Unexpected Journey to the World of Notion

Miyavi's path to becoming a successful Notion creator wasn't a traditional one. Her first job at a rock music store undergoing a digital transformation sparked a passion for marketing. Here, she acquired a diverse skillset encompassing copywriting, social media management, and website building – all while navigating the exciting world of e-commerce. This experience not only fueled her interest in digital tools, but also revealed a natural talent for organization and system creation. A lifelong advocate for productivity hacks, Miyavi discovered Notion and immediately recognized its potential.

However, a turning point came when she read "The Pathless Path" by Paul Millerd. Inspired by the book's message of forging your own career path, Miyavi decided to embrace her entrepreneurial spirit. Leveraging her marketing expertise and love for organization, she embarked on a new journey as a Notion creator, crafting practical templates that empower others to streamline their workflows and achieve a better work-life balance.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and how it led you to where you are now?

My name is Miyavi. I’m now a Notion creator and a freelancer. I have worked in the marketing industry for nine years. My first job was at a rock music instrument store that was transitioning from physical to online sales. So, I had the opportunity to help build an e-commerce store and manage social media accounts. This experience sparked my interest in marketing.

Working in marketing requires a variety of skills, including copywriting, visual design, video shooting and editing, website building, SEO, marketing strategy, and project management. I also like trying new productivity tools that help me work faster and better. Also, I've always wanted to market and sell my own product.

When I learned about the role of a Notion creator, I realized it was a perfect fit for me. It's a career where I can utilize all of my skills and help people improve their work and lives through the systems (or templates) I create.

What inspired you to start your business?

I read a book called “The Pathless Path” by Paul Millerd when I left my last job. The book illustrates the idea of not being limited on the “normal” path, which is the 9-5 routine, and going on a “pathless path” to explore our true self. This book inspired me, and I wish to seize the opportunity to discover my potential.

How did you come up with the idea for your business?

From my past work, I've often worked in small businesses. These businesses often have limited resources, so I had to create company systems and workflows from scratch. I discovered that I'm good at organizing and creating systems. I've been using Notion to build my work system even before becaming a Notion creator. So, I used my past experiences to understand what a company or a person might need, and used this knowledge to build practical templates.

What were the initial steps you took to launch your business?

I have always been a perfectionist at work. But I knew that to start a business, I had to act before planning everything out.

The first step was adjusting my mindset: aiming for 60%, not 90-100%. This "output first, improve later" approach brought my ideas to life, otherwise, I might have just procrastinated.

Secondly, I conducted market research to understand the current market landscape and planned ways to stand out in a crowd.

Finally, I created my first Notion template and began selling it without hesitation.

Did you face any challenges or obstacles during the early stages, and how did you overcome them?

I faced many challenges in my journey.

One main problem was getting people to visit my online shop. This was partly because English is not my native language, and I was unfamiliar with some social media platforms commonly used in English-speaking markets, as I had not used them in my previous roles.

Another challenge was showcasing my products in the big digital marketplace. The digital marketplace is vast, and without the right strategy, it can be easy for my products to get lost in the crowd.

To overcome these obstacles, I sought out guidance from fellow Notion creators on platform X. I also explored new avenues like affiliate websites and Notion communities. This approach expanded my reach to potential customers, ultimately driving more traffic to my store.

What tools do you use for your business?

Since I am a Notion creator, I use Notion to create my products and manage my work.

Here are some other tools I use:

• Website builder: Wordpress and Wix

• Store: Gumroad and Wordpress

• Design: Canva

• Video editing: Canva and Clipchamp

• Newsletter: ConvertKit

How did you acquire your first customers?

My first customer was my friend! It's encouraging to build something that my friends are interested in purchasing. If we exclude my friend, my first customer came from the official Notion Template Gallery. The Notion Template Gallery has continued to provide me with consistent traffic.

Is there anything you would do differently if you could go back and start over?

If I could start over, I would like to focus on fewer social media platforms. This could prevent the exhaustion that comes from constantly posting on numerous platforms and losing focus.

What are some common misconceptions about starting a business that you'd like to address?

Many online solopreneurs claim they can easily earn their first 10K. But it's not that simple. It needs a lot of effort, on the right things. But what are those right things? There's no definitive answer or foolproof formula to follow. Entreprenuership a marathon, not a sprint.

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out as an entrepreneur?

At the start of your business journey, it's key to focus more on making money than growing your social media. The main goal for new businesses is to make steady money to keep going. Even though growing your social media is important, it shouldn't be more important than earning money. Building a strong financial base will give your business the stability it needs to grow and change over time.