Six Personal Things to Consider Before Starting a Crafts Business

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Six Personal Things to Consider
Before Starting a Crafts Business

by Barbara Brabec

1. Get the Support of Your Family. Any business run at home will be stressful at times, but much more so if you don't have support and encouragement from your spouse or other family members. Make sure everyone understands what you want to do and what they might have to do (or give up) to help you reach your goals. Although even young children can be a help to your crafts business, it's more important to get the help and support of your spouse. (In many craft businesses started by women, spouses provide hours of unpaid support in helping with orders, doing craft shows, keeping the books, assisting with computer-related tasks or maintaining a Web site.) In your notebook, jot your thoughts on what you will need from your family in the way of help or encouragement.

2. Adjust Your Attitude. Even if your financial goals are small, it’s important to develop a professional attitude right from the start because your attitude will have everything to do with the amount of money you’ll. If you just want to make "extra money," that's all you'll ever make. If you need to contribute to the family income, however, you will change your attitude accordingly and get more serious about what you're doing. At that point, your chances for making a real profit will increase dramatically. In your notebook, make a firm statement about your attitude about money and what you’d like to do with your craft earnings.

3. Set Some Goals. Make a list of short- and long-term goals you’d like to achieve, and don’t be afraid to set a couple of personal goals you’re not sure you can reach. You may have to leave your comfort zone and stretch yourself to achieve a particular goal, but what you’ll learn in the process will be worth gold to you. As a motivational expert once said, "People have an unlimited potential to make of themselves whatever they choose. The only real limitations on human growth are those which we unconsciously place on ourselves." As you reach for the moon, however, be realistic about your financial goals. If you do not see an immediate financial profit, remember that you’ll be learning from your experience, and that’s the best profit of all.

4. Find More Time. Start recording how you presently spend every hour of each day and do this for at least a month to get a complete picture of all your activities. Then study this information to find the extra hours you’ll need to run a business at home. You may find you have to curtail some of your volunteer work, change your shopping habits, or limit personal coffee klatches, phone calls or e-mails. If you are not an organized person, read a book or two on how to get organized, which in turn will save you lots of time you can devote to your business.

5. Set Up an Organized Work/Business Area. To minimize stress and save time, figure out how and where you’re going to do the work involved in your new endeavor. In addition to your computer work area, you will also need space for business files and records, production work tables and sufficient storage space for your growing collection of raw materials, supplies and finished goods being prepared for sale. Make sketches in your notebook for how you might rearrange your furniture, closets, garage, etc. to find more space. List things you’ll need to work more efficiently.

6. Consider the Benefits. As many hobby crafters have learned, the benefits of starting a small crafts business at home can be tremendous, even if the venture itself turns out to be a financial flop. That’s because failure is a wonderful teacher that helps us learn what not to do the next time around. Many crafters who failed to make a good profit from their first crafts venture learned enough to succeed in their second. As we try new things, we are often surprised to discover that we can actually do it! Each little success boosts our confidence level and enables us to keep moving forward in exciting new directions. Every time you discover something new about yourself or achieve a new goal, jot it in your notebook. As time goes on, you’ll find this written record of your crafts journey a constant source of encouragement.

Finally, don’t be scared by the idea of "business." It's easy to hide behind the excuse of "I just want to make extra money," but many crafters do this because they are simply afraid of the unknown. While it's natural to be fearful of what you don't know, the good news is that craft business basics are very easy to learn.

Start a Crafts Business Notebook and Journal

If you haven’t done it already, start a crafts business notebook and journal to record your thoughts and ideas about the above things and other topics discussed on this Web site and in my various books.

Buy a three-ring notebook and design a fabulous cover for it that will inspire you every time you open it. Set it up with tabbed sections so you can continually add new pages of thoughts, ideas and journal notes (handwritten or word processing files) as you develop your crafts business. Here is a beginning list of categories you may want in your notebook: Family Issues, Goals, Time Management, Workspace, Production Plans, Legal/Financial, Product Line & New Ideas, Marketing Plans and Outlets to Explore, Suppliers, Special Resources, Daily Journal Notes, Motivational/Inspirational Thoughts.

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For complete information on all aspects of starting and managing a crafts business from home, read Barbara’s "craft business bibles" – available online through this Web site, and in bookstores nationwide. If your library doesn’t have the newest editions of Barbara’s books on their shelves, ask them to add them.

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