Imagine stumbling upon your career path by mistyping a search term – that’s exactly how Bearsthy found her calling in the universe of Notion. About a year ago, curiosity and a bit of serendipity led her from dreaming about an Etsy shop she couldn’t open, to discovering a niche that perfectly aligned with her skills and passions.

Picture this: a medical student by day, turning into a digital product creator by night, all while navigating the complexities of life with a cat named Gray as her sidekick. Bearsthy’s journey is nothing short of inspiring, showing us that with a bit of creativity, a dash of determination, and the right digital tools, the sky’s the limit.

So, grab your favorite snack, and let’s get to know the person behind the screen – from her initial missteps on Etsy to becoming a sought-after name in the Notion community.

Q: How did you first discover Notion, and what drew you to it?

A: Gosh, this interview has me feeling like a celeb haha. I first heard about Notion in my Etsy era (about 1 year ago – September 2022). No, I’ve never had an Etsy shop but I’ve always wanted to. Living in this country comes with lots of limitations and one of them is being unable to open an Etsy shop.

Anyway, I was using a keyword research tool (don’t remember the name) and I came across the term ‘Notion template’. It had high demand but low competition on Etsy. Remembering that I couldn’t open a shop, I gave up on it.

A few months later, I came across someone on TikTok saying that people were making 20K to 100K selling Notion templates on Twitter and I remember thinking, “This is the one!”. 

Q: What inspired you to become a creator?

A: This is something that a lot of people just throw around so it sounds cliche but I genuinely love helping people. I make someone’s day and I sleep happy that night. If I could do that AND get money from it, that’s my form of a jackpot.

After doing tons of research and finding out what kind of templates I wanted to create, I started building in public. I launched my first template, the business plan in late October 2023 on Gumroad and X. I’m a strong believer in the power of community. The Notion community on X is filled with the most kind and supportive people on earth. They made getting started that much easier.

Q: What does a typical day in your life look like?

A: I’m a medical student so the first thing I do in the morning is contemplate my life and why the hell I chose this course… the regular stuff.

I usually have classes from 7 am to 4 pm, sometimes they end in the afternoon and sometimes they go on until 6 pm. After that, I do assignments, spend time with my cat, and work on my business.

For long holidays, I mostly focus on work and quality time with my family. I’m the type of person who’d rather stay in than go out so you’ll most likely find me at home or at the university.

Q: How do you identify the needs and challenges of your audience when creating your digital products?

A: Most of my templates are geared toward people starting their businesses, who aren’t sure which tools to use (with the millions of options out there) and want a centralized system for their projects, tasks, finances, etc.

I also create custom dashboards for anyone looking to increase their productivity. As someone who already does freelancing, I know a bit about running a business so I put myself in the shoes of my target audience and it helps me identify some problems that I can solve with Notion.

For example: My tasks were piling up, I was procrastinating, and couldn’t get anything done. I did some research on the Notion task management templates out there. Sure, they were good but they didn’t really meet my needs. I’ve always been a fan of the Eisenhower Matrix so I created a task manager that makes the best use of this framework.

Q: What is your process for creating a new product from concept to launch?

A: I’m usually just scrolling on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. When I find inspiration, I make sure to jot it down on my brain dump page.

Side note: I have about 17 template ideas in my to-dos lol.

After putting it down, for the ones that I’m definitely going to create, I add them to a separate section called “Def”. I start creating them when I have free time; starting with the databases, navigation, layout, and buttons.

Then I launch them as giveaways for 1/2 days while providing support. I customize the template for whoever needs it: whether it’s aesthetics, removing/adding sections, and helping with entering their data. I understand that it can be confusing so I try to take some of the mental load off of them, you know? Onto the next template!

Q: What challenges have you faced in building and maintaining your brand, and how have you overcome them?

A: Being overwhelmed with all the templates and Notion creators out there, I started to doubt if I was any special. What do I even post about? Is this template good enough? Will people buy this? I was so close to giving up before I gave Facebook groups a shot. I posted my first giveaway (my project management template) and I got so much positive feedback. People were genuinely interested and some even made donations. It helped me see that no matter who you are if you can solve someone’s problems, there’s demand for your product/service. There’s also the supportive Notion community. I’ve made lots of friends and they empower me to keep going daily.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the digital product market?

A: Don’t give up; I’m so glad I didn’t. Your time and your products matter. Have an idea of who you want to target, what problems you want to solve, and just start. Always make sure to provide lots of value and experiment with different platforms. Don’t expect to start earning immediately. See what’s working and add your own twist to it. You’ll learn the rest along the way 🙂 Also, I think I had around 50 followers at the time but I left my store free for a whole week and I got my first $2 selling Notion templates. Your people are out there. Go for it!

Q: How do you manage work-life balance while running an online business?

A: Having a calendar and scheduling my time has been super helpful for me. With my school life being so hectic, sometimes I lose touch with my friends. One piece of advice I would give anyone in my position is to add your personal time and breaks to your calendar. I also have a mental health day where I check on myself and my friends at least once a month. What are we doing? Where are we mentally? Any problems? Future plans and more.

Q: What’s your favorite way to relax or destress?

A: Sleep. It’s so underrated. All I want to do after a long day is cuddle up in bed with my cat and just sleep. Gray works overtime as my support system so I want to give him a good life 🙂

Q: Can you share a goal or dream that you’re currently pursuing?

A: I’m currently working on getting to $1,000 selling Notion templates, running my account on different social media platforms, and getting more clients for my freelancing business. I practically live and breathe Notion because it helps me stay on top of my studies and tasks at all times.

As our conversation with Bearsthy draws to a close, we’re left inspired by her unwavering dedication and innovative spirit. From the bustling streets of Kenya to the digital landscape of Notion, Bearsthy has carved out a niche that not only satisfies her creative itch but also empowers others to bring organization and efficiency into their lives.

Her journey is a reminder that the path to success is paved with challenges, late-night contemplations, and the occasional cliffhanger. But, with a loyal cat by her side and a clear vision for the future, Bearsthy is poised to reach her goal and beyond.