Vianza Blog

This is the first of our Boutique Peek series, in which we pick the brains of boutiqueland’s finest founders.  Rhianon Jones owns the fabulous Echo Park Independent Co-op, located in the heart of Echo Park.  It exclusively features work from independent designers living and working in the Los Angeles area.  Stay up to date on the shop’s adventures via Facebook and Twitter.

If you were forced to choose, what's your absolutely favorite thing that you carry in your store?

Hard to answer because things are constantly changing but I'm always excited to see what Niki from Luxury Jones has in store for us.

Who's your typical customer?

We get lots of musicians from the Echo looking for edgy things to wear on stage. And artists from the neighborhood. A lot of fashion forward people from out of town looking to take home something unique to LA.

What are your best selling products?  Why do people love it so much?

Interestingly, we sell a lot of dresses to wear to weddings. Weddings can be a bit of a drag, so wearing something fun that asserts your free spirit seems to appeal to a lot of our female clientele.

What do you look for in a product line when you're choosing what to carry?

We look for sustainability, ethical manufacturing, originality, and artistic vision.

Describe your dream wholesaler!

Our dream wholesaler is constantly bringing in new stuff and understands the importance of keeping things local and ethically produced. It is great to work with like-minded people who believe that fashion should be fun, but not at the expense of the environment or people's health and welfare.

How do you make your shop stand out?

We stand out because the people we work with stand out. They are artists, we are their gallery.

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

After dabbling in music and sciences, Melissa Schooley dropped out of college to put together an art portfolio and attend the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. She’s been potting full time since 2005 and is currently making functional porcelain servingware.  You can befriend her on Facebook, Twitter or follow her adventures on her blog.
 

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

By far, my most prized creation is a teapot that I made that has mini headlights. When you tip up the pot to pour the tea, the headlights come on. Fun and functional all at the same time!

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I would have to say this involved bringing a new line of work to a wholesale show before I had worked out the kinks in production. I hadn't produced any of the pieces in any great quantity, and it was at the show that all the bugs come out in new designs. What a nightmare! It created a very stressful year for me and as a result, I'd highly recommend taking at least a year to try a new line in a retail setting before introducing it to wholesale clients.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

As silly as this may sound, it would probably be the fact that I'M the boss. When I finally understood that I could say no to certain opportunities and requests, and that it was ME who was in charge of where I wanted to take my business, I suddenly felt a lot more in control and much less stressed.

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

Avril Loretti, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Hand + Shadow, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Suite One Studio Ceramics, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

What's your best tip for strengthening your relationship with your retailers?

Be organized and communicate! Retailers are busy and have a lot on their plates. When I see buyers at a show, I like to have previous orders handy in case I need to reference them. I also like to talk about the work with them and how its being received in their shops. They are on the front lines, so to speak, so I take their feedback seriously. What do they like or not like about specific products, what pieces are selling the best, which ones aren't moving, etc. If I can help my retailers sell more work, all the better for my business.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Step outside of your comfort zone! Don't be afraid to try things that scare you and don't be afraid to take risks! The one thing that every, single, business person has in common is failures- products that flopped, shows that were a complete disaster, etc. The one thing that every successful business person has in common is that they didn't let the failurs stop them. They got up, brushed themselves off and changed their approach or tried something new.

Thanks for sharing, Melissa!

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

This is a Guest Post by Kate Gatski. She and her husband have been full time artists for nearly 10 years. Kate was raised by a full time crafter of 30 years. She is sharing her secrets in a project called, “All Craft. Real Income; A Recipe for Making your Art Pay.”

It’s 7am. You wake up and get the coffee rolling. Your grab a mug and sip. About 12 minutes later, you settle in at your desk. There’s a timer there and you set it for 30 minutes.

You write a thank you note, scan your email (reply to anything that takes 3 minutes or less) and do a quick “like, like, like” on facebook.  Ding!  Write down any lingering thoughts (figure out a price for that custom life sized antelope head). Move on. Make something.

What does it take to support a family of five for 10 years with art & craft?

What does it take for craft to pay all its own business expenses, all living expenses including insurance and retirement, fund business growth and make a profit for future business (and fun) opportunities? It takes about 1 hour every day. 

It takes letting go of archaic ideas and a full embrace of three things

1. Planning

2. Seeking opportunities and

3. Relating to your people.

There is a recipe. It is about developing a daily practice. It is less about specific actions (in the beginning) and more about your effort. Eventually your actions will flow perfectly in sync with your plan.

How does it work?

Take a specific amount of time, I recommend 30 minutes to 1 hour each day. You will write a plan (if you do not have one already). You will ask yourself questions like, “What do I want my craft to pay for (retirement, new house, travel)? How much do I think it will take? Do I enjoy being around people? What motivates me- creative challenges, recognition or independence?”  Your plan will detail your dreams and include lists of possible actions.

Having a plan is not a revelation to you.
Make one.
Keep it nearby.

Now, connect with your people. In the beginning, we used good old-fashioned mail – a postcard, a newsletter, a catalog. These days, we’re going digital. No matter the method, reach out and relate. Think about what is it about you, work or your life that would be useful to someone else? Offer tips, inspiration and bits of humor. Make a small effort towards this end every day.

Now, seek a new opportunity.

This is a practice. It might be a simple as doing a google search.  Instead of waiting for things to happen to you; you are making them happen for you. You will soon be able to evaluate a new opportunity it in about 60 seconds. Does it fit your plan? Does it have future potential? How much time will it take?

A steadfast commitment to these three things (planning, opportunities and relating to people) will pay.

There will be up and down days. Some projects will take many days. Refer to your plan, remain diligent and when the timer ding’s – Move on! Make something.

Image credits: Kate Gatski

For three and a half years, Global Handmade Hope has been providing employment and income to artisans in developing countries and gorgeous handmade goods to Park Ridge, Illinois. With a huge range of gorgeous things for your home and closet, Global Handmade Hope has something for everyone.  Follow along with their adventures on their blog!

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

While I do not personally make any of our items, though I wish I were that talented,  I help the artist take culturally significant items & skills, and tweak them for the US market.  Our goal is to help these families provide for themselves, without the need for charity.  I do have to say that my favorite items to design and work with are Christmas/Holiday items.  Followed next by handbags, and then by jewelry.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

Just keep busy and something will happen.  There is nothing to be gained in "keeping busy".  Yes, there is something to staying motivated and focused but not "busy".  While I find myself busy, honestly there never seems to be enough time in the day, it is not the type of busy that comes from "busy work".  Take a look at your tasks, prioritize them based on what outcomes you would like to see and then let the rest go.  You can never be everything to everybody.  Find what you do best, do it to the best of your ability and for God's glory and let the rest go.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career? 

Don't try to force a situation or outcome before it's time.  I am definitely someone who likes things to come quickly, I don't like to wait.  My desire to grow and succeed before without a well thought out game plan and prayerful consideration has caused future growth to come at a slower rate.  I have learned that it is not always "the early bird that gets the worm" as the saying goes.  Yes, time is important and certain situations call for quick action.   But, as the African proverb goes "Hurry, hurry has no blessing"  (We have an elephant greeting card that is made of recycled paper and up-cycled fabric that says this, it is one of my favorites.)

What's your best tip for strengthening your relationship with your retailers? 

Learn about your retailers. Every retailer has different needs.  Find out about their business, their goals, how they see themselves reaching their goals.  After you have this information, then you can create a product or program that will meet their requirements and yours. 

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be? 

Keep your end goal in mind always. For Global Handmade Hope our end goal is to provide access to health care, school, a safe home and to share with people that God cares about them.  We accomplish this goal by offering customers in US our artists works. We fulfill the local markets needs and in addition our customers get to feel great pride in knowing that the item they purchased is leading to a better life for the artist that made it.
 

Also, remember that we all have our up days and down days.  Try to take the down days and learn from them.  Ask yourself what went wrong and what you could have done differently. 

Pick yourself up and move on, tomorrow is another day with great and limitless possibilities.

 

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

This is a guest post by Jen Wallace. She shares her indie life over at Indie Fixx where she writes about making, creating, cooking, learning, playing, loving, and pretty much anything else that strikes her fancy.

Every independent designer knows that a mention on a big name blog can be a make it moment, but how to get bloggers to notice your shop?

You could wait around for bloggers to come across your shop while they wade through the Internet, or you could reach out to them.

It's called the “pitch”, and the most important thing to remember is that pitching your shop is just like dating—you wouldn't go on a date in curlers, so don't pitch as if you were in curlers.

Here's a few ideas for how to send an email pitch to bloggers that will stand out from the cacophonous amount of submissions they receive.

Do keep it short

Bloggers are not going to read a long email. 2-3 short paragraphs tops.

Do get to the point quickly

Again bloggers are a fickle bunch and if you don't grab their attention in the first sentence or two, you will lose them.

Do offer suggestions on how bloggers can make a story out of you.

Do you have a unique story? Work as a chemist by day, but feel the call to letterpress by night? Do you use a  unique material or process? Did you study your craft at the hands of an Italian master? Share this!

Do make sure to include a link to your online shop.

Do include 1-2 small images of your goods with your pitch

Make sure the photography is stellar though. It does not matter how wonderful your products are in person, bloggers will not feature them without fantastic photos.

Do not send out a pitch to every blog in your feed reader.

Instead, do take the time to choose a handful of blogs that really fit the aesthetic of your products and approach those blogs only.

Do take the time to learn the blogger's name 

and make sure to show that you are familiar with their blog.

Do offer to share a guest post on the blog, if appropriate.

Many blogs feature guest bloggers and are looking for DIY and tutorial projects, studio tours as well as other posts. It does help if you have a blog to offer up as an example.

Do make sure to include an about page or bio section in your shop.

If a blogger decides to feature you based on your email pitch, they may need more info as filler. It's possible that they may decide they need this info at 3 in the morning for the next day's post. If you don't have additional info available, the blogger may move onto shop that does. Most blogs do have an editorial calendar, but you might be surprised at the number of posts that are written at the last minute.

Finally, do not get discouraged if you do not hear back from a blogger you have sent an email pitch to...they may be saving your shop for a rainy day.

Share your tips in the comments!

Image: mambol

Lubna was born in the US to Palestinian immigrants. At the age of 14, she moved to the Middle East where she lived for almost 10 years.  After crystals helped her recover from health issues in her twenties, Lubna wanted to share their beauty and healing properties with other women - and House of Shakti was born.  You can follow Lubna’s adventures on her blog, Facebook or twitter.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

My scarf necklaces are probably my coolest creation because they are such stylish and versatile pieces that can convert any outfit.  I was fiddling around with designs that would combine my love of scarves and jewelry and voila, the scarf necklace was born.  There is nothing like it on the market at all and I’ve gotten such wonderful feedback from customers that it just makes me proud.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I’m not sure if it could be characterized as “bad” business advice but quite a few people have told me to do my manufacturing in China.  All my products are handmade and I am fundamentally against sending my designs to a factory in China.  I prefer to have my products made here in the USA.

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

Rami Kashou,  Nina Cortes and Kara Janx.  Can you tell I watch Project Runway and Accessory? ;)

What's your best tip for strengthening your relationship with your retailers?

I just try to make myself as accessible as possible to them and keep the channels of communication open.  I always inform them when I have a new design coming out so that they can be the first to order it if they like.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

 Don’t compromise your creative self or your business principles.  The more you are true to art and your value, the more people will respect your work in the long term.  There is something out there for everyone, keep at it until you find your target market that simply loves what you do and is happy to pay the price that you have valued it at.
 

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Now that the holiday decorations have been put away and the sheer curtains of summer are still a few months out, it’s easy to fall into mid-winter decor malaise.  A frightening malady to be sure!  My favorite treatment is a few new throw pillows.  They’re a cheap, easy way to change up the look of a room without a big commitment.  I’m particularly into these lovely numbers from Proud Mary. The design is modern and fun without being twee.

Even better?  The products are handmade by artisans in developing countries and Proud Mary is committed to creating long-lasting, sustainable relationships with these talented men and women.  Lovely!

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Since 2009, friends Mitali Seth and Lovisa Shergill have been adding personality to boring bedrooms around the world with their gorgeous linens and pillows.  Additionally, Allem Studio is both karma and design-driven, using products manufactured by socially responsible vendors and collaborating with SEWA, women's only co-operative based out of India.  You can follow their adventures on their

blog, facebook or twitter.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

Our company. We built it out of our own personal savings of $500 each and we’re both really proud of our creation. Since its inception it has grown pretty much by itself, and sustaining itself. What’s cool is that we have not taken a penny from anybody else –family/friends/bank to make it where it is now. It all began with $1000, a dream and two very stubborn women.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

To rigidly follow market trends.

This is actually both good and bad advice. If you follow blindly, then you can never be a leader. But if you do not follow, chances are that you could be pushed aside. It is a very thin line that has to be balanced. One needs to be exclusive in their creativity while at the same time keeping a commercial and keen eye on trends.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

For the launch of our product line, we were very sure that we needed to work with a big setup because that would provide us with a better support, professional commitment and assured quality. We got burnt bad and realized it’s actually not the set up but the attitude of the people running the show. That realization made us work with a very small factory where we decided to go with our gut after a very basic phone interview. We liked the owner and her zeal and passion and decided to place our manufacturing with her. 

Sometimes it’s very important to listen to your heart and ignore those figures on paper. It makes you want to take risks which subsequently end up being the better business decisions. That provided us with confidence to start supporting other small manufacturing set ups and now a women’s only co-operative.

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

Kanika Bahl of Anek Designs, India – She creates beautiful, unique colorful items.

Elizabeth Prince of Prince Designs, UK –Her ceramic creations are adorable.

Stephanie from Desserts for Breakfast – She is a food blogger and photographer. Love her website, pictures and of course her recipes.

What's your best tip for strengthening your relationship with your retailers?

Give them great service. Keep the communication gates open and constantly seek feedback on products and prices.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

There is an amazing quote by Ira Glass. It expresses our thoughts very well.

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

After earning a degree in Art and Design, Audrey Sterk moved to Nantucket, lived on a boat for four years and started a decorative painting business.  As if that’s not envy-inducing enough, her work has been featured in the likes of Architectural Digest and HG TV.  You can befriend her on Facebook.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

That is a difficult question to nail down to one thing. I think there are small surprises often, as we are creating a larger decorative design business (Audrey Home Collection) from a one at a time hand painted project business. When we first started I was the one person production facility trying to make our products easy for a manufacturing business to reproduce, while keeping the integrity of our quality hand painted business as the role model. It was an eyeopening experience and I felt like the first table we covered successfully with our printed designs that looked as if we hand painted it was a grand feat!

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I am a believer in trusting your intuition. I don't think I have been given bad business advice as much as I have had moment of getting tossed in the turbulence of too much advice. It is not fun to feel confused, but at the same time you need to ask people who have succeeded so you know the proper steps to take, then tailor it to your personal direction and take some risks. There is nothing better than reinforcing the choices you have made.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

That there are other talented, creative people out there that might have similar concepts to yours. If you are thinking about an idea and want to try it, do some research but don't be afraid to go for it even of there is another company out there doing something similar. Chances are there will be a lot of unique differences and most likely you will develop a growing relationship together.

What's your best tip for strengthening your relationship with your retailers?

Reaching out and making an effort to stay connected is important. A personal email is always positive and some free little gift from your line is a nice touch. Something tailored to their style says that you appreciate them and you are aware of what they like.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

This is your chance to take a leap and go for it. It is an amazing feeling to trust yourself, make a decision and see it blossom!

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

If you’re going to Encinitas, CA, get off the 5 as soon as possible and get on the 101. It’s called the Coast Highway for a reason, and the drive is gorgeous (especially if you’re driving south). You’ll pass through tiny towns and thriving tourist traps.

As you drive under the Encinitas sign, pull over anywhere and park right on the street (free, easy, and within walking distance of everything I talk about here). As you walk, look down and enjoy the art at your feet.

If you’re near the Encinitas sign, you’re just a block from Gardenology.

Gardenology carries sumptuous bedding, home decor and yep, even a few things for the garden.

The shop was entirely black and white and gray when I visited, with bits of weathered wood and shiny marble.

For the full SoCal experience, grab a burger at Angelos.

Walk just another block south and you’ll see, ArtNSoul101a sweet boutique/co-op/charity. Check out their amazing mission in this video:

&

When I was there, there was an artist working!

Once you get your fill of happy, bright art, stroll back out to the 101, walk past a great big Whole Foods, curve around the restaurant to the left and you’ll find the delightful Bliss101.

It’s back from the sidewalk a bit, but don’t stop looking because it is wondrous. They carry art, furniture and clothing, all from indie designers.

I fell in love with the furniture made from old fishing boats, like this seat:

And, if Bliss101 doesn’t bliss you so far out, keep walking south! Grounded is a few more blocks (if you’re too tired, jump in your car and drive down...but I suggest walking in the warm sunshine, with the beach just a block away).

Grounded is full of handmade jewelry

stationary

linens

and contemporary modern furniture.

And that’s a tour of the indie boutiques in Encinitas!

Do you have a great indie boutique (or 3) in your town? Tell us all about it on Twitter or Facebook!

Tara Swiger is our Community Concierge, a crafter of independence, and a Starship Captain. She’s right in the middle of a writing a book on Marketing for IndieBiz’s for Cooperative Press and she’d love to distract herself by hanging out with you onTwitter.

This is a guest post by Diane Gilleland, aka Sister Diane, of CraftyPod.com. Diane makes ebooks, podcasts, and videos about what it means to make things, and what happens when you turn making things into your vocation.

In this three-part series of posts, we’re looking at three important questions to help you do more effective online marketing. You can read the first post in the series here.

Consider this: in the online landscape, we are all inundated with information. Most of us have more blog posts, tweets, and Facebook updates to read than we’ll ever realistically have time for. Not only that, as we mentioned last week, the internet is teeming with people trying to sell things.

In a crowded online environment, it’s not effective to simply mention your product or service over and over – it’s too easy for people to tune you out. Instead, with each post you’re painting a portrait of sorts – a portrait of what you’re great at and why you’re a valuable person to do business with.

In order to get at this portrait, we’ll want to examine this question:

What exactly do you need people to know about you?

Get a notebook and a pen (or, sit down at your computer) and make a list of every product or service you currently offer. For each one of these, you’ve had to develop particular skills and expertise so you could offer them to the world professionally, right?

If you make pearl earrings, for example, then you’ve had to get good at working with metal and precious stones. You’ve had to learn to tell the difference between high-quality and low-quality components. You’ve had to develop an eye for jewelry design, and you’ve had to practice making pieces until you could make them consistently beautiful.

These skills and abilities are the things you need people to know about you – the more your potential customers can understand how skilled and knowledgeable you are, the more likely they are to become interested in your product.

How does this translate to online marketing?

Once you’ve identified the skills and abilities behind what you sell, it’s time to develop a little online editorial calendar for yourself. What blog posts, tweets, or Facebook posts can you develop that share these skills and abilities?

If we stick with our pearl earring example, here are a few ideas:

- You could write a blog post about what qualities you look for when you choose the pearls for your pieces.

- You could share pictures of jewelry in progress on Twitter and Facebook, and talk about how you solved a challenging design problem.

- You might blog the story of how you first learned to make wire loops, and how long you had to practice before you could do them perfectly.

- You could share sketches from your notebook on Facebook and Twitter, and ask your online customers for input as you design new pieces.

Do you see how much more interesting and engaging these stories are than simply mentioning your product over and over? Make yourself a schedule of these stories, so you remember to inject them regularly into your online postings.

In the last post in this series, we’ll talk about how to gently guide your online readers to make those purchases or hire you.

Image Credits: Martin Marcinski, via Flickr Creative Commons

Tara Swiger  is our Community Wrangler, a crafter of independence, and a Starship Captain. She’s right in the middle of a writing a book on Marketing for IndieBiz’s for Cooperative Press and she’d love to distract herself by hanging out with you on Twitter

Since 2003, Melanie Grace Designs has been designing one-of-a-kind or limited edition originals.  Inspired by her international travels and the punk rock/couture fashion aesthetic of her hometown, Melanie’s designs are comfortable, unique and totally, totally wearable.  You can befriend her on Facebook or follow her adventures on her blog.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

Their were actually four hands involved! My husband and I built our house, from drawings to toilet installation, hammer and nail. It was one of the most difficult and rewarding things I've ever done and of course nine years later, it's still a work in progress.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

Lower your prices. There is a pervasive thought in our culture that you have to undersell someone else in order to succeed. It's already hard to place a value on your work when you're just starting out and that message was hard to overcome. I think most burgeoning artists, myself included, don't value our time highly enough partially because we are doing what we love. But also because we forget to take into consideration all the time that it takes to source materials, market, ship, package, etc., which adds up to a whole lot more time than the creation alone.
 

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to travel the world but also got the message that you could only do that if you had loads of money. When I was working as a teacher my husband and I decided to make a move and thought we would take part of the summer break to explore France. Once we started saving and researching for our trip it just kept growing. There were so many palces we had to see and we also realized that it's really easy to travel on the cheap. We ended up spending a year and traveled through Europe, the middle east and India.

That year completely changed my perspective on what I could achieve. I had always wanted to be an artist but didn't believe in myself enough to pursue it as anything other than a hobby. After we returned I started my business and we started building our house. Crazy but worth it!

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

Leigh Young, Rebecca Bashara and Scott Macdonald and  Christy Aloysi and Scott Graham.
 

What's your best tip for strengthening your relationship with your retailers?

Don't over commit and live up to your promises.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

First you must believe in what you have to offer and the rest will follow.

Thanks for sharing, Melanie!

Image Credits :: Melanie Grace Designs

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.
 

Kristin Nelson’s ceramics have been carried in stores like Barney’s for almost 15 years.  Kristin recently added a new line of dishes to her range and enjoys kayaking and learning new languages when she’s not firing up the kiln.  You can follow more of her adventures on her blog.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

Making things is my life, so it is impossible for me to choose a most favored or prized creation. This doesn’t mean that I don’t have them though! It’s just that they are continually changing. While decorating multitudes of ceramics with my Kri Kri creatures, an extra super cute one pops out every now and then. That one will be hard for me to part with it for a day or two, but I comfort myself with the knowledge that someone else will be able to treasure it and then I move on.

If pressed, I will admit that I once made a circle skirt of ochre velvet, trimmed with mink and embellished with a rich turquoise, vintage braid. It hit at the knee and was very swingy. It looked great with boots. And, there was a pair of very, very tiny red ceramic mittens that I once gave to my husband when he wasn’t feeling well.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I have been fortunate to have received only good business advice and lots of it. Don’t be afraid to ask people with experience and knowledge. They usually love to share it.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

Learn to delegate. There are others out there who are very capable who have different skills and can do things that you need to have done. When you are ready for it, hiring an employee can really help take your business to a new level. Free yourself up to maximize your creative energy!

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

Jil Smith at Insatiable Studios

Lauren Grossman’s Great Balls Fire jewelry

Kitten chops

What's the best way to navigate the world of wholesale?

I try to design my products so that they are efficient and cost effective to produce. That helps me to keep a competitive price point and assures that I earn a profit.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Try to identify what it is that inspires you and what makes your products unique. Have fun cultivating and developing this in your everyday life. If your passion is genuine, you will enjoy your job of creating and you will pass that positive energy on.

Thanks so much for sharing, Kristin!

Photo Credits :: Kri Kri Studios

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Me Two You offers luxuriously soft and stylish baby blankets that are made with the highest quality in the USA.   Me Two You was founded on a simple idea:  With every baby blanket purchased, the company will give a baby blanket to an orphaned child. Lovely!  You can befriend Me Two You on Facebook and Twitter.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

Whilst at high school (back in the 80’s) I was one of four girls, amongst an army of boys that took metalwork as a subject. I made a 5’ tall wrought iron gate that still hangs with pride in my parent’s garden today.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

Don’t worry about it; you can only do your best.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

From the first moment that I read an article on TOMS and its one for one business model I knew that I wanted to start a company that would make a difference in the world. Inspired by the adoption of my daughter from China, the idea for Me Two You was born. For every blanket that is purchased, Me Two You will give a baby blanket to an orphaned child.

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

Karen Krieger a wonderful encaustic mixed media artist (multi-layered paintings using pigmented wax combined with other materials and techniques).

Lindsey Lang a textile and ceramic designer from the UK.

Muriel Brandolini a New York based Interior Designer.

What's your best tip for strengthening your relationship with your retailers?

Deliver what you have promised and ship your product on time.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Dream Big, Do Big!

Photo Credits : Me Two You

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

I love Girls Can Tell;

the hand drawn aesthetic,

the sense of humor

the way I’ve watched Sarah (who I don’t know + doesn’t know me) grow from a line of tea towels I coveted to a full blown wholesale business AND bricks + mortar retail  store. Watching a designer I admire grow and flourish is always satisfying..and Sarah makes it more so with her oft-updated blog and video-full about page.

Wanna share what you love? Just drop me a line and you can confess your love for a designer.

Tara Swiger is our Community Wrangler, a crafter of independence, and aStarship Captain. She’s right in the middle of a writing a book on Marketing your IndieBiz for Cooperative Press and she’d love to distract herself by hanging out with you onTwitter.

Mary Jurek established Mary Jurek Design Inc. in 1998 after being presented with four international awards and working several years as a jewelry and watch artist designing for notable brands like Tiffany & Co. and Gubelin of Switzerland. You can befriend her on Facebook or catch up on her blog.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

My entire life has been spent making things by hand so it would be difficult to answer your question.  I think everything has always been really special and fantastic.  Sculpture still is a favorite art medium of mine, so I’d have to say the most prized possession was a large figurative head of a woman that I sculpted out of terracotta in art school.  It’s so stunning that my parents kept it in their home for many years.  Now it’s in mine and still looks amazing!

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

Everyone has some ideas about running a business but I never listened to any of it.  Being an artist was most important to me and I concentrated on the creative process first.  Anyone who says running a business is easy - that’s the worst advice someone could give.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

It took many years of working for other companies to feel ready to go out on my own.  My biggest entrepreneurial epiphany is that my skills were ready and that there is great merit in learning business while doing business.

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

Glass art fascinates me because it takes so much mastery to create the objects quickly.  I like the work of Devin Burgess, April Wagner and Ross Richmond.  There are so many talented designers and little time to see their work.

What's your best tip for strengthening your relationship with your retailers?

Good customer service along with good design is a winning combination.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Never give up on your dream.  The creative process is a personal journey and always has unexpected surprises for you.  The thrill of making something of beauty is the greatest joy in life.

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Jennifer Hill’s gorgeous designs chronicle ‘Places I Have Never Been’ appealing to the armchair tourist in all of us. When not designing prints of far-flung locales she enjoys tacos, patterns and her wee son Charley Arcade. You can befriend her on Twitter or Facebook.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

 "Go with your gut." I think you should take your gut into consideration but always make sure you pair it with what your head. I've done things based on what my gut was telling me, but if I had looked at the numbers and thought about it a bit more I probably would have made a better decision.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

Once I realized that both your life and career are long, I stopped being in such a rush to accomplish everything immediately. I became more settled and started enjoying the process of building a business more.

What's your best tip for strengthening your relationship with your retailers?

I think being accommodating and working with retailers is a great thing.  Being a small business I can do that relatively easily. If someone wants a smaller order, a specialized order, or something right away we try to always make it happen.

What’s your best advice for making the leap to selling wholesale?

You want to make sure that the store has the right audience, neither you nor the store owner wants your goods languishing on the shelves. Talk to the store owner and find out what their customers are looking for and how your line can fit in best.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Don't build a mansion when all you need is a house. Start small, test ideas, and build as you go. Your downfalls and mistakes will hurt less and they will lead to better overall results in the future.

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

I’m completely smitten with Luminology candles. I particularly like that I can choose from their 15 glazes (I like Shore)  and any of their delicious scents (I’m a fan of Garden + Orchard).

Not only are they completely lovely, but they’re long-lasting. Yeah, the candles will burn forever...but even after you’ve completely burned ‘em up, you’ve got one gorgeous, porcelain, glazed dish!
 

Another reason to love them? Luminology’s wax is 100% renewable, sustainable soy sourced from soybean farmers in the USA. Each vessel is crafted locally by porcelain artisans in a waste-free studio, and their high-quality fragrances are phthalate-free.

And retailers, if you’d like to carry Luminology, you can find their wholesale catalog on Vianza.

Tara Swiger is our Community Wrangler, a crafter of independence, and a Starship Captain. She’s right in the middle of a writing a book on Marketing for IndieBiz’s for Cooperative Press and she’d love to distract herself by hanging out with you on Twitter.

To welcome in the new year and prepare for this week of parties, we've collected our fave accessories and home goods that are luxurious, earthy, handmade and sustainable – and celebrates the spirit of celebration!

1.Agate Stone Necklace: Stunning natural flat-cut agates set in gold-plated metal makes a statement from Meera Mittal.

2.Wisteria Necklace: Handcrafted sculptural piece in stainless steel linked with titanium adds a touch of elegance from Wraptillion.

3. Rose Choker Necklace: Hand crochet choker necklace adds the right amount of glitter with the metallic zari thread from Samoolam Crafts.

4. Lotus Necklace: Reminiscent of a lotus flower and laser cut from acrylic, this elegant expression of beauty in orange provides a pop of color to a neutral outfit from Polymath Design Lab.

5. Peacock Cuff: Bring on the bling with this 18K gold plated silver bracelet studded with crystals and enamel painted peacocks from Agastya.

6. Red Agate Earrings: Shimmery round earrings with red agate, clear stone and faux pearl beads have an antique finish. The metal is brass plated with 18K gold from Agastya.

9. Hand Woven Merino Stole: Herringbone patterned black and white hand woven merino wool stole is embellished with zardozi embroidery. The yarn is hand spun and hand dyed using natural colors. The stoles are woven in small batches in artisanal coops from Leela Design Studio.

8. Wool Shibori Shawl: Hand woven, natural dye and Shibori. You couldn’t have asked for more from this lusciously hued extremely soft and lightweight wrap. The Japanese tie and dye technique (shibori) is both intricate and visually mesmerizing and provides employment to hundreds of village women who have perfected this art from Mura Collective.

9. Soy Candles: 6oz hand poured artisanal soy candles with wooden wicks in glazed porcelain pots are perfect hostess gifts. Available both scented and unscented from Luminology.

10. Floral Pillow: Bright Fuschia medallion screen printed on silky satin fabric makes a colourful accent from Ritika Designs.

Retailers! Request an invitation on Vianza (or login) to shop these goodies and more!!

Yesterday we started a year-end review for your business, by gathering all the information you need. Today we're going to finish it up by making connections and using what you've learned.

Make Connections

Now that you’ve got everything listed, it’s easier to see the connections.
What happened in one month that led to the sales figures in the next month?
What marketing efforts paid off? And how long did it take to pay off?

Take time to dig into the deeper aspects of this - what was fun? What was hard? What month left you exhausted? What month had you floating?
What was the most thrilling to happen all year?
The worst?
And how do those best and worst things look now that some time has past?
And best of all - what lessons have you learned?
 

Use what you’ve learned

It’s one thing to think through the connections, but now it’s time to actually write them down. Pull out your journal, your laptop + Evernote, or whatever it is that you'll remember to come back to.

Write down the answers to the above questions that most struck you.

Be sure to include ::

The best 3 things I did for my business this year.

Things I will NOT do again in the new year

The highlight of the year, in my business was _________

Now, to put it into action, answer the following questions::

What lessons did the 3 best things teach me? What can I do to apply those lessons?

What can I change so that I can stop doing the stuff I want to stop doing?

What is working so well that I want to keep it (and maybe amplify it)?

What are the qualities of the highlight of my year? (did it involve multiple people? Was it a physical or emotional success? What did I love about it?)

How can I bring more of those qualities into my everyday business?

And finally – What do I want my business to look like at the end of 2012?

And that, my dear friends, is how you can take a fairly simple review of the year and turn it into a guiding light on your path to a fabulous 2012.

Happy New Year!

Tara Swiger is our Community Wrangler, a crafter of independence, and a Starship Captain. She’s right in the middle of a writing a book on Marketing for IndieBiz’s for Cooperative Press and she’d love to distract herself by hanging out with you on Twitter.

Image by:: geo3pea

As the year wraps up, it’s time to review the past year. Now, this can be as painful as doing your taxes or it can be as fun as attending a New Year’s Eve party.

But let’s do it the fun way, yeah?

Making your yearly wrap-up FUN can be as simple as setting some intentions before you get started - what do you want to learn? What information do you need to make the New Year awesome?

I like to know: 

- What are the best things I did for my business in 2011?

- What were my most succesful months?

- Where did new business come from?

- What risks didn’t pay off?

- What was the most painful time (or project) of 2011 (notice: I didn’t ask what wasn’t successful,because if something was a huge money-maker, but I hated every second of it...I want to avoid it in the future, or find a way to make it more fun)

To answer these questions, I do a quick three-step process:

1.  Gather information

2.  Find the connections

3.  Use what I’ve learned

1. Gather Information

Now, this is the step that you’ll try to avoid, but you’ve gotta just buckle down and do it.

The kind of information you want to gather is:

- Your business financials, by month (all income and expenses) - I get this by donwloading my Paypal activity by month into  a spreadsheet, then I update the spreadsheet with information from my bank statements (anything that I earned or spent that didn’t go through Paypal). If you use Vianza, these reports are easy to generate!

- A list of the time-specific marketing you did (what months did you run advertising, attend trade shows, release new lines, etc) - this is easiest to gather if you’ve been writing it down as the year’s progressed, but you can dig through your emails to find the info you need.

- The metrics that I care about, by month - this is everything that reflects the health of your business that isn’t related to money. For you this might be new accounts (and when you landed them), web traffic (pay attention to spikes, and changes in where the traffic came from), publicity.

To keep it simple, I like to organize the information in  a simple list with each month’s final numbers (income and expense), the marketing in that month, and any other metrics listed under the Month Name. If you spread it out too much, over multiple documents, you won’t be able to see as clearly how one month affected the next.

Now go back through your months and write in anything else that you think of. Did a trade show one month lead you to hire someone to help you fill the orders? Or did it overwhelm you so much that you sent orders out late? Did one retailer fail to pay you one time and mess up your cashflow? Did you get a sales rep in one month and see your orders double the next month. Is one month’s income made up from just one big order, while another month’s made up of several small orders?

Whew, this is a lot of digging and thinking and it may take you more than one day. Just take the next day to think over this list and add things as you think of them.

Tomorrow I’ll be back with steps Two and Three - putting all this information to use.

Tara Swiger is our Community Wrangler, a crafter of independence, and a Starship Captain. She’s right in the middle of a writing a book on Marketing for IndieBiz’s for Cooperative Press and she’d love to distract herself by hanging out with you on Twitter.

Image by geo3pea

Eco-friendly. Sustainable. Winner of the Elle Décor International Design award. The Katran Collection is the brain child of the young design duo Sahil & Sarthak, based in New Delhi, India.

The Making of Katran : Spinning, Weaving to Final Product

Katran means “fabric scraps”. The entire range of furniture and accessories have been made with cloth scraps that is a by-product of the garment export houses. The scraps are  woven into ropes by local farmers and their wives during their off-season to generate additional income.

From furniture to bags and floor cushions, the entire range of products are handmade.

I heart this colorful line of products for its light and airy look, for bringing together local materials and techniques and re-combining them to create sustainable products for the contemporary world. No two products are alike as it is entirely handwoven and handmade and available in drool-worthy colors:

Socially- and environmentally-responsible AND  a great product. No wonder everyone loves it!

Image Credits :: Sahil & Sarthak

It’s the season of cold hands and new electronics.

If you want to use your phone, iPad, or even the touchscreen gas pump in freezing weather, you’ve got to take off your gloves or flip off your flip-top mittens. Either way, your fingertips are shivering.

Enter Polymath Design Lab’s genius Touch Screen Gloves (or you can get a kit to make ANY pair of gloves touch-screen-able). Keep your fingers toasty and your Angry Birds flying.

(If you want to carry Polymath Design Lab in your shop, sign up for a Vianza account and check out her catalog)

Jennifer Lee Segale is a professional in the fields of natural science. She owns a landscape design company Wildflower Farms, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and specializing in organically sustainable gardens. She also owns Dirty Girl Gardening a “horticulture collective” with the organic beauty/bath line, called Garden Apothecary. Garden Apothecary  features organic whole botanical sugar scrubs, water refreshers and other bath products.

You use only organic ingredients in your products.  Why should people opt for organic body products over chemically-based ones?

Organic body products are much more beneficial than chemically-based (petroleum-based or synthetic)  body products for a number of reasons. Aside from the heavy environmental impact, and the terrible side effects you can get from chemicals and synthetic preservatives, the main reason I create and buy organic body products is because of how it makes me feel. Our skin is our largest organ, and as much as it helps shield us from harmful temperature, chemicals, and bacteria - it also absorbs.

Our skin is packed with nerves that keep our body and brain in touch with the outside world - what you put on your skin significantly effects your overall health. My products are made with healthy, organic botanicals, most of which you can see, touch, and smell. And in the shower, that small interaction with an organic vanilla bean or piece of red rosehip, sends messages all over your body - helping to restore your skin, energize your body and intrigue the mind.

Although chemical and synthetic products are often necessary in the materials and products we use and consume, I don’t think it’s necessary in bath and beauty products. What is more attractive? Using a product with ingredients defined as “vanilla fragrance” that have been manipulated in a lab - or using a product that has exclusively been fragranced with one solitary, whole vanilla bean that you can hold in your hand and enjoy.

Essential oils are nigh-on magical.  What are some of the things that they can do that might surprise us?

Essential oils constantly surprise and inspire me, and I’ve been especially fascinated with how clove oil works. Some of the properties in clove buds are anti-fungal, anti-septic, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory, and help health problems such as cavities, cough, blood impurities and even asthma. Such a fascinating plant with a vast ethnobotanical history. I love incorporating whole botanicals in my sugar scrubs for their unique healing properties.

What's the biggest business lesson you've learned so far?

I think the biggest business lesson I have learned so far, is that [italics] I am a limited resource, just like any other aspect of my business, and I need to constantly fine tune how I use my time and energy.

If you weren't crafting gorgeous organic body products, what would your life look like?

If I wasn’t making these products, my life would be fairly similar. I own a landscape design company, raise heirloom chickens, pick flowers and obsess over everything dirty. My life would continue to revolve around natural science.

Lastly, describe the type of world you'd like to design.

I’d like to design a world where bourbon, cupcakes and chocolate were mandatory food groups. Where flowers grew faster than setting concrete, bugs could talk back to you and everyone spent their time doing only what they loved.

Thanks for sharing, Jennifer!

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

This is a guest post by Kelly Jones of Wraptillion. She was raised by encouraging entrepreneurs, engineers and artists. Naturally, she started her own jewelry design business, transforming American-manufactured hardware components and titanium aerospace industry waste into elegant industrial jewelry. Wraptillion jewelry is proudly carried by museum shops, galleries and boutiques, who adore its unique, comfortable style.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

I’m always most excited about the newest thing, so I’d say the forthcoming Scarab Bracelet Encasing the steel hardware in titanium rings, with everything held in place by tension, yet keeping it flexible – it was a challenge! I’m wearing the test piece constantly these days to test durability and comfort, and am really looking forward to offering this design soon in a bracelet and necklace.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

“No one makes a living selling art.” Hah! I’ve found it much more helpful to focus on making things happen than to assume my goals aren’t possible from the beginning.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

That I love the business side as well as the art, and that I’m good at both. I truly enjoy making connections with retailers who delight in my jewelry and want to pass their delight along to their customers.
 For me, business is about those connections, and also about fair trade: just as I take pride in paying another artist fairly for their beautiful work, I am proud when someone appreciates my work and pays fairly for it. Business should be celebrated as an artistic community; I don’t enjoy making art in a vacuum. And I don’t find that good business people must be terrible artists, just as good artists don’t have to be terrible business people.

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

Madame Scodioli:Wonderful scent combinations and extremely clever gender-neutral products, perfectly packaged in her own inimitable style (Laudanum is a favorite)

A Need To Create: Colorful and oh so fun, this button jewelry is artfully designed and beautifully made, with tremendously wide appeal (I adore my custom bracelet, made from my grandmother's buttons)

Fossdesign: Creator of my logo and other printed pieces, and an absolute genius at interpreting a business style into art; also creates amazing posters and cards, occasionally made available for sale

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Not to be afraid to truly try. I think sometimes we’re all afraid to put too much of ourselves into our work – what if we give it our all, and fail anyway? But I’ve found that every time I truly throw myself into things, new possibilities open so quickly and so numerously that it really becomes more about choosing the best path for me, not pure success or failure. The trick is, it only happens if you truly try.

Thanks so much for sharing, Kelly!

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Inspired by the modern, peaceful beauty of over-sized cement fire pits, Angela Sands set out to design a miniature version to bring her love for the outdoors inside the four walls of her home. With porcelain as the vessel and scented soy wax for fuel, a large wooden wick creates the soothing crackle we’ve all grown to love. The result, Luminology,  is a unique and natural candle that engages multiple senses and inspires celebration in the everyday.  You can befriend her on Facebook and Twitter.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

What comes to mind are two art installations I did kind of last minute - by the seat of my pants. I framed a large square piece of sod and hung it in an indie art gallery. Super simple yet it had a lot of impact. I thought it looked great in contrast to all the paintings.

I did another installation around that same time with fine gauge string. I wrapped the string, starting at one floor-to-ceiling column to another that spanned maybe 20 feet, spacing the string about 2" vertically all the way up. It created a wall you couldn't see right away but once you noticed it, it stopped you in your tracks.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I don't feel I've received bad business advice thus far. I've received a lot of great business advice! The advice I need seems to shows up for me when I need it to. Maybe I have received bad advice and I just haven't realized it yet!

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

The most important thing I've learned thus far is that, in any given situation, no matter how utterly hopeless or complicated things may seem, the simple act of making a decision will always move you forward. Decision making has been the hardest thing for me to feel confident about. I finally did something radical and decided that there is no such thing as a bad decision. Even deciding to do nothing is valid. From this point of view, I am free to make decisions without fear. Things move along quite nicely.

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

CasaMidi

Lisa Jones

Ann Hartley

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

I have three:

1. Give what was freely given to you (advice, inspiration, time, etc.). In other words, share!

2. Realize that people buy the story behind the product before they buy the product itself. It's usually not about the money.

3. Make everything as simple as possible. But not simpler. ~ Einstein

Thanks for sharing, Angela!

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Nell Smith is an award winning surface designer, creating fresh, modern prints by hand using traditional silkscreen techniques. Simplicity is key to her design aesthetic: inspired by Japanese cartoons and Scandinavian textiles. Her bright and friendly designs adorn a variety of products from bespoke organic cotton children’s clothing to contemporary homewares.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

I hand cut all the stencils I print with and always feel most proud of the most complex ones, like the record player or typewriter. This isn't always reflected by the popularity of a print though - my bestselling design has to be the giraffe!

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

This is a tricky one! I've been really lucky to get some great advice for free through a mentor and a business advisor. Ceramicist and lighting designer C.J O'Neill helped me when I first set up my business with advice on costing and pricing, which was a real eye-opener!

Paul Shambrook from Business Link NorthWest also advised me assisted in rewriting my business plan. I've been fortunate. I think the worst business advice has probably come from myself - I made all the usual mistakes in terms of pricing my work too low and having crappy photographs. My business is relatively new however and I'm learning all the time!

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

Getting a studio at Manchester Craft and Design Centre was a huge breakthrough! After years of uncertainty, doubt and struggle, everything seemed to fall into place. I finally finished my Masters in Textiles after having to take some time out and immediately the studio came up. Total serendipity.

Having to write a business plan and preparing for the interview really focused my mind and I was (and still am!) very proud to get the studio and to be surrounded by established designer makers.  Having a support network around me is so important. I spend half the week working from home and after that I'm desperate to get back into the studio!

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

I'm going to have to big up my studio mates! They're a talented bunch.

Jane Blease, stunning handmade lampshades
Lily Greenwood (aka Liz Evans), gorgeous butterfly collages and paintings

Kathryn Edwards, narrative canvases

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Keep looking for a way in. I tried freelancing and went to many interviews for jobs I wasn't right for before realising that I would be much happier working for myself. Also - listen to your customers! Lots of people asked me if I would print my designs onto babywear, so I started doing it and it's now my bestselling range. Thank you lovely customers!

Thanks for sharing, Nell!

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Kim is a food and photography obsessed blogger and jewellery designer from Wellington, New Zealand. Working in offices convinced her that corporate life and office politics were not worth the stress, so she quit. Kim now divides her time between temping, blogging, and creating fun jewellery. You can befriend her on Facebook or Twitter.

You have laser cut jewelry in almost every imaginable shape (narwhals! cuss words! bones! scissors!) Where do you get the ideas for your pieces?

“They” say you should have a specific customer in mind for the things you create. My specific customer is me! All of my jewellery is stuff I wear. I'm constantly trying to reexamine my tastes and up my skills so I can make the things I really love.  I'm inspired by images everywhere and like things a little subversive.

Have you had any shapes that sold particularly well that surprised you?

The scissors have been my biggest seller thanks to a contract with ModCloth. Narwhals and unicorns have sold really well, but that's not very surprising.  People really love customised word necklaces. I get a lot of nickname, roller derby name and twitter name requests.

Do you do customized jewelry? If so, what's the strangest customization order you've received?

I do a lot of customised jewellery. Technically everything I make is customisable, one of the benefits of running a small operation and designing things myself. Nameplates have been a big hit and I get people sending me pictures to turn into vector graphics for laser cutting. It's a sure way to own something no one else has.

You're based in Wellington, New Zealand. Where do most of your orders come from? Have you ever encountered problems because you're so far away from everything?

By far the majority of my customers are in the US. I think mostly because I sell on Etsy, which is based in the US. It's getting harder and harder to compete in the US market, especially when it costs five times as much to ship there from New Zealand. The market in New Zealand is much smaller but it's something I would like to focus on next year.

What tools have served your design business, over the years? Any technical (or organizational) recommendations for hobbyist designers who desperately wanna "go pro"?

I spend a lot of time reading blogs and figuring out my own style. I scour the internet for better and cheaper suppliers. I connect with customers on my own blog, or through twitter and facebook. The Etsy blog and forums have a wealth of knowledge in them as well. The internet is your best friend!

I use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Lightroom, and when I was using a Windows computer I liked using Freehand. Good software is really helpful, but it doesn't have to be expensive if you use free programs like Inkscape.  Wordpress powers my blog and Etsy powers my shop.

Lastly, describe the type of world you'd like to design?

A world full of bright colours (no more pastels!), spacious green fields and calm clear waters.

More people supporting small business. A place where people aren’t so afraid to do the things they love.

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Kaleigh and Emma have been best friends since meeting at the Milwaukee Ale House in ‘07. Soon enough their artistic visions merged while craft beer spilled on their receipt paper sketches.  In ’10 the duo graduated college with a film, printmaking degree and  a minor in business. FOUR14 Paperworks was born as they settled into a studio and began creating quirky prints onto greeting cards. Now they’ve ventured out of just greeting cards & into calendars, gift boxes & custom design work of all kinds.  You can befriend them on Twitter, Facebook or follow their blog.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

We're really proud of this years calendar which is still underway (will be released October 21st!). We've successfully combined Emma's digital designs with Kaleigh's photographic vision into something very elegant and sexy. It's a new and modern twist on the popular pinup style calendar.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

It's funny because nothing is coming to mind!  We are so lucky to have such supportive friends and family in our lives. Even the strangers we meet while selling our work at markets or galleries are genuinely interested in our processes and just want to support us in any way possible.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

Funny you ask. Kaleigh actually just moved on from a 9-5 job with a production company where she worked for over 2 years. Now the goal is to focus on FOUR14 full time. She wasn't being 100% fulfilled as an independent artist with the other job but still putting in crazy amounts of overtime to make FOUR14 work. We're strong believers that everyone should, and deserves to do, what they love.

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

Just three?! Living in Milwaukee is so great because there are so many talented and driven individuals. We're also lucky because the general public is very conscious about supporting local artists & designers.

I'm obsessed with Violetville Vintage and the owner, Tina Poppy's, expressive approach to online fashion. She's adorable and has really made this business work for her. Such an inspiration from a business and artistic perspective!

Dwellephant is an amazing artist and designer. No matter what he creates, from advertisements to personal work, I'm impressed and a smile forms on my face. He has such a fun and imaginative point of view that is super uplifting.

I recently got to collaborate with a handmade book artist, Sarah Heck, for a custom wedding guest book design. She's such a pleasure to work with and knows her craft very, very well. Her books are beautiful.

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Try to market yourself while always staying true to your vision. It's really not as hard as you may think! There is a definite shift in the creative process when thinking from a business perspective, but there's nothing more rewarding when a complete stranger is amazed by something you've created. The cash reward is always a plus. too!

Photo Credits :: Four14 Paperworks

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

As "Acrylicana", Mary Winkler specializes in vibrant illustrations for print media and wearables.  As Creative Director of Apparel Dynasty, she shapes the brands manufactured by the company to retailers worldwide. The latest expansion of the brand is in the shape of art/crafts for kids at www.doodle-u.com where a lifetime of crafting is put to good use. You can befriend her on Twitter and Facebook.

What is your more prized creation - the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

A twelve inch high robot plush. Crocheted and based of my Bitty Love Bot character. I made and sold him three years ago (so he's technically someone else's prized possession now), but my hands no longer put up with crocheting (tendinitis), and I still regard that bad boy as the coolest thing I've made yet.

In the meanwhile, I've been mostly painting or creating jewelry, but now am poised to get back to re-creating Acrylicana characters in huggable form. He's on the top of my list to render in fleece. I'd like to create a 4-foot-high version one day and dance around the city with him (like a weirdo, right!). I think he'd be filled up with soft, fabulous foam compared to the fiber-fill used for the crocheted version. It's silly things like that I look at as the coolest things I've made (or considered re-making).

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I think the silliest thing I've been told regarding art was from a fine arts professor in art school telling me "There is no cute in the art world". This came after I used a stippling project as a reason to stipple ladybugs. The funny thing is, I was just playing with stippling nature. He's the one who found them to be overly cute. He was rather against artistic expression taking on a solid, literal form.

Even worse advice: don't monetize your work. You know, because that's terrible for an artist to do. Something about it being selling out or soulless, I think. Really, they just found the business-end of things difficult, and figured anyone else who deemed themselves an artist would too. Sure, that can be the case, but that's why accountants and lawyers exist. And books. Such helpful books aimed at giving artists the right tools to protect their work, do their taxes, and conduct business ethically.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

That there is no straight forward means to a career in creative. I know it's silly, but it seems like people think there's some set path where you learn your trade and go get a job doing something creative and BAM! you are that thing (illustrator, designer, whatever). Likely a remnant of childhood where everyone decides what they're going to be when they grow up (and OH, you'd best decide this at age 4, when you're very knowledgeable about how life works).

It's this twisty, loopy line from start to finish. Some opportunities are more creatively fulfilling while others are all about the bottom line. Avenues that seem promising to travel (whether it's a collaboration, licensing deal, or just some new project) turn out to be a dead end. It's funny telling anyone outside of the business about this, as they'd deem it failure and time to start something new. That's just silly considering how often it's just a dead-end on a really wacky maze we navigate daily.

I've learned too, over time, to not burn bridges, as they might turn out to be the key to expanding your career down the line. And there's no way, when selling your work, you'll know what will take off or sell best. Might as well just go with the flow, creating and doing as much as you can, when you can, within reason. It's so very, very complex and wonderful.

How boring would this industry be if there was an easy path ahead?

I doubt interviews with artists would be the least bit interesting if they had the same answers of "I started at A, went to B, and landed at C".

Give us your top 3 indie artisans/designers to watch.

1. zambi

2. chubbybunny

3. twinkiechan

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Do not be afraid of taking your work into difficult places.Whether that means building your personal business, launching into partnerships and manufacturing, or having to really hustle and market your work from the ground up. It's all hard work, but when you take chances and let your creativity guide you, you'll kick so much ass down the line. Like Bruce Lee.

Photo Credits :: Mary Winkler

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Adam Halé Saul is a husband, father, fighter, lover, carnivore, honky-tonk hero, robot, and board-certified attitude adjuster.  He’s got soul.  He’s super bad. Hell, even his name is just a string of four-letter words.  Adam is also a graphic artist with portfolios ranging from pencil, ink, to Photoshop, Illustrator, from vinyl toys to acrylic paint to tattoos.  If you’re feeling brave, you can befriend him on Twitter

Your prints seem to be heavily influenced by comic books.  What's your favorite comic book?

Honestly, I am not all that influenced by comic books. I don't really have a favorite comic. I can appreciate the style of the older comics with old offset printing, you know the ones where flesh is made with small red dots and the registration is waaaaay off. I'm such a print nerd that I look at the print itself and not the actual storyline.

My influences are more along the lines of Gary Baseman and Tim Biskup.  I’ve also been working on an extensive collection of various Japanese vinyl toys, which have influenced my color schemes and design style.  You’ll see this reflected in my monster prints and letter pressed art.  Over the past few years I’ve really begun exploring different mediums and currently, I’m working on defining my style.  I’ve worked with mediums such as pen, ink, enamels, acrylics, airbrush, and collages.

You sell prints through your own website and through Etsy.  What are the benefits of each platform?

My website ASPP  is for everything I have created that I have the rights to sell.  I do a lot of contract printing for various other artists and venues, so you won’t find those prints there. My Etsy shop tends to attract a milder customer base, so I try to include the art that will appeal to that demographic.

Tell us three indie designers we should keep our eyes on.

Miss Amy Jo

Old Soul Print Shop

Joanna Wecht

If you weren't a designer and print artist, what would your life look like?

That's a really hard question…  I have been drawing, sketching, painting, printing for as long as I can remember.  It’s hard to imagine my life any other way, because design is in everything that we see and do.

I would probably still have a need to create things.  I am pretty handy around the house, so I could see myself getting into carpentry of some sort.

And finally, describe the type of world you'd like to design.

In the past few years, I’ve been cultivating a collection of Japanese vinyl toys.  I really appreciate the random colors used in that…. That being said it would be cool to see a world as colorful as my Japanese toy collection. As "gruesome" as some may seem they all have this innocent, naive villain feel to them. It would also be nice to see everything have a Pantone® color, you know just to keep it tidy and organized. Everyone would drive a nice well designed car or ride a nice clean bike. Actually scrap that last one,  I would have those flying cars and hover boards we've been promised for years. Basically to sum it up, picture the film Metropolis with Japanese monsters that are brightly colored, flying cars, clean streets, with a constant soundtrack of old punk music and Tom Waits, oh and NO Comic Sans or Spec Work.
 

Thanks so much for sharing, Adam!

Photo Credits:: A S Printing

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler. If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Rachael Porter has been working in photography for ten years. Born and raised in the mitten, she moved to Los Angeles in 2005 and has loved and lived in several cities in between. She spent a good portion of 2011 working on the travel section of my portfolio, currently updating her site to included new work from overseas. She enjoys hanging out with good spellers, other people who've worked at a summer camp, and anyone taller than I am who is willing to get things down for me.You can befriend her on Facebook, Tumblr or Flickr.

Rachael, you're a professional photographer. Where (and how) did you learn to shoot?

I started taking photos my senior year of high school. I was an English major in college when I first started, but switched to photography and headed off to the New England School of Photography when I realized how much more I loved cameras than poetry. I got my start in Chicago learning from some of the best shooters in the city, including John McArthur, Marc Hauser, and Jim Krantz.

What are some of the biggest mistakes you see in product photography?

When the goal is to simply showcase a item from all angles, the number one thing I would say to start with is a clean, solid colored background. Window light can be beautiful. You can use a white bounce card on the dark side of the product to fill in any deep shadows.

Who are five companies/individuals that consistently produce gorgeous, interesting product images?

I really like what MyHabit is doing with their hero shots, Gilt is on top of their game with the higher end clothing shots that consistently look clean and well produced (they have also added video to their catalog shots which allows the shopper to view how the outfit will move while being worn), Martha Stewart's food photos are fun to look at when you need inspiration, of course Anthropologie has wonderful environmental shots that give the products a real sense place and time, and Freepeople has gorgeous natural-looking images throughout.

If someone is trying to photograph their products with a basic point-and-shoot camera, what are some adjustments they can make to their camera to create better photos?

I would suggest turning off the automatic flash for most product shots and using natural light when possible. There are setting on most point and shoots now for almost every lighting scenario, so if you are stuck using indoor lights, you should check to see if your camera has a setting to help compensate for the yellow tones a bulb will produce.

A tripod, even an inexpensive one for a small camera, can be a great help to create sharp images without a strobe/flash.

Any tips for styling a product with props people might have at hand?

You might want to start collecting several different backgrounds you can shoot into like distressed wood, a square of brushed metal, tiles you can shoot down on, or a small sheet of plexi. Depending on the product, you might want to have rectangles of fabric or cloth if you are shooting dishes, or seasonal items you can add to shots such as colored leaves or confetti. If you are shooting small clothing items such as long sleeved shirts, think about rolling the ends of the sleeves into cuffs or showing different ways the item can be worn.

Is there anything we can do post-production to rescue mediocre shots?

I'm a big fan of contrast. If you have an average shot that appears to be "flat" (no real darks or light) there are ways in any piece of photo software to add contrast. Cropping is also another option to cut out unwanted background flaws. In a more advanced working environment, you can add a gradient to your background to make it a bit more pleasing if you like that look.

Thanks so much, Rachael! 

How do you photograph your products? Share in the comments!

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

When Shelly moved to New York City, she soon found that her salary didn't go as far as it had in the past, and began making accessories for herself.  Often approached by strangers inquiring about what she was wearing, she decided to set up table at TheMarketNYC, where she began selling her jewelry. Now she owns and operates GS Lillian Jewelry full time!  You can befriend her on her blog, Twitter or Facebook.

You are frequently inspired by your travels.  What's your favorite place to go for a bit of inspiration?

Places I have never been typically bring on the most inspiration - the further from my own cultural background, the better.  I find that the shift in how I see the world makes it impossible not to be inspired.  My last long term trip was the Philippines.  Next up, India!

Your jewelry has been featured in piles of amazing publications - InStyle, O magazine, Lucky, Marie Claire, Allure, Teen Vogue.  What advice would you give to other artisans hoping to to get media attention?

Although there are many factors involved in gaining media attention, you can do it yourself (like me) if you keep a few simple, yet important, things to keep in mind. 

Primarily you should have an innovative product that hasn’t been seen before (at least not recently).  The second is to put yourself in the editor’s shoes.  Their job is to provide interesting and valuable content for their readers.  Think about what they might be looking for and provide them with good content. 

Lastly, be available.  Editors are often on strict deadlines and have meetings that pop up.  When an editor calls or emails me, I respond and take action immediately.  I have designed jewelry in the Lucky Magazine office, and been at the O Magazine headquarters at the crack of dawn - both landed me in the respective publications.

What's the biggest business lesson you've learned since founding your company?

There is a new lesson every day, not one is more important than the next.  I look at my business as a game whose rules are constantly changing.  If you can accept this, there is nothing stopping you!

Was there a specific moment when you knew you were ready to work for yourself, full-time?

After one too many sleepless nights making thousands of pairs of earrings for a major retailer, I knew it was time to make a choice.

Last but not least, describe the type of world you'd like to design.

In my perfectly designed world, there would be some semblance of equality.  I wish everyone understood that there is enough of everything (important) for everybody.

Image Credits: G S Lillian

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Jessica Wright is a multi-tasking, multi-business-owning dynamo. You may remember her from her great guest posts about working together to work for yourself and building your own work group.  But Jessica is just as passionate about lip balm as she is about entrepreneurship. Her cosmetic line Crude, offers nine flavors and 16 colors, each variety hand-blended with a rich mix of fragrances. Recipes are concocted with care, by hand, in their production kitchen.

The word 'crude' isn't one we usually associate with cosmetics.  How'd you come up with that name?

I guess some people are really called to a particular name for their business, but that's never the case with me.  So Crude started the way all of my projects have -- after the R&D period, I crafted a list, checked against competitors and evaluated on a number of factors.  Crude scored high on things like legal differentiation, trademarkability, and domain availability.  Plus, it's a little tongue-in-cheek for a natural, organic cosmetics company to go by "Crude," which I like.  And we took that all the way through the logo, which is evocative of a 50’s gas station.  I hope it makes people think twice about ingredients. 

You've made a very conscious effort to use natural ingredients, recyclable tubes and to avoid artificial preservatives.  Why is this important?

Aside from my personal preference not to clog up my skin with an array of chemicals, I think the future of the self-care market is going to be natural.  As far as recyclable packaging, I really hate waste, so there it's definitely a function over form factor.

Do you plan on expanding your range to include any other cosmetic items?

Yes!  If all goes well, Crude should be releasing a hand balm in the next few months. 

If you weren't running Crude, what would your life look like?

If I weren't running Crude, I'd be running something else like it.  So, probably very similar.  :)

And lastly, describe the type of world you'd like to design.

Above all, any world designed by me would run on empathy.  I think there's no more important principle to teach, because someone with this quality is guided by it in everything else she does.  In the context of business, it means treating your customers impeccably, designing with UI as your top priority, providing service like Zappos, and creating products you'd want to buy and use yourself. 

Image Credits:: Crude Cosmetics

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Old Tom Foolery is the brainchild of Joel Gryniewski and Lauren Weinblatt—two ad-industry vets who also happen to be married. Back when Joel was wooing Lauren, he had a tough time finding cards that were: a) funny, b) letterpressed (they’re both suckers for a deep impression), and c) not so dainty as to make her question his masculinity. So they set out to make their own witty letterpress cards that would appeal to both sexes.  You can befriend them on Facebook or  Twitter or follow their adventures on their blog.

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

I think the best feeling we ever had from making something was when we printed our first batch of letterpress cards on our own press. It was the beginning of our business and the first batch of inventory we had on hand. It was a really exciting time.

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

Before we started our company, we were told by someone that it was unrealistic to try to start a stationery business with our little letterpress. While we were a bit discouraged, we decided to try it anyway. And the batch of cards that we printed on that press allowed us to have products at our first national trade show and launch our line. While we soon switched to using printers with larger presses, it was our little press that allowed our company to get into the marketplace.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

The difference between a business and a hobby is doing it full-time. It’s fine to try to balance starting a new business with your full or part-time job, but it’s practically impossible to give it the attention it needs to grow without taking that scary leap of faith.

Give us your top 3 indie designers to watch.

Oddball Press

Dear Hancock

Mincing Mockingbird

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Just give it a shot. There are so many low cost ways to enter the marketplace with little to no inventory on hand, there’s pretty much nothing to lose by trying. Companies like Etsy and BigCartel let you have an online presence for free or next to nothing and already have a community of shoppers looking to purchase. A little tweeting, blogging, facebooking and networking can go a long way and help you find the people who are the perfect fit for what you’re offering.
 

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Ashley Martz whole-heartedly believes that it’s better to sit and knit than just knit.  Her love on knitting led her to create Elms and Cedars and her own admitted impatience led her to keep her work small. Though she has yet to complete an adult sweater, she’s sure you agree the tiny ones have a cuteness factor that's hard to beat.  Whenever possible, Ashley uses eco-friendly materials ranging from up-cycled clothing, found vintage fabrics, and factory 2nds, to organic cotton and bamboo yarns.

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

A robin's egg blue up-cycled cashmere cardigan with a nest of baby birds appliqued on the pocket!

What is the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I've gotten some not so helpful suggestions from friends and family along the way, but luckily I was too stubborn to listen.  The most incorrect assumption I've made in my craft career was that the time and materials involved in producing my products would make them too expensive to wholesale.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career

One person with one pair of knitting needles cannot quickly fill up a booth or a store on their own, even if they are an obsessive knitting machine!  But when you throw a sewing machine into the mix, it changes everything.   By adding cut and sew pieces to my line, I've found that I can balance my labor-intensive hand knit sweaters and accessories with some equally as cute, quickly produced, sewn items which have a great margin.

Give us your top 3 indie artisans to watch.

Kathleen Lolley - Lolley Curiosities
Geoff Davis - 50 Little Birds
Allison Ford - Studio AMF

If you could offer one sage snippet of wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

The economy is crap right now, you won't cheapen yourself, or be "selling out" if you decide to lower your retail costs by making prints or adding some lower priced items to your repertoire.  You will on the other hand allow a lot more customers to take your work home with them, and spread the word about your talent!

Thanks so much for sharing, Ashley!

Photo Credits :: Elms and Cedars

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Samantha Howard is a Midwestern wife and mom of two who has always loved to sew.  After leaving the business world to start a family, she created bobaloo!, a line of modern sewn gifts for babies and kids.  When she’s not sewing, Sam can be found playing in glitter with the kids, reading, or avoiding the dishes.  You can be her friend on Twitter, Facebook or read her blog.

Sam!  You're a wife, a mother of two and a business owner.  Do you have any secrets to share about juggling all those responsibilities?

Give up the dream of a spotless house!  I’m at home with my kids, who are 2 and 4, so they’re not in full-time school yet.  It can be a challenge to get stuff done during the day, so I do a lot of cutting fabric on the kitchen island while they’re making masterpieces at the table.  It is also downright amazing how much can be accomplished during naptime!

I’ve learned to group tasks together so I can get them done in the most efficient way.  I do all my hand-sewing at night so I can watch tv with my husband.  I make sure I have plenty of stuff ready to sew when I actually have the time to sit down at my sewing machine.  I will admit to procrastinating on my accounting and filing – it’s going to take me a week to catch up on this year!

Also, I couldn’t do half of what I do without my husband, who is absolutely amazing.  He will do anything to help, from taking the kids out of the house on days I really need to work to trimming threads on burp cloths.

You sell a lot of your goods at craft fairs.  What are some of your best tips for craft fair beginners?

Make sure you show your products to the best of your ability.  It’s hard to budget money for displays, but do the best you can.  I spent a lot of time on Flickr looking for display ideas that I could duplicate at home.  I think it makes a big difference both in sales and getting into the bigger juried shows.

As the mother of two kiddos, you've got your own built-in market research team.  Of the products you create, what are your kids' favorites?

It's funny - I think my daughter in particular is a little jaded when it comes to stuff I make for her because I've been sewing for her since she was born.  I know if it catches her attention it’s got to be good!  They both love their bunnies, and Bridget's pretty crazy about her Crayon Apron.

If you weren't running Bobaloo, what would your life look like?

I would have much fancier dinners in a sparkling kitchen, that’s for sure!  I also think I would probably be teaching sewing somewhere.  I have an on-and-off-again sewing night at my house for a group of girlfriends and I’ve loved showing them that they can make something really cool with their own two hands.

Finally, describe the type of world you'd like to design.

In my world, kids (and adults, for that matter) would be encouraged to follow their passion, whether it be the arts, science, or basketball, and have a way to make that passion their livelihood.  There would also be plenty of craft supplies!

Thanks for sharing, Sam!

Photo Credits :: Bobaloo Kids

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.
 

Based out of lovely Melbourne, Australia, Tae Schmeisser’s work focuses on the over overlooked beauty of urban iconography and physical landscapes. Gummi bears, recycling bins, matches all become gorgeous when rendered in silver or glass.

Your jewelry finds beauty in the every day, common objects that surround us - recycling bins, sneakers, propellers.  Where does your inspiration come from?

After being brought up in Canberra (a comparatively young city that is quite clean and uniform), the move and exposure to a city with such cultural, aesthetic and architectural diversity, made me acutely aware of my surroundings. At first I found Melbourne's landscape intimidating but curiosity and exploration always get the better of me and inspiration for pieces is never more than a tram stop away!

You're based out of Australia but you sell your goods on the internet and internationally.  What have been the biggest struggles with international sales?

I think the biggest challenge is always finding your target market. When you have grown up with certain stores and institutions, you know their clientele and suitability so understandably its hard to judge places when you haven't even set foot in them. 

As for resources; you need professional beautiful images of your work. As great as your cybershot may be, nothing compares to giving your handcrafted pieces to someone who works just as hard on their own craft as you do. The images represent you and your work to total strangers and should be able to reflect the care and effort that goes into them.

All of your jewelry is totally handmade.  How long does it take you to create one piece?

All pieces are different. For exhibition pieces, I like using different mediums (modelling grass, matches, glass, hobby paint etc.) so the process requires a lot of experimentation and play, deconstructing and reconstructing parts so they’re harder to decipher. The longest part of a finished piece is rarely the making. Nutting out the root of the idea and what I want it to say, the brainstorming, writing, drawing and rendering is the most time consuming part. Pieces can come together in a week or be rolling around in my head for three months, unresolved.

If you absolutely had to choose, what's your favorite piece?

The gold lidded recycle wheelie bin will always be one of my very favourites. My little nieces' and nephews' fingers always find their way into it and leave little chocolate wrappers for me to discover and giggle about later. I love the way the wheels and lid move and become an interactive element and something to play with. The bins we use at home get so beaten up over time and like those real bins, the oxidisation on the pieces wears. I really like this idea of unknowingly marking something so it ends up being completely unique and personalised.

And lastly, describe the type of world you'd like to design.

I would design a world where people wear stripey stockings with stripey legwarmers and jeggings don't exist. One where 75% of people sing along enthusiastically and unashamedly in their cars. One where freezing winter days are sunny. One with 26 hrs in the day and more time to cook. One where I can fly. One which looks and feels like San Sebastian, Spain where all my mates get to do what they love and live beach-side!

Photo Credits :: Tae Schmeisser

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Since 2006 Katrina Griffis  and Pink Koala Designs  have been pairing modern and vintage influences and offering a collection of stylish, functional and practical accessories. Their products are simple, modern and sustainable. 

Pink Koala is a great name!  What's the story behind it?

Well, I've had lots of names for my business starting from when I was first discovered my passion for design names like Milani Designs, Akoma, Suave Designs, Nicole K. Designs, Ethos, and ultimately Pink Koala Design. One day I was brainstorming for a new name and it hit me.

Since childhood, koalas have always been my favorite animals and pink is my favorite color. The more I started thinking about the name, the more it stuck. Koalas have pouches to carry their joeys, and I make bags that carry our “joey’s” diapers, toys and everything else. Quite often we see images of koala mom and joey and it reminded me of family so I wanted to make sure that my products were centered around family  and put the “fun” in functional items. I also used koalas to help design my products when deciding shape, color and features. So the name Pink Koala is very much intertwined with every part of my business.

Your designs do a great job of combining modern and vintage aesthetic.  Where do you find inspiration?

I’m in love with the 60s and 70s. I love bright colors and nice textures but I also love the clean lines and uncomplicated style of vintage modern fashion and design of the era.  Old department store catalogs, vintage clothing and old movies from that era really get my ideas flowing. When I’m looking for fabrics or when I’m looking at new shapes for bags, I’m always pulling from the 60s and 70s. Patterns and prints from that era literally jump out at me and I get so excited.

We love your mission statement acronym, CMPS.  Can you tell us what it means and why those things are important to you?

CMPS are the qualities that drive my design.  They are compact, multifunctional, modern, practical, portable, sustainable, stylish, simple and smart. Our bibs are stylish and modern, practical and simple, portable and compact. Our DiaperKeeper is all of these qualities. When I’m designing a new product, I keep these qualities in mind. If I’m making a bag, I think “How I can make this bag more multifunctional?” I think about the life beyond the initial purpose of the bag. I want it to be sustainable something that can have many lives and many purposes. Of course, I want my design to be modern, clean and stylish. Every design might not have every quality but at least three will be represented in every one of my designs.

If you absolutely had to choose a favorite, which of your products do you love the most?

My favorite product is the DiaperKeeper. It’s a modern changing clutch with pockets and changing surface and I’ve personally used it for three years. The diaper pads that came with the diaper bags I bought weren’t up to my standards, so I came up with the DiaperKeeper. Even if I didn’t make it I would recommend it!

Last but not least, describe the type of world you'd like to design.

The world that I would design would be like New York City - filled with influences from multiple cultural tapestries. Designing a blue bag the color of the rooftops on the homes in Santorini or a heavily beaded bag inspired by the neck bands of the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania is really what it’s all about.  Design is because it celebrates our diversity as a global population. What’s better than that?

Photo Credits :: Pink Koala Designs

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Peggy has been creating designer handmade jewelry for over ten years.  Her designs are deceptively simple, featuring artisan craftsmanship mixed with contemporary approaches to contrast, color, texture and composition. She uses beads, gemstones, vintage findings, charms and chain in her work and tries whenever possible to source from US-based manufacturers.  See more of her gorgeous work on her  website, blog or say hello on Twitter!

You did not begin your career as a jewelry designer, you actually went to UC Berkeley for chemical engineering!  Can you tell us about how you ended up designing necklaces?  Is there any overlap between these two careers?

I had always been interested in crafts growing up, so designing jewelry was just another creative outlet I was exploring, along with cooking and writing. I often made jewelry for fun in college, since I was living on a budget and couldn't afford the designer pieces I was coveting!  I was a big science geek growing up and I think a love of nature and science blends well with my jewelry -- jewelry highlights some of the most amazing things to come from nature, gemstones and precious metals, while also requiring alchemy and precision. 

Your pieces have been featured in Oprah Magazine, Lucky and on tv shows like Grey's Anatomy and Without A Trace. How did you make that happen?  Any advice to share?

I made those things happen just by taking chances and being persistent. You can't let a few "nos" get you down, because you will hear them. It's a lot tougher these days since information and images are everywhere, and great design is accessible anytime. To get an edge, learn as much as you can about the outlets you are targeting your work for, tailor your pitches, and give them a reason why your work is right for them. Then make it easy for them -- be professional, on time, and responsive. Carve out time in your busy business week to dedicate toward this work because you have to be organized, timely and creative!

You donate a portion of your earnings to Kiva and the SPCA.  Why is it important for small business owners to give back?

I wouldn't be lucky enough to have my own business without the generosity of others. So I think it's important to give back, whether it is to other designers through my blog, other entrepreneurs through Kiva, or through other charitable opportunities. If we all do a little, it can add up to a lot.

If you weren't designing jewelry, how would you spend your days?

I'd be writing, playing golf, and eating my way through Europe.

And last but not least, describe the type of world you'd like to design.

I'd design a world where every person has a chance to unlock their hidden talents. Only by striving to make ourselves better can we truly help others.  I'm still working on myself ;-).

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

For almost four years, graphic designer Kim Lawler has been filling her online boutique, Finest Imaginary  with adorable laser-cut jewelry, sweet little notebooks, pop-culture pins and one-of-a-kind art prints.  Kim recently made the leap to full-time, self-employment.  High five, Kim!

You've got such a cute, unique aesthetic!  Where do you get your inspiration?

I honestly get it from anywhere and everywhere, which I know is a completely cliché thing to say but it's true! Right now I'm crushing on navajo patterns, Swedish folk art, & Norwegian folk tales. Patterns and stories have always played a big part in the things I create.

I used to be heavily inspired by cultural memes, but I've kind of grown out of that now & I'm trying to focus on a more curated aesthetic that I can grow into on my own. I guess that means I'm growing up..!

If a brand-new designer asked you whether they should sell their wares in a retail setting, or wholesale, what would your sage wisdom be?

I'd say don't restrict yourself to either one, each has benefits that will help your business grow. It's important to consider if your product is actually wholesale-able, though, keeping in mind that wholesale generally equals 50% of retail value. It's a good test to see if you've been pricing your items right!

A retail setting allows you the room to experiment with your own products, set your own price lines, interact with your customers and generally build your brand on your own terms. Unfortunately it's pretty hard to sell in volume if you're just selling in your own retail setting.

Wholesale, however, opens your brand to a wider audience. It spreads your name, and you'll have a much bigger stock rotation. Obviously your profit per item won't be as much as selling it in your own retail setting, but with the added volume and none of the hassle of making the sale, doing the marketing etc. it can definitely pay off in the long run.

What tools have served your design business, over the years? Any technical (or organizational) recommendations for hobbyist designers who desperately wanna "go pro"?

The current technical tools that help Finest Imaginary (& the rest of my life!) run smoothly and stay organised include gmail (hello, labels & stars...), evernote (cloud syncing for noting down ideas on my iPhone and checking them when I'm back on my laptop), and google calendar. My business would end up so disorganised were it not for these superb free tools!

I also really suggest getting a decent camera if you plan on selling your wares online, good photos really do make all the difference to your sales!

If you weren't running Finest Imaginary, what would your life look like?

Well, up until a few weeks ago Finest Imaginary wasn't my full time job, I worked as a full time web developer in a 9-5 office job. I quit the day job to pursue Finest Imaginary and freelance web development. Exciting! So I guess I'd be doing that, but who knows, when I was little I wanted to be a vet!

Last but not least, what sort of world would you like to design?

I want a world where more money is spent on the development & improvement of civilisation rather than wars. A world where talent is embraced and celebrated more than pointless celebrity. And most importantly, a world where Ben & Jerry invent a 0 calorie ice cream. But hey, that's just a pipe dream.

Photo Credits :: Kim Lawler

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Lovely Sabrina Tachdjian has been slowly building a name for herself in Montevideo, Uruguay.  Growing up in a family of boutique-owners and designers, Sabrina had no shortage of inspiration or encouragement, though she did find herself stifled by Uruguay’s lack of high-quality textiles. 

Sabrina, you're from Uruguay. How do your culture and environment influence your designs?

Uruguay is a country that has always produce excellent leather. One of the biggest challenges of being a designer in  Uruguay  is to find good fabrics and supplies, so I took advantage of this opportunity that my country provided me and start designing things with Uruguayan and Argentinian leather. 

I love to travel, so I take inspiration of every part of the world .

Tell us about entering the internet market place when you're based out of Montevideo, Uruguay! What have been the biggest challenges? Your biggest triumphs?

My biggest challenge is the shipping it is expensive to ship from Uruguay.   Otherwise, things have gone really, really smoothly and I’m thrilled to be opening my market to the entire world without being a huge company !

What is your absolute favorite product that you've designed?

I especially love the fringe bag.  It’s such a gorgeous boho/hippie piece.  Someone needs to give it a good home!

If you weren't running a handbag company, what would your life look like?

I think i will be runing a hostel or some kind of business near the beach .

Describe the type of world you want to design.

I would love to design a world where people take care of each other and where no one wants for  basic necessities.  Where political problems don’t exit and society is equal.

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.
 

Julie Merriman Wray has owned three brick-and-mortar businesses, attended great schools and now rocks online business and blogging.  Here she talks about how (and why) she transitioned from store-front to web-front.

Tell us about your colorful and varied professional history.

I always wanted to open a shop!  When I was 9, I asked my dad to buy a clothing store for me because I knew I would be good at it.  I basically never looked back, and opened my first store at 23.  I did go to college (NYU and University of Washington) and got my BA in linguistics, though that hasn’t helped me much.

I worked at three different retail stores before I opened my first store and I am proud to admit that I got fired from all of them!  It was obvious from very early on that I was not meant to work for someone else.

How did Olivine come to be?

Olivine was the third retail store that I opened, and the final actualization of the store that I wanted my dad to buy for me when I was 9 (sidenote: he did end up co-signing a loan for me!)   My other stores were quite a bit different, one was a bath and body shop and the other was a high-end pet boutique.  Opening a clothing boutique was new, big, unknown, expensive and scary...And I loved the challenge.

I started Olivine by myself, with lots of help from friends and family.  It would have been easier to open the store with a partner, but I know myself and I really need to be the only one making the decisions.

What were the most challenging aspects of running a brick and mortar business?  The most rewarding?

The most challenging part for me was always managing the employees.  I usually had between 6-8 women working for me and there was always a fire to put out.  On the flip side, those women took care of me and helped me grow my shop.

The most rewarding part for me was seeing each woman walk out of the store with an Olivine bag and a big smile on their face.  Buying pretty things makes women happy!

What made you decide to close the doors to your physical shop and opt for online only?

A baby!  I could easily have had Johnny and kept the store, but I think a big part of me was ready to take the next step in the game and this was my excuse to change it up.

Can you tell us about the process of transitioning to online-only?

I absolutely loved the process because it was all brand new to me and if I don’t have a challenge then I’m just not happy!  The rewards have been that I am free to spend all day with my son if I want to.  There are no hours to keep and I only have one employee.   I also have a virtual assistant who I completely rely on, as well as a web designer and a graphic designer.   My life is totally simplified and just as profitable.

Do you miss anything about having a real, physical store front to call your own?

I miss all sorts of things! Huge stacks of boxes of new merchandise, waiting to be opened like Christmas morning, being able to have actual face-time with customers, making new displays, having fun with my employees, walking in to the store and thinking “Wow, I made this!”

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

Manzanita Kids is a sweet, fledgling business based out of Seattle, helmed by teacher mum Adrienne and work-at-home dad David.  Together with their Director of Research and Development (toddler son Thomas) they’re crafting beautiful, old-fashioned wooden toys.

Your days jobs are teacher and architect, no? How have those fields influenced these toys?

Adrienne teaches first grade in a Seattle Public School and I am a stay at home dad to Thomas and, in 3 weeks or so, Isabel. My second career was landscape architecture, but with the recession I was laid off right after Thomas was born. I found that I really enjoyed staying at home with Thomas and we began designing toys. We both have backgrounds as artists and with Adrienne's expertise in childhood development it was natural to focus on developmental stages with our toys.

Tell us about where (and how) you source the wood for your toys!

We buy locally from a source in downtown Seattle. Our primary woods are American hardwoods: maple, cherry and walnut. They are dense, stable and splinter free woods that have great color. Our natural beeswax finish enhances the color and reveals the beauty of each piece and is safe for babies and kids.

You have a toddler and another wee one on the way. What does Thomas think of these toys? Does he have a favorite?

He loves the toys! Right now he is fascinated with the ABC Letter Blocks. He loves looking at the pictures and building with them. He also plays a lot with the puzzles, doing them over and over again. It's a family affair and he is the R&D department.

A lot of parents are concerned about toys being treated with chemicals or made of unsafe/unhealthy materials. What do you do to make sure your toys are safe for gnawing?

As parents safety is our primary concern. There seems to be no end to plastic toys on the shelves and we all hear the warnings about toxic chemicals and toy recalls. We offer safe, natural alternatives using organic materials and a baby friendly beeswax finish. On our teethers we go a step further and skip the beeswax and finish with extra fine sandpaper. This step adds more labor, but the teethers are incredibly smooth and tactile.

And last, could you describe the type of world you'd like to design?

What a Herculean task! We appreciate good design, function dictating form, clean lines and of course natural materials. We'd love to be surrounded by other designers' work that reflects our interests.

 Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese. 

Amy Tangerine has been working in style and design for 10 years.  Recently she combined her powers with crafting company extraordinaire American Crafts to create a gorgeous line of scrapbooking goods.  Here she talks about how she navigated the waters of big company negotiation while staying true to herself and her vision.  What to read more of her story?  Check out her blog or say hi on Twitter! 

What’s your deal, Amy Tangerine? 

I’ve been running my own small business for almost 10 years now. It started off as a creative fashion services company offering styling and production for photo shoots in Atlanta. It then became a line of tee shirts catering to the contemporary market and sold to over 250 boutiques around the world, as well as major department stores like Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus. Now we’ve just launched our latest endeavor, a complete line of scrapbooking and paper products that we’ve collaborated on with a leader in the industry, American Crafts.

When you got into scrap booking, did you ever consider partnering with a large, established company or licensing artwork?

Absolutely. After running my own business where I oversaw everything from sourcing and designing, production, sales and fulfillment, I really wanted to be able just focus on the creative content. Getting hooked on scrapbooking was easy, and I fell in love with the products and process of creating with them. It was a total dream of mine to launch my own line of supplies.

How did your partnership come about? Was it the class girl meets company, company offers girl big partnership deal?

American Crafts had some of the first products I used when I started scrapbooking. I loved the range and quality and applied for their design team. In the scrapbooking world, this means that the company provides you with their products and you are given assignments to complete for various marketing purposes. So it’s not designing the products, it’s designing with the products.

I applied and was surprisingly accepted. I had been on the design team for two years when on a cross country road trip, I made a stop in Utah and had lunch with the company. We both sort of brought a possible collaboration up at the same time. And they said they would definitely consider it if I were interested and would think about the details of a deal. Fast forward to December 2010 (6 months later), I got the call that it was a go. I flew to Utah for a week in January and after that, thanks to technology, we were able to work through lots of emails and skype sessions.

What does an artisan or designer need to keep in mind when considering a partnership like this or licensing their work?

I think the most important thing is staying true to oneself. It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement and opportunity, that sometimes the focus can get easily blurred. Know what you really want out of the deal when you first enter it. Ask lots of questions.

Since American Crafts had done a collaboration previously with another designer, they were able to tell me the parameters that were already set. It was up to me to decide whether it was a good deal or not. Negotiating with a larger company can be tough, so I would recommend a bit of legal counsel. It’s always better to know what you’re getting into, and even more important to know the repercussions should the deal not turn out the way you intended. There should be clear timelines and expectations drawn out for both parties. And it might sound hokey, but you really must trust your gut. If there are any big items that you absolutely believe in that the company doesn’t, or vice versa, it probably isn’t a good match.

Why should an artisan or designer consider a partnership like this - rather than going it alone on Etsy?

Two words: combined resources. Sure, you may make a little more money doing it on your own, but there are also a lot more headaches and a ceiling on how big you can grow it. With a partnership you can trust, you can focus your energies on what you are good at, and they can invest their time and resources (and staff!) on all the other stuff.

Are there any resources you used to navigate this professional romance that you can recommend?

Not in particular, but I am constantly looking out for different sources of inspiration. Plus I have made plenty of mistakes in running a small business, so I know what not to do. I feel blessed to have had wonderful mentors, who have helped guide me and have taught me to really listen to my heart. Much like any relationship, businesses will have their ups and downs, but knowing you have a solid partnership you can count on with a larger company is invaluable.

Photo Credits :: Amy Tangerine

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

For four years, Harper Poe has been leading Proud Mary, and online shop that brings gorgeous handmade goods from Guatemala and South Africa to consumers all over the globe.  Lovely throw pillows, sweet bags and neck ties + fair wages and professional development = win/win.

How did Proud Mary get its start?  And where'd you get that awesome name?

I started Proud Mary with a friend of mine in New York in 2007.  I had quit my job and went down to South America to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.  I completely fell in love with the indigenous peoples and textiles.  Molly, my business partner had also just quit her job and as an artist and someone also passionate about textiles we put our heads together and decided to start a social venture combining our loves for design, textiles, humanitarianism and indigenous crafts.  (Molly left Proud Mary in 2010 to go to grad school, so now it's solely owned and operated by me!)

Since my first name is Mary and Molly's first name is Mary we thought we HAD to use Mary somewhere in our name.  We spent weeks bouncing around ideas and one of us jokingly said, "Proud Mary". We laughed it off...could you imagine all of the Tina Turner and Creedence Clearwater Revival references?  But it stuck and I'm glad! As Proud Mary grows the name is bringing on deeper meanings...we are proud of our relationships with our artisan partners. We are proud to share their beautiful work and provide them with a fair wage and market access for their work. The artisans are very proud of their craft (as they should be)!

You work with textile producers in both Guatemala and Cape Town.  How does one go about organizing and orchestrating such a thing?

When looking for artisan partners we turn to established non-profits, NGO's and Peace Corps-type volunteers on the ground to recommend talented and capable artisans.  Nest , a non-profit that provides micro-loans and product development assistance to women artisans for their crafts based businesses, connected us to the weavers and sewers that we currently work with in Guatemala.  This has been a wonderful relationship and we are thrilled that Nest took a chance on us in the very beginning! Since Guatemala produces the majority of our line we try and go down 1-2 times a year to work on product development with our weaving and sewing cooperatives. 

The group in Cape Town had previously worked with Aid to Artisans so we knew that they were set up for exporting and to work with Western Markets. We contacted them directly and at the time a Dutch NGO was working with them on business development.  They helped set up our relationship and then we worked on designs directly with the artisans developing a line of 3 hand printed fabric designs.

We are currently working with the West African Trade Hub to establish a relationship with several West African textile artisans to create a new collection to launch next summer!

If you absolutely had to choose, what's your favorite Proud Mary product?

Right now I’m loving the Cirque, small bucket bag. Can’t seem to shake my bold stripe obsession!

If you weren't running ProudMary, what would your life look like?

I’d like to travel the world collecting beautiful handmade crafts!! Have you ever seen the show ‘Man Shops Globe’ (Anthropologie buyer’s adventures shopping for product and inspiration around the world)?  I’d be doing that!

Last but not least, describe the type of world you'd like to design.

I’d like to design a world where people weren’t marginalized or exploited.  Where authenticity was above all the most important characteristic of a company or organization.  Where we celebrate beauty for beauty’s sake and where people celebrate people!

Photo Credits :: Proud Mary

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.

One of the people we’re most excited about meeting at CCE this weekend is Rena Tom. Rena’s a retail strategist for creative business owners. She previously owned Rare Device, a boutique and art gallery with locations in New York and San Francisco that was renowned for its carefully edited collection of design objects, books and fashion, and for supporting small, innovative designers and artists whose work was not easily found in stores. For this work, she has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Lucky, Real Simple, Anthology, Food and Wine and Martha Stewart Weddings as well as numerous design blogs.

She remains an avid crafter, and blogs about personal projects as well as retail trends and small business tips here.  Before meeting, she agreed to share her answer to questions you, our designers and retailers, are asking:
 

As a new retailer, how do I go about discovering unique/differentiated products outside of tradeshows?

Look everywhere. Look online at blogs, listen to the buzz on Twitter, ask the lady on the bus who made her earrings, go to craft shows and art festivals, read magazines, talk to your friends, travel and keep your eye out for cool new products. Besides tradeshows, there is the system of showrooms and reps too. There are many ways to avoid tradeshows these days! Many major manufacturers still attend, of course, but as a retailer, there's nothing to stop you from contacting them directly and asking for a catalog. Being aware a brand exists is half the battle.

As a ex-retailer, what did you look for in a designer? What made you decide to carry a line?

I always looked for the story behind the product. I imagine all retailers say this, but it really became a huge part of my business. By telling  a compelling story to my customer, I showed knowledge but also gained their trust. So, a designer who has a great reason behind why they made a product definitely stands out.

If a designer was on top of their game, also, that made it easier to carry their work. If they had great product photos available, dimensions and weights for their products, good packaging that was display-ready, information about other stores they were selling to in my area, up to date linesheets and pricing that fit for their audience - not too high or too low, but just right - they would definitely catch my attention.

Also, after the initial order, willingness to work with the retailer is key. This means responding quickly to sample requests, communicating about new product releases, and handling returns for damages quickly, among other things.

We can't help but admire how you leverage technology in your own business. How do you think technology has changed the wholesale industry?

Like many other industries, technology has sped up the cycle of doing business - the creative side as well as the sales side. Customers find out about new must-haves in an instant, and retailers must be prepared to act. At the same time, makers can produce and release product all year long, since they can communicate their new work electronically. Tradeshows are once or twice a year but a retail buying cycle happens year-round these days.

Technology is also giving a voice to very small designers who would otherwise have a very hard time attracting the attention of retailers. If your product is good and you have some tech-savvy, you can get it featured and then distributed online pretty easily - retailers can come to you rather than you trying to reach them.

What advice do you have for small creative businesses to spend more time "on" the business (aka building capabilities, taking it to the next level) and less time "in" the business (aka the grunt work of running it)? What do you think most creative businesses need to stop doing?

The best way to spend more time working "on" your business is to free up that time by optimizing sales, production, and operations and eliminating grunt work, as much as possible. When your business is your baby, it's hard to give up any aspect of it to another person to manage, but there are only so many hours in a day - you can't do it all and grow your business.

Creative businesses need to stop thinking small and start thinking big. Setting goals for a few years out is a useful exercise because the assumption is that your business is going to exist and thrive that long! It's scary but empowering to plan for the long-term. Without these long-term goals, it's hard to rise above being "in" the business and being reactive instead of proactive.

Creative business owners also need to stop being so modest - write down everything you are great at, that absolutely cannot be done by anyone else - and then try to streamline or outsource the rest. Even the smallest business owner can afford to spend $10 or $20 at a site like TaskRabbit, which lets you hire other people to handle the little things that must get done. For example, if you don't have a car and you need a bunch of office supplies *today* to complete your portfolio or creative work, isn't it worth your time to get someone to do that for you, instead of spending twice as long figuring out how to get there and back?

Have any questions you’d like to ask Rena? Tweet her @rena_tom or ask in the comments and we’ll do a follow-up!

 Creative Women is a Vermont-based company working in partnership with six women-owned textile design studios in Ethiopia, Swaziland, Afghanistan, and Mali.  Together, they create traditionally-inspired contemporary accessories and home textiles.

More than just designing and selling textiles, Creative Women works to promote equitable trading practices and to support women's economic independence.

What led you to create Creative Women?

I had worked in the non-profit world for all my working life, mostly in public health.  I had promised myself that when I turned 60, I would start my own business (I was brought up by a capitalist father).  I wanted to continue working with women, travel and work with beautiful things. 

While doing some consulting work in Ethiopia, my daughter (who lived in Ethiopia with her family at the time) introduced to me a number of women who were involved in the artisan community in Addis.  That was the beginning of my business relationship, and friendship, with the woman whose business produces the majority of my products.

Can you share some of your success stories?

Today, Sabahar, my biggest producer, employs over 65 full-time employees and at least that many part-time spinners, silk farmers, and weavers.  Although Creative Women is not their only customer, we are their biggest. Although men weave in Ethiopia, most of Sabahar’s employees are women.  All the way from the financial officer, to the quality assurance person, sewers, dyers, and “tea ladies” ... many who were once unemployed and now have jobs that offer them benefits and opportunities for training and better jobs.

A sweet story ... during my last visit to Sabahar, I gave a short presentation to the whole staff.  I wanted them to know what I do with their products in the US and I wanted them to get a sense of how people in the US value these beautiful items.  So using a projector to put my website on the wall, I explained how websites allow people all over the world to see their products and buy them.  I also showed them some of our customers’ sites, so that they could see how our customers photographed and displayed the products.  The Ethiopian staff may see the final product, but they never get to see them elegantly displayed. 

They were amazed; while I was showing them one of their tablecloths on Anthropologie’s web site, one of the weavers jumped up,  and said “I wove that; it’s mine!  Look at that!”

Others asked questions; what sells the best, did people care if they were from Ethiopia, what could they do to make the products better?  At the end of our discussion, it was quiet; they had run out of questions and were just looking at some lovely pictures of their work.  One of the dyers stood up and said,[bold] “This makes me proud to be an Ethiopian.  Now the world knows that there is more to Ethiopia than poor people and AIDS.  Now they can see that we can produce all of this beauty.”

That’s why I started Creative Women; to create jobs, to show the world that Ethiopia is more than the stereotype of the starving child and to create a market for their lovely products.

If you had to choose a favorite, which Creative Women product do you love the most?

Our towels; I use mine everyday.  I love the designs and feel of the incredibly soft Ethiopian cotton, and the fact that it dries quickly. We have products that are more elegant but it is a treat to have an everyday, mundane product that’s so special.

If you didn't run Creative Women, what would your days look like?

I’d be gardening, but since I live in VT, gardening won’t fill my year.  I’d spend more time with my grandkids. 

Describe the type of world you want to design?

A world where the economic and power disparities are not as great as they are today.  
 

After two years of blogging on the side, Kyla Roma took the leap into full time blogging and design in 2010.  Now she helps run one the the web’s best little design studio  and has built a lovely blog-home frequented by tons of talented and vocal creatives.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your awesome, awesome creative community!

I'm Kyla- I blog daily at Kylaroma.com about living an intentional and creative life, and I'm also co-owner of   Freckled Nest, a boutique design company that creates beautiful, handcrafted blog designs. I've been blogging there since 2008, and my blog has gradually evolved from a personal space to a big part of how I make my living. It's been an exciting learning curve and

My community is encouraging and incredibly supportive- they never fail to surprise me! Last spring I started doing freelance design work, which led to quitting my day job and working for myself full time within nine months. They've been there every step of the way to challenge me and cheer me on, and I'm really grateful for them. It's been amazing to have connections to so many incredible people in all different fields, and that's been a great resource to draw on as I explore my path and learn about life as a new business owner.

How do you reach out to other creative types?

Aside from getting to know people through blogging, twitter is one of my favourite tools. I love searching for new blogs and then getting a sense of the author's personality through their twitter stream. It's a great casual way to make connections, share anything that fits your style, to help others and start discussions around your passions. I think of it like a cocktail party that all my mentors and friends are always attending- but then, I'm a bit of an addict :)

What are some of the best, most helpful things you've learned through your online creative community?

The most valuable thing I've learned is to speak up and have confidence in yourself and your experiences. I used to feel intimidated by the amount of knowledge or expertise other people had, and felt like I was too young or inexperienced to voice my opinions and share my experience. Through my community I'm always finding people who are great teachers- and they didn't have to ask anyone's permission to be an inspiring part of my day! No matter where you are in life or your career, if you share from your heart with a collaborative spirit, what you say is going to resonate.

What are some good ways to get a creative conversation going online?

I'm a big fan of using social media to offer help to the people around you and to share discussion points.[bold]  I like sharing solutions if I see someone asking a question because I'm a "helper" by nature, but the impact of that over time is that it shows you're community minded and a resource which will draw like-minded people to you. Sharing blog posts or products that are related to your field, and asking a question or speaking to the bigger issue behind them can also be a great way to get opinions from engaged creatives who are excited to connect. And if that's not your style you can always send a quick e-mail and see if someone you admire has time to share their experiences or collaborate with you!

What's your advice to new designers or creative entrepreneurs who are just starting their online lives?

Sometimes it can feel like you're supposed to be online and active in so many different ways that you can get discouraged before you start. Just stick with it! Having a great online presence that expresses who you are and what you do won't happen immediately, but it's a marathon not a sprint. Be authentic and enthusiastic about your passions and have fun with creating your online life- it's part of your "real" life too, after all :)

Photo Credits :: Kyla Roma

Sarah Von is a Vianza contributing columnist and interview wrangler.  If you follow her on Twitter, you’ll be privy to all sort of tweets about small business, good ideas and, um, cheese.
 

Christina Holm-Sandok is a brand expert with more than 400 pages of published lifestyle and fashion editorial work, countless seasons attending New York City Fashion Week and over ten years of creative marketing experience. 

She has harnessed all that awesome to create Style-Architects a creative lifestyle company that specializes in event planning, brand development and public relations, wardrobe styling and concierge services. 

We’re thrilled to feature Christina and her clever, clever ideas for branding fledgling businesses on a shoe string.

How would you define the term 'branding'? 

Branding is basically your company’s identity. It’s what you stand for, a promiseyou make, and the personality you convey. Your logo, website, how you answer the phone, the voice that is used in your copy, how you advertise your product or services....everything that your customers see, hear, feel in regards to your brand should have a cohesive feel. Your brand is what sets you apart from your competition.

Why is it important for small businesses to have a branding plan?

Your brand should have a solid personality. Without a solid brand your company is not going to leave a memorable impression on your client or customer.

The first step in developing your brand is defining your market or demographic. Who is going to buy your product/service? Male or female? Age range? Where are they going to buy it? What does your core demographic do on the weekends? What are their passions? What motivates/influences them?

Do your best to answers most of these questions and then align your brand with your customers values. It is not as simple as having a cool logo. You need to connect with your customer or client on a deeper level. There is a lot of psychology behind why people continue to buy specific brands. Defining your audience will make every brand-related decision easier along the way.

It's important for companies to have a cohesive brand across all of their platforms, right? What are all the boxes that need ticking? (twitter/facebook/etsy shop/etc) Expressing your brand personality through social media is just as important. The voice of your brand is especially important on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Does what you say to your followers reflect your brand values? Some brands treat Twitter as a personal platform to vent frustrations or trivial daily details. It is important to remember that your customers are reading it, so remain positive and in-line with your brand identity.

What are some questions that an entrepreneur should ask themselves when they're conceptualizing their brand? 

Who do they want to buy your product? Define your customer. Give him/her a name, age range, hobbies, lifestyle choices, etc...and then look at other brands that your customer is already a loyal follower. For example, research shows that Prius owners tend to also shop at Co-ops. Do your homework on your customer/client/reader before you dive into developing a brand.

If someone is on a very limited budget, where should they spend their marketing dollars?

You can do most of your brand research on your own by reading books and scouring the internet. Also, if you have a friend or family member that fits the bill of your ideal customer, do your own mini focus group and gather market research. Once you have the direction defined, hire a decent designer. Do not hire an experienced designer until you have plenty of examples of logos and websites that you like and can articulate the art direction clearly. This will save you a lot of time as many designers charge hourly. Once you have a logo, you can develop your own wordpress website. If writing isn’t your strong suit, I also highly recommend hiring a copywriter.

Can you recommend any (free/inexpensive) resources that can help a small business owner develop their brands? 

Fiverr -  you can have a logo designed for $5 or increase your Twitter followers to 1,000 overnight
Moo.com - gorgeous business cards and reasonably priced
Wordpress - great tool to build your website

Photo Credits :: Christina Holm-Sandok

Jessika Hepburn is editor of Oh My! Handmade Goodness, a collaborative online resource for the handmade community bringing together over 30 industry experts and entrepreneurs to share what they know and love daily. Jessika’s an artist, writer, community builder, change maker and supporter of all things handmade.

We’re delighted to get the inside scoop on one of our most-favorite sites + twitter-ers.

Oh My! Handmade Goodness has such a sweet, delicate presence online. How did the website come to be? Was it purely your "baby," so to speak, or was it a collaborative effort?

I love that! Sweet, delicate presence-here I am with my radical ideas and tattoos. Seriously though, that is what Oh My! Handmade is all about, being a safe and supportive place for the handmade community. It is beautiful and amazing to me that people are responding so well to what I am doing! Oh My! Handmade is my adoptive baby and is a totally collaborative effort. I bought the site from Sara Tams of sarah + abraham in July 2010-I was called to it because it was a team of contributors with diverse skills and voices. I have worked or been involved in non-profits or co-operatives most of my life and was drawn to working with a community and sharing people's skills. Since I took over I have built our team of contributors to over 30+ monthly and guest columnists and worked on engaging our readership + featuring established and emerging talent. It is constantly evolving with input from our diverse & creative community.

Just like Vianza, Oh My! Handmade is fiercely devoted to supporting indie designers & crafters. Why do you think it's important to keep indie + handmade arts alive?

That's a loaded question that I could probably write a book in response to. Indie & handmade are part of a bigger movement and economy that values kindness, creativity and the work of our hands. Handmade is our lifeline to creativity, where we express and showcase the astonishing things our hands are capable of. I think we are increasingly tired of being marketed the fast, cheap and disposable-handmade reminds us of simplicity and the beauty of living a handmade life. It allows us to bring art into our homes, build connections with the hands that created it and support a new economy that values quality, ethics, talent and kindness.

If a brand-new designer or crafter asked you whether they should sell their wares in a retail setting, wholesale, online, at trade shows, or some other platform -- or all of the above -- what would your sage wisdom be?

I would tell them it depended on their product, pricing strategy and ability to meet demand. I haven't found that there is one universally applicable solution to all businesses, some have a high overhead so wholesale isn't always possible while others are perfect for wholesaling. I would suggest to any new crafter that they start by building their community online, seeking out opportunities that fit their business and finding resources specific to their niche.

What has been your greatest triumph or stupendous success story, so far, with Oh My! Handmade?

My biggest triumph & success is ongoing, in the incredible depth of connection I have with my readers and my online community. That they share their stories, hopes, fears and dreams for the future and care so deeply about mine never fails to make my heart feel 10 sizes too big. I share in their success and that to me is the biggest gift  could ask for, the chance to truly connect. Some examples of this are our Handmade Holidays giveaway (which brought together over 30 businesses and their creations valued at over $950 that went to two non-profits and made the world more beautiful for two families, this powerful story by Roseann of Cute Little Thing of how Oh My! Handmade helped launch her story and my recent participation in the What's Your Story Campaign on The Academy blog. But there is also Worthsy - the balance to discount sites like Heartsy - that was created by Zoe of A Quick Study  and I & has totally taken off and our weekly #omhg Twittter chats that have been a catalyst for community building on Twitter. Really every day has a new triumph & success story!

Last but not least: describe the kind of world you want to design.

I want a vibrant, diverse and loving world that celebrates creativity and talent. Where beauty flourishes and kindness thrives-a safe place for us to plant and cultivate our dreams. I want our children to grow up believing in themselves and for us to do the same. I want to design communities that have deep heart connections to each other and support each other through tragedy and triumph. Beyond that I want a world where we are encouraged to live fully and with great compassion for this incredible journey we are all on together.

Visit Jessika at www.ohmyhandmade.com, www.jessikahepburn.com, www.worthsy.com or hang out on twitter or  Pinterest .

Photo Credits :: Jessika Hepburn

Abi Heyneke is an Illustrator, currently living South of the river (Thames that is).  She is British born and bred, but if you detect an accent it's because she spent 4 years living and studying in Cape Town. She believes communication is about much more than words and nature has built us to read and interpret images with effortless speed.  She loves Illustration because it taps into this innate skill and also provides the gateway to seeing things in new ways.  Find out more about Abi here.

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever crafted, with your own nimble hands?

At the moment it's probably an illustration I did that was inspired by "Une Charogne" (A Carcass), by Charles Baudelaire.  I found the poem fascinating because it is quite compelling and repulsive at the same time.  Once inspiration hit (and after a few traumatic google image searches) it was pretty obvious to me where I was headed with the picture. 

It seems to be one of my more popular pieces of work, but maybe it's because it has that car crash factor; you just can't look away.

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

It made me laugh out loud when I read that "If you want to go freelance, don't just quit your day job".  It's not necessarily bad advice, it's just that I had already done the opposite and quit my shop job to be an Illustrator.  I had saved up and was practical about how long it might take to earn a living, so it didn't seem like a gamble to me.

All advice is well intentioned, but it doesn't mean you have to follow it all.  Just pay attention to the gold dust that is relevant to you.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

Maybe when I realised that if you want to make a living out of something, you have to just do it, practice, get good, keep going.  There's always a demand for people who are good at what they do.  (I like to think the best epiphanies are yet to come though.)

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

The Vamoose - I love jewellery so much, and The Vamoose make unique and super-wearable pieces for amazing prices.  The shop is accompanied by a fantastically inspiring blog.

Missi Baba - Missi Baba makes luxury leather accessories in Cape Town. I just love the Wild West influence.  Also available through Etsy.

Unto This Last   - London designed and built plywood furniture with a lean mean production philosophy.  They believe in making the most of innovative digital tools in a small workshop setting.  Beautiful designs and no packaging!

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

I think it's crucial to balance your time between making more of what sells and is popular, and developing new ideas.  For creatives, personal development is a sound investment.  When you're self employed no one is going to pay you for drawing in your sketchbook, but innovation is at the heart of what we do and it pays off in the end!

Hang out with Abi on Twitter.

Photo Credit :: Abi Heyneke

Confession: We are completely smitten with Bobby Berk.

After spending half of a meeting gushing about his designs and his brilliant use of small-batch artisans....we thought: why not ask him for an interview?

We're completely honored to have Bobby Berk; designer, retailer, artist rep, and friend of the small-batch artisan;  share his thoughts on what retailers are looking for and how we can facilitate connections between makers + designers.

Without further fan-girl gushing, here's the interview:

As a retailer, what do you look for in a designer? What makes you decide to carry a line?

As a retailer, I look for innovation in design. Invention in our industry makes my work exciting, and I only sell product that I truly love.

In your new initiative Modern Representation, you’re representing more independent designers, a lot of artisinal small batch made lines. What’s drawing you to those designers/artists?

As retailers, we realized that although the American home goods market is enormous, we were really just seeing the same few designers over and over again, flooding the American market. We wanted to bring fresh, new, international designers into the US modern home goods market- socially and environmentally conscious artists who have not been represented in a major way in the US yet.

I love the way you have modern design made in a small batch, artisanal way. Why is that we don’t see a lot of contemporary designers partnering with traditional artisans to produce their designs?

Many contemporary designers feel discouraged from using traditional artisans to mass-manufacture because they feel as if it may be a time-consuming or costly process, but once a constructive relationship is established, it could really be a very rewarding experience for both parties. I know with our rugs collection by Armadillo&Co., the designer Jodie Fried was so inspired by the traditional artisans who taught her how to weave, that she has dedicated her life's work to building a brand around those artisans. She's even built schools in the weaving villages, using money made through Armadillo&Co.

How can we facilitate these connections?

The issue isn't that there aren't enough trust-worthy, talented artisans out there, it's that designers can't find them. We're functioning 30 years behind schedule when it comes to building connections between designer and supplier- still relying on word of mouth.

We can’t help but admire how you use technology
in your business. How do you think technology has changed the wholesale industry?

Twitter and Facebook have really changed the game for brand identity. Prior to these social media outlets, wholesale companies remained anonymous to end-user consumers, because the print press that we received we always credited back to our retailers.

Now we allow consumers to follow our products and our brands directly through us, which allows the consumer to be much more informed and involved. Since we carry brands that have incredible stories and support truly interesting designers, it's very important to us that our consumers to be fully-informed.

How would you LIKE to see retailers + designers use technology to find each other?

It's true that emailing massive PDF catalogs and directing retailers to FTPs is a very unintuitive way of doing business. Vianza's business concierge seems to be doing the trick at the moment.

Aw, thanks Bobby!

You can follow Bobby on Twitter @bobbyberk, or check out BobbyBerkHome.com.

Here at Vianza, we are smitten with small batch producers. We love sharing their stories, we love connecting them with designers, we love getting to know what would make their businesses better (and easier!)

We're going to be talking even more about small batch and how it could help your design biz...but before we do, let's get clear about what we mean when we say "small batch producers" .

Who is a small batch producer?

Small batch producers can be anyone from a dyer that creates her own line of yarn in Alabama to a design studio that brings together village women in India to create hand woven items for inspired designers to an artisinal candlemaker who collaborates with other designers to make custom candles in small batches to a printer who prints your illustrations on shirts.

You might even be a small batch producer! If you handmake jewelry, cards, ceramics you probably make it in small batches. The question is: could you collaborate with either another producer (if designing is your favorite part) or another designer (if the making is your favorite part)?

Image Credits :: Original Ring Bearer Bowl by Paloma's Nest, 

Handcrocheted Earrings by Samoolam Crafts

Why do I care about small batch producers? 

Because you don't have to do it ALL yourself. You may want to DIT (Do It Together) with another small, indie biz.

You can focus on your best work and work with someone else to do the other work. If your passion is illustration, you might hook up with a printer to print your designs on papergoods.  If you love to design knitwear, you can hook up with a handknitting coop to have your knitting patterns handknit into finished products. If you have a heart for textile design, you may want someone else to weave what you've dreamed up.

Image Credits :: Handwoven Angora Stole by Leela Design Studio,

Lotus Necklace by Polymath Design Lab

Even if you don't find a small batch producer to make a part of your product, you might  get your supplies from the handdyer, the metalsmith or the surface pattern designer.

Here at Vianza, we just want to make it easier for you to find who you need, to take your business where you want it to go.

We want to support the handmakers who make, the designers who sketch and the indie retailers who sell. We want you to find each other so everyone can profit and thrive.

Are you a small batch producer or do you know one?

Leave a comment and we may feature you in an upcoming small batch story.

Megan Auman is a designer, maker, educator, and entrepreneur who has built a multi-faceted business around her passion for great design and sustainable business. Her eponymous jewelry line is sold in stores across the US and online. In 2009, Megan founded Crafting an MBA to help designers and makers develop their business skills.

With your Crafting an MBA program, you're setting out to answer the question: "what would business school look like if it was geared towards crafters, designers, and makers?"

How -- or where -- did you glean your own business prowess? Through formal training? Trial & error? Mentors & consultants? Or a little of everything?

My business prowess comes from a little bit of everything.  My dad has run his own business (which he purchased from my grandfather) my whole life, so I grew up knowing the kind of hard work it takes to run a business.  I was also that girl in elementary school who was always starting little businesses (I once had one selling confetti that I made myself) so running my own business is something I was always interested in.

In college, I minored in entrepreneurship, but very little of the practical information actually stuck.  (Don’t even ask me what I learned in my accounting class!)  One of the things I remember most was reading Howard Schulz’s book about the founding of Starbucks.  That left a really big impression on me about the kind of business I wanted to run in the future.

Even today, my biggest source of business knowledge is through books.  I’ve always been an avid reader, and I actually find most business books really fascinating (I’m a nerd I know).  For me, reading business books isn’t so much about gaining practically knowledge as it is about shifting the way I think about business, which is something I try to do in my writing on Crafting an MBA.

And of course, trial and error plays a big part.  I was fortunate enough to have some mentors in the jewelry field that helped me out when I was first starting, but there’s still plenty of stuff I had to figure out on my own.  One of my favorite ways to develop my own business strategy is just to see what other people are doing (in terms of shows, stores, press, etc) and see how I can apply that to my own business.

The tagline for your gorgeous jewelry line is: "Make a statement every day." What does "making a statement" mean to you? And how can a piece of jewelry help someone do that?

I’ve never been quiet or shy, and I’ve never been one to make small, dainty jewelry, so when I came up with that tagline it just seemed to fit – both me and the jewelry line.

For me, “making a statement” means not being afraid to have an opinion and not being afraid to express who you are.  It means standing up and saying, “this is what I believe.”  And it means being confident that who you are and what you have to say and contribute is valuable.

I think jewelry can help you do that in so many ways.  From a purely visual/aesthetic standpoint, my jewelry helps you do that by just being different.  It’s not small, delicate jewelry that blends in – it’s the kind of jewelry that is meant to stand out and make any outfit feel more special and more complete.

But I also think jewelry can help you make a statement from a more psychological level too.  When you wear something that makes you feel fabulous, you’re much more likely to be confident and express your opinion.  And when you wear jewelry that’s a little different than the norm, it helps you express your independence and your personality.

I reached a point where I don’t really feel like me if I’m not wearing a great piece of jewelry (or several) – it’s part of my statement about who I am to the world.
 

You proudly hold a BFA in Metalsmithing -- a pretty awesome degree, to be sure! What pulled you towards that particular craft? Did you dabble in any other mediums?

I’ve been an artist almost all my life.  My mom is a painter and has dabbled in other arts and crafts, so I was taking drawing classes by the time I was six.  By the time I was in high school, I knew that I wanted to go to college to study art.  I originally wanted to be a painter, because I hadn’t really been exposed to a lot of other mediums or disciplines.

I was really fortunate that my senior year of high school I participated in an arts magnet program at the local community college.  The college had printmaking, ceramics, jewelry, and glass blowing, and we got to dabble in all of them.  From the second I made my first ring, I was hooked.  I thought, “you can go to college for this, sign me up!”

In hindsight, it’s not surprising that I would choose metalsmithing, since my dad actually owns a machine shop.  So I like to say that I ended up pursuing a degree that was a blend of both of my parents’ passions.

What has been your biggest hurdle to bound over, in terms of building the type of business that keeps you feeling sturdy, strong & creative?

For me the biggest struggle has been focus.  I’m the type of person who’s only happy if she’s doing a million things at once.  While this can be a good thing, it can also have a negative effect on my bottom line because I’m constantly focusing on new ideas instead of making sure the ones I’m currently pursuing are netting me the most profit.  I’m still trying to find a balance between pursuing new ideas (which is what keeps me creative, interested, and happy) and giving my current projects the attention they deserve.

Ultimately, I think I could make more money by focusing on less things, but I can’t imagine what I’d give up.  I keep working to find a balance between the various projects that keep me stimulated and having the focus to bring in the income that will support my family (so that my husband can quit his job and do what he’s passionate about).

Last but not least: describe the kind of world you want to design.

I want to design a world where people aren’t willing to settle for the status quo.  I want people to think about their world differently, and I want everyone to strive for their full potential and be confident in who they are.

I teach part-time at a university and I see so many students who have such a limited view of the world, and one of my biggest goals, regardless of the subject I’m teaching, is to expand that world view.  I think so many problems in the world could be resolved if we all took more time to think about things from a different perspective.

And I wouldn’t complain if that world also included more people who wore bold jewelry, rode their bikes, and ate organic, unprocessed food, and had jobs pursuing things they were passionate about.

You can connect with Megan at MeganAuman.com or on Twitter, @meganauman.
 

Rachel Cole is high on ideas. As she so eloquently puts it, “Ideas are my Art".

As a coach & creative project partner, she helps her clients craft full lives of their own design, by answering the question: “what are you truly hungry for?”

Her gorgeous web presence reflects a sophisticated design aesthetic, and her Positive Graffiti Gallery  offers a cheeky glimpse into street art that makes her smile.

We’re so giddy to feature Ms. Cole’s supportive words of wisdom, for creative entrepreneurs, crafters, artisans — or anyone striving to create what they truly love.

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands (or brain)?

Several years ago I adopted a practice of making porridge. This new breakfast ritual fed me on so many unexpected levels. One night as I was drifting off to sleep I was visited by a very insistent creativity muse  and forced to get out of bed to type up The Porridge Manifesto.

For years after The Manifesto came out into the world, it sat on my computer hard drive and whispered over and over: “publish me.” It would not go away. So after years of soothing The Manifesto with promises of “someday” and “I will” I decided this year to release this little baby into the world.

And boom. Much to my surprise, people love it! They tell me it’s changed their lives and they tell me they keep it on their bedside table to just read as a way to unwind and relax. The truth is that it’s my “coolest” creation because I almost feel like I didn’t create it...it just came through me. Yeah, divine.

You can grab a copy on Amazon or read more about it on my site.

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

This question really stumped me. I received a lot of GREAT business advice, but not much that’s far off the mark. But I will say this. Advice abounds. Everyone will tell you (sometimes for a price) what you should be doing with your brand, your website, your products, your font, your site stats, the ergonomic set-up of your desk, the best breakfast to eat (ahem), the perils of business partnerships, the gold pot at the end of the authenticity rainbow and so on and so on.

And most of the advice will be right for most people and often not right for you...or me. So, as they say, take what fits, leave the rest.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

We’re taught that we can make money from working for the man, from making widgets, from discovering the cure for cancer or writing a great novel (wait, can you make money writing a great novel?). We are not taught that there is monetary value for intangible things like presence and intuition and creative ideas and spiritual guidance. I have these gifts and know now that they are worth other’s time and resources. I know that what I bring to my clients can’t be shipped in a box (yet), but on a good day it is profound. My biggest epiphany was that I could make a living by bringing my gifts to others. These things don’t have to be a hobby or something I only share with my friends. Who I am is my business and I’m more than happy to bank on that. 

Give us your Top 3 indie designers (or bloggers, or aesthetic mavens) to watch.

Loup Charmant  - White cotton is my biggest turn on.

Jen Hewitt  - Printmaking perfection.

Sartoria  - Um, upcycled cashmere underwear? Yes please.

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Your point of view. Your voice. Your perspective. Your creation.

We need it.

The world is not overly saturated with {insert whatever you create or offer}. Rather we are starved for inspiration. We are hungry for art. We long for the handmade.

Please choose to show up in your life as best as you can and offer yourself.

Find the inimitable Rachel Cole online at RachelWCole.com  and on Twitter as @rachelwcole.

Photo credit: Paige Green

Interview by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com.

Tenille Evans  (otherwise known as “Eels”) is Sydney-based designer and creator of jewelry, scrimshaw and objet d'art. The inventive Tenille combines organic materials like buffalo horn and bone with recycled metals to create her signature jewelry line, in addition to wearable sculptures and installation pieces for exhibition.

A lover of vintage nautical imagery, Tenille’s bangles, rings, pendants & brooches often feature anchors, masted ships, steering wheels and swooping sea birds.

To underscore her commitment to sustainable design, Tenille donates 1% of her profits to the Australian Ecosystems Foundation Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to preserving native species and their environments. 

We’d happily set sail on the H.M.S. Eels, any day—in any port. Anchors away!

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

While I was studying Jewelry and Object Design, I created some awesomely ridiculous things! With an amazingly well-equipped workshop at my disposal and no pressure to sell, I went crazy with creativity. Some very cool things came out of my college workshop, my favorite being a series of huge stainless steel neckpieces. Called “sketches in space,” I created these dramatic wearables with a TIG welder, bending and shaping them against my own body as I built up the forms. I worked only from rough pencil sketches of strange organic shapes and essentially, sketched out spaces with the metal. In my jewelry design practice now, I rarely get the opportunity to just “let go.” As much as I love my production range and the work I do now, “real world” considerations usually prevent me from spending too much time being as artistically self-indulgent as I was in college.      

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

That old saying, “you have to spend money to make money” is a pretty outdated one that still gets thrown around a lot. I mean, of course you need tools and equipment and materials. But once you have stock, there is so much you can do in terms of promotion and marketing without spending a cent! You can set up a really effective, extensive and professional web presence using social media and free web hosting tools. With so many ways to promote your brand for free, not having the startup capital is really no excuse anymore!

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

Invest everything. Then act like you have nothing to lose. I started seeing clearly when I finally made the decision to quit my day job!  I spent over 10 years in full-time “real jobs” while giving a half-arsed effort to my wishy-washy design labels. I kept imagining that one day the right time will present itself and one day I would take the plunge and quit my job. I imagined that someone would just come along and make my dreams happen for me. As it turned out, someone did, but not in the way I imagined. About 6 months after my son was born, out of sheer desperation to not have to go back to work at my real job—and running out of savings—I decided that I just had to do it. If I sat around waiting for the right time to act, I would be stuck in a bread-and-butter job for the rest of my life. Now, even though I’m working a lot harder than I ever did before, work doesn’t feel like work. I now feel like I am one authentic person, instead of person playing various necessary roles.   

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

Jewelry designer Brooke Johnstone 
 

Jewelry designer Sarah Swell 
 

Illustrator Genna Campton
 

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

As an artist, YOU are the brand. Be true to yourself. This sounds like a cliché, so let me elaborate. Once you have developed a product / design / range that you are happy with: Own it. Love it. Believe in it. Be true to your work and your vision and be confident. There is a market for everything, you just have to find it. Do not compromise yourself or your artistic vision just for the sake of selling something. If you are passionate, hardworking and are in absolute love with what you are making and doing, you will find your niche and the success will come. You do not have to fit a mold to make it. 

Explore Tenille’s online offerings at Eels and connect with her on Twitter at @eelsjewellery.

Photo Credits :: Tenille Evans

Interview by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com
 

Tara Gentile (alias: Scoutie Girl) empowers passion-driven entrepreneurs to tap their true spirit—and turn a profit. Her musings on business, social media & tech-savvy life design garner high praise & adoring attention across the ‘net, and her goal-setting guides are among the best in the biz.

While “needle & thread” crafting eludes the nimble-minded Gentile, she’s an online icon in the handmade community, with wisdom & insights that resonate with virtually every creative entrepreneur.

We’re a little besotted with Ms. Gentile, and we’re thrilled to feature her in today’s installment of Snapshot!

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

I am going to be painfully honest here—excruciatingly so. There is nothing that I've made with my own two hands that I have that kind of relationship with.

I am truly not a maker in the needle & thread, hammer & nails, or warp & weft kind of way. I appreciate it with every fiber of my being (pun intended), it's in my DNA . It's just not a skill I was blessed with.

The projects I undertake are left unfinished. I enjoy the beginning much more than the end.

That said, I'm creative in many other ways. The same joy others get in bending steel or cutting paper, I get in crafting opinions. I enjoy cooking a dinner from scratch sans recipe. And my talents include a hodgepodge of musical blessings from all over my family.

Just don't ask me to sew in a straight line. So, instead, I will show off a picture of my cartoonish toddler, Lola!

Photo Credit :: Tara Gentile

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

The worst piece of business advice I ever received was also the best piece of advice. My friend—who is an utterly amazing business owner—told me to stick out a segment of my business that was causing me stress, because it was the easiest way she saw for me to continue bringing in money.

In the moment she said it, I knew what she meant. I felt she was right. I was in crisis because I wanted my business to be about something else, something that came more naturally, and she said “wait.” It hurt, but it made sense.

But the moment I got off the call, I decided that answer wasn't good enough.

That caused me to create my highest grossing product to date (a digital course on building your own website). That product allowed me to drop the crap and embrace my core strengths as an entrepreneur. I haven't looked back since.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

Last March, I wrote a blog post called “Embracing Abundance: Breaking the Scarcity Mindset”. That post took me about 45 minutes to write. I posted it immediately after I was finished, and within minutes, it was going viral. People were commenting, discussing, gushing, and Tweeting.

I learned a few things immediately:

1) My story was a key way to share lessons I'd learned. My story is relevant because it's someone else's story too. But, at the same time, it's what makes me "me" and not someone else.

2) People are hurting around concepts of money, desire, and scarcity. They assume that they fundamentally lack all that they really need to succeed. They assume that what they need costs too much. And they assume that what they desire is outside of their grasp.

3) Busting assumptions is a strength of mine.

This epiphany—as they do—came on hard & strong. I knew then that if I really wanted to succeed with my business, I needed to harness those three realizations over & over again.

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

Megan Auman

Sara Selepouchin

Jen Pepper

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Understand what you truly want out of your business. Do you want money? Make decisions with an eye for profit. Do you want freedom? Keep your biz lithe & light. Do you want status? Form lasting networks & relationships.

You really can get what you want out of your business...but you need to make your decisions with that desire in mind.

Find the gorgeously talented Tara Gentile online at TaraGentile.com and ScoutieGirl.com, and on Twitter at @taragentile & @scoutiegirlblog.

Interview by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

Amanda Oaks, creator of Kind Over Matter, is wholly & fully devoted to “Feel Good Nouns.”

With a focus on the handmade community, indie artisans and DIY entrepreneurs, KOM offers daily doses of inspiration, poetry, art & gentle business wisdom...as well as downloadable treats, such as compliment posters (for your coworkers), printable love banners (for your sweetheart) and heart-stirring affirmation cards (for yourself).

Amanda took a moment out of her pre-launch preparations for her 30-day e-course, Be Gentle, Be Love  to share her thoughts on crafting an independent business that works, for YOU.

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

I would have to say my collection of handmade books. I can't just pick one, that would be like picking your favorite child, you just can't do that! My small press has been on a hiatus since my second little one was born, but I cherish these books mostly for the friendships that evolved by creating them. I've been blessed to make books for some incredible poets, lady poets, their words spit spark, they kick you in the gut, leave you breathless only to pick you up & breath life back into you. Each book was a creative explosion, a journey through my heart & theirs. Nothing like picking up & reading a book that you helped bring to fruition.

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

This is a tough question.  My business adventure has been very independent, I've read a lot, taken what I wanted to utilize, left what I thought wouldn't work for me personally.  Kind Over Matter  didn't start as a business, I've only kicked it into overdrive over the last year. I've only been at this business thang for 6 years, so I can't pinpoint a piece of advice that was the worst...but I've seen what doesn't work for people & that mostly consists of inaction. My motto is try it on once, see how it fits you, shed some layers if you need to or get totally naked, it doesn't matter, but keep walking your path keeping up with your passions.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

The moment I realized I didn't have to do what didn't make me happy. When I started cutting out what didn't work for me & my business it freed up not only time but a whole lot of headspace. My head no longer buzzes with worry & anxiety about having to do those things. Bliss.

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

Jessica Swift. I love that girl, been a huge fan of hers for so long & watching her grow has been an absolute treat -- she's blazing!  Making her own products, just hot! I am patiently waiting for the day I can buy her goodness wherever, on whatever I want. Could you imagine a couch covered in her colorful loveliness? Sundresses & pillows & panties, oh my!

There are so many people spreading positivity through art & that just makes me glow: Katie Daisy, Lori Portka, Liz Lamoreux  -- the list could go on & on here.

Paper Boat Press  -- one of everything please & thanks!

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

I can't take credit for this shred of profound wisdom, it comes straight from Danielle LaPorte's mouth: Know how you want to feel & do whatever it takes to feel that way. That phrase will forever be embedded in the marrow of my bones. I apply it to not only my business but my life, on all levels.

Find Amanda Oaks online at Kind Over Matter , and on Twitter at @kindovermatter.

Interview by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

Sridevi Padmanabhan (or “Sri,” to her pals) is at the helm of a mini-entrepreneurial empire, with three fantastic designers at her disposal. They’re hard at work, prepping to launch “the most unique, most interesting, most yummy postcards that India has ever seen.”

And while she’s at it, Sri is also thwacking away at her PhD at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, and outlining a documentary on entrepreneurship in India.

We’re elated at the chance to capture Sri’s ebullient thoughts on indie design, erratic resumes and chattin’ up your online icons (or “blog girl crushes,” as she calls them).

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

When I worked as an assistant producer for a channel in India, I researched, scripted, and oversaw the editing & shooting of a show on gay people in urban India and their daily struggles. Looking back, it was pretty hard to get guests to come on air and be open about the subject at a time when it was still a criminal offense. Added to that, it was an issue not openly discussed or accepted in society. Eventually, the episode was beyond anything I'd imagined, with heart-felt stories, strong and inspiring individuals and was hands down, the most creatively fulfilling experience for me.

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

“Your resume is too erratic and you have too many interests—you should pick one!”
I think it is pretty bizarre how many people out there believe that cultivating your multiple passions only makes you appear without focus and direction.
I did struggle for a while with trying to fit my octagonal peg in round holes, till I got to the point where I realized I wasn't doing myself any favors by trying to adhere to other people's ideas of who I should be.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

That I should never put off a venture I can start today because I am waiting to be 'prepared enough'. I have always been one of those people who felt that maybe if I did just another online course, or read another blog of an online rockstar who had done it right, I would be just a little more prepared. At one point, I realized, it's all about getting my hands dirty. No more waiting and researching and then waiting some more!

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

1. Kalyani makes the most gorgeous hand-painted yummies—prints, totes, clutches, cushion covers, saris and a lot more! I could buy out her whole collection.
http://surfkye.com

2. I love Jayesh Sivan's work. It makes me want to hire him immediately to create all kinds of design magic for me. He is a graphic designer, illustrator, creator of amazing eye candy with his project 'Funk flip-flops', and he also paints murals.
http://jayeshsivan.blogspot.com/

3. Anastasia photography. Anastasia & Chad really have the knack of making their subjects come alive in their photographs. Those elusive moments when you think 'if only someone could photograph this now'—they totally manage that!
http://www.anastasiachomlack.typepad.com/

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Reach out and ask for help. That amazingly accomplished designer whose blog you stalk, that online marketer whose skills you wish you had... they're all just waiting for your email! I've had the most open, helpful, and useful conversations with people I admire online because I love asking—how?

Bat your eyelashes at Sri, online at @therealsridevi. And keep your eyes peeled for her inaugural line of luscious postcards!

Interview by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

“Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes — every form of animate or inanimate existence, leaves its impress upon the soul of man.”
— Orison Swett Marden

Well said, Orison. There’s something about natural fibers — like fine-grain wood — that soothes the senses, and inspires a sense of sweet, soulful nostalgia.

The clever folks at PLYWERK  have developed a way to stick high-resolution images onto carbonized bamboo and birch/alder planks, using a safe‘n study PH-neutral adhesive. Each piece comes complete with a keyhole slot on the back, for easy wall mounting. You can order print samples here to suss out the ideal finish (matte, gloss, satin, pearl or metallic) for your photos. And if you’re a DIY-er — or just dig the idea of hanging decorative wood planks on your wall — you can order blank PLYWERK panels, too.

photo credit: plywerk

The rustic frames, doors and window shutters and from Once A Barn A Time feel like something you’d find in an abandoned grain mill — and then drag home, to hang over your dining room table.

Turns out, that’s exactly what husband and wife duo Mike & Jill have done — for you. They troll their homestate of Wisconsin (along with their daughter, who pitches in to support the family biz) in search of barnwood, birdhouses, railroad spikes and keepsakes boxes, and their loving attention to detail shines bright, in every creation.

photo credit: once a barn a time

One of the best things about re-purposing old wood — like the fine folks at Once A Barn A Time — is that it slows the rate of planetary deforestation. If you’re committed to socially-responsible crafting + shopping, this terrific article from Apartment Therapy outlines 10 guidelines for responsible wood buying, courtesy of National Geographic  and the Forest Certification Resource Center.

To end on a lighter note: these wooden Happy Toasty earrings from ShanaLogic are too cute to be true. Hot buttered happiness, straight from the trees…to your ears!

photo credit: http://www.shanalogic.com

Limelight On … shines the spotlight on exceptional products, techniques and design trends—from vinyl wall decals to light painting and beyond.

If you've got a creation that belongs in the Limelight, send a message to editor@vianza.com.

Written by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

KARI CHAPIN is a writer, crafter, stylist, and author of the best-selling book The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line. In addition to leading her signature FRESH START eCourses, Kari spends her days in Western Massachusetts entertaining her cranky orange cat, a pair of dappled dachshunds (and her husband), working on her next ‘round of book-writin’ projects, and adding to her stupendous collection of buttons (68 pounds, and counting…)

We’re happy as a clam to feature Kari in this week’s edition of Snapshot!

Read on for the crafty crusader’s thoughts on cross stitching, mustaches on a stick, and how to find your place at the handmade table.

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever crafted, with your own nimble hands?

Humm. This is a toughie! I am pretty biased when it comes to my own craftiness and am pretty much in love with everything I make. If I had to choose just one thing though, it would be the Christmas tree topper mitten I made a few years ago.

I took an old white wool blanket, felted it down and cut out a large mitten. I then added my very favorite vintage buttons to it and embroidered a little pattern all over it.

I have a huge, HUGE, button collection – the last time I weighed it, I had over 68 pounds of buttons – and a lot of them are just so dang pretty! I’m always a little stumped for new ways to display them so I can really get the full benefit of enjoying them, and the Mitten Tree Topper of Fabulousness was a really good idea.

Every year my husband and I love unpacking it and relishing in it’s handmade goodness. We also like having a mitten on our tree, rather than the traditional angel or star.

I’m also pretty fond of my embroidered song lyric cross stitch project. I’m on a mission to have all of my favorite song lyrics stitched up and framed. Sometimes I do them myself and sometimes my amazing mother-in-law does them for me.

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

“You’ll never make any money with that.” Or “That’s not a real business.” What? What? I love that this kind of advice usually comes from people who have no idea about my crafty community or how the Internet works, beyond eBay.

Bad advice can be confusing sometimes – especially if it comes from an otherwise trusty source, like a parent or a friend. I think it’s really important to check in with yourself whenever you get advice that you question on some level. I truly believe that we can all move mountains if we truly believe in what we’re doing and who we are.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

That I could have a place at the handmade table without being a handmaker for profit. Once I embraced the concept that there is room for everyone, no matter who you are or what you do, I immediately began to feel at home. There is room for me and room for you too. This led me to believe that I can do anything I want and that is a mighty powerful feeling.

Try it. It works.

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

Here are three people that I seriously crush on, for lots of different reasons:

I adore Megan Hunt.

Not only is this woman a fabbity fab designer (both clothes and accessories), but she’s a business powerhouse too. She has created her own line of bridesmaid dresses, she’s a fantastic stylist (very skilled at changing a pair of shoes with a can of spray paint) and she opened a creative co-working space called CAMP. On top of all of that she has a young family, her own home, and still rocks it in creative business. I aspire to have just half of her energy.

I’m also a big fan of designer Jessica Swift.

Jess not only co-facilitates one of the most helpful eCourses I’ve ever taken, The Declaration of You with her creative eCourse cohort Michelle Ward, but she’s a fantastic pattern designer as well.

While I’ve never met Jessica, from reading her blog, I can tell that she’s spunky, fun, colorful and very, very real – just like her work. Her patterns show up on everything from coasters to notebooks and fabric. I hope to see them in more places soon. I would love to own a room wallpapered with her work or to see her designs on everyday items like rain boots or office supplies.

The husband and wife team behind Something’s Hiding in Here are perhaps my favorite design duo. Pretty much if they make something, I’ll buy it. They are just so darn clever. A shape of your favorite US state laser cut from a vintage paint-by-number (one of my other collection weaknesses)? Check. A modern looking bow-tie that you didn’t know you needed, but now can’t live without? Check. A barbershop inspired mustache on a stick? They have it. Not only that, but their home is a designed work of art in itself. There are lots of tours of their home online and for good reason. I can get lost in their Flickr steam and often do – it feels like taking a vacation to the Land of Lovely.

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Just get on with it already! The world is waiting, waiting, WAITING for you and what you make!

Want more Kari Chapin in your life? Re-tweet this interview - be sure to include our Twitter handle @vianza, so we don't miss it! - for a chance to win a copy of Kari’s best-selling book, The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line. We’ll choose one Twitter pal at random, in 24 hours. Chirp chirp!

Interview by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

From insulin crystals grown in outer space to common table salt  to frosty snowkflakes to liquid crystals used in household soaps and detergents, crystals are molecular chameleons, with a myriad uses.

Crystals take on a number of structures — cubic, monoclinic, trigonal, orthorhombic, covalent, metallic — and have been praised for centuries for their healing properties. Many New Age healers believe that each of the seven chakras corresponds with a family of crystals, and that crystals can balance and restore the body’s vibrational resonance.

Here at Vianza, we love them because, well — they’re awfully pretty.

We’ve rummaged through some of our favorite indie jewelery collections to pluck out a few of the most captivating crystals on the ‘net.

This antique crystal drop necklace is a witchy delight, hanging from an extra-long copper cable chain. The perfect accessory for spell-casting, tea-brewing and magical mischief.

Photo credit: ChYMieRa

This baroque glass pendant is chipped and worn, which only adds to its vintage charm. Imagine resting it on a simple metal tray, next to your reading glasses or car keys!

Photo credit: Express Beads

This enchanting ruby-colored Swarovski briolette pendant seems to glow from within. The roughly-polished sterling silver chain provides a Gothic contrast to the hot pink crystal.

Photo credit: Wild Woman Jewelry

For ladies (and gents) with a geek-chic sensibility, the Crystal Math tie features Victorian sketches of crystalline structures.

Photo credit: Shana Logic

Lusting after these sparkly gems? You can buy crystals in bulk from online suppliers like Crystals 2 Love and Art Beads.

Are you a jeweler, or wholesale crystal supplier? We’d love to showcase your products, and help you connect with distributors, indie retailers and crafters!
Request an invitation to our beta platform, at Vianza.com.

Limelight On … shines the spotlight on exceptional products, techniques and design trends—from vinyl wall decals to light painting and beyond.

If you've got a creation that belongs in the Limelight, send a message to editor@vianza.com.

Written by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

Aurora Armijo is a visual artist with winsome way of capturing women, pop culture, and teenage longings. Her work has been described as having a “loopy glee…whimsical yet sweetly erotic."

Aurora graduated from Fresno State University with a B.A. in 2004, which included an Artist in Residence internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts and Sciences. She’s been featured in numerous group shows and media outlets, and has enjoyed two successful solo shows to date. Ms. Armijo is available for commissions, ideas, and projects of heartwrenching proportions. And if you're based in southern California, she'll be hosting her third solo show at Downtown Darling in Long Beach this May.

Plug yourself into Aurora Armijo's virtual world, online at AuroraArmijo.com + on Twitter at @Aurocka.

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

I really loved a piece in my 2009 show--a large portrait of two women, embraced, painted in watercolor on a baby's wooden headboard from the 1960's. It really brought together all of the elements I am absolutely over the moon about and still regularly integrate into my personal work: particularly reused materials that have been locally sourced. It also provided a genesis for strong female-centric content. I knew then that I was in the right space for what I needed to say.

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

To "be practical". I know what that's code for, and the closest I want to be to being in a cube is watching "The Office" on my computer while I'm drawing.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

I worked in an office at one point that had provided a ton of internal anguish--I had felt horrible about wasting my passion and energy on something that did not forward my dreams. At one point my supervisor called me in and told me that I wasn't excelling at data entry, and she'd hate to be me, because my performance had me under evaluation from the higher ups. Her words were, "I'd hate to be at the end of an unemployment line." Her bravado disgusted me, and the reality of my insular little office job hit me like a ton of bricks. I wasn't afraid, because I didn't need that job. I saw opportunity. I was let go the next day. I took my severance, moved to Los Angeles, fell in love with a man who inspires and supports my efforts, and am now living my dream of being an artist.

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

Jennifer Emerling is a supremely talented photographer. Her photo stories take me to a different place and make me feel like I'm part of a hyper-active, beautiful environment. Her work is thoughtful and concise. Sometimes I dream in Jenn Vision. Those are the dreams I want to last forever.

I adore Elsie Flannigan! She always seems to have 14 different projects going at once, but they all tie together into her gorgeous brick-and-mortar store. She is a diligent, visionary worker and probably the sole reason I'd like to go to Missouri.

Caitlin Shearer is someone I've watched grow up on the internet. She might be young, but she's got her aesthetic down to a science. Her illustrations of fair, aquiline women seem so wise and delicate.

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

I remember getting my business cards in the mail and being so overjoyed! I showed them to an aquainance, Michael, at a bar, and he said with a huge smile, "seeing you excited makes me excited!" I loved that this man I barely knew shared this moment with me, and it made me realize that if you work on what you love, your energy is contagious and makes other people feel good too! People remember those who make them feel good; so smile, ask questions, and don't brush off an opportunity to show your enthusiasm! Talk about what you are working on. Talk about what you love.  And use that to connect with other people and their projects. Just keep up the momentum, follow up, connect, and exchange that positive energy and interest! The love that is returned back to you goes so much further than that initial 10-minute exchange.

Interview by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

Tomorrow's the last day to enter to win one of the fabulous biz-building prizes. Enter to win here.
Tweet  this link and you'll be entered TWICE: http://svy.mk/articensus

For centuries, feathers have symbolized deep, spiritual longings for truth, speed and wisdom.

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics tell stories of Ma'at — the goddess of justice — weighing the hearts of the dead against a single feather.

For Native Americans, feathers represented the triplicate powers of thunder, air and wind.

In Celtic covens, the Druids feathered their cloaks to gain the ethereal knowledge of the sky gods, and aspire towards the celestial realms.

Today, feathers are fluttering into indie shops, boutiques, hair salons and jewelry studios. We’re fascinated by the feather frenzy, and have combed the Internet to showcase a few fine-feathered friends.

This peacock fascinator from Vespertine Hollow fastens into your hair with a pewter metal clip, and arrives wrapped in lavender-colored tissue paper, covered with crows.
A demure accoutrement, reminiscent of a more civilized era!

Photo Credit: Vespertine Hollow

These Gothic mounted wings from pandamoniom are chic and understated — well, as understated as black feather shoulder adornments can be!

Photo Credit: pandamoniom

These heavenly feather quills from JustPens are intended to be used as wedding favors ... but imagine filling a crystal vase with thirty or forty pens, and using it as a dining table centerpiece! They’d also make a demure gift for an aspiring novelist or far-flung pen pal.

Photo Credit: JustPens

For more adventurous feather-lovers, ChickenHeads has a cheeky assortment of colored, patterned feathers — which can be clipped or sewn into your hair, just like human hair extensions! They last 2-6 weeks, and can be washed, combed and styled like normal hair. Next season, we anticipate weavable nests, eggs and baby chicks. It’s the only logical progression ...

Photo Credit: ChickenHeads

These gray feather chandelier earrings from Miss Selfridge have a classic ‘30s shape, while these boisterous earrings from designer Jessie Williams are — as one fashion writer put it — “like having a party in your hair!”

Photo Credit: Jessie Williams

Whether feathers represent truth, wisdom and justice — or just a fluttery, fanciful craft supply item — we’re happy they’ve come home to roost.

Limelight On … shines the spotlight on exceptional products, techniques and design trends—from vinyl wall decals to light painting and beyond.

If you've got a creation that belongs in the Limelight, send a message to editor@vianza.com.

Written by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

Have you entered to win one of our fabulous prizes? Check out the details here.

In 2010, Lisa Schaefer launched Whether Bags—her debut line of uniquely chic (and eco-friendly) handbags. Locally-produced in Chicago using earth-conscious fabrics—such as hemp canvas and organic cotton—Lisa's spring / summer offerings prove that sustainable style can be, well, stylish. Her fall / winter line will feature water-resistant, stain-resistant and mildew-proof outer material, and we can't wait to see what this inventive Shytown designer puts forth next!

We're honored to share Lisa's hard-won insights on launching a line (note: don't DIY your website) and networking in the boutique design community (hint: mentors are everywhere!)

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

I am currently smitten with my urban terrain messenger from my current Spring collection. It is something I carry everywhere and it serves as a multi-purpose utility bag for me. I can bring it to meetings, to my yoga training classes or to go run errands.

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I think it would have to be telling someone to create their own website to save money. It is best to let the experts do it for you, it saves a lot of time and frustration. It definitely is worth the money to have someone design it for you, trust me.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

I believe the epiphany was that the concept of my line and the timing of my launch was spot on. Since my twenties, I have had a strong desire to have my own business. The ideas were certainly there, but the timing just was not right. This time, the doors opened and continue to open as I go along.

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

To keep things local, I have 3 Chicago designers that I have my eye on at the moment.

Leslye Timpe has a line called Squasht by Les. She has clothing, hats and headbands that are truly unique. Last summer she launched the opening of her first boutique.

Another local designer is Jessy Doolin who has two lines, Filorosso and Doolin. Filorosso is an intimates collection that she sews by hand. She has some gorgeous pieces in this collection. The second is Doolin, which is more of a ready-to-wear collection that has a vintage feel to it.

Lastly, Alidade is a line I've recently discovered and absolutely love. Leah Fagan's designs are classic, yet flirty and feminine.

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

My best piece of advice would be to surround yourself with fellow designers / crafters / artisans that have been down the road of the launching their own line / boutique / gallery, they are priceless resources.

Snapshot! captures insights from leading-edge artists, crafters, writers, business strategists and service professionals working in the indie design community.

We ask the same 5 questions, every week. But no two Snapshots are ever the same.

Know someone who oughta get profiled? Shoot a note to editor@vianza.com.

By Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com

Vinyl is slick. Vinyl is sticky. Vinyl is making a vigorous comeback – and we ain’t just talking about old-school records.

Vinyl wall decals are an ingenious – and affordable — way to raise the visual frequency of your home or workspace, without damaging your walls with tacks or nails. (Your landlord will thank you later.)

Ever wish Keith Haring could paint a custom mural on your bedroom wall?

Photo Credit :: BLIK

Do you secretly fantasize about Super Mario snatching coins in your staff kitchen?

Photo Credit :: BLIK

Innovative home décor studio BLIK has invited celebrity artists, designers, musicians and video game distributors to translate their signature pieces (and personal aesthetics) into punchy wall patterns. Vinyl has never looked so vibrant – or versatile.

For those with their own vinyl vision, BLIK allows you to customize floor-to-ceiling works of art, shipped directly to your boudoir (or business). For an addition cost, a team of BLIKers will install the creation for you – and we sincerely hope they’re required to wear matching vinyl jumpsuits.

Before we share a few more of our favorite vinyl virtuosos, a miniature etymology lesson:

The word “vinyl” is derived from the Latin “vinum,” meaning “wine” – a nod to the compound’s chemical properties, which resemble ethanol alcohol. Intoxicating, indeed! The technical term for industrial vinyl is polyvinyl chloride – a thermoplastic polymer that certain nightlife enthusiasts may recognize by the acronym “PVC.” Wink, wink.

For more vinyl wall decals and DIY décor, scope out Raging Vinyl, Single Stone Studios, Right On The Walls, and designedDESIGNER.

Photo Credit :: designedDESIGNER

And lest you restrict your imagination to the four walls of your abode — vinyl wall decals can also adorn stiff canvas curtains, room dividers, refrigerators, windows, bicycles – even cars. Vroom vroom, vinylheads.

Limelight On … shines the spotlight on exceptional products, techniques and design trends—from vinyl wall decals to light painting and beyond.

If you've got a creation that belongs in the Limelight, send a message to editor@vianza.com.

By Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com.

A mixed-media artist with an emphasis on photography and video, Gaina Cowley has recently expanded into the world of jewelry-making. A graduate of Bath Spa University, Gaina publicly admits to having a "BIG obsession with beads" -- and a growing fascination with polymer clay. She showcases her multi-media creations on her blog and in her online photography portfolio. 

We're delighted to share Gaina's thoughts on creativity, customer service and "ninja-haggling" your way to a bargain!

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever made, with your own nimble hands?

That’s a hard one for me to answer.  The most recent piece always seems to be my favourite because I’m a chronic perfectionist and I’m constantly raising the bar on myself with every new piece I create.  Last year I graduated from Bath Spa University with a Foundation Degree in Applied Art and Design, and my show piece was a 3-D installation called "Wheel of the Year", which referenced my Pagan spirituality. It was very labour intensive and nearly drove me mad on more than one occasion, but I think that was the piece that gave me the biggest sense of achievement.

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I should never have listened to the tutors who encouraged me go outside my comfort zone into a medium that was completely alien to me. The end result for my show ticked all the boxes as far as my course went, but it left me feeling very cold because I hadn’t expressed my ideas in the medium that made sense to me, which is lens-based (photography and video).  When I stopped having fun with that project, I found that I wasn’t giving the piece the time and attention to detail it deserved – I just wanted to get it over and done with.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

Not so much of an epiphany, but I have always believed that customer service is everything.  My first job was in a government office working with the public, and whilst I hated that job with a passion I always prided myself on good customer service.

Whenever I make a jewelry sale, I contact the customer immediately to thank them for their purchase.  I let them know when I’ve posted their item and ask them to tell me when the item arrives. I also had some business cards printed up that I place inside the parcel so that the customer can pass my details on to friends and relatives. I make current and potential customers aware that if there's something in my shop that they like -- but would prefer in a different colour -- I will try my best to re-design it to their tastes.

I find myself incredibly irritated by the slack attitude to customer service these days, and think artists need to be very honest with themselves. If you know you’re not a "people person", then you should seriously consider teaming up with someone who does enjoy meeting people and promoting your work on your behalf.

I have found it really useful to set up surveys online, which tells me the demographic my work is appealing to and which styles, materials and colour schemes are popular. This helps me stay relevant to my target audience.

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

Tricia Martin: Tricia and I share a deep obsession for all things Tim Burton, as well as a very twisted sense of humour.  Not only is she a stellar illustrator and photographer, the things she can do with a perfectly sweet, respectable baby doll are quite astounding.

Chris Kapono: I came across Chris’ blog when I was researching my final project for my degree and she was very gracious in sharing her knowledge with me (as well as some great photographs of her work for my sketch book!).  Chris is a polymer clay artist who really excites me with her imagination and use of colour and mixed media.

Lynda Moseley: Lynda uses polymer clay to make the most fantastic beads and jewellery. I love her use of transfers and gemstones, as well as her wonderful faux jade pieces. Lynda is also a great help to me when I am stuck on design or colour mixing techniques in my polymer clay work.

If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Can I cheat and offer two snippets?

1. Always stay true to yourself, regardless of current fashions in design and contemporary art, and seek out the people who like what you already do well.  If you try to produce what’s "in" to increase your potential customers, it’ll backfire.

2. Shop around for materials.  My Dad is my biggest inspiration when it comes to getting the best deal and prompted me to give him the nickname "Ninja Haggle Meister" for his epic bargain hunting skills! Ha-ha. I honestly think time spent seeking the very best price for your materials is time well spent.

Snapshot! captures insights from leading-edge artists, crafters, writers, business strategists and service professionals working in the indie design community.

We ask the same 5 questions, every week. But no two Snapshots are ever the same.

Know someone who oughta get profiled? Shoot a note to editor@vianza.com.

By Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com.

You might associate balloons with children’s birthday parties, awkward high school dances—or creepy clowns.

Canadian designer Natalie Kruch has given balloons a breath of fresh air—with her playful BALLOONA footstool.

By tying 500 candy-colored balloons onto a solid wood stool, Kruch deftly transforms an all-too-forgettable piece of furniture into a captivating conversation-starter.

Photo Credit :: Umbra

BALLOONA retails for $210 USD at Umbra, and is Kruch’s debut design piece with the award-winning retailer.

But this industrial designer’s love affair with latex doesn’t end there. Her clever balloon frames—which debuted at the Salone del Mobile Internazionale in Milan—can be used to hold notepads, keys, cell phones, and other easy-to-lose bits and pieces.

Photo Credit :: Natalie Kruch

Inspired to find crafty new uses for balloons?

You can create romantic globe candles, with melted wax and a standard balloon. For minor nicks and cuts (crafting is a dangerous business, after all!) you can use a balloon to waterproof your bandaging. Or take a cue from artist Larry Moss of Airigami, and create your own inflatable haute couture clothing line.

Photo Credit :: Airigami

Note: Vianza does not condone helium inhalation, no matter how funny it might make your voice sound. Tying balloons to your house to see if it’ll float, on the other hand...that could work.

Interviewed by Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com.

Juggling an active Internet career with writing, speaking and consulting, Erin Loechner can be found daily at DesignForMankind.com, her art/design blog that was recently honored as one of the London Time’s top 50 design blogs in the world. She currently hosts a renovation column on HGTV.com where she catalogs her experiences as an impromptu interior designer. Erin’s work has been featured in Glamour, Lucky, Dwell, Readymade, Nylon, Print Magazine, Apartment Therapy, The Huffington Post, and she regularly contributes to Readymade Magazine.
We're ecstatic to kick off our weekly interview series with a peek into Erin's design-savvy mind!

What is your most prized creation—the coolest thing you've ever crafted, with your own nimble hands?

Actually, I just finished my most prized creation late last night --- a custom handrail / staircase railing with the help of my burly husband, Ken. I don't know that I'd ever attempt the project again on my own, but I am becoming quite the sous woodworker. 

Erin's handrail

What's the worst piece of business advice you've ever been given?

I used to tell everyone to be patient, good and kind, and that great things will come around. And although I still believe it's important to be good and kind, sometimes, you've got to throw patience out the window, run full-speed ahead and either hit a brick wall or fly. At least then you'll have gone somewhere and gained a bit of perspective. Sitting in an office chair and waiting is never an option for me.

What was the biggest entrepreneurial epiphany of your career?

Maggie Mason gave me the best piece of entrepreneurial advice that, on one particular January afternoon, just clicked for me. She said that those who were most successful in their industries had asked to be there. They had shown up, pitched, offered, volunteered and made themselves available. Whoa. Huge light bulb moment for me. I haven't passed up an opportunity since, and I always, always throw my name in the hat for fun, exciting new things.

Give us your Top 3 indie designers to watch.

Pigeon Toe. Lisa has an eye for quality and detail and creates the loveliest artisan goodies.
Iacoli & McAllister are always up to great things. I'm quite sure I'll be seeing their furnishings on the side of a bus someday!
Stone & Honey. Oh, if I had thousands of dollars to invest in Teresa's agates. I'd be the happiest girl alive.

 If you could offer one snippet of sage wisdom to aspiring designers, crafters & artisans, what would it be?

Step away from your craft, if only for a second, and take in your surroundings. Inspiration truly is everywhere, and sometimes we're too focused on the glowing screen of our computers. Take a walk, get some fresh air and re-visit each day with a new perspective. Life really is a beautiful thing.

Snapshot! captures insights from leading-edge artists, crafters, writers, business strategists and service professionals working in the indie design community.

We ask the same 5 questions, every week. But no two Snapshots are ever the same.

Know someone who oughta get profiled? Shoot a note to editor@vianza.com.

By Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com.

Limelight On … shines the spotlight on exceptional products, techniques and design trends—from vinyl wall decals to light painting and beyond.

If you've got a creation that belongs in the Limelight, send a message to editor@vianza.com.

Imagine painting in the dark, with a glowstick, flashlight ... or even a simple candle.

Light painting is a long exposure night-photography technique from the 1930's, which is enjoying a Renaissance across the 'net—especially in the graffiti art and electronic music communities. Light painting photos are stunning, futuristic, and energetic—like stepping inside a video game, or freezing a firecracker, mid-burst.

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hoto Credit :: LAPP: Light Art Performance Photography

Photo Credit :: Tom Paton

While light painting requires skill and practice, you won’t need any specialized equipment. In fact, you’ll only need three items: a camera (digital or film), a tripod, and a light source—such as a flashlight, strobe unit, glowstick, fiber optic light pen, sparkler, or pack of matches.

There are dozens of step-by-step light painting video-tutorials, like this one. And for photographic inspiration, check out this gallery of master light painters and early experimenters (including Pablo Picasso), this info-graphic visualization of Wifi networks,  and these vibrant light paintings and sculptures.

By Alexandra Franzen, Featured Contributor & Interview Wrangler. Say howdy on Twitter at @Alex_Franzen, or shoot a note to alexandra.franzen@vianza.com.