We get a lot of emails messages and comments from wonderful crafters with one particular query. How can I make an income from my crafting skill? A lot of them are looking for craft jobs that they can do from home.
The number one recommendation we make is to start a craft business. However, the minute that we do, a lot of crafters respond with a negative. They do not want to start a business. They just want a job where they can make crafts for somebody else and be paid by somebody.
But what else is business? As long as you are not in direct employment with anyone, and getting paid to do something you are doing a business.
“The word business puts the fear of the unknown into a lot of people. They at once make up their minds about things like: business is difficult, it costs too much to start, it takes too long to set up, I don’t know the first thing about starting a business and many other such ‘unknowns’.”
I am calling them ‘unknown’ because almost all the above presumptions are wrong to certain degree.
First of all, how different is a craft job from craft business.
“Any time that you sell your craft or skill to anyone else, you are doing business.” Most of the crafters are in business for themselves, one way or the other.”
A high-profile artist who sells in solo exhibitions in art galleries is in a business. So are crafters who makes crafts at home and sells them online or in craft fairs.
So ask yourself this? How many artist/crafters do you know who have a job and consecutively how many are in a business?
What we want you to take away from this is: “do not fear the word business when it comes to earning with your crafts.”
Throughout our blog and book we will use the phrase ‘craft business’. It essentially means the same thing. Earning with your craft and crafting skills. It covers everything from selling from home, selling online, opening a craft store, supplying and selling to others, and dozens of other ways that you can make money from your handicrafts.
With the methods we discuss in our Craft Income Handbook you could be in business within a week to ten days. A craft business is the best and the only method to procure a sustainable and satisfying income from your crafting skills.
Here are some of the common myths about a craft business that we would like to dispense:
“There is a right time to start” Yes there is. But it’s not likely what you are thinking. The right time to start a business is when you can afford it financially and when you have the required support from your family. And time of your own to give. When you can give time to your crafting and setting up the business you should start working on it.
“You need a professional education or background in art and crafts”. A formal education in crafts and art is not necessary. Thousands of crafters are self-taught. You can teach yourself at any point of time using books, online courses and finding mentors. The education that you WILL need is business education about best practices to start and run a craft business. It is our intent to provide that here.
“You need to work on this full-time”. There is absolutely no need to quit your job to start a craft business. They are a great many ways for you to start part-time. We have discussed time management in a great many more detail in “Finding Time For Crafting”.
“You need a brand-new great craft idea”.Nothing is further away from the truth. There is no need to eat reinvent the wheel. Just because thousands of craft businesses sell quilts it doesn’t mean you can’t as well. You can make the craft your own by infusing your own personality in it. Branding is a really strong tool in enabling you to stand out from the rest. You can read these articles we have already published on craft business branding.
“It’s too late to start”. This myth can simply be addressed with an age-old and true adage “it’s never too late to start”. If you knew the number of people who start a craft business after retirement you would be very surprised.
We have addressed just some of the preconceived notions people have about starting a business. Base your decisions on sound judgement, knowledge and advice and you will be well on your way to a successful craft business.
Download “Craft Income Secrets” right away to learn the definitive way of making money from your crafts. “Craft Income Secrets” is a comprehensive course and ALL you need to start earning doing something you LOVE! Learn more about it here.
