Grow Your Handmade Business

by Chapin, Kari; Judd-McGee, Jennifer

• ISBN13: 9781603429894
• ISBN10: 1603429891
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-07-03
• Publisher: Storey Books

Summary

A complete guide for the creative hobbyist who wants to take the next step and quit his or her day job to make a living from a creative passion. Part coaching handbook, part partical nuts-and-bolts guidebook to developing a business plan that will work and be sustainable.

Author Biography

Since the publication of The Handmade Marketplace in 2010 and Grow Your Handmade Business in 2012, Kari Chapin has gained national visibility as a sought-after speaker at craft business conferences and events. She also offers one-on-one creative coaching and courses online. She is known for her effective coaching style and distinctive, supportive voice, along with her strong ability to market and network.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Meet the Creative Collective

Part 1: Mapping Your Dream
Chapter 1: Identify Your Dream Business
-What Form Does Your Dream Business Take?
-What Direction(s) Will Your Dream Business Take?

Chapter 2: Dream Business Fundamentals
-Do You Have a Hobby or a Business?
-Where Are You Now, and Where Are You Going?
-Onward and Upward

Chapter 3: Working for Your Vision
-A Business Takes Work, and Plenty of It
-Visualize Your Perfect Workday
-Practice Mindfulness around Feelings
-Why Are You in Business?
-Formulate Your Mission Statement

Chapter 4: TLC
-Just Say No!
-Who Cares? You Do!
-Family Matters
-Take Yourself on a Creative Retreat

Chapter 5: Goals and Intentions
-Keep Yourself Honest
-Determine Goals
-Goals versus Intentions
-Make Reasonable Goals
-Keep Track of Your Goals and Intentions

Chapter 6: Benchmarks
-Measuring Your Success
-What Does Success Look Like?
-Calculating Success One Step at a Time

Chapter 7: Get Some Help!
-Say It Loud and Say It Proud: Help!
-Mentors: Your Business Gurus
-Your Personal Board of Directors
-Build a Brain Trust

Part 2: Planning for Success
Chapter 8: Types of Business Models
-Business Model Defined
-Running Your Business from Home
-Renting a Studio or Office
-Renting a Storefront and Keeping Shop Hours
-The Off-Site Bottom Line

Chapter 9: Business Plan Preliminaries
-What Is a Business Plan, and Why Do You Need One?
-Business Plan Basics

Chapter 10: Do You Manage Your Time, or Does Your Time Manage You?
-Time Management
-Keep Your To-Do List in Check
-Managing Time Is Easier Than You Think

Chapter 11: The Nuts and Bolts of Business Plans
-Getting Started
-Executive Summary
-Who Exactly Are You, Anyway?
-Business Plan Checklists

Chapter 12: Know Your Marketplace (or Marketing!)
-Know Your Industry
-Target Market, Say What?

Chapter 13: Putting It All Together: Your Marketing Plan
-Taking Stock
-Marketing through Advertising
-Marketing through the Media

Chapter 14: What Do You Make, and How Do You Make It? Having a Production Plan
-Ready, Set, Produce!
-Licensing

Chapter 15: Money, Money, Money
-They're Just Numbers
-Numbers 'R' Us
-Numbers Nomenclature

Chapter 16: Budgets and Budgeting
-First of All, What Exactly Is a Budget?
-Monthly Budget

Chapter 17: Profit and Loss
-P&L Overview
-Detailed P&L by Department

Chapter 18: Money and How to Get Some
-Bank Loans
-Grants
-Angel Investors
-Crowd-Funding
-Family and Friends
-Financing with Personal Credit Cards
-Finding a Way

Chapter 19: Making It All Legit
-What Kind of Business Are You?
-Going into Business with a Loved One
-Taxes
-Payroll
-Insurance

Chapter 20: Professional Support and Where to Find It
-Accountants and Lawyers and Agents, Oh My!

Parting Advice
Acknowledgments
Resources
Index