The Create & Thrive Podcast

 

Hey Thriver,

It’s time to get the support and guidance you’ve been waiting for…

 

I’ve opened the doors of the Thriver Circle to new members for 48 hours only.

 

I’m so excited to invite new members into our Circle!

We’ve been going strong for almost a year and a half now, and we have hundreds of amazing, supportive, and dedicated makers in our community.

Will you be joining us?

 

Who are we?

 

Our members are jewellers, ceramicists, knitters, artists, designers, paper-cutters – we span dozens of different media.

There are Circle members from Australia, NZ, America, Canada, the UK, Europe, Singapore… we are a global community of creatives who are focused on making our passions into a thriving business – and we believe in supporting each other to reach our goals.

No matter where you live, no matter where you are in your handmade business journey – we’re right there with you, whenever you need us.

 

 

Joining the Thriver Circle has been a real turning point in the development of my business.

I’ve gained so much insight in the few months I’ve been a member and love the support and encouragement from the group.I would recommend it to anyone just starting out or who has been in business for a while as there is always something new to learn and a direction to grow in.

~ Tamsyn Simmonds

 

 

What are the benefits of joining the Circle?

 

> A private, positive community forum – with over 300 fellow creatives who are already there to help you and keep you accountable (and you get direct access to me, too). It’s a safe, supportive space to share your concerns, questions, and successes!

> One exclusive workshop from me every month, covering topics like pricing, selling online, marketing, social media, photography, time management, finding your ideal customer… and more. Oh, and you can request workshops, too. These are not available anywhere else. (There are already 17 workshops inside the Circle, waiting for you as soon as you sign up!)

> A monthly call with me, during which up to 2 members of the Circle get 30 minutes of one-on-one time with me in a Business Intensive + there is a Q&A session at the end.

> Twice-monthly live chats in the FB group – focused on helping you grow your business, and specifically, on that month’s workshop topic.

> Early notification + a member’s discount whenever I launch a new course or program.

 

These are just some of the benefits you get from being part of the Circle… you can find out all the details of these benefits and more here.

It’s an enormous amount of value for a very small cost, and I work hard to add more value to the Circle every month.

 

 

I’m so glad I joined the Thriver Circle. I figured I’d join and see what it was all about and probably cancel after a month or two.

Once I started getting involved though, I decided it was well worth staying on. Not only is Jess a wealth of knowledge, the suggestions and support from the other Thrivers is invaluable.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend joining the Circle to anyone running (or wanting to run) their own crafting business.

~ Sarina Cunningham

 

 

If you want to join us in the Circle, don’t wait…

 

Membership is only open 4 times a year, for 48 hours at a time.

You could be eating away at your profits without even realising it. However, there are lots of ways you can make little tweaks to your handmade business in order to increase your profit margin.

I ran a week-long free course a few years back on this topic, and I thought it was time to bring these ideas to you in the podcast.

By following these five steps you will be able to cut out wasted time, reduce your expenses, and therefore increase your profit margin.

For more detail on each point, the links to the course lessons are in the show notes below.

If you have any other ideas for ways that we as makers can cut expenses and increase our profit margins – while still maintaining the integrity of our business – please share them below!

 

 

Quotes and highlights from this Episode:

* 1. Streamline and organise

* Disorganisation will eat into your profits.

* Decrease the time spent to make the same amount of money by being streamlined in your work practices.

* This includes organisation of your digital life.

* Work out what you can do today to become more streamlined and organised.

* Pinterest is a great resource for finding ideas to create a more organised space.

* 2. Plan your packaging.

* ‘Packaging can put a huge dent into your profits.’ {Jess}

* You need to make sure you account for your packaging costs in the cost of your postage or the item itself.

* Make sure you always have what you need on hand and try and buy in bulk.

* Don’t forget to add in the time it takes to package the item.

* 3. Do your calculations and price your work properly.

* ‘You don’t want to be leaving money on the table.’ {Jess}

* It is important to get realistic about how much it is costing you to make your products.

* You need to cover the time you spend marketing and planning not just making.

* 4. Can you make it reproducible?

* This is especially important when selling work online.

* Can you recreate your item?

* If you can it will increase your production capacity saving time on each item.

* These items can then become your bread and butter range.

* Make sure you keep detailed notes so you can easily reproduce work.

* Think about minimising materials used across your product range.

* 5. Buy in wholesale or buy in bulk.

* This will usually involve planning ahead.

* Do your research, are there things you can cut out?

* ‘We always have to place our creative and business integrity above our profit margins.’ {Jess}

* Only you can decide where you can reduce expenses and save money.

 

Download or Listen to This Episode

(You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher – just search ‘Create & Thrive’.)

You could be eating away at your profits without even realising it. However, there are lots of ways you can make little tweaks to your handmade business in order to increase your profit margin.

I ran a week-long free course a few years back on this topic, and I thought it was time to bring these ideas to you in the podcast.

By following these five steps you will be able to cut out wasted time, reduce your expenses, and therefore increase your profit margin.

For more detail on each point, the links to the course lessons are in the show notes below.

If you have any other ideas for ways that we as makers can cut expenses and increase our profit margins – while still maintaining the integrity of our business – please share them below!

 

 

Quotes and highlights from this Episode:

* 1. Streamline and organise

* Disorganisation will eat into your profits.

* Decrease the time spent to make the same amount of money by being streamlined in your work practices.

* This includes organisation of your digital life.

* Work out what you can do today to become more streamlined and organised.

* Pinterest is a great resource for finding ideas to create a more organised space.

* 2. Plan your packaging.

* ‘Packaging can put a huge dent into your profits.’ {Jess}

* You need to make sure you account for your packaging costs in the cost of your postage or the item itself.

* Make sure you always have what you need on hand and try and buy in bulk.

* Don’t forget to add in the time it takes to package the item.

* 3. Do your calculations and price your work properly.

* ‘You don’t want to be leaving money on the table.’ {Jess}

* It is important to get realistic about how much it is costing you to make your products.

* You need to cover the time you spend marketing and planning not just making.

* 4. Can you make it reproducible?

* This is especially important when selling work online.

* Can you recreate your item?

* If you can it will increase your production capacity saving time on each item.

* These items can then become your bread and butter range.

* Make sure you keep detailed notes so you can easily reproduce work.

* Think about minimising materials used across your product range.

* 5. Buy in wholesale or buy in bulk.

* This will usually involve planning ahead.

* Do your research, are there things you can cut out?

* ‘We always have to place our creative and business integrity above our profit margins.’ {Jess}

* Only you can decide where you can reduce expenses and save money.

 

Download or Listen to This Episode

(You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher – just search ‘Create & Thrive’.)

Your micro-niche is your super-speciality. It is the one product (or product line) that defines your business – and the one that makes you recognisable amongst your competitors.

We all begin creating because we love it – but taking that step from making for fun to making to sell changes the playing field completely.

We can’t make everything we want to all the time – we need to try and find a micro-niche. Something people want that you make really well. Something specific, that makes you stand out from the crowd.

Once you discover this micro-niche you, will find it much easier to run a profitable business.

If you are yet to find your micro-niche or are yet to consider this idea – take a listen to this podcast for ideas on how to find your own micro-niche.

 

Quotes and highlights from this Episode:

* The key point here is the moment when you change from doing craft for fun to trying to sell it.

* This ‘When parents find out their daughter makes jewelry‘ video made me laugh – I appreciate the satire, because as much as I value what I do (and what all artisans do) there is an element of truth in it.

* ‘Growing a business is hard work, it will take a long time and you have to be patient.’ {Jess}

* You need to get more specific with what you are making, you need to find your micro-niche.

* ‘You want to be the master of one specific type of thing.’ {Jess}

* Look to successful people and think about what they make. Do they have a micro-niche?

* When you find your micro-niche you will be able to define your target market.

* ‘Constraints are a beautiful thing when it comes to creativity.’ {Jess}

* You are more likely to become successful with a small group of people than with everyone.

* Remember that less is more.

* You may have to give some stuff up – and that is ok.

* Your micro-niche may be a theme rather than a product.

* So, how do you figure out what your micro-niche is?

* 1. Follow the market – what are your best sellers and why? Don’t be afraid to ask your community.

* 2. Consider your niche market. Who are they?

* 3. Do some research and see what your competitors are doing right and wrong.

* ‘Your brand story is going to be incredibly powerful here.’ {Jess}

* Finding your micro-niche may mean you need to change things, re-organise or drop products.

* If you don’t have a micro-niche it will be incredibly hard to have a profitable business.

* Finish this sentence: “I am the person who sells…”

* ‘Be the one that people think of.’ {Jess}

 

Download or Listen to This Episode

(You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher – just search ‘Create & Thrive’.)

Your micro-niche is your super-speciality. It is the one product (or product line) that defines your business – and the one that makes you recognisable amongst your competitors.

We all begin creating because we love it – but taking that step from making for fun to making to sell changes the playing field completely.

We can’t make everything we want to all the time – we need to try and find a micro-niche. Something people want that you make really well. Something specific, that makes you stand out from the crowd.

Once you discover this micro-niche you, will find it much easier to run a profitable business.

If you are yet to find your micro-niche or are yet to consider this idea – take a listen to this podcast for ideas on how to find your own micro-niche.

 

Quotes and highlights from this Episode:

* The key point here is the moment when you change from doing craft for fun to trying to sell it.

* This ‘When parents find out their daughter makes jewelry‘ video made me laugh – I appreciate the satire, because as much as I value what I do (and what all artisans do) there is an element of truth in it.

* ‘Growing a business is hard work, it will take a long time and you have to be patient.’ {Jess}

* You need to get more specific with what you are making, you need to find your micro-niche.

* ‘You want to be the master of one specific type of thing.’ {Jess}

* Look to successful people and think about what they make. Do they have a micro-niche?

* When you find your micro-niche you will be able to define your target market.

* ‘Constraints are a beautiful thing when it comes to creativity.’ {Jess}

* You are more likely to become successful with a small group of people than with everyone.

* Remember that less is more.

* You may have to give some stuff up – and that is ok.

* Your micro-niche may be a theme rather than a product.

* So, how do you figure out what your micro-niche is?

* 1. Follow the market – what are your best sellers and why? Don’t be afraid to ask your community.

* 2. Consider your niche market. Who are they?

* 3. Do some research and see what your competitors are doing right and wrong.

* ‘Your brand story is going to be incredibly powerful here.’ {Jess}

* Finding your micro-niche may mean you need to change things, re-organise or drop products.

* If you don’t have a micro-niche it will be incredibly hard to have a profitable business.

* Finish this sentence: “I am the person who sells…”

* ‘Be the one that people think of.’ {Jess}

 

Download or Listen to This Episode

(You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher – just search ‘Create & Thrive’.)

Heidi Fahrenbacher is a ceramicist. She has faced some huge challenges in her business following a fall on some ice outside her studio.

No one knows the stress of facing injury while running a creative business better than Heidi. She makes a living full time from her ceramics so it was a huge deal when she fell and injured herself.

From business success to a painful path to recovery, facing chronic pain and surgery it took Heidi many years to get back on track, and the healing process is still ongoing.

Heidi and I discuss how she stayed positive through some of her hardest days, how she managed her frustration and got her business back on track.

If you have faced illness or injury, are currently on the road to recovery or would like to make sure you are prepared just in case, have a listen to this episode!

 

Quotes and highlights from this Episode:

* Heidi’s small business was going very well until in 2011 when she walked out of her studio and fell on some ice, knocking the wind from her. She thought she would be fine but soon noticed a numbness in her foot. She realised then that she had to get some medical advice.

* It took years before the doctors could find what was causing the pain Heidi was experiencing.

* Heidi had to undertake hip surgery and it was at that point she had to stop working.

* After recovering from surgery, 6 months later she started to feel numbness in her foot again and began physical therapy.

* ‘I was ready to quit ceramics.’ {Heidi}

* A foot doctor found that the bones in her feet weren’t aligned and were pinching a nerve. Finally she had found the source of the numbness!

* Heidi finally  was in the healing stages and it came down to waiting patently.

* ‘That kind of strain and stress can really bring you down.’ {Heidi}

* Heidi eventually accepted  what was happening and realised she had to be honest with herself.

* ‘I would go through days when I would throw a pity party for myself.’ {Heidi}

* Heidi could no longer focus on her social media and marketing and suffered greatly.

* ‘It is much easier to self promote when you are excited about what you are doing.’ {Heidi}

* Heidi soon came to the realisation that it was just work and it was time to cut herself some slack.

* ‘I was surviving instead of thriving.’ {Heidi}

* It took a year or so to get back into things, changing the way she worked and some of the techniques she uses.

* The best practical advice Heidi can share with you is to ensure you are insured especially if you live somewhere where there is no free healthcare, figure out how easy your products are to make in the case that you can’t, and try and have an emergency savings account to cover you through the hard times.

* Emotionally you need to stay positive. Heidi used to use physical exercise to find stress relief but now reads and listens to comedy to ensure she is laughing as often as possible.

* Having a supportive person and/or community is also very important for you emotions.

* ‘You can’t give up, you’re going to want to and there are going to be really bad days.’ {Heidi}

 

Download or Listen to This Episode

 

(You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher – just search ‘Create & Thrive’.)

Heidi Fahrenbacher is a ceramicist. She has faced some huge challenges in her business following a fall on some ice outside her studio.

No one knows the stress of facing injury while running a creative business better than Heidi. She makes a living full time from her ceramics so it was a huge deal when she fell and injured herself.

From business success to a painful path to recovery, facing chronic pain and surgery it took Heidi many years to get back on track, and the healing process is still ongoing.

Heidi and I discuss how she stayed positive through some of her hardest days, how she managed her frustration and got her business back on track.

If you have faced illness or injury, are currently on the road to recovery or would like to make sure you are prepared just in case, have a listen to this episode!

 

Quotes and highlights from this Episode:

* Heidi’s small business was going very well until in 2011 when she walked out of her studio and fell on some ice, knocking the wind from her. She thought she would be fine but soon noticed a numbness in her foot. She realised then that she had to get some medical advice.

* It took years before the doctors could find what was causing the pain Heidi was experiencing.

* Heidi had to undertake hip surgery and it was at that point she had to stop working.

* After recovering from surgery, 6 months later she started to feel numbness in her foot again and began physical therapy.

* ‘I was ready to quit ceramics.’ {Heidi}

* A foot doctor found that the bones in her feet weren’t aligned and were pinching a nerve. Finally she had found the source of the numbness!

* Heidi finally  was in the healing stages and it came down to waiting patently.

* ‘That kind of strain and stress can really bring you down.’ {Heidi}

* Heidi eventually accepted  what was happening and realised she had to be honest with herself.

* ‘I would go through days when I would throw a pity party for myself.’ {Heidi}

* Heidi could no longer focus on her social media and marketing and suffered greatly.

* ‘It is much easier to self promote when you are excited about what you are doing.’ {Heidi}

* Heidi soon came to the realisation that it was just work and it was time to cut herself some slack.

* ‘I was surviving instead of thriving.’ {Heidi}

* It took a year or so to get back into things, changing the way she worked and some of the techniques she uses.

* The best practical advice Heidi can share with you is to ensure you are insured especially if you live somewhere where there is no free healthcare, figure out how easy your products are to make in the case that you can’t, and try and have an emergency savings account to cover you through the hard times.

* Emotionally you need to stay positive. Heidi used to use physical exercise to find stress relief but now reads and listens to comedy to ensure she is laughing as often as possible.

* Having a supportive person and/or community is also very important for you emotions.

* ‘You can’t give up, you’re going to want to and there are going to be really bad days.’ {Heidi}

 

Download or Listen to This Episode

 

(You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher – just search ‘Create & Thrive’.)

Anna and Gareth began their business – Able and Game – after both realising they needed change from their existing projects.

They design and print unique greeting cards with a humorous and offbeat character to them, and their business is a brilliant example of succeeding via doing your own thing in your own style – even if it seems to take a while for people to ‘get’ what you do.

They began making greeting cards in 2009 and also illustrate for giftware, working together in their business and alongside their newest addition, their little boy, Clyde.

Anna and I discuss the ins and outs of running a business with your partner; how things change when you bring a baby into the picture; how they grew Able and Game into a success through a combo of hard work and brand positioning; and more.

Quotes and highlights from this Episode:

* Wholesale has grown to become Able & Game’s biggest sales venue, closely followed by Etsy and markets.

* They have found that their own inadequacies are their biggest challenges in running the business, especially the sales side of things.

* Trade shows such as Life In Style is where they have picked up most of their stockists.

* Word of mouth continues to be a huge influencer when it comes to sourcing stockists and customers.

* Early on in the business they had a shop call to say they had sold out and needed more! This is a stand out moment in the beginning of Able & Game.

* Anna and Gareth do their own printing and have done from the beginning which gives them a great advantage. It offers the ability for small batch printing and also more freedom with their designs.

* They have found Instagram to be a great marketing move along with staying visible through markets and trade shows.

* Face to face is an important part of their business, it is where they generate most of their feedback. Seeing the reactions people have to the illustrations is invaluable.

* ‘Have fun, because you often forget to.’ {Anna}

* Able & Game was a positive force, pulling Anna out of her ‘training wheels’ business and on to bigger and better things!

* The most important advice to take from this successful creative business is to ensure you have a web presence. If not a website, at least a facebook or instagram.

* You can find Able & Game at their website, Facebook or Instagram.

 

Download/Listen to this Episode

 

(You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher – just search ‘Create & Thrive’.)

Anna and Gareth began their business – Able and Game – after both realising they needed change from their existing projects.

They design and print unique greeting cards with a humorous and offbeat character to them, and their business is a brilliant example of succeeding via doing your own thing in your own style – even if it seems to take a while for people to ‘get’ what you do.

They began making greeting cards in 2009 and also illustrate for giftware, working together in their business and alongside their newest addition, their little boy, Clyde.

Anna and I discuss the ins and outs of running a business with your partner; how things change when you bring a baby into the picture; how they grew Able and Game into a success through a combo of hard work and brand positioning; and more.

Quotes and highlights from this Episode:

* Wholesale has grown to become Able & Game’s biggest sales venue, closely followed by Etsy and markets.

* They have found that their own inadequacies are their biggest challenges in running the business, especially the sales side of things.

* Trade shows such as Life In Style is where they have picked up most of their stockists.

* Word of mouth continues to be a huge influencer when it comes to sourcing stockists and customers.

* Early on in the business they had a shop call to say they had sold out and needed more! This is a stand out moment in the beginning of Able & Game.

* Anna and Gareth do their own printing and have done from the beginning which gives them a great advantage. It offers the ability for small batch printing and also more freedom with their designs.

* They have found Instagram to be a great marketing move along with staying visible through markets and trade shows.

* Face to face is an important part of their business, it is where they generate most of their feedback. Seeing the reactions people have to the illustrations is invaluable.

* ‘Have fun, because you often forget to.’ {Anna}

* Able & Game was a positive force, pulling Anna out of her ‘training wheels’ business and on to bigger and better things!

* The most important advice to take from this successful creative business is to ensure you have a web presence. If not a website, at least a facebook or instagram.

* You can find Able & Game at their website, Facebook or Instagram.

 

Download/Listen to this Episode

 

(You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher – just search ‘Create & Thrive’.)

Welcome to the 50th episode of the Create & Thrive Podcast!

 

This week I’m chatting with my friend – and our teacher for the new C&T course Brand Your Craft – Julie Gibbons from Tractor Girl.

Julie opened her Etsy shop in 2009 without putting any thought into her branding, and as a result her shop was not as successful as she hoped.

Julie went on to start her blog in 2011, and by interviewing other artists she quickly realised she wasn’t the only one who didn’t have good branding – and that a lot of people’s businesses were suffering from not having a strong, clear brand. Julie has gone on to specialise in visual branding – helping makers to craft strong brands for themselves.

In this episode she gives you 5 steps you can implement to make strides towards creating a stronger, better brand for your handmade business.

Enjoy!

Quotes and highlights from this Episode:

* 1. Graphic Design is important.

* Alignment – don’t make things messy or in different sizes as it can be distracting.

* You want to present something neat and easy to look at.

* Think about contrast especially for important links.

* Negative space is your friend – don’t feel you have to fill every space with content.

* 2. You don’t need a logo.

* Your logo is not your brand – your brand is about conveying a mood.

* You don’t even need to think about a logo until you have your branding sorted.

* ‘A logo is not the basis of your brand.’ {Julie}

* 3. Set parameters. 

* You need to set yourself a game plan and some parameters.

* ‘If you have too much choice it can stop you from doing anything because you just don’t know which direction to go.’ {Jess}

* Who are you and what do you want to project?

* Who is your ideal customer?

* What is your product?

* Once you have these fundamentals you can find the mood you want to encompass in your brand.

* 4. Give yourself time.

* Your brand will evolve over time and develop naturally.

* ‘Don’t be afraid to take people on the journey and tell them the story of why.’ {Jess}

* 5. Learn your brand back to front.

* In order to be able to explain your brand to people you need to know it inside and out.

* Get your peers to look at your visual branding and provide constructive feedback.

* ‘Everyone has the ability to learn good design basics.’ {Julie}

* FURTHER LEARNING: Julie and I are running an eCourse on this very subject! Visit Brand Your Craft (This site/resource is no longer available) for more information.

* You can find Julie at her website (This site/resource is no longer available), Facebook or Instagram.

 

Download/Listen to this Episode

 

 

(You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher – just search ‘Create & Thrive’.)