by Jess | #MakingItPodcourse, Other, Podcasts
Welcome to the Making It Podcourse!
It’s back! Those of you who are long-time listeners to the show may remember the original Making It Podcourse I ran in July 2018.
Well, I’ve re-organised the lessons, and am bringing this free course to you again in September 2019 – but this time, in weekly chunks.
Each episode will be approximately an hour long, packed full of lessons.
Today is the first week of the course, and in it, I tell you what to expect, as well as sharing a little bit of my own story for those of you who don’t know me.
Over the next four weeks, I’ll be releasing an episode once per week, via the Create & Thrive Podcast – on the topics of mindset, money, marketing, and business management.
I’ve created this FREE course specifically for makers – those who create handmade goods to sell.
To create this course, I’ve drawn on my 10 years of experience running my own successful handmade business, coupled with over 6 years of teaching other makers about handmade business right here at Create & Thrive.
I wanted to create something that was actionable and practical for all makers, no matter what stage of business you are at: and that would allow you to dig deep into 4 key aspects of the crafty biz journey.
I hope it helps your handmade business to thrive!
If you want to take your learning to the next level, the course conversation is happening daily over in my private membership community for makers – the Thriver Circle.
You can find out more about the oodles of benefits of membership right here. Membership will open on September 16th, 2019.
by Jess | Courses, Other, Podcasts, Wholesale
So you want to get your handmade products into shops, galleries, or boutiques… BUT – how do you find the right ones to approach?
There are a ton of ways to do this – many of which we teach in my newly available course – Wholesale Know-How – but in this episode, I’m outlining just 5 of the strategies you can use to track down potential new stockists who would be a perfect fit for your product.
It’s important to get this step right, so you don’t waste time approaching the wrong type of stores. Of course, not every store you approach will say yes (even if you are a perfect fit!) but you vastly increase the likelihood of a store buying from you if you do the research and hard yards beforehand to make sure they’re a great fit.
by Jess | Other, Podcasts, Time Management
Can you be ‘successful’ in handmade business AND have a day job?
The question of ‘should I quit my job?’ is not an uncommon one.
Answering this question is a tad tricky as there are variables, and the answer will be different for different people.
However, there are three points that are key to remember as you ponder this.
One, there is no rush! Don’t just quit rashly and end up regretting it.
Two, you can hold a day job and run a successful business.
Tnd three, perhaps most important, do not compare yourself to anyone else! You can be a successful handmade business owner AND hold down a day job – the two are not mutually exclusive.
In this episode I cover a number of key points that you need to consider before you chuck in the day job.
by Jess | Other, Social Media, Thriver Circle
Are you ready to harness the Power of Pinterest?
The #PinterestChallenge is happening again in June (more info below if you’re new to this) so I have recorded a podcast episode to help you get set up for success!
If you are new to Pinterest, this episode will help you set up all the important elements of your account. If you’re not new, it will be a great refresher!
by Jess | Branding, Interviews, Other, Podcasts
Jill from For Strange Women works with natural ingredients to make perfumes. Which she sells – with wild success – on the internet.
Jill started on Etsy in 2009, and today, she not only sells online, she also has her own store in downtown Kansas City. With over 35,000 sales in her Etsy shop alone, Jill’s business is incredibly successful – and all based on selling something – scent – that people can’t even smell until they’ve bought the product. Jill formulates all her perfumes, and even today, it’s just her and one assistant running the whole business.
So – how has she grown such a successful business? I believe it’s been via the power of her branding and storytelling – and the fact that she’s remained true to herself, even when she was surrounded with doubters.
In this episode, we discuss the importance of being true to you in your business, and the way Jill’s business has naturally grown to where it is today.
If you would like to hear a beautiful and peaceful approach to running a handmade business, don’t miss this one.
by Jess | Etsy, Organisation, Other, Podcasts
A lot of potential issues with your handmade business customers can be side-stepped through the judicious use of policies.
A well-planned policy preempts a lot of issues, and makes sure everything is spelled out clearly to your customer prior to purchase.
It also keeps everything fair and transparent, and makes sure you can’t be accused of making up one set of rules for one customer, and another for others.
It’s as much about your protection and peace of mind as it is about informing and protecting your customers.
In this episode, I discuss the ins and outs of policies – what you NEED to have in there (no matter what platform you use), and give you some Etsy-specific guidance, as well.
