The business of hand-making

Hand-making may start a hobby and then become a dream. But, turning that dream into a business requires more than just drive and determination.

As good as this jewellery or handicraft is that you're producing, it won't sell itself. And, it might not be your best shot. Where you are now is not necessarily the best place to start your business. And, is where you're headed really the best route to success? It's better to accept that you sort of stumbled here. And, be brave enough to question where here is and where it's going.

It is one thing to sell a few bracelets to family and friends for pocket money. It's entirely another to make your living out of it. You'll run out of friendly buyers pretty quickly. Then you'll find yourself at the mercy of the market. A place where nobody knows you or your work. Here your biggest challenge is being noticed at all.

You may find that what your friends found interesting and unique, is not so unusual at all. In fact, you can guarantee it - almost. There's just so much choice and competition out there. How will your customers discern your genius from amongst all this other stuff?

Don't throw the towel in just yet though, because stand out you can. But to do it you will need to plan your hand-making business from the bottom-up - rather than starting in the middle somewhere with what you've got so far. It's time to hit rewind, back track and make some informed choices. These decisions will shape your business and decide its future.

This process is too important - not to mention large - to cover in a single post. So, next week, a step-by-step series of articles will begin, published roughly weekly. I'll give you my take on turning a successful hobby into a career. Why should you care what I think? Well, I've been lucky enough to witness a few hand-makers actually do it. And, as a retailer, I am constantly exposed to the vagaries of 'The Market' and troubled with understanding and profiting from them. Plus, unless you intend to sell solely direct, it will be people like me that you'll need to convince your business has a future.

I'm off to get my thoughts together, meanwhile keep up the good handiwork and don't forget to check back next week for the first installment!