The Create & Thrive Podcast

On this week’s Podcast I chatted to Camila Prada – who we have featured on the blog before as one of our Success Stories.  Her ceramic jars and mugs have personalities all of their own and she has made a successful handmade business from her unique designs.

Camila started as an artist and sculptor at Uni but soon turned to design when she moved to the UK to pursue a Masters in Ceramic Design.

After working for a large company, Rosenthal, as a freelance designer, Camila learned a lot about royalties and the business side of her work and after they had a change in the company structure, she decided to go it alone with her own designs and creations.

All her time with a big company has informed her decisions about where to take her creative business and she has always been interested in using a platform like Kickstarter as a way to grow her business.

She has words of wisdom for other Creatives who might want to go down this path:

“People who haven’t done a Kickstarter before might think that it’s about making money and it’s really not. You have to supply something for every single pledge.”

Listen in for all the gems of wisdom from Camila and her experience with running a successful Kickstarter.

Love the show? You can show your support by:

* Leaving a review on the C&T FB page.

* Leaving a review on iTunes.

* Donating a few dollars towards the costs of producing the pod.

* Joining the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.

 

 

Quotes and Highlights from this Episode:

* Camila’s (now closed) Kickstarter Campaign.

* “I loved the course and I learned so many things and fell in love with industrial ceramics which is the overlap of industrial design and creative design” {Camila}

* Making money as a freelancer can be hard since it’s like running your own business and working for someone else at the same time.

* “The common tension between artists and companies is that they wanted me to present my works in a certain way and they wanted me to make changes that I thought were not the way that I wanted them to be.” {Camila}

* Kickstarter is all about projects and products and it has a designer undertone.

* It can help you build an audience (note that they won’t promote your campaign for you) and you have the opportunity to have a big launch using their platforms.

* It helps to build a connection with your community that you can’t always get in other ways.

* It can bring in new people.

* If you don’t know if there will be the interest for your product then Kickstarter can be a great way to test the waters.

* If it works then you have the money to go ahead; if it doesn’t then you know there wasn’t enough interest and you don’t have to go ahead with it.

* It’s a way of mitigating risk in your business.

* To do a campaign you have to get really clear about what your goals are and it’s easy for those things to fall by the wayside when you’r...

Whether you’ve been a creative business owner for only a short time or you’re a veteran seller, you’ve been touched by those who copy your work and pass it off as their own.

Some of us have been directly affected while others have watched friends and other crafty biz owners get upset or frustrated when their designs appear to have been lifted or not attributed to them properly.

I’ve had customers and friends contact me when they thought there was a business copying my designs (for which I’m thankful – it shows they care!). I’ve looked at those shops and thought they looked eerily similar to mine.

Do you know what I did?

I clicked away and never thought about those shops again.

There are ways to deal with copycatting and it’s always on a case by case basis. For me, I didn’t want to waste my time chasing someone who may have been copying my work when I could be focussing my passion on my own business and my loyal customers. I’m thankful to those people who brought it to my attention – because it shows they care. But my choice was not to engage with the copycats.

There are three types of people who copy you and your reaction is going to be different in each instance:

* DIYers or Pinterest pinners

* Another business like you

* Corporations

There are ways to deal with each of these types of people or businesses when you think they may be copying your work and I discuss them in some detail in this week’s instalment.

If you are having a problem with copycats, listen in for my advice on how to approach it and protect your business, reputation and sanity.

Love the show? You can show your support by:

* Leaving a review on the C&T FB page.

* Leaving a review on iTunes.

* Donating a few dollars towards the costs of producing the pod.

* Joining the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.

 

 

 

Quotes and Highlights from this Episode:

* Copying is a touchy subject, especially in the handmade community

* A DIYer or a pinner may share your work and would say something like ‘I’d love to make this’ or blog post about how to make a particular thing.

* Our first instinct is instant reaction against it and that’s ok and normal.

* People who will copy and make your items for personal use will never be your customer.

* If you see somebody sharing your work without attribution – jump on and say “so glad you liked my design, here’s my website.”

* e.g. A member of the Thriver Circle had a photo posted on another person’s account without attribution. The Circle advised them to jump on there and say thanks for sharing and post her own website of where to buy it.

* “Nobody likes negativity, so take the high road and know it’s not going to hurt your business if you take the right path”.

* If it’s another business like you, don’t ever accuse someone of copying your work unless you are absolutely sure.

* Approach them privately and personally and be friendly and positive but ask why it seems that they are copying your designs.

* Tell them you’ve noticed this happening and document the times and dates and give examples. If you’re 100% sure that they are copying you – then you should be able to find clear examples.

It’s so important to be your best self when you’re selling your wares at a market or show. Often people make some big mistakes in how they present themselves and engage with their potential customer.

Kath and I talk about this very issue in this month’s Conversation podcast.

Kath has around 15 years of retail experience – including selling at many markets. Her training from larger chain stores has meant that she knows the tried and tested techniques we discuss to ensure a great customer experience.

We discuss her two pet peeves:

* Sitting down all day at your stall

* Not acknowledging your customer

And many more do’s and don’ts.

The most important part about the customer experience is that they leave your stall feeling like they were valued and that you were interested in what they had to say.

With these simple tips, you’ll be selling like a pro in no time!

Love the show? You can show your support by:

* Leaving a review on the C&T FB page.

* Leaving a review on iTunes.

* Donating a few dollars towards the costs of producing the pod.

* Joining the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.

Quotes and Highlights from this Episode:

* Dress to impress but suit your brand aesthetic.

* Smile or at least look like you’re enjoying being at the event.

* If at all possible, don’t sit down. If you absolutely have to, only sit when customers aren’t around and stand when you see someone close to your stall.

* Don’t read, play on your phone, or work on a project which is ‘all consuming’.

* No need to be someone you’re not!

* Choose something you genuinely like about their appearance and say out loud what you’re already thinking.

* Don’t ever lie, or bend the truth.

* “You can lose a sale, but you’ll keep the customer by being honest.” {Kath}

* People flock to where there are other people and often will come over to see what everyone else is looking at.

* Tidy your stall from the customer side of the table.

* Chat to your neighbour but stop immediately if a customer comes over (and flag this with your neighbours beforehand).

* Instead of reading or knitting, try discreetly writing info down about the customers who approach your stall to use this as ‘ideal customer’ info.

* Have business cards, your brand name on your bags and anything else which will help the customer remember you when they get home.

* “Verbally tell your customers which social media platforms you’re on if appropriate.” {Kath}

* Ask customers to sign up for your mailing list.

Download/Listen to this Episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes +

This is the very first of my series of Q&A Podcasts where you get to ask me your tricksy business questions and I’ll give you my best answers.

We had four questions from three Thrivers for this episode:

*

How do you choose a specific product to sell; or, if you have too much variety in your shop?

*

How do you prioritise the tasks that need to be done?

*

How do you get confident in marketing your business?

*

What actions on social media actually convert to sales and where is your time best spent?

There are so many things to chat about around these subjects and I go into some detail for each of them!

If you would like to ask me a question, I would love to hear from you!

Simply comment on this post below or email me with your business conundrum.

Love the show? You can show your support by:

* Leaving a review on the C&T FB page.

* Leaving a review on iTunes.

* Donating a few dollars towards the costs of producing the pod.

* Joining the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.

 

 

Quotes and Highlights from this Episode:

* You need to pick one thing OR one style of thing you want to sell online and stick with that.

* You can have lots of different things but you need to make sure that everything fits together.

* OR pick one thing and do it really really well.

* “If you want to make a business and make a profit from it, step back from it as a hobby and put your business brain on and make it a business”.

* There is always more that you should/could be doing and you need to make peace with that.

* 20% of your effort gives you 80% of results – what’s your 20%?

* Think about this goal and then think about what steps you need to take to achieve that goal.

* BOOK: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey.

* If you’re getting distracted by phone notifications then put them out of reach or turn them off to keep you focused.

* Usually we procrastinate instead of having a proper rest – get out and read, sit outside, go for a walk with your kids or something which isn’t work related. Don’t just check all your social media!

* We struggle because we think marketing and selling is icky or sleazy and we don’t feel comfortable.

* “Human beings thrive on stories. They are everywhere. They are an essential part of the human experience. All you need to do is work out what your story is and how it relates to your customer, how they will relate to it and the best way to tell it.”

* You have to make that shift from talking ABOUT yourself to telling your story TO your customer.

* Get strong on your brand and your story will help you to grow your confidence around marketing your business.

* The most important thing you can do is spend time getting your photographs looking amazing.

Some people may feel daunted by the prospect of starting a handmade business in which 95% of the sales are to wholesale buyers.

There’s a lot to know, and it’s important to keep your relationships with current and potential retailers secure.

Figuring out your pricing to include all those elusive overheads is truly one of the major pieces of the puzzle; along with having a stellar catalogue and knowing how to get your name and products ‘out there’.

Melanie Augustin, from jewellery brand Kimono Reincarnate, sits down with me in this episode to talk about how she jumped into wholesaling headfirst and the lessons she has learned along the way.

There are always ups and downs to owning any creative business and Melanie generously shares her successes and failures with me.

 

Love the show? You can show your support by:

* Leaving a review on the C&T FB page.

* Leaving a review on iTunes.

* Donating a few dollars towards the costs of producing the pod.

* Joining the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible. 

 

Quotes and highlights from this episode:

* “Some days it’s almost like the business part and the creative part of me are pulling against each other, and you really have to accept that.” {Melanie}

* A lot of crafters who craft for fun often think they can turn things into a business but it’s really a different mindset and a different way to think about things.

* Make sure you know how much you can make in a specific time frame to figure out if you need to factor in staff or other help to get your orders filled.

* Find a business partner or think about hiring help if you find the accounting side of your business too scary.

* Trade fairs can be great places to pick up new business but they aren’t essential for you to step into wholesale.

* Trade fairs are completely different to a retail craft market as people are less likely to want to chat and are there for business.

* Make sure you have a catalogue which makes it easy for buyers to choose and order efficiently.

* “I wish I could just create all day and I think that’s what people think but there’s a lot just sitting there and marketing and online business.” {Melanie}

* “We all make mistakes with our pricing in the beginning. When you have a lot of orders, you can sit there and think, I’m not earning enough money for this!” {Jess}

* Make sure you maintain a good relationship with your buyers as it’s easier to sell to the same customer rather than get a new customer.

* Don’t be so worried about work/life balance on a daily basis as you will find that it evens out over the course of the year.

* “I’m now strict about not working weekends except in those last three months of the year” {Melanie}

* “Before my daughter was in school, I would go into studio lock-down for days on end and that worked really well because then I could take the time I wanted. Now I have my daughter’s schedule with school hours, I have to adjust.

There are so many things to consider when you’re growing a business.

But today, I’m not talking about things that you ‘do’ – I’m talking about qualities you embody. I think sometimes people fail not because they’re doing the wrong things… but because they’ve got an unskillful mindset.

Thankfully, I also believe that our mindset can change – we just have to have enough awareness to uncover our current tendencies, and then work on changing any that aren’t serving us.

In this episode, I’ve summed up what I believe are 5 absolutely non-negotiable elements of being successful. I call them ‘The 5 P’s of Successful Business.’

What are the 5 P’s?

I believe that to succeed in business, you must be positive, passionate, proactive, patient, and pragmatic.

I go into detail about each of these qualities in the podcast, and you can read a few highlights below. There are some really useful resources below, too, so make sure to check them out!

Enjoy

When you sell to a customer online compared to a retail setting, some biz owners can forget that there is a real living and breathing person at the other end of the transaction – a person who wants to connect with you as the maker.

Learning from your own experiences and stepping into your customers’ shoes is one of the best ways to check your process. Make sure that you would be happy to receive the attention and care that you show to your own customers.

It may seem hard – the internet can leave us feeling faceless and disconnected from each other – but it is actually easy to give excellent customer service and showcase your brand and style even though you aren’t meeting face to face.

The key is to get a little open and vulnerable – to share a little bit of your truth – which will help your customer to connect with you as a real person.

Love the show? You can show your support by:

* Leaving a review on the C&T FB page.

* Leaving a review on iTunes.

* Donating a few dollars towards the costs of producing the pod.

* Joining the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible. 

 

 

Being upfront by communicating your policies, where their order is in your queue, showing a little of your own personality and just being a kind and informative person will result in you having a smooth and enjoyable transaction.

Ensure you have a handle on these important aspects of your sales process and you’ll turn a buyer into a brand ambassador who will tell everyone they meet about you and your business.

This episode is the first of our monthly ‘Conversation’ podcasts – where Kath and I get together to riff on a topic. Prepare yourself for a dose of advice punctuated by goofy laughter!

 

Quotes and highlights from this episode:

* Be authentic to build your reputation

* Tell your story in your communications. Read: The Fortune Cookie Principle by Bernadette Jiwa

* Over-communicate rather than under-communicate

* Have your policies very clear on your website

* “Policies and FAQs prevent a lot of issues before they happen – and if not, they are there for you to fall back on.” {Jess}

* Set your own boundaries

* Don’t ever lie (Jess tells a tale of something that happened to her husband Nick to illustrate this point)

* Try to empathise with your customer and put yourself in their shoes

* “It can be hard to stick to your guns sometimes when a customer is upset and they want you to do something that’s contrary to your policies.” {Jess}

* With returns or problems, never get on the defensive

* You can’t keep 100% of the customers happy 100% of the time.

* If you feel like you’ve done everything you possibly can, and you’ve followed your own policies then you can feel confident that you’ve done the best you can for your customer

* BUT if you want to do something different just for them, do it!

* “Action can really extinguish the flames of anger which can come with poor customer service” {Kath}

* All your marketing and promotion is part of your tapestry of your brand

We all face challenges when starting a business or even further along the track when we are attempting to grow and change.

I know I still get a little bit of fear when I launch a new product, publish a post or start a new project.

What’s the key to knowing what’s holding you back?

There are four main elements which may make you feel like you can’t get started or that you are unable to take the next step:

* Knowledge: You can’t possibly know all there is to know about owning a business and the truth is, often you don’t even know what knowledge you might need.

* Time: We all have the same 24 hours in every day but we also have different circumstances.

* Money: Not everyone has a bunch of money to invest into a business but others may have significant capital right from the start.

* Fear: This is the most significant hurdle in achieving your goals, whether it be the fear of failure or the fear of success.

What changes can we make in our lives which can overcome these problems? How can we be kinder to ourselves to ensure we feel confident enough to realise our dreams?

There will be failures and there will probably be a few of them but that doesn’t mean ‘we’ are a failure. Just like learning to ride a bike, you fall off a few times before you get the hang of it and each time you fall, you dust yourself off and get back on and try again.

 

Love the show? You can show your support by:

* Leaving a review on the C&T FB page.

* Leaving a review on iTunes.

* Donating a few dollars towards the costs of producing the pod.

* Joining the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.

 

Similarly, there will be successes! Own them and be proud of yourself and feel deserving of those wins. You can be a huge success whilst still staying humble and thankful.

Accept that you are in total control of your own life and your creative biz and you can make the changes necessary to be successful.

Quotes and highlights from this episode:

* ‘There were times when I thought, I’m never going to figure anything out’

* Having people to talk to – like a mentor or group – is the best place to learn.

* The info is out there, it’s really about having a filter.

* You CAN break out of the lifestyle you have created for yourself and you can create something different.

* There are a lot of time-wasting things we do. Figure out what they are, stop wasting them and let yourself be goal-centered on how you spend those pockets of time.

* It’s never been easier than it is now to make money from your creativity.

* You need to spend one or the other – you need to spend time or money. You need to decide what you have more of to spend.

* The most important thing that holds you back is fear.

* Are you being positive or are you telling yourself negative thoughts?

* “You can be confident and humble at the same time.”

* “You will fail and you will fail a lot and you’ll do it over and over and that is OK.”

* Don’t be scared of doing things because you think you won’t be ...

 

How do you go about the transition from working for someone else to running your own business full-time?

It’s not something that happens overnight and it’s the result of a lot of hard work and patience.

Patience is a huge part of business ownership and we often become obsessed with the idea of knowing and doing it all now.

However, the path to success is not just a waiting game; it requires dedication and commitment along with hours of work in many areas of discipline.

Anna Anagno chats to me in this episode about her journey from worker to maker and how she made the change over time and with a lot of thought and organisation.

 

Love the show? You can show your support by:

* Leaving a review on the C&T FB page.

* Leaving a review on iTunes.

* Donating a few dollars towards the costs of producing the pod.

* Joining the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.

 

One Happy Leaf also grew from Anna’s strong feeling of connection to nature and the environment and her business name reflects this. Her feeling that her  business was a more authentic reflection of herself than her corporate job was made her feel comfortable in her shift to business owner, as she was very bonded to her art.

“I would go on these really cool walks and I felt more ‘me’ rather than the corporate ‘me’ that was working 9-5.” {Anna}

In a world where everything is online, fast-paced and energetic, it’s important to continue to stay true to your vision and yourself when running your own creative business.

 

Quotes and highlights from this episode

* Be your authentic self and it will shine through in your business.

* Trust your instincts with your own business and follow a path that you believe in.

* Patience is the key to going full-time with your business – it won’t happen overnight.

* “Successes don’t happen overnight and I realised that I couldn’t have it all right now.” {Anna}

* Googling can help you answer a lot of your questions in the beginning, especially if you have time on your side.

* Be prepared to learn more.

* If you feel like you’re in the ‘deep end’ with any part of your biz, ask for help.

* Knowing when to spend money or seek help can definitely be a trial and error exercise.

* Work hard so you can play hard later but make sure you do get some downtime.

* “You’re in that real development stage where you want to push your business forward and you’re at a stage where it’s OK to do that and really harness the passion and the energy while you’ve got it. But it’s also really important to take time out… I see it as a really dynamic flux” {Jess}

* Setting annual goals which you view daily is important to keeping you on track and focussed on your game plan.

* Photography and SEO are super important for any business.

* “Screw it, let’s do it!” {Anna quoting Richard Branson}

 

 

Download This Episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes +

Welcome to the Create & Thrive Podcast!

In this pre-episode, I share my story – how I went from studying science, and being super un-crafty, to today,  where I run my successful handmade business – Epheriell – as well as teaching here at Create & Thrive.

It was quite an accidental journey, really – and the turning point happened on a Fijian Island in 2008. Before then, I wasn’t at all ‘crafty’ – I was a teacher and an academic (I have 3 Bachelors Degrees that I earnt over 6 years… because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life!) and while I liked my job well enough, I always felt like there was something else I’d rather be doing.

Fast-forward to today, where I’m lucky enough to be doing exactly what I want to be doing – and living a life of immense freedom and satisfaction – and doing good work that I enjoy and am proud of that helps people and makes the world a little bit shinier.

So, how did I get from nerdy science kid to creative businesswoman?

 

Love the show? You can show your support by:

* Leaving a review on the C&T FB page.

* Leaving a review on iTunes.

* Donating a few dollars towards the costs of producing the pod.

* Joining the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.

 

Download This Episode

 

You can also subscribe to the podcast and listen to this episode on iTunes + Stitcher)