As an artist, we often look at the works of others with a great sense of awe. By comparing ourselves and our work to that of other artists we often feel less satisfied with our own creations. Maybe another artist uses a technique that we have never been able to master, has access to tools or creative spaces that we don’t, or has an innate talent that we don’t. Sometimes it is okay to look to others’ work to help inspire us, but often it is more important to follow our own journey.
This past weekend we had one of our biggest events of the year: Small Business Saturday in Charlotte’s South End. The weather was great, the turnout was amazing, and we met so many wonderful new customers and vendors over the course of the day. This was the first big Small Business Saturday event we have participated in so we weren’t sure what to expect but it was an absolute blast. So what is Small Business Saturday, why is it so important, and how can you be a part of it.
For those of us here in the States it’s that time of year to get together with family, share stories, remember all the things we are thankful for, and of course, eat plenty of delicious food. Of course, I give thanks to all my wonderful customers and followers who have supported me over the last …
When I started this business one of my goals, like most things in my life, was to uphold a level of quality that I expect in the products and services that I seek out myself. This comes from a lifetime of being an overachiever and always having to do “just a little better” than the last time. This can be a double-edged sword as you can tweak and tinker until you’re blue in the face but eventually, the product needs to ship. Here I am going to share with you some of the goals I set for myself when it comes to the quality of my products and the consistency of my process but still get things out the door.
I came up with the idea to create this series when I was looking back on the past two and a half years as a small business owner, thinking “What are the things that I wish someone had told me about starting a business.” Creating is a full-time job in and of itself and running a business is like adding another full-time job on top of it. Hopefully, this series will help guide you through some of the preliminary steps. Full transparency: if I recommend any products I will include affiliate links so, if you decide to buy any of them, I will get a small kickback. Don’t fret, though, that has not swayed my opinion and every one of the products I recommend is something I fully endorse because I use it myself.
Sometimes the best way to get an audience is to put yourself out there. Pop-up markets are a great way to do this as they are generally a low cost of entry, most cities and towns have several community organizations that run them, and, if you find the right one, they are a great way to connect with an audience. Today I’ll be going over some of the things I wish I had known before my first market.
Hey gang. It’s almost Halloween and we thought this week we would give you our five tips for creating Halloween wood burns
What better place to start a series like this than the one thing that scares people the most when starting a business. The legal aspect. We are not lawyers so remember to check with your legal advisor on the rules specific to your business as well as your state / country. These are the steps we took for our business
When I create art for a market I always try to make something unique and different. I am not like everyone else and my art should reflect that. The same goes for my customers. They should be able to come to a market and walk away with something they’ve never seen before and they can’t get elsewhere.
The biggest barrier to being a maker is tools. There are so many tools that can make your life easier but obtaining them can be both cost and space prohibitive. We do all our work in a small garage. Our workspace is shared with gardening tools, camping equipment, bicycles, and automotive tools. Renting a space …
