As promised in the last post, I would like to write a quick review of this crafter’s companion: The Handmade Marketplace. This wonderful guide to the world of craft entrepreneurship was gifted to me by a good friend who knew I was toying with the idea of selling my knitted goods on Etsy.
I have been reading it off and on for several weeks now, with life and other reads in between. I considered the information in this book to be invaluable, even from the first page. When reading it, I made sure to devote my full attention to it. I am quite a speedy reader, and sometimes that can be a curse. With this book I took my time and treated every chapter like an important lesson — even the ones that currently didn’t apply to me.
In the last post I mentioned that the author, Kari Chapin, had gotten me into podcasts. But this book has done so much more for me already. I have a clearer idea of both my short and long term goals in my crafting journey. I know that sounds corny, but before this book I was going in blind without any crafter friends to pave the way and lend a hand. With Kari’s network of friends in the crafting world, I’ve read firsthand accounts, priceless advice and the steps to making my business a success at every stage.
For anyone considering the leap of turning a hobby into a business, I highly recommend The Handmade Marketplace. It applies to crafters of all creeds, whether it’s jewelry-making, crochet, painting, pottery — any artist looking to sell his/her wares will benefit from reading this fantastic book.
knits by emma 