Make Room

For our first two markets in 2018, we used half of the space at Decatur Recreation Center. April 2019 marked the first time we collapsed the wall and used the entire room. The reality is that even when we were using half the space at the previous markets, we were already in the full room. It was up to us to see it.

My vision is my belief that God placed a deposit in me before I was born to pursue my greatest and wildest dream as a maker. My vision is about my potential and seeing my fullest self without restrictions, hindrances, fear or doubts. My vision is not about my present conditions, but it is about my final destination. For some that might mean vending at a bigger venue or doubling your income, while for others it might be owning a brick and mortar store or developing a global brand.

Sometimes people don’t understand our vision and we spend time too much time trying to convince them of our vision. However our vision is bigger than our present conditions, people’s understanding and even what my eyes can see.

If I plan to go from a half space to a full room, then I better start seeing, believing in and pursuing my vision with everything I got.

Make room.

Behind the Scenes: DIY Photo Backdrop

Hello Makers!

We’re pulling back the curtains behind something that has become near and dear to our heart – our Craft Wall. So, we launched our first craft wall at the second Craft Savvy Market. As makers it was really important to us to include a handmade piece that reflected our love for artistry and provided our attendees an opportunity to capture their time at the market.

Fast forward to our last market. The very first thing we did was search for inspiration pieces. The founders, Charlene, Mina, Jandi and I texted each other possible considerations and cast our vote on our favorite designs. The inspiration piece below from a Pinterest search was the hands down winner. Next we ordered the supplies and mapped out how we would create the wall.

It took at least six hours from start to finish to complete the project. We first spent a lot of time mapping out the look. We then divided the work and completed the wall. We kept in mind that the piece needs to not just look beautiful but also hold up for the entire market. The last thing we needed was to have leaves or our logo signage falling on someone’s head.

We were so proud of the final project. Our Craft Wall was an integral piece of our market that reflected our love for handmade artistry and it gave our attendees an opportunity to capture the market experience.

Hope you will consider adding a handmade craft wall or handmade craft element to your next Maker’s event. If you do and share on social media, please tag us. We would love to see your creation.

by Ciatta-Mae Stubblefield

5 Instagram Accounts Every Crafter Should Follow

As a creative, there are times when our creativity seems to be stuck in a rut. Sometimes we can ride the wave and wait until inspiration finds her way back to us. Other times, it seems like she took a long bus ride across the country and she may not be returning. Thankfully, with the help of social media, inspiration is just a few clicks away. Here are 5 Instagram accounts we love that are sure to help you get your creative ideas flowing, regardless of your craft.

@Crafttherainbow – Here you can get inspired by craft projects that represent all colors of the rainbow. photo from houselarsbuilt

2. @Houselarsbuilt – Here you get creative inspiration for living – (home, decor, events, crafts, etc).

photo from @houselarsbuilt

3.@damasklove – The page will give you all kinds of fun inspiration and easy DIY projects that will get you back to creating.

photo from @damasklove

4. @Pantone – This page will keep you inspired by the most recent color trends. Anyone who loves color can’t help but enjoy this page.

photo from pantone.com

5. @Kailochic This Instagram account will inspire you to be creative in your everyday life. She covers everything from DIY to home to event decor to crafts.]

photo from @kailochic

What other social media accounts do you draw inspiration from? Let us know so we can grab some inspiration too!

Don’t forget to RSVP here to attend our next market (Holiday Market) on Saturday, November 16, 2019.

3 Inspiring Podcasts Every Craft Boss Should Listen To

By Charlene Dunbar

In the past 2-3 years, I’ve grown to LOVE podcasts. They’re that perfect blend of education and entertainment and they have contributed significantly to my personal and business growth. I usually pop one on when I feel stuck or need inspiration, which is fairly often! Here are three podcasts I recommend to fellow crafters looking for practical business tips, strategies or good ol’ inspiration. Before I start, a disclaimer: none of the three featured podcasters have a background as handmade crafters, but they are women who have built successful, creative-ish businesses/enterprises and the stories they share are universal and can definitely help jumpstart your business journey.

I’d love to hear what you think of these and about your favorite creative or business podcasts.

#1 – Myleik Teele – My Taught You Podcast This was one of the first podcasts I got hooked on. Myleik has a direct, no-nonsense style and lays out the playbook for how she built her business (Curlbox) and personal brand. My Taught You includes interviews with other successful creatives and diary style episodes where Myleik covers topics like handling your own PR, business break-ups and how to not suck at sales. If you need a swift kick in the butt or help with the right mindset to win, Myleik’s podcast is a must listen.

#2 – Nicaila Matthews – Side Hustle Pro Podcast Side Hustle Pro is one of my favorite business podcasts because it spotlights women of color who grew their side hustle from passion project to profitable business. The featured business owners vary widely, but each of them walks through the steps they took to succeed, warts and all. I love the insightful questions Nicaila asks to unpack things like profitability, finding manufacturers, and scaling. If you’re in a tough place with your business, you can definitely find a SHP episode to give you inspiration to keep going.

#3 – Moiyattu Banya-Keister – Tea and Peppersoup Podcast Tea and Peppersoup is a relatively new podcast that offers solid mindset nuggets for building a business or nonprofit. I was drawn to the episodes covering topics like self-care for entrepreneurs, avoiding the comparison trap and embracing rejection. Banya-Keister also shares her experiences with making tough decisions, recognizing seasons and digging into her faith to achieve her God-given potential. Her big sister wit and honesty make Tea and Peppersoup a go-to for anyone feeling the pain of leaving their comfort zone.

I hope you check out these podcasts and enjoy them as much as I do. Want to hear more inspiring “How She Built It” stories? If you’re in the Atlanta area, RSVP now to attend our next market on November 16 where we’ll have a special surprise guest, who will share her incredible success story during the market.

3 Things I Learned From Facebook Community Boost

By: Charlene Dunbar

Like most small business owners, I spend a lot of of time figuring out how to reach more customers and increase my sales. So I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to attend the Facebook Community Boost event in Atlanta and learn strategies for using Facebook to grow my business.

First of all, Facebook knows how to put on fabulous, engaging event. Throughout the day, there were 45-minute sessions that covered topics like “Instagram Stories School”, “Taking Facebook Ads to the Next Level” and “Getting Creative with Your Mobile Phone”. In between sessions, you could network with other attendees, get a free headshot or visit kiosks to get a free business page audit from Facebook team members. And super important, it was all free, from parking to a delicious catered Cobb salad for lunch. Ok, enough of me drooling over the event production, which was a user experience lesson in of itself.

Three takeaways from the “Connecting with Local Shoppers” session I attended.

#1 – Build your mobile presence

Customers looking for local experiences and businesses want to find YOU! Make it easy for them. This includes having a complete “About” section on your Facebook business page, such as the best hours to reach you. Even if you don’t have a physical shop or have a 9 to 5, are there certain hours that you can be reached? List them, along with the best phone number (or physical address if applicable) to contact you. I added business hours and updated my dated business cover photo with a short video (videos are king!) after attending this session.

#2 – Communicate with your customers

I appreciated this one because I sometimes fall into a rut of talking AT my customers (“shop now”, “look at this new thing”, etc…) vs. talking WITH them. You can open up the lines of communication by asking more questions or seeking their input with tools like polls or live Q&A sessions. For example, a clothing business could run a poll on what new pant colors their audience would like to see in their next collection. Another key tip was responding quickly to messenger questions or using the autoresponder option to let potential customers know when you can get back to them. Communicating well with potential customers can drive engagement and keep them coming back to you.

#3 – Build community

Online shopping grew 16% in 2017 and is here to stay, but people still crave real life connections and experiences. In addition to having an helpful Facebook business page and communicating well, consider holding events or shopping experiences. In-person events can build customer trust, help you learn more about their needs and increase loyalty through memorable in-person experiences. The beauty of Facebook Events is their visibility on timelines. Users usually search for events happening near them and pay attention to events their buddies are attending (I always click those notices! FOMO is real). Using Facebook events is pretty much a free virtual billboard for your in-person event.

It took me about 20 minutes to improve my “about” section of my Facebook business page based on what I learned in the session. I also plan to use Facebook events to help get the word out about my next pop-up shop event. Check out Facebook Blueprint to learn more helpful tips and tricks for connecting with customers. Are you already putting these three tools to work and if not, what are your favorite tips/tricks for reaching new customers online?

Do you have a local craft business and want to build community with potential customers? Consider becoming a vendor at our next Craft Savvy Market on November 3rd in Decatur. It’s a fantastic, affordable way to reach to new customers in a beautiful venue. Click here to sign up and here’s to reaching new customers!