A quick brief of my education/career so far.
2005 - 2007 A levels in photography, English literature & film studies
2007 - 2008 Foundation degree in art & design
2008 - 2011 Left education to get a job, worked at a small
photography shop/developers. Printed photographs from film & digital, scanned in slides and small amount of photoshop editing on old photographs. Plus retail side of shop, selling camera & serving customers
2011 - 2014 Left photographic shop as nowhere to progress, I was very nervous and looking back on it, I probably suffered from anxiety. My dad who owned his own business offered me retail work in his ladies clothing stores. I took the job and worked with him until 2014 when he offered me a percentage of the business.
I accepted this and we grew the business opening more locations. In this time I went from being on the shop floor to being in an office doing the paperwork on Sage (10 hours training from accountants) plus any graphic design, logos, posters etc, social media, running the website & customer service via email.
Last year we closed the business down as it wasn't making us any money anymore as retail has changed so much.
2016 - present I opened my second business with my parents in 2016, a cafe/restaurant. I still have a largely based office role, I run the social media, website, design any posters, logos, menus etc. I also do the paperwork and work in the cafe 2 days a week as FOH/barista.
Problem is, we want to sell up. I'm done with running my own business, it's such hard work, I can never ever switch off, there's so much stress and for me, it's just not worth it. We are planning to sell in the next 6 to 8 months. I will get some money out of the business when we sell but I need to think of what I want to do with my life and how to do it.
I'm 29 years old and really I'd like to do something involving the graphic design work I've been doing but I have no idea where to start with getting a job or some better/more recent qualifications to get a job!
I'll have some money to do some training but don't want to go to university full time but would happily do an online course.
Can anyone please help with any ideas of what I could do? I'm open to other career suggestions.
I feel so lost and confused at the moment. I don't really know where to turn to get decent advice!