Milou • From Amsterdam college dropout to creative entrepreneur in Bali
INTRODUCING
I never finished high school but due to the school system in Holland I did get into a graphic design school and get my degree as a graphic designer. I continued with 2 more studies but school just wasn't for me. Next to my studies and a period after I‘ve had every job you can imagine; from selling my own imported Indian pants to barista. It was through the encouragement of friends and family that I continued doing my art and putting myself out there.
5 THINGS ABOUT
COLLEGE DROPOUT | COFFEE LOVER | SELF-TAUGHT PROFESSIONAL | INTUITION OVER RATIONAL | DOG LOVER
LEAP OF FAITH
One Christmas I was exceptionally broke so I decided to make personalized paintings as Christmas presents for my friends and family. They were a huge success and I started drawing and painting more and more. By pure coincidence, a gallery owner walked into the cafe where I was working at the time and where some of my work was hanging and asked me if I would be interested in an exhibition. A couple of weeks later I had my first expo. Then, on my 25th birthday, Elle magazine called - they wanted to use one of my paintings for an article. That’s how it all started. I got myself out there and things started rolling.
BECOMING A FREELANCE ARTIST
“I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING IN MY CAREER HAPPENED THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO. I DON’T REGRET ANYTHING.”
I started working as an independent print artist and illustrator besides my side jobs. Over the course of a couple of years, I worked with different clients on lots of different types of projects; from fashion magazines to wall paintings in stores, logos (Milou created our GUTS & TALES logo), to patterns, and the list goes on... I loved the variation of my work and project and it kept my mind fresh!
After a few expos of my work, I created a website with my online portfolio. An agent came across my work and asked me if I was interested in a full-time job at a fashion label. I decided to do that to gain more professional experience. Working for a commercial company was a great learning experience to develop my skills and confidence and then make the step into full-time freelancing.
“DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL, SELLING INDIAN PANTS, BEING A BARISTA, IT ALL LED ME TO WHERE I AM NOW. LOOKING BACK, I WOULDN’T DO IT ANY DIFFERENTLY.”
HÔTEL MAGIQUE
I started Hôtel Magique in 2015. I always wanted to have my own label but not under my own name. Many artists work under their own name but I always felt that it would then be about me instead of only my work. In 2015 I went on a trip to the US and in San Francisco where once in a store I found this beautiful gold paper that I wanted to use to create a hotel-vibe artwork for my home with. That got me into brainstorming-mode and I came up with the name Hôtel Magique. My inspiration got ignited and made me realize I had just found my artist name.
Hôtel Magique is my online brand where I sell my own art prints, hotel souvenirs including fashion items and hand-painted one-offs. With Hôtel Magique I am lucky to collaborate with a variety of brands around the world.
My bigger dream is to eventually open a real-life Hôtel Magique and add a dog sanctuary. I feel as if the success of Hôtel Magique is bringing me closer to this future mission of helping dogs and turn it into a reality. I am working hard to make this dream become a true.
MOVING FROM AMSTERDAM TO BALI
I had been in a relationship with my Indonesian boyfriend for a few years before I decided to make the move with him from Amsterdam to Bali. I always knew I wanted to leave the cold and live in a tropical environment but felt like I needed to stabilize my professional life first before I could make a step like that. I had a few steady freelance clients and together with them I found a way to work remotely. For Hôtel Magique I had to find the best suppliers that I could rely upon to be able to run my business from a distance. I needed to safe guard my business first before I could move to the other side of the world with a peace of mind. This process took in total around one year.
THE TOUGH TIMES
“I DON’T HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN. I DO EVERYTHING ON INTUITION AND I’M NOT AFRAID TO SAY NO.”
Work and life merge very quickly. At one point I was working 24/7. You have to make conscious decisions about your work hours.
The art of saying "no". When you start working for yourself you want to get as much work in as possible. Some of the work I was doing was not creatively stimulating but just got me money to live. It's tough to say no when you have no financial stability, but you have to do work that represents the kind of professional you want to become.
Have some savings hidden away, it's is a good way to feel more secure while navigating the freelance ocean. And having an accountant! Very important and absolutely worth the money.
Stay close to yourself. Consistently put your own brand and vision above sales opportunities.
FINANCIALS
True to the 'starving artist' cliche, I started with nothing. In fact, I had just enough money to pay my rent at the end of the month. When I made the decision to start freelancing full-time and quit my job, I had saved 3 months of rent as a buffer.
I got an accountant early on, that really helped me sort out my administration. There are lots of tools out there to help you as a freelancer, like an online test to estimate your hourly rate based on the number of clients and the hours you wanted to work. That was really helpful.
I also learned to not be scared to invest in my company if I know that it will benefit my business in the long run. This was a big lesson I needed to learn to make my company grow into what it is right now.
5 INSIDER TIPS
Follow your instinct. Don’t over-rationalize important decisions.
Only advertise or share the work you want to do again.
Freelancing can be lonely; working in a studio with other creative/freelancers is a good option and worth the investment.
Working for big commercial companies is a fantastic learning experience before going solo.
Make solid agreements with clients (planning, revision rounds, etc.) and stick to them. Some clients have no idea about how time-consuming some creative processes are. Explain how you work and how you calculate your hours upfront.
GET IN TOUCH WITH MILOU
website • instagramfin
