January 18, 2012

Creative Biz Success ~ Rebecca Peragine

Rebecca

Can you take us on the journey of your creative career path so far? Was art always your calling?

I grew up in a creative environment, but I never thought art would be my calling. To be honest, I haven’t taken an art class since I was in middle school. I can’t exactly put my finger on where my technique comes from, I can only say that it’s fueled by what I feel I need to teach my own children.

When I have an important message, the design just kind of creates itself. It wasn’t until I became a mother that my art in its current form appeared. Before that, I owned a coffee shop in Mexico, which is where my entrepreneurial spirit and interest in global education came out. And that’s where I met my husband and started my family.

Could you ever see yourself having a ‘normal’ 9-5 job? Why/why not?

No, not anymore. I went from college graduate to business owner to stay at home mom to business owner once again. There were times that the challenges of being absolutely responsible would feel overwhelming, but in the end, the experience I’ve had raising my children and working from home outweigh the doubts and fears. It’s kind of what propelled me forward.

My husband is an entrepreneur too, and we’re both able to see our boys off to school and here when they come home. At this point in our lives, being available for our kids is what it’s all about.

When did you start focusing on making art for children, and why?

I started when my second child was born. My husband is Italian, I’m American, and we were living in Mexico, and I felt there was a real need for multi-cultural/multi-lingual art for children. So I started creating alphabet and number posters and selling them on Etsy. That’s where by hobby turned into a business.

Children Inspire Design ~ click for more info

Other parents expressed their need to help foster global and environmental education to their children, so my art kind of became a way to express that. Parents today really understand the importance of teaching their children compassion for the earth and all who inhabit it. Teaching through art is a great way to start.

How did you get involved in making art for philanthropic purposes?

I actually started with the giving before I began the art. When I lived in Mexico, we used my coffee shop as a place for local artists to sell their art. We lived in an area that didn’t offer anything like that at the time. When we saw that giving artisans exposure worked, we started hosting fundraisers.

That’s when it really clicked for me- I realized that using art to help the greater good was an easy, natural fit.

Do you believe that a person needs to have a certain set of characteristics – or a certain way of looking at the world – to become a successful creative entrepreneur?

I don’t think there’s a specific skill set to be an entrepreneur, but adaptability is certainly something that I’ve seen makes the difference. It’s important to be light and agile when starting up.

I’ve seen lots of people have great ideas, but start out investing too much money. I know this sounds crazy, but starting CID in a rough economy actually helped me. I had to do everything on my own with no financial help. It taught me the ins and outs of every part of my business. Those lessons are what helped me make it. Now, I’m grateful every time I get to pass off my accounting or inventory or customer service to someone else. It lets me focus on what I’m good at.

Children Inspire Design ~ Click for more info

Do you ever have doubts as to your future creative direction? Are there things you yearn to achieve, but haven’t yet found the time for?

Time? I never have enough time. I’m constantly coming up with ideas, too many sometimes. That’s probably my biggest weakness. My challenge is sticking with one idea and following through to the finish before I start something else up. I’m currently running 2 online shops, Children Inspire Design and more recently, Fresh Words Market.

The second line just launched 6 months ago and I’m already planning my next project, a brick and mortar children’s art studio/indie boutique. A place that fosters creativity in children through art AND a place to support mom indie artists.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to give fellow makers about running a successful indie business?

Plant little seeds – everyday. I’m not a very patient person and it took me a while to really understand the benefit of fostering all relationships and opportunities, no matter how small they seem. It’s the small blogs, the small retailers, the individual customers who can carry your brand the farthest.

I learned the hard way in the beginning; spent too much money on marketing that yielded no results and paid sales reps who didn’t perform. Individuals who appreciate indie businesses are very powerful advocates, especially mothers. Let their voices help you spread the word and soon enough you’ll see how powerful word of mouth can be.

And second (I know you said 1, but this is IMPORTANT), know exactly who you are – and who you aren’t. Know what you stand for. What you believe in. When you understand those things, you can communicate clearly. You’ll stand out or the crowd and make your mark.

Find Rebecca online ~ Children Inspire Design ~ Fresh Words Market

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January 4, 2012

best of… jess van den: 10 steps for a successful handmade product launch

Let’s take a look back on 2011 – the posts that inspired, challenged, and encouraged us. Today, revisit Jess Van Den’s product launch post from September.

The Ampersand Earrings by Epheriell

As I write this post, I’m winding down from a busy day of jewelry-making after the launch of my new Punctuation Collection last week.

It was my most successful launch yet, and it got me thinking – since the product launch model that I use works so well for me, it might be something that other crafty biz owners are interested in trying.

Often, those of us who have craft businesses just add new products to our stores randomly – as we make them – but there are many benefits to a seasonal release or launch model. This is the sort of approach used by fashion houses, for example.

Today I’m going to share 10 steps that you can take to ensure the successful launch of a new handmade product range.

1. Plan your range beforehand – consider holidays or seasonality

I plan two main launches each year for my Epheriell brand – Autumn and Spring. Since I consistently make multiple sales online every day, I’m always busy with orders, and I found in the past that months would slip by without me creating any new designs because I was so busy.

I decided this year that I would commit to these two launches, at minimum, and have more if inspiration struck. This means I have to carve out the time to create new designs for each range, so my product line doesn’t stagnate.

It’s a good idea to consider seasons and holidays when releasing new lines. For example, my proper spring line, which will be out in a few weeks (remember, it’s spring down here in the Southern Hemisphere!) will be full of lovely fresh spring colours to celebrate the season.

This will be obvious to you if you make knitwear, cards, or any other product that is naturally tied into the seasons/holidays, but it’s worth remembering for everyone.

2. Release a coherent range rather than individual products

Fashion houses know the importance of this. They don’t just release bits and pieces but a coherent range of designs. There are a number of benefits to this, but one of the main ones is that you have something to talk about! It allows you to build anticipation and excitement around your brand.

While you’re planning your range you can talk about it; you can ask for suggestions and input from your audience. Launching a range of products means it’s more likely that your customers will find something they love. It means you can release your work to the world with a bang, rather than an ongoing whimper.

3. Prepare

Running a successful launch requires preparation. Not only do you have to get the products made and photographed, you also need to plan out your approach. How are you going to market your launch? Are you going to use social media? Your blog? An e-mail list? (I would suggest all of the above).

Also, don’t try to get it all done at once. Don’t be afraid to get all your products up and ready to buy in your online store before your launch. Just putting them in the shop won’t do much – it’s how you talk about them that will matter.

4. Talk it up beforehand

Don’t be shy about talking about your range! Talk about it from the beginning: share your planning, your prototypes, your thought processes. The more you can talk about it, the more anticipation you can build. Someone who does this really, really well is Elsie from A Beautiful Mess. Go check out her recent blog posts leading up to the launch of the Red Velvet Fall dress range.

5. Have excellent photos – and tell a story if you can

This goes along with number 4: You need to make sure you’ve got some awesome imagery to help launch your collection! I made the mistake this time around of not getting model shots done in time for launch, so I rushed and got that done on launch day, and had to blog about it separately. Not the best idea!

@ Symbol Earrings by Epheriell

6. Blog about it

Your blog is the home base for a product launch. This is where you can share photos, stories, and where your actual launch will be based. It’s the core around which everything rotates.

It’s also the place where you’ll be building anticipation, and getting people to sign up to your e-mail list (more about this below).

7. Tweet about it

Twitter is a HUGELY important part of launching a product for me. Once I’ve got blog posts written (or while I’m writing them) this is where I’ll share them. It’s also one of the places that I’ll chat about my upcoming range. I’ll post twitpics of my designs while I’m making them. I’ll share successes and struggles.

8. Facebook it

While twitter is a place to build buzz, Facebook allows you to share a little bit more about what you’re making. Upload your product images to albums. Put up a poll that relates to your range (for example, you could ask people to pick their favourite piece).

Also – I usually keep business separate from my personal FB profile, because that’s what a Page is for. But when I launch a new collection, I make an exception and share it with my friends on my personal profile too. This way they still get to see what I’m up to, but I’m not spamming them with constant stuff regarding my biz.

9. Have a mailing list – and give them exclusive discounts

This is possibly THE most important step. If you don’t have an e-mail list, get one right now! Head on over to Mailchimp and you can grab a fantastic, all-the-bells-and-whistles mailing list for free.

A mailing list is the best way to keep in touch with your best customers and fans of your brand. They might not check your blog, or your twitter, or facebook… but they always check their e-mail.

But don’t just whack up a signup form and hope for the best; give people a reason to sign up, and a reason to stay subscribed. For example, I give away one piece of jewellery every month to someone on my mailing list. So as long as they stay subscribed, they’ve got a chance to win.

I also give exclusive discounts to mailing list subscribers only when I launch a new range. This is my way of thanking my loyal customers for being there.

But make sure – like any sort of discount or sale – that you don’t over-do it. It should be an uncommon occurrence, or people will just wait until your ‘next sale’ before buying from you. You should also remember to put a time-limit on any discounts/coupons.

10. Contact press/blogs and pitch your new range

It’s important to reach beyond your own network when you’re launching a range. Pinpoint the blogs and other publications that are the best fit for your new products, and send them a short, sweet little e-mail telling them about it. Remember to attach some lovely low-res pictures, too. Also – don’t pitch too many blogs at once. Start with your favourites and work down the list, contacting three to four per week.

Don’t be afraid to contact bloggers – they need to find relevant content! The worst that can happen is you won’t get mentioned. The best is that you’ll get a whole heap of traffic from new people interested in your product. This is how I managed to get the @ symbol earrings mentioned on Design for Mankind last week.

***

That’s it! I’m looking forward to learning even more about this process as I work on my next collection, and my aim is to make each and every launch more successful than the last.

Do you have any suggestions for a successful launch? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

 

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December 13, 2011

Creative Biz Success with Judy Kaufmann

click for more info

Can you take us on the journey of your creative career path so far? Was art always your calling?

I’ve been drawing since childhood, and seriously illustrating since 2003. That was the year I decided to start illustrating professionally and also to move from the city where I was born (Santiago de Chile) to Barcelona, an amazing city for illustrators and designers.

Frida Kahlo Print - click for more

You have worked with a lot of ‘big-brand’ companies. How do you suggest budding illustrators go about contacting these companies for possible work opportunities?

First of all, I need to say that it’s luck to be contacted by big-brand companies.

However, just because they are big companies doesn’t mean that the best jobs I have had were from them.

Generally, I’ve gotten my jobs with these companies through good contacts: for example, I was recently asked to draw two illustrations for Google (UK), who contacted me through my great illustrator agency, Handsome Frank.

Your repetitive prints are quite unique. How did they come about?

I’m so glad you like them! I think that two different things inspired them.

The first is that I started drawing small and repetitive shapes because it was something that kept me focused and really concentrated; perhaps even to reach a meditative state. I really like to get to that state.

Identical Twins Print - click for more

The second is that my series of repetitive prints began with my Identical Twins Print and needless to say, being an identical twin is a nice metaphor for all my repetitive drawings.

What has been the best marketing move you’ve ever made for your own business?

One of the latest and best was having this map published in Frankie Mag.

Map Print - click for more

Do you ever have doubts as to your future creative direction? Are there things you yearn to achieve, but haven’t yet found the time for?

Completely! I will get bored really soon with the style that I’m working with and, as I’m very eclectic, will find a new style that may be very similar or have nothing to do with what I’m doing now.

Woody Allen Print - click for more

 

What is one piece of advice you’d like to give fellow makers about running a successful indie business?

I have three different, short, and easy to remember pieces of advice:

1. Listen to good music.

2. The time you spend drawing is proportional to the quality of your artwork.

3. The time you spend traveling is proportional to the quantity of good inspiration you have.

Visit Judy Online
Website / Etsy

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November 15, 2011

Creative Biz Success ~ Jenny Present

Can you take us on the journey of your creative career path so far? Were you always planning on working for yourself?

I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. But I always took great pride in accomplishing something (large or small). My parents demonstrated strong work ethic, creativity, individualism and incredible morals and values. This set me up for success – no matter what I chose to do.

I graduated from the University of Kansas with a BS in Journalism – not because I necessarily had a thirst for journalism, but because it was a practical degree to have. I worked in an uninspiring corporate environment writing technical proposals for a while after college. While I knew this was the next step I was supposed to take after college, I was unhappy – so I quit. I worked in retail for a short while, still unhappy in my “career”. It wasn’t fulfilling.

A little after my son was born my life took an unexpected turn. Everything as I knew it was flipped upside down and I was going to have to figure out a way to balance everything. I desperately wanted to be able to stay at home to raise my son, but I also needed a way to support us long term.

I have always been creative and loved working with my hands. As a little girl, I grew up surrounded by paint brushes, colored pencils and craft supplies – my mom is an incredible artist and I like to think that some of her creativity has rubbed off on me. I was also obsessed with jewelry as a young girl, especially my grandmother’s highly coveted, extensive jewelry collection. And I know deep down I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I dabbled in making jewelry (among other things like photography and painting) for fun as a creative outlet while working full time. So after life got messy, I decided I would try selling my artwork.

Do you ever have doubts as to your future creative direction? Are there things you yearn to achieve, but haven’t yet found the time for?

I don’t have doubts about my future creative direction, but I do sometimes wonder where this path will lead. Companies and brands evolve over time and while I wish I had a crystal ball to gaze into, I deeply trust in my creative instincts.

Phew! That is a big question. I have so many things I yean to achieve (personally and professionally). And my number one biggest complaint (in general) is that there aren’t enough hours in the day. I feel like my mind is always racing with ideas and thoughts and to-do’s and more.

custom jewelry by Jenny Present

What has been your most successful marketing strategy – the best way that you have found to get you and your work noticed? And have you ever tried something that just did not work at all?

I truly believe that my loyal customers are my secret weapon. Repeat business has been a large part of my business. I think (I am going to give myself a pat on the back here) that I provide excellent customer service. I always try to put myself in my customer’s shoes.

Zappos.com is a big hero in my book and I would one day love to emulate them.

I have tried so many avenues that simply have not worked, but I’ve never given up. Each and every one has been a learning experience and a building block to the next venture. For example, I have spent thousands of dollars on PR companies (with little success) and I am at the tail end of running some pay per click campaigns that have simply not worked.

I haven’t given up on using a PR company again one day or running PPC campaigns, but for now, they aren’t a good fit for my business. You don’t know if something will work or be successful until you try it – so you’ve got to go for it. I am taking risks (some big, some small) and facing challenges every day and I will continue to do so. It’s the only way you can grow.

What key personality traits and life circumstances coalesced to lead to your success, in your opinion?

My life has not gone exactly as planned – but I guess that is how life goes. I am a single mom and don’t have much to fall back on. I believe that I wouldn’t be where I am today if certain events hadn’t transpired the way they did when I was in my 20s. Over the last decade I have developed a tough skin, I don’t take no for an answer and I have become a strong, independent woman. I know that this has helped me in my business. If I am rejected in any way, it lights a fire in me and I am driven to work harder.

I work (even though it doesn’t really feel like work) to build a beautiful life for my son and myself.

Everyday I feel so fortunate to do what I love and to be able to have the flexibility to be at home with my son in his early years.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to give fellow makers about running a successful handmade business?

Patience! Things don’t just happen overnight – even though you may want or even need them to, they won’t. So keep at it and know that things will happen the way they are supposed to happen…as long as you have dedication, discipline and passion. Nothing comes easy. And success is made sweeter by the bumpy journey it takes to get there.

Connect with Jenny

Twitter:  @JennyPresent
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October 18, 2011

Creative Biz Success: Bec Davies of Madeit.com.au

Today, I’d love for you to meet Bec Davies – the founder of Madeit.com.au. For those outside of Australia, Madeit is kinda the Aussie version of Etsy… but with its own heart and mission. Bec is based in the idyllic seaside town of Yamba, NSW, and today she shares her journey towards building the premier online handmade venue in Australia.

Can you take us on the journey of your creative career path so far? I know you’ve worked in a number of different fields…

After High School I went to photography school for two years. The course was very commercial and while I love taking photos, the thought of working in a studio wasn’t for me. I worked in the industry for a couple of years before moving to London for a year. On my return I enrolled in Bachelor of Visual Communication (Graphic Design) and returned to my Year 10 work experience career path.

When you launched madeit, were you working a full-time job, or were you already making a living from your own creative pursuits?

I was working full-time in a design studio in Sydney and left not long after we launched madeit. I knew my heart was with madeit and if I couldn’t give my full-time 100% then it was time to move on. I worked as a freelance graphic designer from home and while running madeit. My main client was a welding company and while the work was far from creative it kept the money coming in while madeit was growing.

Did there come a time when you had to make a choice between madeit and other creative pursuits (or your day job) – and how did you make that decision?

At the start of last year I decided I would work full-time on madeit. I loved working on the website and the work was increasing so I thought it was time to take the plunge. I also started to lose interest in my graphic design clients and once again, to be true to my clients, I let them go and madeit became my sole job.

Again, if you stop loving your job then it’s time to move on! People said, “Oh you should keep your big graphic design clients” – but my heart wasn’t in it, and I knew I was making the right decision.

I know you recently brought some employees into the business – how did you decide that it was time to take this next step?

Taking the step to employ was due to a tragedy my soon-to-be hubby Jayc and I faced in December last year, when we lost our daughter at 28 weeks. I wish I could have given another answer to this question but sometimes in life you are faced with such a tragedy, and to be truthful to my daughter Izzy I will never stop mentioning her.

Jayc was going to take this year off and be a stay at home Dad. Instead, I asked him to join the business and take over the support and technical side of the business while I got myself physically better. I have been working limited hours and slowly after 10 months I can feel the excitement and love return for my work.

Jayc has been a great help in the business. He has brought a different set of skills to the business as he was an application software developer in a previous life! Handing over some of my work has also allowed me be more creative – both in my business and personal life. I want to do a pottery course, draw in the spring sun, and explore printmaking more. I’m yet to achieve these but they’re on my list.

Now that both of us are working in the business we can’t believe that I previously did all the work. I guess when you do everything yourself you do an ok job, but when you have less jobs to do then you can do your jobs really well. We’re noticing the benefits of us both working in the business, like having the time to implement new changes and try new marketing ideas.

Jay’s sister Tian also has started working for us on a part-time basis. She looks after the forum and has taken on more of my work so I can be more creative and have time to do interviews like this! Oh, and Tian runs madeit on the weekend – yes, I recently had my first weekend off in 4 years!

What do you believe have been the key factors in making madeit a success?

• Lots of hard work – I have a theory that if you put in the hard work you’ll be successful.
• Clear communication to our customers – no matter if the news is bad we always opt to tell our customers, as generally people are very understanding with the truth.
• Always thinking the website can be better – this has pushed me and will continue to push me to come up with new ideas. We can always be better!
• The working partnership of my partner Jayc & I (mentioned above) – tech guy meets creative gal.
• Wonderful customer service – it’s easy to be polite and punctual to the people who pay your bills.
• Love what you do – the last but very important factor, if you love it success will follow. Yes I love my job! Don’t just start a business because you see someone else being successful. The above factors are some of the reason why businesses are successful. Remember, it’s not just about the idea!

Do you believe this is ‘it’ for you – or do you see yourself taking on different creative projects in future?

No this isn’t ‘it’ for us. Jayc wants to be a cheese maker, so being the entrepreneur I am, I’ll be working on making this happen for him. We would also love to own a small farm with a farm gate store and I would also like to be a letterpress printer. So many ideas!

Do you believe that creative entrepreneurs such as yourself can ever settle in the one project – or do we always need to be working on something new?

Gosh, no! As you know Jess, the brain doesn’t switch off once you have an idea, which means we creative types have numerous projects on the go. Not great for time management but hey, it allows us entrepreneurs to get some sleep each night!

One of my sellers once told me “You Snooze You Loose” in relation to an idea I had a number of years ago but didn’t act on. This statement is very true as now I see the design everywhere. Oh well – on to the next idea…

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