Meet Sarah Cochran | Artist, Etsy Shop Owner, and Custom Branding Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Cochran and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I started my business (which at the time was an Etsy shop with a totally different name and items I don’t even offer anymore), it started the way I think a lot of small businesses start: at the dining room table with a computer open and the idea, “hey, I can make _____, why don’t I try to sell it?” (for me, it was art). So truth be told, I didn’t have much of a thought process when I started. It was spur of the moment, a teenager with an impulse, and a leap. Not a leap of faith, because I wasn’t risking anything then and honestly I had no idea if I would even continue, but a leap nevertheless. Fast forward six years, and now there is definitely a thought process behind most everything I do. From the photos in my Etsy shop to my process when I paint to how I engage with clients during a logo design session, I am thankful to God that this has grown from an impulsive teenage moment to a business that is growing. My thought process first and foremost is that I love making people happy through my art. This has become my biggest reason for continuing and I think, deep-down, it was my reason for starting to begin with. As a Christian, my personal mission for my life and my business is “let your light shine”. The world is a broken place and there are so many problems and sad things going on. But if you buy a sticker from me and it makes you smile or you hire me for a custom logo and it makes you feel more confident, then my cup is full. Those happy moments that build you up and that come from you interacting with my work fuels me to continue. I think the world could use more happiness and less worry.
Another thing that influenced my decision to start my business was the modeling I had growing up. My parents have always had their own business in Alaska, and I honestly just never knew anything different. I grew up traveling across the state to do different projects or being one place in the summer and one place in the winter. They always had flexible schedules and weird hours, and they were always thinking of better ways to do things or bring in income. And they are good at it. Watching my parents probably played a part in how impulsive I was when I started, but their diligence and tenacity has definitely inspired me to continue. Now I meet other artists and most of the time when I ask “do you have an Etsy shop?”, they say something like, “I want to, but I’m just nervous for some reason” or “I’m afraid to and I don’t know how!”. So my advice to anyone wanting to start a business would be set fears aside (I know this is hard), and take a risk. The worst that will happen is people will say no, but what if they don’t? You might be missing out on something great just because you didn’t take a chance on yourself.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a painter and digital artist who hails from a tiny town in Alaska. It’s hard for me to say “this sets me apart” or “my art is different form others because of this reason”, but I’ve asked my friends and family what they think and they always come back with the same idea: whimsical, childlike, happy. Truth be told, I’m a pretty innocent person. Not naive per se, but a big kid for sure and my art shows it. I think this might be surprising in this day and age because innocence is a diminishing commodity. Sometimes I feel silly as an adult being most happy when I’m painting a bear at a tea party or a breakfast burrito that’s also a rocket, like “I’m a grown up, I need to have more ‘angst’.” Maybe other artists can relate to this, but there are times I’ve tried to show darker emotions in my work and it’s so silly because I have to work myself up to it and then what I end up creating isn’t honest because it’s not really me. You should always be honest and tell the truth, even you feel like it’s not going to work out or it’s silly. Believe me, everything will work out better if you’re truthful (and there’s nothing wrong with being silly, just don’t worry about what other people think). So that being said, my art is very fun and something you might see in a kids book, which means that my the best projects I’ve done are when I’m working with people who are big kids, too. I illustrated a book called “How to Be a Grant Writing Unicorn, 2nd edition”, a big project that was so fulfilling. Plus it involves unicorns, so how could it not be great?

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Okay, you’re my friend and you’ve journeyed to Valdez, Alaska. Our first priority is obvious: coffee. We’d go to Rogue’s Garden and get a phenomenal cup of joe (I always get a half-sweet pumpkin spice breve). After that, a hearty breakfast of Potatohead Burritos at the Roadside Potatohead Restaurant right on the docks. A Potatohead burrito has, you guessed it, a million potatoes plus sausage plus eggs, all rolled together in a tortilla blanket – absolutely delicious. After that, we’d hike the Wagon Road Trail in Keystone Canyon through the evergreens all the way to the top where you can view the Lowe River below. After hiking 6.6 miles, we’d need some sustenance so we’d pop over to Fu Kung Restaurant where we’d order Mongolian Beef with a side of cream wontons. During the week, there would be a few stops we’d have to make. Sunset at Allison Point by the fish hatchery, which always attracts sea lions and otters. A boat trip out on the ocean with Captain Tommy of Kimberlin’s Water Taxi, and we might even see some orcas while we’re out or pull a shrimp pot and catch an octopus. We’d have to walk the docks and look at all the boats, enjoy an ice cream cone from Northern Treats (a coffee and ice cream shop in a bright pink building), and kayak the duck flats near the abandoned grain silo. We might go hiking in Thompson Pass, which has an elevation of 2,805 feet and is Alaska’s version of the green, rolling hills of Ireland (just much bigger). And for the finale, we’d park on the highway at any number of places near the water and watch black bears catch salmon while their cubs play nearby.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family! My parents, for modeling what running a business looks like. My brothers Shane, Tommy, and Michael, for always being supportive. And my husband, for helping me with the day-to-day projects and for giving me really great ideas for art.

PersonalSarahCochran

Website: www.sarahcochranartist.com

Instagram: @sarah.cochran.artist

Facebook: @sarahcochranartist

Other: Etsy: SarahCochranArtist

Image Credits
photo of Sarah in red sweater – Judith Rowland