Gift Biz Unwrapped | Women Entrepreneurs | Bakers, Crafters, Makers | Startup

Let's talk about technology as it applies to retail. Now, that might lead you to think brick and mortar. But while that’s true, this conversation spins around to digital retail, as well. Because here's the truth. In today’s world? Selling both online and in person brings the most strength to your handmade business. So, tune into this conversation to hear all about tech for eCommerce and discover many resources, best practices, and ideas to enhance your sales. Christine and the Retail Creative and Consulting Agency sit at the intersection of information and innovation, serving the industry of retailers and retail technology. She runs Connected Retail and produces short-form videos about the technology used in the retail industry. Her Founder’s Interviews have become well known for authentic reporting and information and are growing into a global go-to resource. Christine helps retailers solve major pain points, understand and use new technical solutions, and digitize their brick-and-mortar locations. Talk

By now I’m sure you recognize how very important your product photos are. On Etsy for example, where you’re up against many others who sell handmade products similar to yours, a photo will be the differentiating factor in choosing who gets the sale. This extends to stopping the scroll and getting visibility on social media sites too. All told, images and graphics are of "make or break" importance. In the past, having high quality photos was an investment both in time and money. You either hired a professional photographer or purchased your own high quality camera. That required a level of skill in photography not to mention editing software knowledge or hiring a graphic artist. The continual upgrades of mobile phone cameras has come to the rescue. Now there’s no excuse for not capturing great images of your products since your phone can do the trick. And on the software side - things have changed too. Enter Canva. If you’ve never used Canva before, perk up your ears because “gamechanger” is the word that c

Today, we’re talking wholesale but in a way that’s different from any discussions we’ve had before. This one is going to open your eyes to new possibilities for your business. You may have thought your business is too new or small to consider this selling option. But not necessarily so! In fact, what you’ll learn in this episode is a way to get your business into the wholesale arena with guidance and structure specially designed for you – the smaller handmade product maker specifically. Because the holidays are approaching so quickly, I bumped this interview up to get this information into your hands in time for you to take action on it for this holiday season. Huge potential awaits. So without further delay, let’s dive in! Amber Christian is the new owner of both Stockabl and Handmade Seller magazine. She comes from a technology background, having spent over 20 years implementing technology solutions. Given that, she brings her finance, supply chain, and technology insights and expertise to our handmad

My favorite number is 2. You’d think it would be number 1, right? I mean, who doesn’t want to be at the top, in the lead, “the winner” if you will? But there are some definite advantages to being second. And no matter how big you get, there will always be times when you don’t hold the top spot. In this episode I give you my insight into pros and cons in each of these positions. And, the next time you see someone progressing ahead of you, I want you to reposition your thinking and open your mind to the benefits of being second. Seeing a fellow maker succeed proves that it’s possible for you too. It’s evidence that there’s a path to that level. While your road does not, and actually should not, mimic someone else’s, you can take clues from their actions to spark ideas for your own forward progress. Seeing others do things that you’ve been afraid to do can spark action in you and open up your mind’s eye to a whole new level of opportunity you never dared believe is possible. I’m here to tell you it is possible

Are you doing all the hard work and employing all sorts of strategies but still not seeing results? It may be that you’re subconsciously putting up barriers that don’t allow for change to happen. This week’s show focuses on personal development – addressing things that are part of your “being” that might be creating roadblocks to what you’re trying to achieve. Is your mind open enough to consider this to be possible? As Krishna explains the role our subconscious plays, you'll learn what you can do easily throughout your day to affect change. If you feel you’ve tried everything but aren’t making progress. Listen extra hard to this episode. It may just hold the key. Krishna is a Subconscious Transformational Guide, Life Coach, and Licensed and Credentialed Acupuncturist who has worked with over 24K clients during her 18 years in practice. Krishna’s work helps people expand their subconscious beliefs from what is limiting or self-sabotaging. Her clients walk away feeling empowered as the creators of their

This cheerleading thing probably comes as no surprise if you’ve been hanging out with me for a while. I’m an eternal optimist. I love to cheer people on. I’m okay with attention and I love football. I’ve thought about sharing this NFL cheerleading experience with you for a while. As I reflect on my journey there, I realize so much of what I experienced and learned applies to being a small business owner too. I’m going to drop the lessons here but listening to the show will give it context and better understanding. Learning 1 – To accomplish anything you need to put yourself out there. Take the chance. Learning 2 – Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you have the passion to invest a major portion of your life to it. Learning 3 – Don’t force your passion onto someone else if it doesn’t resonate with them. Learning 4 – Jump on opportunities when they spring up. Learning 5 – It’s truly who you know at various points along the way. Learning 6 – Work through setbacks and swallow your pr

Today’s show is really important because it contains a serious and potential life-transforming message. It’s a discussion on how your lifestyle and the behaviors you’ve adopted into your being affect your health and the way you show up in your world. I’ll go so far as to say how they affect your potential for success, too. Not just business success but overall fulfillment of the goals you have for your life. A dramatic statement? Yes! Because the true story you’re about to hear is just that. If you've been taking care of everyone else but you – this show is a must-listen. And if you know someone else in your life doing the same, please share this with them. It’s that important. Years after being released from her 25-year corporate position, Renee realized she needed to do something with the gift of getting her voice back to serve others. Today, Renee is a best-selling author, speaker, and transformational/women's empowerment coach. She has discovered a method that helps you release the stories that no l

If you think about your approach to product development, where do you fall? Do you stick with what’s standard and proven or do you venture off and test new things just to see what happens? While there’s nothing wrong with either approach, I’m going to suggest that the greater opportunity for your business lies in going past the tried and true and expanding to create something truly new and unique. The trick is to do something your audience wants or needs. Or something that solves a common problem people can easily relate to. And you might say, there’s really nothing else that can be done with soaps or candles. That all the stitches and uses for knitted items have been created. Or that every single flavor and variation of chocolate is already out there. And I’ll challenge you on that. In this episode I explain why and give you examples that will get you looking at your product in an entirely different way. CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE to the podcast: Apple Podcasts | Go

You know what successful business owners say when I ask what they'd do differently if they were starting again? Hire help sooner.  Are you surprised? For some reason, we get it in our minds that hiring an employee is reserved only for those who have grown to a certain level. But the truth is - delaying this move can actually hold you back and limit your potential. So, that's what today's training is all about - the how, what, and when of getting some support for your business so you don't have to do *everything* yourself. Here's the thing - the holidays are coming soon, so this might be the perfect time for you to broaden your thinking of what's possible! What's In This Bash? 1. Free Training: the How, What & When Of Hiring Help In this BASH, I dive into the details you need to know about hiring help for your handmade business, including: Deciding which tasks to delegate Defining the jobs in your business Tips for employee interaction Learning how to let go What you can learn from your emp

I took a month off social media in July. This wasn’t my intent but it proved to be an enlightening experience. You may be thinking my account got hacked or closed. Nope. Worse. Tragedy happened in my life. I wasn’t in a headspace for social media at all. Hard stop. In fact, I was off for a little over a month. I didn’t care if I lost followers. I didn’t care if the algorithm dinged me about consistency. It just didn’t matter. (More details in the podcast.) I’m using my situation because let’s face it. Life presents us all with drama, illness, loss … and at some point we need to get back up and keep living. But to get to that point, it’s important to focus on you and your recovery, going through the stages of grief – whatever it is for you. And it could be good times too. You want time to be all in for your wedding or the birth of a baby. What I’m trying to say here is life comes first and sometimes as a business owner, we forget that. In this episode I cover what I learned in this time off social. I think

What’s a Boost? Yay! You've found the very first episode of my brand new podcast format - the Gift Biz Boost. A Boost is your chance to listen in while I address a current issue faced by one of your fellow handmade makers. Too often we stall in one area of our business where, if we can just get past the block, it will open the path to new business growth. That’s what this is all about – to give a boost and clear the way for the next big move. And at the end of the show, I’ll tell you how you can sign up for your own Gift Biz Boost! What's In This Boost? Today, we talk with Gloria King of King’s Gift Baskets. She’s been in business for a while. But, as can happen in life, things have changed and her business needs to change along with it. In this Boost, we cover: Where Gloria's business is now and what she needs help with Identifying the specific customers she'd like to focus on Specific ideas for her website to increase visibility and attract those ideal customers 3 concrete tips to boost Gloria

Today I’m going to give you a number of things to consider while you’re brainstorming the name for your business. But I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t remind you that this is NOT the first thing you should do when thinking about starting your business. The very first thing when considering starting your business is to validate your product. Once you’ve confirmed there’s a market for what you sell, then it’s time to decide on the name and register it officially. But, how do you decide on a name? There may be a name you’ve been thinking about all along or you may be starting fresh by brainstorming all the possibilities. Your business name is an important consideration but can also be a stalling point. I’ve seen too many people spend weeks if not months with their business on hold because they can’t decide on the perfect name. My intent here is to help you along with making a great choice. Or, if you’re wondering if the name you currently have could use a refresh – stay to the end to hear a story

What if you start your own business, selling a product you’ve always loved making as a hobby, but now you find it’s not what you expected?

What if you could jump on the phone with me for a quick 10-minute conversation? Now you can. Ask my opinion of a website platform you’re considering. Want thoughts about how to get stronger results from an upcoming craft show? Or maybe it’s an overall strategy discussion. Whatever’s on your mind. The second I learned about this new program, I saw the beauty of how it can help me serve you in a whole new way. It provides an opportunity for us to connect - just you and me - in an easy and convenient way – and not at standard one-on-one coaching prices either. Listen in to hear all about it. CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE to the podcast: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify PAY IT FORWARD by leaving a rating and review. I'd love to hear your comments. Tell me how the show has helped you or a specific guest or point that had an impact. You can do that right here. Thanks for listening! Resources for Growth of Your Handmade Biz 5 Rookie Mistakes Webinar (FREE) Start w

Which is better for a handmade product business - your own website or Etsy? The truth is, there are pros and cons to each. So in this episode, we dive into the differences between having a store on Etsy versus creating your own website. After that brief training, we feature Showcases from other handmade product makers just like you. And guess what? The previous BASH resulted in new wholesale order placement and individual product sales for the attendees. So it's safe to say that participating in a BASH will definitely help your visibility and sales! Why not join us at the next BASH and enjoy some of that for yourself? What's In This Bash? 1. Free Training: Your Own Website vs Etsy - Pros & Cons In this BASH, we compare a website you build yourself vs. an Etsy shop to consider: ease of setup training materials available visibility audience make-up competition business growth potential and costs of acquiring a sale. 2. Q&A about this topic with Bash attendees. Did your question ge

I know for a fact that you have special powers you aren’t using. If you tap into them, they’ll make you and your business more personal, memorable and shareable. The best thing about these powers of yours is that you don’t need to act like someone you’re not. You don’t to invent scenarios you think your customers will like or project anything that feels uncomfortable or staged. Doesn’t that sound freeing and too good to be true? Guess what? It’s not. You already have these powers but you don’t see them as such. And since you don’t recognize them, you’re letting them lie dormant with untapped potential. That changes right now! CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE to the podcast: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify PAY IT FORWARD by leaving a rating and review. I'd love to hear your comments. Tell me how the show has helped you or a specific guest or point that had an impact. You can do that right here. Thanks for listening! Resources for Growth of Your Handmade Biz 5 Ro

Life can take interesting turns. And sometimes, we end up in a completely different place than we thought we would. Today's guest is a perfect example. Although he started out as a professional rabbi, he now is a full-time jewelry maker! And you're going to love hearing his journey because it is such a perfect case study on starting and growing a handmade product business! Doug creates his artwork to celebrate surprising transformations and to make upcycling irresistible. Through his small studio operation, Lost & Forged, he offers a wide range of original jewelry, accessories, Judaica items, and decor pieces, all made by hand from antique silverware and other reclaimed metal objects. He began his artistic work in 2015. Since then, Doug has shipped his pieces to buyers in dozens of countries overseas and all 50 US states. Doug lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with his two children. He was the full-time rabbi of a local synagogue for 11 years but shifted his main professional focus to his artwork in

Many think marketing and promoting are the same thing and they use them interchangeably. Here’s where you can get lost in it all. Lots of time and money spent on these activities knowing it’s important for your business but seeing little in results. The purpose is blurry at best. What should you be doing to bring in the sales? How do you know if you should keep going with one thing or put more emphasis on another? Let’s clear this up so you can be more focused and purposeful in the time you do spend on these two strategies and understand the intent behind each one. See Details and Order Content for Makers CONNECT with me here: Website | Facebook | Instagram SUBSCRIBE to the podcast: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify PAY IT FORWARD by leaving a rating and review. I'd love to hear your comments. Tell me how the show has helped you or a specific guest or point that had an impact. You can do that right here. Thanks for listening! Resources for Growth of Your Handmade Biz 5 Rookie Mistakes Webinar

Do you know the difference between features vs benefits? These words are often used interchangeably when in reality they relay different types of information and should be used for separate purposes. In this BASH Party, we cover features and benefits completely. And when we're done? You'll be able to apply this newfound knowledge directly to your business. After the training, we get into Showcases from other handmade product makers just like you. They’ll share some information about their business and you have the opportunity to see how others present themselves and also get to support others through the discounts they offer or collaborations they’re seeking. The last BASH resulted in some new wholesale orders and individual product sales. And Yes! You can be part of a BASH, too. See the link below to save your seat for a future BASH party. What's In This Bash? 1. Free Training: 4 Reasons Your Products Aren't Selling One crucial thing that sets you apart and increases sales Specific product display m

You hear about these events on the news, see the horror and sympathize with those involved. You may even know someone affected by a violent event and reach out to help, or offer financial support. There’s anger, frustration and lots of conversation asking “How we can allow these things to continue to happen? This is not the American way and it needs to stop."It may leave you stunned, heartbroken, and unsettled for some time. But be honest – deep down – even though you say it could happen anywhere and to anyone, you never really think it will happen to you.Me too. Until last week. You see Highland Park is my hometown. In this episode I share with you my experience around this event (no gory details I promise). Yet amongst all this horror and feeling guilty about not being able to do more in that moment, I recognized something wonderful happening too.CONNECT with me here:Website | Facebook | InstagramSUBSCRIBE to the podcast:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | SpotifyPAY IT FORWARD