Today we’d like to introduce you to Adriene Brathwaite.
Adriene, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am an actor born in a suburb right outside of Washington D.C. to two Guyanese parents. If anyone knows anything about West Indian parents, you know I grew up with structure, especially with a Father who was in the Army! Though I was raised with that structure, my sister and I were always encouraged, especially by my Mother, to express our creativity mainly through our participation in our church, school, and local community plays. At the time, I didn’t know how the collision of these two worlds would impact me in such a powerful way.
I loved organizing and planning and as I grew older, that love only got stronger. I mean, my closet is color and item coordinated if you needed an idea as to how organized I am! I would purchase planner after planner, falling in love with how I could keep my life organized, but I soon found myself feeling very disengaged with writing in them. I felt like there was something missing, so I decided to create my own. A planner that focused on what we as artists need to push our careers forward. Thus, the “Type (A)rtist Planner” was born.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Easy?! What is that?
Every single step of this process was a challenge, so much so that I thought about quitting multiple times. The lessons I learned throughout helped me grow as a business owner and I will forever be grateful. I entered this industry not knowing anything at all, but through a lot research and patience, here we are.
You would be surprised at how little information is out there regarding planner creation. This made the process difficult but not impossible. I taught myself InDesign, learned how to negotiate with vendors overseas, and educated myself on the entire business process, from trademarking to taxes.
It was an uphill battle, at one point, my entire supply of planners was misprinted two weeks before I was about to launch. This was a major setback for me, but I knew I had something important to put out there. I pushed through and started the process again and in the end, came out with something beautiful.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Type (A)rtist Planner – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Type (A)rtist Planner is a customizable planner that helps artists break down their goals in an efficient way preventing overwhelm.
I constantly found myself pulled in many directions; trying to do too much and at times, that would result in me not doing anything at all. I created a system that would break down my goals into actionable tasks allowing me to become a bit more productive. I was doing less each day, but by the end of the week, I had accomplished so much more. The goal of this company is to help others do just that. I want artists to be more productive without stressing themselves out!
The feedback on the planners has been amazing! It really warms my heart to know that people have been able to use these planners in a way that they see fit all the while being provided with tools that no other planner has. There is a lot of content in this planner that helps you with the administrative side of your career in one little book.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am looking forward to taking this company to higher heights! I want to expand the planners to include a variety of colors, offer more products that help artist in their everyday lives, and eventually land a deal with a major retailer!
It feels like I just started, but I am gearing up to start the process for 2021 now, with different iterations of the planner.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.typeartistplanner.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/typeartistplanner
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/typeartistplanner
Image Credit:
Headshot: Jonathan Stoddard Photography
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