Organize your Desktop With This Helpful Computer Wallpaper (2019 Version)
Desktop wallpaper to help you stay organized with the year at a glance and division of space for keeping track of those things that clutter your desktop.
Creative Business Owner’s Gift Guide 2018
Hey craft business owners! This gift guide is just for you. If someone has been asking you what you want this holiday, we know you’ll find some things on this list that you’ll need and love. Treat your business (and yourself) to something fun this holiday season!
Fall Reading List for Creatives
Erin Dollar is back as the Craft Industry Alliance resident librarian, offering her picks for 2018’s best art books, creative business titles, and self-help books. For artists and creatives, fall is a great time to get renew your inspiration and, as the kids go back to school, buckle down with your own work. Erin has found some excellent new titles to kickstart your autumn reading.
Putting the Kids to Work in Your Craft Business
The big order comes in and it’s all hands on deck to get it processed and out the door. Photographing, packaging, and post office visits. If you have kids in the house there is a good chance you asked them to help, just to get the work done and maintain a level of sanity.
The Benefits of Limiting Your Time on Social Media
“Although getting hacked is a horrible experience, there could be a silver lining of sorts. Some creative business owners find that easing up on social media frees them up to focus on their primary handcraft, and allows them to plan, strategize, and research effective business practices, while still marketing effectively enough.”
12 Great Podcasts for Creative Entrepreneurs
Looking for an engaging podcast to listen to while you work in your studio? Need some motivation and perspective for your own entrepreneurial efforts? Check out some of our favorite business podcasts for creatives.
CIA’s Favorite Online Tools 2018
Craft Industry Alliance is a group of co-founders, contract writers, and service providers. Although we’re a small team, we have big communication challenges. Here are some of the tools we’ve found to be the most effective for communicating with each other as well as our members.
Summer Reading List for Creatives
Erin Dollar is back as the Craft Industry Alliance resident librarian, offering her picks for 2018’s best art books, creative business titles, and self-help books. For artists and creatives, summer vacation often means a tote bag filled with craft books, and she’s found some excellent additions to your summer reading list.
The Power of Daily Practice
Along the journey of my daily art creation, I did a lot of things right, many of them by accident, but together these tools helped me start and maintain a daily practice.
Mindful Making: Essential Self-Care For Craft Entrepreneurs
Mindful crafting can help crafty entrepreneurs refresh and rejuvenate. Take some at least once a week to make something just for yourself.
Put Your Phone Down and Get More Done
Social media fatigue is hitting hard in 2018 as makers spend more time trying to “beat the algorithm” to connect with our community. Between our desire to reach our customers online, and the dopamine hit our brains receive each time we check social media, many of us are grappling with bad habits around screen time. Erin Dollar gives us some tips for carving out time to let our minds wander.
Journal Your Way to Art, Travel, or Bible Study
In this fast-paced digital world, it’s no wonder people are slowing down in an analog way by gravitating to journals in all their myriad, wonderful forms.
Spring Reading List for Creatives
Throughout 2018 we’ll be bringing you curated lists of books for craft business owners. Erin Dollar, founder of Cotton & Flax, a home decor products company based in California, is an avid reader with a library of books to share. She’ll be choosing a selection each season and describing what each book has to offer. Erin is here today sharing her spring book picks!
6 Great Apps for Boosting Your Productivity
As creative business owners, we have to keep on top of many things at once. Sometimes it can feel like we spend more time tied to the computer than crafting, and that’s not a great feeling! Fiona Pullen is the owner of The Sewing Directory and the author of Craft a Creative Business. She uses a series of apps to stay productive and organized and work more efficiently. Learn to use a few of these apps and you’ll free up the time to focus on what you really enjoy.
Planning a Business Retreat with Other Entrepreneurs
A business retreat is an opportunity to surround yourself with a group of like-minded solopreneurs to take a critical look at your business with you.
How to Use Gmail Canned Responses to Speed Up Your Workflow
Do you find yourself writing the same types of emails over and over again for your business? Programs Like Gmail’s Canned Responses and Text Expander can help you streamline your approach to answering emails, and free up more time for marketing, shipping orders, or anything else that might need attention your business. I use canned responses to speed up replies to wholesale requests, client questions, customer support, job applicants, and more.
Winter Reading List for Creatives
Throughout 2018 we’ll be bringing you curated lists of books for craft business owners. Erin Dollar, founder of Cotton & Flax, a home decor products company based in California, is an avid reader with a library of books to share. She’ll be choosing a selection each season and describing what each book has to offer. To kick things off here is Erin with our winter book picks!
Creative Business Owner’s Gift Guide 2017
Hey craft business owners! This gift guide is just for you. If someone has been asking you what you want this holiday, we know you’ll find some things on this list that you’ll need and love. Treat your business (and yourself) to something fun this holiday season!
Legal Building Blocks: The Non-Disclosure Agreement
Non-disclosure agreements are a valuable and important tool to protect your business information so it doesn’t fall into a competitor’s hands.
How One Woman is Automating the Indie Yarn Business, a Skein at a Time
Carrie Sundra created the SkeinMinder, an accessory to the small motorized tabletop winders many small dyers use to create their sellable hanks.