should start or keep your small business. An encouragement zine by Rochelle Sanchez. There's a windy doodle covering the whole page of a rollercoaster with stick figures riding it.
Page 2: Entrepreneurship is an emotional rollercoaster. You know it and I know it and it’s f*cking scary (and depressing, and disappointing) sometimes. It's also very exciting! All text is either hand written or printed in a type face that looks like handwriting. The text is on white background, cut out and glued onto an abstract backdrop of hand drawn lines in various widths and tones of gray.
Page 3: Spoiler alert. As an entrepreneur, the simple act of “going against the grain“ and choosing a risky, unpredictable career as a business owner is just the first part. (And it’s relatively easy in comparison to the hard work that comes after getting it all set up.) The website, business licenses, permits, bank account setup, and logo design are pretty straight forward. You do a Google search. You write down some notes. You sign up for the things and pay for them. The end.
There are hand drawn doodles of square check boxes that are checked off and a drawing of a search bar.
Pages 4 and 5: But! When you do the important, deep work that comes after all that, you’ll start to think differently.As you implement your daily marketing and start putting yourself out there, you’ll notice new things about your life and the choices you’ve been making. You’ll learn more about your options. You’ll meet people who have chosen this kind of lifestyle and are thriving in it (and they’re kind, responsible, and generous, too). You’ll notice that you were right about a lot of things that you’ve been trained to keep quiet about. And you start to care more openly about people and causes in the world that go unnoticed by people on the mainstream, 9-to-5 career track.
The text is outlined in wave bold lines and with drawings of hearts that are black, filled with patterns, or surrounded by different colors of gray.
Page 6: You eventually realize that while your first business ideas were good (and maybe even profitable! But maybe not), there are lots of ways that you can help the communities you care about. And you can do it on your own. Without waiting for permission from your status-quo-loving boss. Without approval from the board, but only after the next campaign ends. Without compromising your job security, just because you want to do things a little differently.
The background has doodles of squares that look like pieces of paper, slightly overlapping.
Page 7: My Advice? Keep your foundational mission front and center so you don’t lose sight of it and accidentally create a business you never really wanted. I hope you surround yourself with people who help you feel validated in the tough decisions and hard work you’ve already done so far for your business, before you even found this zine. I also hope you remember how much influence you already have and how much good you’re capable of doing in the world.
There are squiggly hand drawn lines and faded grey hearts. In some areas the squiggles align with the hearts, but mostly it's just wild silliness.
Page 8, the back of the zine. Seriously. If you want to start a business (or if you’re looking for a sign to NOT give up on your business), Do it. Keep it. Find a way to make it work and embrace all the incredible personal growth that comes with it.
Horizontal stripes and doodles of star shapes. There's a smiling photo of Rochelle, a Filipino woman who's grinning widely at the camera. Underneath, it says www.RochelleSanchez.com and socials @rochellesanch