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Explore our resources

Vital information for your craft business in a searchable library

Find trend forecasting guides, manufacturing resources, event listings, and printable worksheets, to help grow your craft business. Members enjoy 24/7 access to our full resource library.

Featured Resource

sticker manufacturers

Where to Get Stickers Made For Your Business

With so many custom sticker companies out there it can be hard to know which one to choose. We’ve compiled the most vital information for each one.

Resource categories

Resource library

Bookkeeping Software Comparisons

Bookkeeping Software Comparisons

Selecting the best bookkeeping software for your business can be a confusing process. Each product offers specific features and upgrades at various price points. To make the process more straightforward we’ve gathered the information for the most commonly used applications in one place so that you can more easily compare and contrast.

Startup Costs Template

Startup Costs Template

If you’re starting a new business it’s important to estimate how much it costs to become operational and how long it will take to get there. We’ve created two templates for craft businesses to create a simple startup costs budget to stay on track.

Schedule C Cheat Sheet

Schedule C Cheat Sheet

The Schedule C Cheat Sheet breaks down this tax form into simple terms with tips specifically for craft business owners filing for taxes.

Cashflow Spreadsheet Template

Cashflow Spreadsheet Template

Using a spreadsheet to input your cash flow you’ll be able to determine when to hold onto cash for upcoming expenses and when to make significant purchases without causing undue stress.

Recurring Payment Tracker — Printable and Template

Recurring Payment Tracker — Printable and Template

The truth is, many businesses are using a subscription model, and it’s easy to lose track of them. For this reason, we’ve created this recurring payment doc to help you keep track of recurring payments. We have a handy editable file, as well as a printable file in both letter and A4 formats for your planners.

Payroll and Time Clock Software

Payroll and Time Clock Software

Payroll services can keep you on track, keep you compliant, and save you time. Time card apps can help you and your employees and contractors keep track of their hours.

Business Planning

Craft Market Data and Research

Craft Market Data and Research

This roundup of craft industry research studies can be helpful to you when seeking funding, creating a business plan, or expanding into new sectors.

Are You Covered? Insurance for Your Craft Business

Are You Covered? Insurance for Your Craft Business

Whether you’re just beginning to set up your small business or are already established in the crafting industry, it never hurts to imagine, “what if?” What if someone takes a tumble on an icy sidewalk outside your shop? What if you sell a sewing machine that turns out to have an electrical fault? What if a massive hurricane brings floodwaters to your shop? Luckily, you can be your own risk manager and prepare for a great many of these “what ifs” by purchasing insurance for your business. By understanding the coverage options you have, you can protect yourself and your business against the unknown.

Ecommerce/Websites

Landing Page Builders Round-Up

Landing Page Builders Round-Up

A well-designed landing page has a single call to action; visitors are asked to do one thing, such as enter their email address, in order to get what they want.

Ecommerce Platform Fees Calculator

Ecommerce Platform Fees Calculator

With all of the ecommerce choices out there, it can be difficult to know which option is best for you. We’ve built this calculator the will help you compare all of the most common platforms.

6 Shopify Wholesale Apps To Simplify Your B2B Sales

6 Shopify Wholesale Apps To Simplify Your B2B Sales

If you use Shopify for your ecommerce store, there’s a number of apps that will assist in adding a wholesale component to your business. In this article, we’ll go over some of the most popular wholesale apps available for Shopify, discussing their features and prices so you can decide which one may be right for you.

Etsy SEO Checklist

Etsy SEO Checklist

If you sell on the marketplace, understanding how Etsy search works and optimizing your listings for the algorithm will improve your views, likes, and sales. Use this checklist to improve your SEO on Etsy.

30-Point Blog Critique Checklist

30-Point Blog Critique Checklist

Once you have completed our 30-point checklist, you’ll not only have looked into your blog’s overall performance, you’ll have discovered some easy tweaks that will get you more attention from your audience.

Sample Return and Exchange Policies

Sample Return and Exchange Policies

In these sample return policies, you can see what kinds of issues might arise and put some thought into what policy makes sense for your specific products and for your particular business.

SEO Tips and Tricks to Optimize Your Website

SEO Tips and Tricks to Optimize Your Website

Search Engine Optimization is the steps you can take to increase organic traffic to your website through search engine results. Here are 20 SEO tips and tricks to optimize your website.

Events

Packing Checklist for Vending at a Craft Fair

Packing Checklist for Vending at a Craft Fair

In addition to bringing your handmade products, you’ll want to make sure you have all the necessary equipment and supplies to create an eye-catching display and facilitate sales. Our checklist covers items such as signage, lighting, packaging materials, and payment processing tools. By using our checklist as a guide, you’ll be well-prepared and able to focus on interacting with customers and making sales at your next craft fair.

Find a Guest Artist Residency

Find a Guest Artist Residency

Artist Residencies are a great way to expand your network and collaborate, get out of your comfort zone and find time and space to create. In addition, residencies can help promote you and your business through press opportunities and face-to-face interactions with...

Conference Packing Checklist

Conference Packing Checklist

A conference and/or tradeshow packing checklist to help you come prepared for business opportunities, and personal comfort!

Inspiration/Motivation

Creative Business Owner’s Gift Guide

Creative Business Owner’s Gift Guide

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!

20 Great Business Blogs to Follow

20 Great Business Blogs to Follow

Discovering high quality business blogs to follow can be tricky. Discover some gems in our list of 20 terrific blogs for creative business owners.

Contests and Business Awards for Makers

Contests and Business Awards for Makers

Applying for a business award can help you to hone in on the goals you have for your business and your future. What would you do with grant money, or specialty training that winning a business award might bring?

Legal Building Blocks: The Consignment Agreement

Legal Building Blocks: The Consignment Agreement

A consignment agreement is important when you’re leaving your goods in the possession of an authorized third party to sell. Kiffanie Stahle walks you through the short form and long form agreements so that you can protect your products or artwork.

Marketing

Elevator Pitch: Short, Sweet, Informational

Elevator Pitch: Short, Sweet, Informational

Learn how to develop an elevator pitch – a short, succinct, and persuasive way to introduce yourself, make a connection, and give the business answer to the ol’ cocktail party question, “So, what do you do?”

5 Apps And Tools For Making Digital Quizzes

5 Apps And Tools For Making Digital Quizzes

The best digital quiz apps make it easy and fun for you to create a personality test for your website, mailing list, or social media page. In this article, we’ll go over the features, usability, and pricing of some of the top quiz apps.

Brand Messaging: 220 Adjectives for Craft Industry Businesses

Brand Messaging: 220 Adjectives for Craft Industry Businesses

A brand message is the way a business communicates the value of your business to your target audience. It describes why your brand matters, what it stands for, and what it has to offer. It can include your tagline, your About page, advertising slogans, and a recurring story or theme in social media posts.

Photography/Video

Creative Business Owner’s Gift Guide

Creative Business Owner’s Gift Guide

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!

6 Crafty Backgrounds to Use in Your Zoom Meetings

6 Crafty Backgrounds to Use in Your Zoom Meetings

You can use a custom Zoom background that will completely hide whatever is actually behind you. Once you enable the background, you’ll just see your face superimposed on top of it. Voila! You look instantly professional. We’ve created a series of crafty backgrounds especially sized for Zoom.

Productivity

2024 Planners for Craft Pros

2024 Planners for Craft Pros

Paper planners are a great way to help boost productivity, and achieve big goals for your business. Check out our roundup of the best planners for craft pros.

How to Ship Like a Pro

How to Ship Like a Pro

A list of shipping tips and resources for creative businesses, to help your packages ship seamlessly and arrive beautifully packaged and ready to charm!

Social Media

Social Media Image Sizes At-a-Glance

Social Media Image Sizes At-a-Glance

Part of having a polished visual face for your brand online is having beautiful images. Here’s a handy guide to all of the image sizes and types required.

Low Tech Analytics: Printable Social Media Trackers

Low Tech Analytics: Printable Social Media Trackers

We’ve created this very low-tech solution for keeping track of your social media efforts. We suggest focusing on one platform for a couple of weeks to see how your community engages with different types of posts at different times of day.

Art, Life, and Work Quotes for Social Media

Art, Life, and Work Quotes for Social Media

Quotes might be everywhere on social media, but it’s because they are so very effective! We’ve put together a bunch of art, life, and work quotes for you to use and share as you wish!

Software Comparison

A Comparison of Online Course Platforms

A Comparison of Online Course Platforms

Online course platforms, of which there are more than three dozen, can be divided into four categories: stand-alone platforms, all-in-one platforms, marketplace platforms and WordPress plug-ins. The ones chosen for this article are those most fitting for craft entrepreneurs.

Craft Industry Alliance’s Favorite Online Tools

Craft Industry Alliance’s Favorite Online Tools

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.

Password Managers: Main Features and Price Comparison

Password Managers: Main Features and Price Comparison

Password managers can be a lifesaver when you have multiple accounts and employees. These apps allow you to generate, store, and authenticate your passwords on your computer or mobile devices. Most companies have a low monthly fee and similar features.

Best Websites for Building a Customer Survey or Poll

Best Websites for Building a Customer Survey or Poll

Surveys and polls can help you understand your customers and followers much better than social media reactions because they allow you to target the specific information you’re interested in to grow your business and engage your community.

Sourcing

Custom Digital Fabric Printers

Custom Digital Fabric Printers

We’ve researched the premier custom digital fabric printers to make it easier for you to compare and make a decision about who to work with.

Business Coaches for Crafters

Business Coaches for Crafters

One-on-one coaching can be incredibly helpful when you need specific advice to take your business to the next level. In this list, we’ve gathered coaches who specialize in working with craft businesses.

Big List of Sales Representatives

Big List of Sales Representatives

Sales Reps act as the personal connection between craft manufacturers and the retail shops that carry their products. A rep’s value lies in their deep knowledge and strong relationships in the industry, that allow them to match a retailer’s business needs to the manufacturers and products that are the best solutions for them. Whether working independently or in-house for a particular manufacturer, sales reps offer both manufacturers and retailers an efficient way to grow their businesses.

Small Batch Manufacturers

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

Fulfillment Centers

We’ve put together a short list of fulfillment services that are a good fit for small businesses.

Big List of Packaging Suppliers

Big List of Packaging Suppliers

If you’re looking for boxes, bags, custom labels, or other items for packaging and shipping, check out the prices and reviews of these suppliers.

The Big List of Wholesale Suppliers

The Big List of Wholesale Suppliers

Sourcing supplies at a reasonable cost is a big part of making a small, creative business profitable. Here is a list of wholesale suppliers for crafters.

The Big List for Hand-Dyers

The Big List for Hand-Dyers

In this Big LIst for Hand Dyers, we’ve generated a comprehensive list of sources for indie yarn dyers, dividing them into wholesalers, retailers, and sources for dye and other supplies.

Big List of Craft Books Submissions Guidelines

Big List of Craft Books Submissions Guidelines

Publishing houses are constantly evolving. They’re looking at trends and always in search of the next great idea. Use this chart to get a sense of what each house has published and how to contact them.

Where To Get Art Prints Made

Where To Get Art Prints Made

There are plenty of businesses that can make prints of your artwork—but choosing the best option based on your needs takes time and effort. We do a deep dive on popular printers so you can choose the best one.

The Big List of Jewelry Suppliers

The Big List of Jewelry Suppliers

Whether you’re launching a new business venture or seeking materials to stock your established design studio or retail shop, the jewelry supply market is full of top-name suppliers. Here you’ll find a comprehensive list of both wholesalers and retailers who can get you what you need.

Choosing a Laser-Cutting Service

Choosing a Laser-Cutting Service

A round-up of laser-cutting services for quilting templates, acrylic rulers, or tags and other unique products to promote your business along with tips for working with laser cutting services.

Custom Packaging Manufacturers

Custom Packaging Manufacturers

Simple customizations to your packaging can help create a cohesive brand experience, help you save money on shipping costs, and protect your products in transit. Dive into our list of custom product packaging options to find the option that works best for your business.

Trend Forecasting Resources

Trend Forecasting Resources

Trend forecasting experts to help us navigate what’s coming in the years ahead. Explore our guide to 40+ trend forecasting resources that will help your business stay ahead of the curve.

The Big List of Fabric Manufacturers

The Big List of Fabric Manufacturers

Whether you’re starting an online fabric shop, launching your own line of garments, preparing for a large class of quilters, or planning for a big sewing giveaway, there may come a time when you need to reach out to fabric manufacturers. Here’s the big list of fabric manufacturers with contact information.

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