BlogHer Con... and a Book?!?!?

I went to the second day of the BlogHer conference this weekend, at Navy Pier; and had a really great time. I met some new friends, went to some awesome talks, and got a whole bunch of free swag (score!) It was a lot of fun, but it left me super exhausted. I'd hoped to write up this post after I got home Saturday, and it's Monday now! LOL

I started with the breakfast talk on artificial intelligence, which was a bit less sci-fi than I was expecting. The speakers did touch on our universal fear of both technology and the unknown, but didn't really expand more on that. One commenter wondered what was to be done about how Google indexes pages, after her reproductive rights blog was indexed as porn, and blocked in India. Internet censorship is an issue that's very important to me, as I'd be very disappointed and angry if I couldn't voice what I think here.

Next, I went to a talk on turning your blog into a book; which was particularly interesting to me right now, as I'm putting together projects and writing one! I was hesitant to announce it here, for all the world to see, somehow it felt safer when I was just bouncing ideas off my family. Surprisingly, I think it might be easier than I was expecting, not in that it won't be a lot of work; but that I have more options in this the age of self-publishing. For those of you who might be curious, my book is about using materials on hand for home decoration. And before you go and lump me into the "thrift-craft won't look good in my home" category, I'm focusing on getting high-end results with quick & simple projects. Luxurious home items made from recycled and repurposed materials - is the feel I want to impart, although I'll admit trying to come up with titles has me stumped. They all sound so silly when I say them out loud. LOL

After lunch I caught the craft-blogging talk, although I'll confess it was mostly stuff I've read/heard/learned myself already. Don't under-price your work, it harms the market and you. Come up with a story to "hook" your buyer, so they can't not buy it. Experiment with photography to come up with your own style. I knew I should have stood up & asked where the panel thought craft-blogging might evolve into, or go next; but I had a headache starting, and so I left a few minutes early and missed meeting Amy Sedaris and Natalie Zee-Drieu. Oh well, I'm sure I'll go again next year, it was a lot of fun! (Oh, and I was a lazy bum-ass blogger and didn't take any pictures. Something about how many women were whipping out digital SLR's made me want to appreciate the conference in my own way, with my visual memory. Google for pics, there was lots of ladies taking tons of pictures!)

ETA: I just realized my header's been down for more than a week, the domain I had it sitting on expired. Ack!

Business Tips?!?!?!?

Quickie no-pic post today, I've got bunches of important stuff to finish this week. I just wanted to pose the question to all of you starting your own crafty businesses out there. Do all of your family and friends tell you how to run your business too? It's been really surprising to me, when I tell people that I'm starting a business; just how many of them have something to say about how I have to run my business. That's not to say I don't appreciate the advice, but it seems as if every single person I tell (who's not in the crafty blog-o-sphere,) thinks that I need some advice about my business. I should make big-ticket items to pump up the profit, I have to pitch to stores to make the sales, and for the most part - that sales equal success. I don't think that I'd want a wholesale order for 200 tsumami kanzashi flower snaps tomorrow. It'd be overwhelming and exhausting, because my products are so time & labor intensive to produce.

That's not to say I don't want to make more sales; far from it, actually. But what's important to me is what I get out of the experience, because I've already learned in my short life that money doesn't equal happiness. I want to feel satisfied with myself, and I just don't think running my business anybody else's way is right for me, right now. I don't know if it will stay this way forever, but right now I'm defining my own success. I guess I just wish that was easier for other people to see and understand. I've often felt like people derive their own interpretations and perspective on things, and that can sometimes alienate and isolate people (i.e. me.)

I wonder why people focus on what I'm doing wrong with my business, instead of the things that are more positive. I know it's tough to sell on the internet, I'm no dummy after all! LOL I also know a brand new kind of product coupled with being a brand new seller means I have the odds stacked against me. But I know I'm in it for the long haul, and that whatever it takes and wherever it takes me, I'll be there. Fighting my own fight, because that's what makes me feel like I'm being truest to myself, and those goals I've set myself on. (Wow, that sounded like Rocky climbing those damn stairs!!!) My highest goal is simply quality, across the board - I want to produce a quality product, sell it with a quality experience, and enjoy a quality of experience for myself within making and selling. I know it's a lofty goal, but to me that's more important than selling hundreds of dollars of product, or even having hundreds of sales. I want to get something out of it too; not just work my poor fingers to the bone for other people's enjoyment.

Any thoughts on starting your own crafty business? Please feel free to share, here or you can email me at - Crafty NOSPACE Ginger AT gmail DOT com.

I Can't Believe it's June...

…and I get to meet June, of Crafty Bits @ Planet June! LOL I'm picking her up from O'Hare on Friday afternoon, and I have to cross my fingers that construction traffic won't be too bad. Who am I kidding, it'll be horrible… but I'm still super-psyched! LOL I'm lucky enough to not have to brave Chicago rush hour traffic on a regular basis, though. Make that, very lucky to not have to brave it! My husband uses the train as much as he can, to drive into the city from how far out we live can take 3 hours in rush hour traffic (only 35 miles! And it really should be "Rush hours"!!!) Nuts, I know…

Please forgive my recent blog-flakiness, I love posting more than I have been able to recently. But, I've had some catching up to do on my "Spring" cleaning, and most of my crafty projects have been swappy surprises lately. (I have another one for June, but you'll have to wait til Friday!) I already spilled the doll quilt surprise, and felt a little bummed for it. I have to remember that I still think it was worth it to enter Whiplash this month, I've been too busy to play lately, and that had me a little bummed too. (I use the term "Spring" very lightly here, I've been cleaning my kitchen up. A couple Saturdays ago I cleaned out my pantry, and this past Saturday I did the fridge.)

Plus, I have some decisions to make about my store in the near future. More than half of my inventory has expired in the last month, and I don't know if I want to simply relist it as-is, or spiffy up the text or pictures. I've also been flirting with the thought of just using that stock as craft fair fodder. I've been wanting to do one since my sister did one last November. I've also noticed the trend of a lot of crafters who work on products the night before the show. Not trying to make anyone feel bad, but I want to be more prepared; and I wonder if pre-made stock will help me do that.

I also wonder if I should donate them as prizes for a Craftster board challenge or Whiplash; or maybe even hold a contest here on my blog. They seem to be all the rage lately, I just wish I could come up with a question or theme! LOL

It's not as if I want to stop working on my store altogether, I just need a break. All I've been doing the last couple months is making myself feel bad, and it's left me exhausted and completely drained. Life doesn't go the way we want sometimes (ok, alot! LOL) and I've been too stubborn to admit it, and reevaluate where I'm at and where I want to be with both my crafting and business. Time to take a step back and relax!

Is That Grass Really Greener?

Even though I started my blog as a place to share projects and ideas, lately I've been spending more and more time thinking about the writing that I put into it. At first, it was just a matter of "This is made from this material, and it took me X number of days to make," and I was totally ok with that. Recently I've been writing more posts analyzing both myself and the crafty Blog-O-sphere I love so much. A year ago I would've been embarrassed to post without pictures, but I find myself writing more and more, that I just don't have the right photo for. And that's ok, too! LOL

It's really interesting to me, how positive most everyone tries to be. Not that I want to bring anyone down, but I think it's normal to have negative thoughts, and even express them. Not that I want this to turn into a bitch-fest, but it feels good to get the bad stuff off your chest every once in a while. (Feel free to leave now, if rants aren't your thing!)

First, a confession; I get so jealous of people sometimes. I mean, really jealous. And it's not as if I think badly of these people because of their successes; merely that I wish I felt more successful myself. It's such a trap I fall into. I check the "How's Your Etsy Shop Doing?" thread on Craftster frequently, and while I'm proud our community as a whole is growing; it's so easy for me to feel so envious that I haven't made a sale in over a month. That I haven't felt as much a part of the community, as I really want to. That I don't feel successful, even though I've made huge progress in the last year. Those emotions are like quicksand for me, and it sucks me down into a spiral of "I'm not good enough." (Don't even get me started on other Tsumami Kanzashi sellers on Etsy… I could turn green just thinking about how many more sales they get, than I do.)

Those times, I try and remember I am successful, even if I haven't reached a lot of my goals yet. Even if I haven't ever won Whiplash, even if it really seems the grass is greener on someone else's side; it doesn't mean it is. I think about how hard some small business owners push themselves to get where they want to be, and how I so blindly fell into that trap. I think about how overwhelming it all feels sometimes, and I wonder how I'd really feel about wholesaling 200 pieces (of anything! LOL) or not being able to keep up with demand. That might be right for some sellers, but for me it's about the customer. I want every Crafty Ginger customer to be 100% satisfied with everything I put into my products. I love writing little notes saying Thank You! to my buyers, because I'd love to try and make their day as good as they made mine by purchasing from me. I like having total control over my packaging, that I can print up small batches, and make them personal. I'd really love to sell more, but I don't want to sacrifice quality of product, or the buying experience.

I guess what I'm saying is - define your own success, and don't let others do it for you. Only you can know what truly makes you happy, and if that's selling hundreds of products in a week - that's great for you! But if you want each an every buyer to feel special, that's ok too! I think in this day and age, it's easy to let outside factors determine how we feel. I think that's a copout though, as it's always harder to stay true to yourself and be an individual. I think that's what this community is really about though, embracing who you are, and what you love. Be who you are, and do what you love - in whatever way that's true to you.

Learning the Lesson

First I must admit, that I really struggled with whether to share this or not. I certainly don't want to scare anybody off (starting their own business,) but I've been through so much in the last few months; that I thought if I could share the lessons I've learned, it would be worth it.

Last year, I decided to start my own business, and came up with my first product - tsumami kanzashi flower snaps. I knew things wouldn't start fast, I was a new name with a new product, and I knew there would be a learning curve to get over. It took me a few months to get products together for the store, and I was pleased to make my first sale in the first week after I listed my first round of items. Fast forward to this January, I had a great plan to promote my products, first with The Sampler, and then Etsy's Showcase.

And then, in mid-February, my grandmother died. We weren't very close in the last few years, but I was very surprised by how hard it hit me. What was even more surprising, I now think I made it even worse for myself, because I didn't allow myself to really own up to what I was feeling after her death. I tried to push everything back down inside, and focus on my store. That was probably the worst thing I could have done, because I ended up wrapping all of my hopes and goals for the store, in all of the negative emotions I didn't want to release.

Consequently, I pushed myself so hard to find new products, and come up with new ways to promote my store. I put all of my happiness in that, and was shocked to find it wasn't making me happy, just to stress about how it's not doing as well as I'd hoped. It was so hard to find amidst all of my personal disappointment, the real truth - I can't decide where my happiness comes from, but I do have to open my eyes, and see that it won't be one thing. Whether that's my business, or my house, my blog - not one thing can ever make me truly happy. It's the balance that I'm looking for. Strong when I need to be, but also vulnerable sometimes, which has always been the tougher side for me to express; hopeful about my goals, but realistic with how I approach them. That's the balance I realized I'm longing for.

A few years back I caught a documentary about Bruce Lee. While he was a bit before my time, I was amazed by how smart he seemed. He had a quote I really love, and I knew I had to share it here. He said,

Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.

Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.

So, I've decided to not push so hard on my store stuff. I'm still taking custom orders, and shipping anything that sells, but I won't be spending too much time developing it until I can find a balance between it, and the other parts of my life. (It won't affect the blog though, I seem to have found a pretty good balance here, and with my other activities and responsibilities.)

A Few Ups and Downs of Starting Your Own Craft Business

Having been a member of Craftster for the last year, and an Etsy seller of 6 months, I've seen a bunch of projects (& products) get really popular. That by itself is great, but the downside is that sometimes ideas or patterns are used in a way that takes advantage of the originator. This could be someone selling finished items using your tutorial, or maybe a kit with a pattern. Either way, there's very little to be done to prevent such intellectual property theft from occurring. That's not to say you're helpless; as the copyright holder you do have rights. But, they can be very hard to enforce, and you'll likely never see a dime for the profit someone else makes ripping you off.

Sound harsh? Well good; the craft-blogging community can sometimes seem very light, not covering some of the more negative sides of doing business for yourself. The point is, it's worth considering that if your product gains enough popularity, you will likely get copied. It's true that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, but it can be little comfort when you stumble across your pattern for sale by someone else. The second, and more important point, is that you shouldn't let it discourage you from developing your product, and going for it. The simple fact is, your unique ideas are worth the risk, to share with crafters all around the world. I conclude that point based on observations that most people are good, and you'll never be able to stop all of the people that don't hold themselves to higher standards. So hold yourself to a higher standard, and prepare yourself for what it might mean to be self-employed with a crafty business of your own.

Here's all the products I sent off for the March Sampler.
So far as I can tell, I haven't made a single sale from it.
I might try it again sometime, but definitely with a different product.

My very first product I came up with was tsumami kanzashi flower snaps. I love the tsumami technique, but I didn't want to copy all of the great sellers I'd already seen on Etsy. I wanted my products to be unique, and completely my own. That's not to say I'm the first (or last,) person to put snaps on the backs of folded fabric flowers; on the contrary, I expect if I ever sell enough it's an inevitability that I will be copied. I don't look forward to that, but there's lots of bad things that can happen along the way to starting your own business. What I do look forward to, is selling more, and if that means I get copied - so be it.

Another one of the pitfalls can be difficult customers, although I'm lucky enough to have avoided this so far. People's expectations can vary widely, as well as their reactions and responses. Don't take it personally, it's a lesson on what to do differently the next time. If you learn something from it, mistakes can be good. They challenge us to evaluate, and I think that's a skill you absolutely need in starting your own business. I think learning to communicate well with lots of different kinds of people is also a crucial skill.

Recently, Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge shared some of her thoughts on starting a business with me.

What were some of the positive aspects about starting your own business?

There's nothing quite as satisfying (and frustrating) as being your own boss. You can set your own hours, your own pace, your own goals and you have only yourself to answer to. I've loved that I can work on projects that excite me and choose assignments and jobs based on my own desires- not my boss'. Running my own business has reminded me that if you set your mind to something, do your research and plan well you can do most anything you set your mind to.

What were you most surprised by?

How much work it would be. No matter how much you plan and ask around, it's always much more work than you can even imagine. But it's good to throw yourself in and learn quickly- if you're passionate about what you're doing it won't feel that bad.

How do you balance your crafty business with the ups and downs of life?

Having a good support group inside and outside of the industry is crucial. I try to have friends outside of the design world who won't care to listen to me talk about the shop or the blog all the time- they remind me that there is in fact life outside of work ;) But it also helps to have other friends doing the same thing who understand the ups and downs of running a small business. It's incredibly helpful to have people to bounce ideas off of and commiserate with when things go wrong.

How did you establish your "brand" or individual identity in your blog or store? Or, how are are you continuing to do so?

I think the most important thing with any business is to stick to your original goal and stay true to your mission. It's tough to resist the lure of any number of options that might bring you more money or more attention but would require you to alter your image, your brand or abandon your audience. I recently had to pass on a wonderful offer because of something like that. It was tough at first but at the end of the day it feels good to know that you've stayed true to what you believe in and what you set out to do.

What were some negative experiences, and how did you face them? More specifically, did you have any experience with people selling your work as their own, people reselling without your consent, or other malicious events? How did you deal with it? Also, how did you find out about it?

Thankfully I haven't had anything too awful happen with the shop yet. The blog world can be pretty catty so there are plenty of stories there but I try to stay out of the fray and just keep my head down and work. I think and the craft and indie design community continues to grow there will need to be more regulations and rules for copying and things like that, but things are still pretty fresh and new and they'll need to come with time. But thank goodness nothing too horrible has happened to me yet. Knock on wood...

Any other thoughts on starting a craft business?

I think you can never, ever research too much. Talking to people who run businesses, who work in every aspect of the industry. They'll often pass on the most priceless pieces of information. Other shop owners can share what businesses or services to avoid and which ones will make your life easier. It always pays to be prepared.

Any other thoughts in general?

Not to get too Fiona Apple on anyone, but always, always be true to yourself and your goals. If you have something unique and worthwhile to share it will be noticed. There is always room for more creative, unique voices in the craft and design world but the last thing anyone needs is more of the same thing. If you stay true to your own unique style you can never go wrong.

Thank you so much Grace! I found your advice so very insightful and personally helpful, and I'm sure I'm not the only one! If you haven't before, go check out Design*Sponge! Also, I'd love to hear what you think about starting a craft business. Leave a comment here, link me to your blog or email me (Crafty[NOSPACE]Ginger[AT]Gmail[DOT]com)!!!