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The Create & Thrive Podcast episodes
- 10 Ways to Improve your Product Photos [261]Product photos are KEY when you want to successfully sell your handmade goods online.
But so many people struggle to create excellent photos of their work.
Today, I share 10 simple tips that will help you to take your product photos to the next level, and make them truly click-worthy!
You can listen to this podcast below, or on your fave podcast app – or you can watch it on YouTube!
Watch on YouTube…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
Listen Now20 min - How to grow a super-successful jewellery school with Jessica Rose [260]Today I interview my English counterpart – we joked in the episode that we are the same person who took different paths!
Award-winning entrepreneur and Jewellery business expert Jessica Rose is the founder and Director of the London Jewellery School and Jewellers Academy.
Jessica set up LJS aged just 21 in 2009 with only one class a month from a community hall in South London.
The school grew and has trained over 20,000 students with classes running 7 days a week, making it Europe’s largest jewellery training centre.
In 2018 Jessica founded Jewellers Academy, providing online training in jewellery and business offering individual courses as well as Diploma programmes and the infamous Jewellery Business Bootcamp.
In this episode, she shares how she got started with jewellery making, and what motivated her to pivot to teaching rather than just making.
You can listen to this episode below, or on your fave podcasting app!
When you sell online, you simply cannot afford to have anything less than stellar photos of your work.The Create & Thrive Guide to Product Photography has been written for the beginner-to-intermediate product photographer.
Written by a professional photographer, specifically for makers with little photography experience, this e-book will teach you all you need to know to get started on your product photography journey.
Find out more...Listen to this episode…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
Listen NowHighlights from this episode:- After a year selling her pieces, Jess R created a series of six beginner jewellery making lessons which quickly filled. To meet demand, Jess R recruited freelance jewellers to run courses she could not teach and steadily grew her classes to create the London Jewellery School.
- Whilst the school is currently closed due to COVID-19, it has seen over 40,000 students in its classes and has transitioned to online classes at the Jewellers Academy.
- As her courses grew, Jess R reduced her in-person teaching and focus her time and energy on building her business and teaching online classes.
- “The nice thing…as the business grows you get to choose what you want to do. You don’t have to do everything” {Jess R}
- If you are facilitating classes, have a clear lesson plan/flow and outcomes for what the students will have made/learned by the end of the session.
- Consider whether your lesson/session will be live or online.
- “Marketing your class online is about 50% of the work” {Jess R}
- Both Jess R and Jess V set up Facebook groups to support their online learning classes. This allows for peer supported learning and builds strong communities.
- Jess R started building her online classes by challenging herself to create one YouTube video a week making something and learning. This allowed her to learn what shots, content and edits worked well and made scaling up to using a film crew easier.
- Live courses can sometimes be difficult for beginners as they may not know terminology/techniques/tools.
- Jess R discusses a basic technical setup needed for filming including audio and visual elements.
- “The things that are obvious to you are not always obvious to a beginner” {Jess R}
- If possible, two camera angles are helpful—a wide shot and a close up. This provides students with additional information.
- Provide students with exact measurements and dimensions.
- Cover all health and safety aspects at the start of the class and in course notes.
- “Just be yourself. People will gravitate towards you or they won’t. It’s an underrated marketing tool—share yourself, who you are and your personality” {Jess V}
- Check out Jess’s Jewellers Academy!
55 min - Etsy Fees Explained [259]Etsy fees got you gnashing your teeth in frustration?
They may seem complicated, but in this video/podcast, I break every single fee down so you can get clear – once and for all – what Etsy is going to be charging you to sell on the platform.
I also give you a few examples of what my OWN Etsy fees are, so you can see what they look like when all added up.
Is Etsy really too expensive? Or is it one of the most affordable platforms out there?
Etsy Fee Source Document: https://www.etsy.com/au/legal/fees/
To work out your own fees, use the link above plus the Etsy Payments page: https://www.etsy.com/au/legal/etsy-payments
You can listen to this podcast below, or on your fave podcast app – or you can watch it on youtube!
Watch on YouTube…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
Listen Now23 min - How to manage your money when you’re self-employed [258]When you are self-employed, you REALLY have to manage your cashflow and budget.
I’ve been self-employed for over a decade (and I also employ my husband full-time) so I have had to work out smart ways to manage our money so that we can pay the bills (both personal and business), save for taxes and retirement, put money aside for home maintenance, travel, and other longer-term expenses, and have money for fun stuff, too!
In this video I’m sharing the EXACT system we use to manage our finances – and I reference 2 books that you’ll find super-helpful if you’re trying to work out your own money management system.
You can listen to this podcast below, or on your fave podcast app – or you can watch it on youtube!
Brand your CraftDoes your handmade business have a strong brand identity?Or are you just treating your creations like commodities – trying to compete on price, and failing to stand out in a crowded marketplace?
Creating a strong, unique brand identity is fundamentally important if you want to make your business stand out from the others in your niche.
FIND OUT MOREWatch on YouTube…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
Listen Now29 min - Should you bother posting daily to Instagram? [257]Should you bother posting to Instagram daily?
Is it really going to increase your followers, reach, and engagement?
I decided to put this to the test on both of my business Instagram accounts in February: @epheriell @createandthrive
So – what happened? Did I get more people engaging with my account?
And most importantly – did it result in more sales?
I also ran this experiment in my membership community for makers – ThriverCircle.com – and I share some of my students’ results, too.
You can listen to this podcast below, or on your fave podcast app – or you can watch it on YouTube!
Watch on YouTube…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
Listen NowListen on the Podcast17 min - 5 Books That Will Make you More Productive [256]Today I’m sharing 5 books that have made me more productive, and that I hope will do the same for you.
These are my favourite productivity/time management/business books, and I’ll be giving you an outline of what’s inside each one, as well as my fave takeaways from each book.
You can listen to this podcast below, or on your fave podcast app – or you can watch it on youtube!
Brand your CraftDoes your handmade business have a strong brand identity?Or are you just treating your creations like commodities – trying to compete on price, and failing to stand out in a crowded marketplace?
Creating a strong, unique brand identity is fundamentally important if you want to make your business stand out from the others in your niche.
FIND OUT MOREWatch on YouTube…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
Listen Now29 min - Pivoting from Markets to Selling OOAK Online with Upswitch [255]Michael Hanley of Upswitch has had a lifelong fascination with old ‘stuff’ that has been made redundant by ever-changing technology and been condemned to the scrapheap.
With Upswitch, he has turned this fascination into a passion: reclaiming otherwise unloved items and giving them new life, in the form of lamps and lighting.
In this interview, I ask Michael to share why he started selling his creations; how COVID has affected what was a primarily market/show-driven business model; how he balances work and a young child; and what marketing channels have worked best to grow his business.You can listen to this episode below, or on your fave podcasting app!
Do you want to learn how to set up your own online craft shop and get it right, first time?
Want access to a proven system that over 1,000 makers have used to set up a stellar online shop?Check out my flagship course – Set Up Shop
Click Here to Find Out MoreListen to this episode…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
Highlights from this episode:- Michael has always enjoyed tinkering with repurposed materials and began to focus on lamps and lighting. He spent the first two years of his business teaching guitar as his day job and transitioned to Upswitch full time in his third year.
- Prior to the pandemic, Michael regularly sold at markets. This generated repeat sales and wholesale orders.
- All of Michael’s pieces are one of a kind and are created around a found, central item such as an old telephone or microscope.
- Customers will bring Michael special items to create lamps or request specific items. This allows Michael the opportunity to experiment with objects he may not have otherwise used and collaborate with the customer.
- “That’s the most exciting and fun part for me—finding new things to create into lamps. Because once you start to work on it, you’re just looking at everything and wondering how it could become a lamp and whether it would work” {Michael}
- Michael’s work peaks and troughs—around markets he will spend around 8 hours a day preparing. At other times, he can take days off to spend with his family.
- A regular day for Michael consists of approximately 2-3 hours of admin a day, 3-4 making and additional time for packing and travel.
- Shipping presents unique challenges for Michael with online sales. Due to the unique nature of his creations, it is difficult to predict his postage requirements.
- Jess and Michael discuss the challenges of postage rates and setting prices for your work.
- “It does always surprise me what some people are willing to pay—if they really want something, they will pay the shipping for it.” {Jess}
- By increasing the price of his creations to include the cost of postage, Michael saw an increase of sales.
- “We are the creative engines behind our businesses so it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the one part of the business we can’t really outsource to someone else” {Jess}
- Check out Michael’s work at Upswitch.
1 hr 6 min - 10 Etsy shop tweaks for more sales (that you might not have thought of). [254]I’ve got 10 awesome Etsy shop tweaks for you in today’s video & podcast.
These are all things I’ve learnt from my own experience, from that of thousands of my students over the years, and from working with Etsy themselves.
I have a bunch of videos on my YouTube channel that teach you in-depth aspects of succeeding on Etsy (SEO, Photography, etc – look for the Etsy U section).
But today, I wanted to share ten smaller tweaks that you could do quickly in order to improve your shop – things you may not have thought about or focussed on before, but that could have a big impact on your views, sales, and customer satisfaction.
You can listen to this podcast below, or on your fave podcast app – or you can watch it on youtube!
Watch on YouTube…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
Listen Now22 min - Candles, COVID, and Working with Family – with Annie White-Brown [253]Annie’s business has flourished in the last year – and today she shares how making skincare for her young daughter morphed into a hugely successful candle business.
When her first daughter was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, she turned to natural remedies to help her after she had a severe skin breakout due to a number of surgeries.
Her blends of essential oils, herbs, and natural butters were what finally got her daughter some relief and this was how her business was born.
Eventually, at a market, people kept asking her for candles that smelt as good as her skincare – and a new business direction was born.
In this episode we discuss evolving your business, hiring family (and non-family!), the impact of COVID on handmade business, how Instagram has helped Annie’s business grow, and what happens when you get featured by Etsy!
You can listen to this episode below, or on your fave podcasting app!
When you sell online, you simply cannot afford to have anything less than stellar photos of your work.The Create & Thrive Guide to Product Photography has been written for the beginner-to-intermediate product photographer.
Written by a professional photographer, specifically for makers with little photography experience, this e-book will teach you all you need to know to get started on your product photography journey.
Find out more...Listen to this episode…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
Highlights from this episode:- After her first daughter was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, Annie began making skincare, bath and body products to provide her daughter with relief after surgeries.
- Annie continued to study and experiment with natural ingredients and began to sell her products on Etsy in 2015.
- After selling at a Brooklyn market one weekend, Annie had numerous customers asking if her bath and body products
- “The value you get out of these shows, sometimes you don’t even realise it in that moment. We would go to these shows and not sell a single candle. But the feedback we got from customers was valuable” {Annie} 7:02
- Markets are a fantastic research tools to see what people look at and what questions they ask. This information can assist you in shaping your business.
- As sales for her candles grew and became the primary revenue stream of her business, Annie made the decision to phase out her skincare, bath and body products. As this was the origin of her business, this process took a year to enact.
- 2020 saw NaturalAnnie Essentials grow significantly and Annie moving to a new studio in November.
- This provided Annie and her family with a clear separation between home and work which they are all enjoying.
- Around 50% of Annie’s website traffic comes from Instagram. She has spent significant time refining her Instagram and experimenting with what engages best with her customers.
- Annie began selling on Etsy and now also has her own website.
- “Having to drive traffic to my own website for me was a struggle in the beginning. I just didn’t know how to get them over there…social media really helped in that area” {Annie} 21:30
- Annie’s Etsy sales began to significantly slow and she seriously considering shutting her shop. Early in 2020 Annie invested time into updating her listing and tags in small chunks such as 2 per day.
- “It’s constantly re-evaluating what’s working. Etsy is a long-term game” Annie {22.21}
- After being featured in an Etsy newsletter, Annie’s sales skyrocketed with over 500 sales in the following weekend.
- Annie has used Faire to assist with wholesaling.
- Check out Annie’s work at her website: Natural Annie Essentials.
50 min - 20 Instagram Post Ideas (for Handmade and Product-Based Businesses) [252]Do you struggle with what to post to Instagram?
I’ve definitely felt that way in the past… but today I want to make your life a heck of a lot easier and give you 20 ideas for types of posts you can share on your instagram feed!
This list is specifically tailored to handmade and product-based businesses – and it will help you overcome that dreaded ‘I don’t know what to post’ feeling.
Also! If you want more help with your handmade biz insta feed, make sure to come and join me in February for the 30-day Instagram Challenge!
I’m running this challenge inside my membership community for makers, the Thriver Circle.
During the challenge, I will:- Encourage you to post to IG EVERY DAY for 30 days
- Give you daily tips and advice on ways to elevate your Instagram game
- Give you at LEAST 10 more post ideas
- Be there to answer your IG questions every weekday
You’ll also get a secret challenge hashtag that will allow you to scope out what your fellow challenge-ees are posting so you can follow and support each other!
I’ll be doing the challenge right alongside you on not just one, but 2 instagram accounts.
Why 30 days? To see if posting more regularly has an impact on your Instagram reach and effectiveness as a marketing tool, and to help you get into the groove with the platform.
The challenge starts February 1st!
Find out more now: ThriverCircle.com/igchallenge
You can listen to this podcast below, or on your fave podcast app – or you can watch it on youtube!
Watch on YouTube…Support the showYou can make a secure donation (of the amount of your choice) via the Paypal button below.
Each donation helps cover the cost of hosting, show-note writing, research, interviewing, recording, editing, etc. etc.
In short – it helps to cover the time and financial costs of putting together a free weekly show to help you grow your handmade business.
You can also:
- Leave a review on the C&T FB page.
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Join the Thriver Circle – without the members of the Circle, this podcast would not be possible.
37 min
About The Create & Thrive Podcast
From the publisher's feed
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