Today we’d like to introduce you to Salena Steele.
Hi Salena, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always considered myself a creative person, but in 2016, as a newly married 23 year old, I decided to learn how to wood burn. I quickly developed the skill and started doing markers and teaching classes later that year! I began mostly burning designs and painting on wood plaques, but as the years went on, I learned new skills. Fast forward to 2019, after fostering 3 kiddos and becoming pregnant with my first biological child, I decided to pause my business endeavors. I had twins in 2022 and then late 2023, decided to officially reopen my business under a new name, Steele Creative Co, to house the plethora of creative side hustles I had developed over the years, and new ones I developed while becoming a mom. Now, I mainly do graphic design which translates into a variety of stationary products I make in house. I also started making miniature magnetic hinge toppers for myself and added them to my shop as they’ve been my biggest hit! Alongside those products, I am a photographer and muralist as well! I call myself the Jill of all trades because I believe creativity has no bounds. And though I respect an artist’s journey in one creative lane and think that is perfectly beautiful, I am someone who gets bored doing the same thing, which is why I do (probably) too much and have a more umbrella business to encompass all that I do.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a wild journey. Getting started was so exciting, but of course required a lot of late nights and endless days of working and creating, marketing and networking, doing every single craft show I could get into, just to get my name out there. It was a full time job, while I also nannied part time. Motherhood was a “bump” in the business journey, but it was an immense joy to step into a new role. Putting my business on pause was a hard decision, but necessary. Since reopening, I’d say the journey has been much more ups than downs. I think because I’m older, and have a bit more wisdom to draw on, decisions are easier to make and I’m a lot better at managing my time than I was 9 years ago. The challenges I face now are honestly accepting my limitations as a human and knowing when to set boundaries for myself so that I don’t overwork and burn out. So far it feels like I’m doing that decently well, but sometimes everything falls into one week and those weeks are hard. I have learned so much over the years and am continuing to learn even now, but really the most important thing I carry with me from hard lessons learned is, burnout isn’t worth it, and small business owners have to take care of themselves and learn how to separate their work and personal life to some degree!
We’ve been impressed with Steele Creative Co, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Steele Creative Co is conglomerate business that I (Salena) run by myself, that houses a variety of products and services. From stationary products (stickers, cards, prints), to earrings, to magnetic hinge buddies, you’ll find that most of what I offer product wise are smaller more financially accessible goods vs long form fine arts that are so beautiful and worth every penny, but something I don’t have time for in this season of life. Service wise, I offer graphic design (specializing in small business logos and product designs), photography (specializing in families, kids, product, and headshots), and murals (specializing in abstract and botanical designs).
I feel like what sets me apart is that I’m not afraid to find joy in all the lanes I’m in. Because of that, I have a lot of pride and enjoyment in each product and service I offer which translates well when I share what I do. It takes the stress off of feeling that pressure for one thing to be well received, because I know there are consistencies in some products and services, while others come and go in seasons.
I am most proud of the leap I’ve taken in murals. It’s not something I had a lot of experience doing, and now 6 years later, I’ve painted dozens of murals in homes and small businesses that I absolutely love. It’s an area of my business I am continually seeking ways to grow.
I hope that as I connect with clients and friends, and even strangers, that people know that this business is all about joy and fun. I am privileged to not NEED to work in any capacity, but I love what I do
How do you define success?
I think success is as simple as finding worth and joy in what you do. You can make millions and hate what you do, and I’d never call that success. There is a level of personal affirmation that comes with what you’re doing being received well (whether it’s sales driven or money driven), so I do think that matters for an individual, but it’s not how success is defined.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ssteelecreativeco.etsy.com/
