Painted Tree Boutiques Offers Unique Selling Space
Painted Tree is a unique selling space for small business owners offering retail space to entrepreneurs without a brick-and-mortar shop.
Small Batch Manufacturers
Finding a small batch manufacturer that can help you produce your goods can be a vital step for a small business looking to scale. We’ve rounded up small batch manufacturers that specialize in working with creative businesses to make the research step easier for our members.
Fulfillment Centers
We’ve put together a short list of fulfillment services that are a good fit for small businesses.
What You Need to Know About Fulfillment Centers as a Craft Business
If you’re finding it difficult to keep up with shipping and fulfillment demands with an in-house arrangement, you may be ready to upgrade to a third-party fulfillment center.
How Craft Businesses are Dealing with Inflation
Inflation is a pressing concern for large and small businesses around the globe right now. Learn how craft businesses are dealing with new challenges and methods to try to counteract the effects of inflation.
Bee’s Knees Knee Pads is an Unconventional Business with a Big Learning Curve
Sara Bryant started her business, Bee’s Knees Knee Pads, to solve a problem for a small, but specific, group of people — pole dancers. Her goal was simple: make a better knee pad.
The Ins and Outs of Working with Freelancers
Outsourcing some tasks to a freelancer could be the answer to your overwhelmed feelings as well as business stagnation. We discuss the ins and outs of working with a freelancer, including when and what tasks are appropriate, the legal aspects and how to handle conflict.
Coley International Helps Small Businesses Bring Products to Market
Coley International is a new consulting firm headed by Nichole Schneider, an experienced product developer, and sourcing specialist. With Coley, Schneider is focused on helping solo entrepreneurs and small business owners navigate the product manufacturing process from start to finish.
Navigating the Supply Chain Crisis: How to Minimize Supply Disruptions to Your Business
During supply chain disruptions like we’re now experiencing, having a detailed understanding of your business’s supply needs and how to adapt, can mean the difference between success and failure.
All About Small Batch Manufacturing with David Allen of Allen Manufacturing
In this webinar, David Allen of Allen Manufacturing in Lewiston, Maine will explain all of the steps you need to have a product manufactured. David specializes in working with small businesses and will walk us through sourcing, creating prototypes, costs, minimums, and turnaround times, and protecting your intellectual property.
The Supply Chain Bottleneck Impacts the Crafts Industry
Hold on to your supplies, whether needles and thread, yarn, fabric, or templates. The supply chain bottleneck means getting necessary tools and stock is taking longer than before.
Kollage Square Needles Finds a New Home, and Shared Mission, at Career Services
Kollage Square Needles has been acquired by Career Services, a Canadian social services agency that provides job training for disabled adults.
Podcast Episode #179: Twinkie Chan
In this podcast episode, crochet designer Twinkie Chan talks about her career in craft including her licensing deal that led to YummyYou, her book deals, teaching with CreativeBug, and more.
How California’s AB5 Bill Can Help Craft Business Owners Better Understand Hiring Practices
California’s AB5 labor law classifies most workers as employees rather than contractors, but for all small businesses, it’s a perfect opportunity to reevalute employment practices overall.
Working With a Partner To Bring a New Notion To Market: Spot on Dot
Carolina Moore had an idea for a quilting notion so she partnered with a major distributor to get it manufactured and into shops.
How to Source Products on Alibaba
Sourcing on Alibaba allows you to get customized products for you to sell at a fraction of the cost, but be aware of this advice before you begin.
When Should You Hire Help?
Most of us begin our businesses as one-person shows. We make our product, take the photos, make the listings on Etsy and answer the emails. And that’s great! Starting small (with as little debt as possible) is a good way to begin your business. You’re agile with your product, can test what’s working with your customers and get a hands-on feel for what needs to change. But at some point it may be wise to hire help so that you can grow and professionalize. Here’s how to know when.
Binding Babies: Floating a Prototype Prior to Production
The story behind the creation and development of the adorable and useful sewing notion, the Binding Baby.
Catastrophe-Proof Your Handmade Business
The key to having a sustainable business (one that can survive anything life throws at you) is to plan for the stuff life throws at all of us.
Using Child Models for Your Handcrafted Business
Options for child models, legal aspects of working with children, payment of minors, as well as the logistics of running of a photoshoot with children.