Building a Template City

Alex Chu, an architect with a passion for productivity, parlayed her love for Notion into a thriving business. Recognizing the value of her personal systems, she started creating templates to empower others.

Alex's journey began with free tools and a growth mindset. Learning from online resources and a supportive creator community, she overcame challenges like slow sales and self-doubt. Milestones like a massive Twitter giveaway and Etsy stardom fueled her success.

Alex's story exemplifies the power of starting small with a big dream. By leveraging free tools, continuous learning, and a supportive network, she built a profitable business from her passion for organization.

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

By profession, I'm an architect. Architectural design has always been about systems thinking, digital tools, and creativity - that's basically my jam. I also happen to be a fan of productivity tools and frameworks too so you can imagine I'm very much a target market for Notion.

What inspired you to start your business?

I ended up using Notion for my personal systems, architectural work, and project management. As I was exploring the possibilities of digital products, Notion came to the top of my list. If my systems helped me so much, I figured I could help others with my templates.

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

It started with my systems and my project management workflow. Productivity frameworks too. Notion became the overlap of what I love and what could be a profitable, meaningful business.

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

I started with a brand concept in mind - with the colors, themes, and a general vibe. After that, I went over to Twitter/X for visibility and tech/creator news! Since I thought I'd do a lot of writing over the internet (plus copywriting for products), I went and signed up for a digital writing workshop. After lots of experimentation and hesitation, I eventually listed my product on Gumroad.

How did you fund your Digital Business initially?

I definitely went with free tools at first. Everything else was funded by my day job or small savings for the few subscriptions. Initially treated it as a passion project.

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

Some early challenges I could think of were the slow engagement and zero sales. It gets you doubting your business (I still do at times but that's normal for entrepreneurs!).

What strategies did you use to grow your business?

Learning and up-skilling through YouTube tutorials is number one. Next would be talking & sharing work with other creators—lots of reading as well, from self-help books to business, and productivity books.

What tools do you use for your business?

Currently, I'm a big Figma user for all my visual assets (mockups, soc media posts). Notion for my project management and content ideas. For email and content publishing, I'm on MailerLite and Typefully. Building a main website on Framer right now.

How did you acquire your first customers?

My first ever traction came from Gumroad via a Twitter giveaway of a Notion template. It was a free item but it gained around 200+ downloads in the first 2 - 3 days. That was a pleasant surprise for a newcomer like me then. I then got my first paying customer from an Etsy sale of a Notion template. My first $2 over the internet.

Can you share any significant milestones or turning points in your business's growth journey?

My first giveaway is definitely a milestone. It was the first time I ever tried packaging and listing one of my digital products to the public. Another turning point would be opening my Notion Etsy shop and becoming a star seller. I couldn't believe this because this meant I crossed $300 in sales.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an entrepreneur?

As a solopreneur, it's hard to keep yourself accountable at times. If you want to meet your targets and deadlines - it's all on you. This meant challenges with time management, perfectionism, and too many goals. A very challenging point too are times where you get zero sales. It gets disheartening. This is where the benefit of a community comes into play. Make sure you have a support group of fellow creators that will push you in your business.

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

You don't need money to start one. I do want to share that for digital product businesses, the free tools and apps can only serve you for so long. So you have to prepare for that need.

Is there any particular mindset or approach that you believe is crucial for entrepreneurial success?

Believe that your business will work. Otherwise, you'll always doubt yourself and never start.