Meet Kathy Barbro
Everything from armadillos to zebras … and about a gazillion things in between.
When did you start publishing, and what inspired you to create your site?
In 2003, I volunteered to be an art teacher at my son‘s elementary school. I realized how valuable good art project ideas were and decided to share mine through Art Projects for Kids to save other teachers and parents a whole lot of time and frustration.
What do you love most about being an independent publisher/running your own business?
I love that every day it feels like my future is in my own hands. I love that I figured out how to invest the one thing I had (time, not money) and create a business that now takes care of myself and my family.
Do you have a team?
My 25-year-old son is my virtual assistant.
What can you tell us about interacting with your audience?
The best part of having an online business is being able to help teachers with fewer resources than even I had back in my classroom days. The COVID pandemic especially brought that to light. When the national shutdown occurred in early March of 2020, teachers were reaching out to me almost every hour asking for my permission to send my tutorials home to their students, which I was only too happy to do. Being able to support those dedicated teachers who did not want their students to lose art, on top of everything else, was one of the most rewarding experiences I‘ve ever had.
How does advertising impact your business?
Art Projects for Kids has an e-commerce store and sells PDF products, but advertising now brings in 75% of my income. It frees me up so that I can make MORE free downloads and serve even MORE people looking for help with art projects for kids.
What else should we know about your site?
I‘m happy to say goodbye to the days of working three jobs, daydreaming of what it would be like to work only ONE, my website, of course. That happened three years ago, and my traffic and income have since tripled and taken care of my family and me in a way that I never dreamed of before. Like I said before, the sky‘s the limit!
