From UX Designer to Notion Creator: Calvin's Entrepreneurial Journey

Calvin, a UX designer, discovered his passion for creating Notion templates last year. Inspired by the platform's potential and a growing market, he embarked on an entrepreneurial journey.

Through research, strategic planning, and a growth mindset, Calvin tackled challenges like self-doubt and time management. He utilized various strategies to reach his audience, from online marketplaces to email marketing. His first sale, a mere $10, marked a significant milestone.

Calvin's story highlights the importance of passion, research, and perseverance in the world of entrepreneurship. His advice? Start small, be consistent, and remember, success is a journey, not a destination.

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

Hello! I’m Calvin, I work as UX designer for my day job. I started doing Notion stuffs since last March if I’m not mistaken, I’m intrigued by its capability to produce dynamic databases

What inspired you to start your business?

Notion template feels like a SAAS product to me and I’ve been wanting to create such products on my own and Notion has served that purpose

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

When it comes to producing idea, I always look for the problems that people are facing, then I’ll talk to gather more data

Were there any particular market trends or gaps you noticed that influenced your decision to start this business?

Yes, there is. Notion’s craze in Tiktok is quite a something, it might indicate something

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

I did an extensive research on Notion such as how it can help to solve problem, its ease of use, capability, market opportunity size and many more

How did you fund your Digital Business initially?

Through my hobby budget allocation, I didn’t spend much tho

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

Probably, feeling insecure. Scrolling to see people celebrate with the sales win, it creats discomfort. I overcame that by having a mindset that everyone has its own fortune

What strategies did you use to grow your business?

Listing on marketplaces, sharing it on forum, email marketing and producthunt launch

What tools do you use for your business?

Screenstudio, shot so, figma, typedream, figma, paper and pen

How did you acquire your first customers?

Through twitter, person gave me $10 for my free product

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

My significant milestone is when I earn my $1, there’s a surreal feeling when you succeed to sell digital products, it just feels different!

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

Time management and to have thick-skinned attitude when it comes to selling products to people

What lessons have you learned from these challenges?

I learned to plan out a personal system in order to build a productive habit

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

Probably, making extensive research on what people really want and need and learn how to market diligently

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

Start small, pace up and pace consistently

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

Just don’t believe those who say “this 13-year old kid earn from zero to thousands…”, that’s total bs

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

Growth mindset. You live and learn after all