Welcome into episode 06 of the maker’s space my friends. I hope you have had a good week. I have had a good week with not great things happening. I have been able to get some things done but then had issues with a broken furnace and other stuff. Ultimately, we just live in a broken world and it can be a challenge. We have to do things to get or stay positive.

Trying to get positive has not been a normal issue for me until the last few years. I have mentioned, previously, that we adopted a sibling group a few years ago and they all have their struggles but then 2020 came along and magnified those struggles. When you are just getting used to a new “normal” and then that normal is suddenly taken away, there is only so much free time you can have. Routine is stability for so many, including our children. Without it, they came unglued.

I joke about being a unicorn farting glitter because I have always been optimistic. I had believed that things will always work out somehow. What I discovered in the last few years was that my positive outlook could not prepare me for adopting three children with HUGE trauma issues. We were ill equipped and quickly became overwhelmed. It took a toll on me mentally and I had to relearn how to be positive again. All while building an online business. 

Here are the things I do to keep positive when negative tries to creep in. Hope it encourages you.

00:00 - Introduction

With a private community created on Circle.so we are able to keep out trolls and control the environment. Sign up today for a 14 day trial of the Maker’s Space Community when you go to  thevirtualstreetmarket.com.

I know in episode 4 I said we were going to start getting into some crafty parts of the business but I had such a great time interviewing Jonathan Wall of The Build Hub that I didn’t want to wait to share it. Jonathan is a wealth of knowledge with 20 years in digital marketing.

He is a web designer who has recently launched a course specific to those building an online business.

With modules like “Building Your Audience”, “Pricing” and “Map Your Customer Journey” I didn’t want you to miss the opportunity to jump on this course. It is still in the beginning stages so the price is amazing but it won’t stay that way for long. With everything going on in a mom’s life, we realize that building the business yourself may not be in the cards. That’s ok too. We will link resources available that can help you with creating and marketing your shop.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chat with Jonathan as he shares some great tips to getting your stuff seen!

Timestamp Outline

After asking one of our youngest kids how mom’s could keep their children occupied while they worked, I decided to bring Isaiah on the podcast. From his perspective, we should sugar them up and have them play video games.

As much joy as he brings to my life and this particular episode, I have added some ACTUAL ideas that worked when I was raising him and his brothers. Well…mostly. Truth be told there were times when I just handed them off to Dad when he got home from work and then I drove to Hobby Lobby.

But here are 14 things I came up with to try. Hope they help!

Hope you have a great week!

This episode Sponsored by The Virtual Street Market.  

After an opportunity presented itself during 2020, our family took a repurposed trailer and started networking. We moved to a completely rural area but within no time, we were famous for the shaved ice coming out of the bright colored, old Forester RV. 

In sales and marketing, the blue-prints are the same, it's just the environment that changes. So whether you are selling hand crafted jewelry from an online store or shaved ice out of a repurposed trailer, I hope our experience encourages you in YOUR business!

With all of the amazing platforms available to online sellers, two stand out above the crowd. But which one is the better place to house a craft shop? I take a deeper dive into Shopify and WooCommerce to determine which is the better choice.

Do you have a favorite? Let me know if you are already in a platform and what you like or don't like about it!

I even share a thought that may surprise you!

This episode is sponsored by The Virtual Street Market where we are helping crafters build a successful online business by providing a community and resources to support in the journey.

With a private community created on Circle.so we are able to keep out trolls and control the environment. Sign up today for a 14 day trial of the Maker’s Space Community when you go to  thevirtualstreetmarket.com.

Lately, I have come to realize that there are so many amazing people with six and seven figure businesses and listening to their podcasts I began to wonder what I was doing wrong. When I stopped to answer a text from a teacher or confirm an appointment email before going back to the podcast, it dawned on me... everyone I am listening to either -

None of these are bad but definitely not where I am.

I kept beating myself up thinking I need a new way to manage time or I need to get up earlier to get it all done. But I’m exhausted!

Knowing that I’m probably not the only one who is trying to run their household AND a business, I wanted to tell other mom’s, I see you.

I believe in you.

I’m here for you.

If I asked you right now, what is one of your biggest dreams? I’ll bet you have an answer.

Even if it's been knocked down from circumstances, the most important thing is that I don't want you to give up on your dreams just because you have a family. Here are - 8 tips on how to protect your dreams