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.
There’s a reason people don’t take up business finance as a weekend hobby. Organizing your handmade business finances is one of those tedious business chores that’s easy to procrastinate in favor of buying more craft supplies (!), fulfilling orders, creating marketing content or good ‘ol watching Hulu.
But here’s the thing; getting your business financials together is too important to avoid or put off. Doing it right and consistently can be a game changer for your business. Here are eight reasons to show your finances some love.
1. Enjoy the fruit of your labor…i.e. make sure you’re actually making money. Running a handmade business requires a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Make sure you make it count by taking a look at whether your operation is profitable.
2. Take advantage of larger opportunities like grants, incubators or small business funding programs. Free money is always a good idea. Organizing your finances positions you to answer questions on grant applications about your revenue and profit trends without a last minute scramble.
3. Put more money in your pocket. Every business has waste and opportunities to improve. Taking a closer look as your expenses and income helps you to avoid waste, identify problems and address products that are not making money.
4. Evaluate investments like tradeshows, craft markets, software, photoshoots, etc. Craft markets are a lot of fun, but the associated expenses can add up. Looking at the numbers in totality as part of your financial process helps you make better decisions.
5. Celebrate your progress! You’ve come a long way with your handmade business. Clap for yourself and look at your numbers over time to appreciate your growth and set plans for where you want to go next.
6. Make decisions about new product introduction. This is similar to number 3, but the pre-emptive version. Launching new handmade products takes effort and resources; understanding profitability and projected sales ahead of time can help you decide if it’s worth it.
7. Make decisions about staffing and pay business taxes. On the fence about hiring help? You guessed it; understanding your cash flow from month to month can indicate whether you can afford it and how much you can afford.
8. Save time and avoid having to “cram” when you need to report earnings or loss when you file taxes at the end of the year. If you been there, you know. Pulling together 12 months worth of receipts, online expenses, sales reports, etc ahead of a tax filing deadline is NOT fun. Staying organized through out the year keeps things fun.
Struggling with your business financials? Consider getting help by hiring a bookkeeper and/or accountant. Can you relate to any of these reasons to get your finances organized? Share tips on what’s worked for you below.
It’s hard to forget the emptiness I felt after George Floyd’s
death. I didn’t think I could feel worse until I started scrolling down my IG
timeline and noticed a number of Influencers I follow didn’t even acknowledge his
death. Ok, I thought. Some people’s feed are planned months in advance. So I
moved on to their Stories feed since that has more flexibility. Scroll. Scroll.
Scroll. Beach pics. Laughing pics. Cat pics. No acknowledgement of this man’s
death or even any sense of outrage that this was even happening in 2020.
Scroll. Scroll. Scroll. No changes to the feed and no acknowledgement.
I remember waking up and thinking why am I in an online community that doesn’t care about the issues that matter to me? There were some Influencers that I was honestly too hurt to keep following. I decided that I needed to take an emotional vacation from their spaces. I had to pause to reflect on what spaces I wanted to be in.
That season taught me three things –
I have the power to decide who I will give my money to. Whose goods will I chose to buy and support? I don’t need to take that power for granted but to shop responsibly.
I don’t have to sit in a community that does not acknowledge and champion the causes that are close and near and dear to my heart. Before I simply jump into a community looking to level up my business or get financial gains, I have to consider the total cost of being in that space.
I have the freedom to curate a community that celebrates what matters to me – my faith, my family, being a black woman, being a Liberian woman, my love for writing and making. Just as I have the power to take a break from a space, I have the power to create a space.
I have the power to leave a space
that doesn’t reflect what matters to me.
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.
“When you know better, you do better. That said, it really is a shame to know better but don’t do better.”
― Germany Kent
We’ve all made some mistakes as because we are humans. The key though is to learn from our mistakes and chart a better path when we get the opportunity again.
Here are 3 common mistakes I’ve made as an entrepreneur:
1.Assuming that I had to fight for every customer’s business. I realized early on that not I would not be able to please everyone as a customer. Don’t get me wrong, I say go above and beyond for customers, but some customers will be unsatisfied regardless of if you go the extra mile or not. I learned that sometimes a sale may not be worth the peace of mind and mental drain. When we encounter those people, it is okay to preserve our peace and let them go.
2. Not investing in my business. I think when we start out, we want to save as much money as possible. But in order to grow, we may need to invest in a masterclass, new tools, or some other opportunities that may cost us. As long as we know that the investment will benefit our business, we should be open to sowing seeds into it.
3.Taking various aspects of business personal. When it comes to customers or to rejections, we tend to internalize and see it as a rejection of us as individuals. I’m learning to remind myself that while my work is an extension of my passion, and essentially a part of me, customers see a product. They typically make decisions about the product and not necessarily the person selling the products. A no is a no to my product because maybe it’s not exactly what they need at this time, its not what they choose to spend on at this time, or a variety of other reasons. My talents are still valid and worthy even if a customer chooses not to purchase from me.
Many of us are afraid or embarrassed to ask our friends, family and loved ones to support us. But truth be told, our loved ones are often times our biggest supporters and even if they cannot personally attend, they will do what they can to support us. This might include invite their own circle, making a purchase, etc.
As an entrepreneur, one of my biggest fears I’ve had to move past is not being afraid to invite those who love me. People can’t support us when they don’t know what we are doing. And they can’t even support us with one last minute text that we send the week of the event.
Here are three things you can do to reach out to your friends, family, coworkers and loved ones during your upcoming entrepreneurial endeavors:
Be sure to support those that you love and would be glad to support you. No, we can’t be everywhere, but we can’t expect people to do what we are not willing to do. So, go out and support your circle. They will remember how you went out of your way for them and likely return the favor.
Send personalized invitations to your circle. I know what you are thinking – who has time to do that? It can be as simple as a phone call or a text that specifically addresses the individual. While group communications (text, emails, etc) are easier to do, they are impersonal. Your invitation will get more traction when it is personalized.
Respect the calendar. I love to plan and sometimes I have dates on my calendar months in advance. In order to give your tribe a chance to support you, we need to respect that they too have calendars. So this means we need to step up our game and give ample advance notice and follow up with a reminder or two.
Remember, the worst that can happen when you ask for support is that you get a “No”. The best that can happen is that your tribe shows up and showers you with love. Who doesn’t want that?
Do you have any unique tips for soliciting support from your friends and family?
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.
We held our third Craft Savvy Market on April 13,2019 and this market superseded our expectations in so many ways. Everything from our spectacular vendors, to our customers, volunteers made the event one of our best. Below, we wrap up and share part 2 of our lessons learned. Check us out in Instagram and Facebook @craftsavvymarket to see more pictures and videos from the event.
Third Time’s A Charm – Lessons Learned Craft Savvy Market #3
After every market, I breathe a big sigh of relief and then I have this desire to lay on the couch for one day straight. Please refrain from judging me! Craft Savvy Market #3 was no different. I was still exhausted, but I did not need as much time to recuperate. Here are three things I learned from our third market:
Ditch It If It Doesn’t Work – For this market, I love that we were not afraid to ditch some practices that did not work for us during the first two markets. For example, we decided to change the time of the market. For the first two markets, our hours were 11-4. For this market, we looked at our data and we decided to alter the time and I’m glad we did. Sometimes we are afraid to make changes because we often times don’t have a guarantee of success. But one thing is for sure: If you never try, you’ll never know. If it isn’t working, ditch it and try a new strategy. The worse that could happen is that you learn from your experience. The best that could happen is that you see the success you dreamed about.
Develop A Process – One of the things we tried to do for our third market was to streamline our processes. This inspired me because developing a process is the first step to becoming more efficient at a task. A process saves us from starting from scratch every time. We worked hard this time around to analyze the feedback we received from our previous markets and make applicable changes and create processes where needed. We also were careful to document processes and refine the steps needed for various tasks. This is applicable to any task we choose to undertake in our own lives. Develop a process and give it a try. If you find that the process needs tweaking, make adjustments and keep going. It’s always easier to start with a baseline.
Build A Team– For this market, I learned the value of building a team. As a crafter, we sometimes get in the habit of working solo – my idea, my execution, my work, etc. For our third market, we were more intentional about building a team of supporters and volunteers. This made the day of the market much smoother. Instead of being pulled in multiple directions, we were able to focus on fewer tasks and make more of an impact on those tasks.
by Jandi Harris
3 Lessons I Learned from CSM #3
1. After speaking with some vendors, I realized we are making a great impact. Some first time
vendors were excited to be a part of our event because of the connections they were able to make and the exposure they were able gain. It definitely feels great to be aligned with such an inspiring event.
2. Secondly,I learned to always leave room for the unexpected things.No matter how well an event is planned, it is impossible to cross all the “T’s” and dot all the “I’s”. There are some things will be beyond my control.
For example, some key people confirmed that they would attend and on the day of ended up cancelling. At that point it was too late to make other arrangements, so we had to improvise. There were other areas where we had to think quickly and develop a solution on the spot. At the end of the day, it all worked out. This market taught me to do my very best and let God will take care of the rest.
3. Thirdly, I realized the power of team work and learned the importance of having a strong and reliable team. The old adage “Team work makes the dream work” was truly in action at Craft Savvy Market #3 on April 13. I am grateful and thankful to everyone (vendors, staff, venue, and my Craft Savvy Sisters) for making this the best market yet.
As crafters, we are all about risks. We take risks when we use new materials, try new projects, mix different mediums, etc. On a warm summer afternoon in June, we crammed into a booth at Panera Bread and took a risk to join hands and organize our first Craft Savvy Market.
Here we are, almost four months after our first market day, and now that we have exhaled, we are sharing our top lessons.
1. Growth and success sometimes means making the choice to stay instead of walking away.
Going into this experience, I soon realized that while we have all been friends for over 20 years and have a lot in common, we were actually four very different thinkers and four very distinct creatives. And that made me want to run to the hills.
But by October, I recognized that it was through our creative differences that we would create a very successful craft market. Our multiple perspectives and ways of thinking was actually a strength not a weakness. So I learned not to look at our differences as a sign to look for an exit but as an indicator that we were actually on a path to creative excellence.
Many times we flee the creative process before we see fruits because the road feels uncomfortable or we wonder if we are on the right path when there are creative differences. But when we push through the challenges, we get to see the fruits of our labor. In the end, I’m so glad I continued to push through and am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with three very distinct thinkers who also happen to be my super talented, always creative Craft Savvy sisters.
–Ciatta-Mae
2. Presentation and packaging matters
As market day approached, the opportunity to share my jewelry crafts with our customers excited me. But then came the questions of packaging. If you’ve participated in or visited craft market shows you probably understand where I am coming from. Packaging can make the simplest things into beautiful looking gifts or it can lessen the impact of a great gift
. And frankly speaking, I didn’t put as much thought as I should have into my packaging. I used medium paper bags, but all my products could not fit the bags.
Thinking back, I should have assessed my items closely and given myself time to create packaging that would wow my customers. I should have considered a variety of sizes. Moving forward, I plan on having pretty packaging with more options for my products.
Maybe you participated in a craft market for the first time or you took a creative risk for the first time. What new understanding did you possess after the experience? We would love to hear from you.
photo from houselarsbuilt
photo from @damasklove
photo from pantone.com
photo from @kailochic
