"Mission" incense burner
I first started out in my own crafting business, by providing a component that another company painted and finished. It happened, that at that time, there was a big company that started out in jewelry and expanded to tourism products, in the Native American slot in the market.
This company hired and paid Native Americans for their painting talents and signatures. Among the many things they turned out, was also ceramic pots.
I came up with the brilliant idea of miniaturizing the same designs they were already succeeding with and we struck a business deal. I started out with one design and just kept coming up with new ideas, designing and making the mold for it, and presenting it to the company and they kept buying more and more of my designs until they had me so busy, I was working 18 hour days to keep up. Continue reading Check Out All The Possibilities
I know it’s hard to do, sometimes, but we must know when to back off and when to ask for a deposit up front.
This happened to yours truly, not long ago. A lady contacted me through email about designing and producing these drawer pulls in doggy paws designs.
Thinking it would be nice to hand my daughter a little side job, I took it on. This lady sounded very sincere and earnest. She even sent me pictures. I designed a first round and sent her pics. She was pleased with the bone design but not the paw and sent me yet another picture. Continue reading Craft Business is hard enough.Don’t let yourself be Walked On.
While most of this email has nothing to do with what you’re doing, I thought a lot of the information might spark an idea for you. [...]
Have a new idea but not sure about the market? Create a few prototypes (samples) in what ever variety can be offered. If it can come in different colors, sample those colors. If it can come in different sizes, create a couple different sizes.
Shop around and find the store you think your product might find it’s best opportunity. Now the good part. Continue reading Test the Market
If you can’t sell them your end product, maybe they want to learn how to make it themselves. [...]
I’m still facing a mountain of receipts and math. Why? Well, I’m just full of excuses: a move from one state to another, retrieving all the ceramics equipment out of storage, pneumonia (dragging tail), and a whole slew of busy, busy. Continue reading Tax Headaches
For the sake of taxes, you don’t have to have a business license but you do need some sort of claim to business.
The first order of business, should be a separate bank account, strictly for your business. It doesn’t have to be a business account, you can also have a personal account for [...]
Any item, you can offer in small, medium and large, do so. There is always the buyer who truly desires to buy but can’t afford the large one. Bring your product down to fit the market, instead of asking the market to fit your product. In these trying times, is no time for outright experiments just to see if it will sell. [...]
Will it affect you?
As crafter’s, we already know that Christmas to mid summer is pretty much dead. So how will you survive these months? Continue reading Times are Getting Tough
So here’s my point. To you, it’s a small time local market. To your business competitor, it’ a world market. They have and will take your product away from you, steal and walk on your face. So where is the defense? YOU! Your name, your face, your reputation. [...]
