Archive for the ‘Interview’ Category
The seller interview: Sarah Reidy (@ATXParentCoach)
This week we talked to Sarah Reidy, owner of The Austin Parenting Coach.
Sarah is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. After graduating with her Master’s Degree in Social Work, she has worked in a variety of places, including the court system, a domestic violence shelter, and several non-profits doing counseling with children and families. You can find her on The Austin Parenting Coach website, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
What is The Austin Parenting Coach?
It is my private practice, which focuses on in-home parent coaching and consulting in Austin, Texas.
What kinds of services do you specialize in?
I go to the family home to work with the parents in order to help them make the changes in their children’s behavior, rather than have them bring their children to me. I have found that this is easier on the parents, has longer lasting results, and feels more natural than bringing their child to counseling. I primarily see babies and children under the age of ten, but also do family therapy with families of teenagers.
Many of the families that I work with are families in transition (divorce, new baby, death in the family, a big move) but I also see many families where the parents are at the point that they don’t know what else to do about their children’s behavior. I have been called “The Austin Supernanny” before, as my services are similar to hers and everyone seems familiar with the show.
Tell us a little bit about your experience. How did The Austin Parenting Coach get started?
Due to the nature of the agencies that I have worked in (domestic and sexual violence non-profits) I was usually unable to work with both parents. However, many of the children that I work with will continue to see both parents, even if one is abusive, and it began to feel frustrating to not be able to work with both. If the parent’s behavior doesn’t change, it will be difficult for the child’s behavior to change. I also found that it wasn’t very empowering for a parent to bring their child to me to “fix” and leave them unable to do anything in the future. So I shifted my approach and began to to parent coaching as a part of my therapeutic intervention with parents. My hope is that with private practice, I can work with families to prevent them from experiencing the trauma that my previous clients had. I can also empower the parent to make the changes in their family, not do it for them.
How do you market or promote your business?
I have a Facebook page and I Twitter as well. I also do speaking engagements for parent groups, pediatricians, day cares, and family law attorneys.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced with The Austin Parenting Coach?
The economy! It has easily been my biggest challenge. Our society is much more reactive, rather than preventative. Although I can and do work with many families who are calling because of an issue, I’ve had many people express interest, then not be able to follow through because of finances. However, if they don’t take care of the issue now, it can end up causing bigger issues later in the child’s life that may be more costly. But when money is tight, it’s hard to keep that in mind.
What about the biggest successes?
The biggest successes have been seeing the immediate and simple changes in families that made huge differences in the family’s functioning. It is so rewarding to see a parent feel proud about their parenting and their children.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting her/his own business started?
Just keep trying!
The seller interview: Lois Stifel (@foxygknits)
This week we talked to Lois Stifel, creator of Foxy G. Knits.
Lois is originally from Chicago, IL, but has spent her adult life living in both the Midwest and southeast. She received a B.A. degree in English from Roosevelt University in Chicago, and for that, according to her, she can get a cup of coffee for about $2.00! Knitting was a passion that had its roots in her childhood. Check out her Etsy store, read her blog, and find her on Facebook and Twitter.
How did Foxy G. Knits get started?
For a long time, knitting was an avocation and not a vocation for me. Friends and family finally convinced me to open a store on Etsy. I am sure that they were getting so tired of receiving scarves, shawls, baby blankets and hats for birthdays and every other special occasion! In September 2008, I took the plunge and opened Foxy G. Knits where everything is knit by hand – from my heart to yours.
Tell us a little bit about your store. In what sorts of pieces do you specialize?
Foxy G. Knits features hand-knit, one-of-a-kind shawls, wraps and scarves that are versatile and designed for today’s woman. My items encompass comfort and style, and you don’t have to give up one for the other.
Where do you get your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from colors and textures in the everyday world around me. My favorite part of the creative process is coordinating and blending various yarn colors and textures. I have the ability to conceptualize and see various colors, textures and designs before they are actual completed items.
How do you market or promote your store?
I know that many artists and artisans do not like to promote themselves, and I truly understand. However, if you don’t promote yourself, it is like throwing a party and not sending out invitations. I bet no one shows up. But there are ways to promote yourself that are not distasteful. I use a variety of methods to market or promote Foxy G. Knits, and they all involve building relationships and trust. I am a member of three teams: Etsy North Georgia Street Team, Etsy Twitter Team and Etsy Bloggers Team and share useful information with them at every opportunity. I generously heart sellers whose work I like. I have a blog and promote members of my teams, as well as other Etsy sellers. I am also on twitter.
Recently, I wanted to build a Facebook Fan page and get to 100 fans so that I could secure my vanity name. So, I offered to knit a children’s scarf for the local homeless shelter for every new fan I received from July 15 – August 15. And I posted that information on my Facebook page as well as tweeted about it. I thought that it would take me a month to reach 100, but it took only four days. By the time the promotion was over, I owed the shelter more than 200 scarves!
How do you use Twitter to help with your business?
I follow my entire Etsy Twitter Team, and we are very active in promoting our team as well as each other. I also follow many Team North Georgia members. I try to follow people who don’t only push their items because that gets really boring really quickly. I follow people who have good senses of humor. And if all someone talks about is what they had for breakfast, I know where to find the unfollow button! I tweet and retweet regularly and share useful information at every opportunity.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting her/his own business started?
Run your business like you are the customer – be that customer. What makes you want to shop in a particular place – service, attention to detail? And do get comfortable with promoting yourself.
The seller interview: Amanda Roberts (@geekdetails)
This week we talked to Amanda Roberts, owner of Geek Details, a fun store filled with “geek centric items.”
Amanda is 26, married, and has two kids, two dogs, and two cats. She’s spent the last nine years going where the military tells her family to go and now that that part of her life is over, she’s looking forward to seeing what comes next. Check out her Geek Details site and Etsy store, or find her on Twitter or Facebook.
Tell us a little bit about Geek Details. What sorts of items do you sell?
Geek Details is a store based off of my current art interests. You’ll always find funny pinback buttons, magnets, art prints and hand painted dishware. My current obsessions are specimen based off my favorite books, hand painted luggage, button jewelry, and more. The items change depending on what I’m working on at the moment.
How did Geek Details get started?
Geek Details was started in the dining room of my last house. It was quickly moved to the master bedroom (yes, my husband gave up the master bedroom for me) because the business grew so quickly. I started it because I have this need to create but I also have a need for an uncluttered house. Then I had the desire to contribute to my family’s finances without having to worry about what will happen to the kids when they’re sick and can’t go to school.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Late night drunken conversations with friends… I also carry around a notebook with me and jot down ideas when they strike me. I later go through the notebook and use it to create items for the store. Sometimes an item is made to fill a specific need and other times they’re made just because they look cool in my head.
How do you market or promote your store?
Word of mouth really. I’ve done a couple Project Wonderful ads on noncrafting website. I’ve also recently started reaching out to some blogs to do features like this one or to do a giveaway from my store. I try to only reach out to sites that I think my items fit in with the theme of the site so that I’m not wasting the site owner’s or my time. I try to avoid the handmade market (other Etsy seller websites, sites devoted to making crafts) and instead focus on people that would like my stuff and can’t make it (webcomic sites, home decor sites).
How do you use Twitter to help with your business?
I don’t. I know it sounds odd, but I don’t try to use it as a business tool. I talk about my life, sometimes my store, I will post treasuries I like, talk with other Twitter users, build relationships, etc… I see it as a social outlet. Do I get business from Twitter? Yes I do, but I try to just talk on it like I would with a friend which means only occasionally mentioning my store and just commenting on other people’s stuff a lot. I think it helps my business more to quietly build relationships with people then to be a street crier constantly pimping my wares.
What kinds of lessons have you learned since you’ve owned Geek Details?
I have learned that there are some harsh sellers on Etsy and that some sellers will try to intimidate you in to pulling items from your store because they think they own the right to that item when they don’t. I’ve also learned how to converse about my store without being that chick people avoid because she talks about her store too much. I can balance work and family better now and I can set attainable goals for myself too.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting her/his own business started?
Small steps, small steps. You can’t open a store with hardly any product and no feedback and expect people to find you and purchase from you right away. Take little steps every day to improve your store and product and realize it takes a little while and a lot of work to get a store off the grown. Don’t be afraid to ask for constructive feedback on your store even if it means someone tears you down in order to help build you up better than before. I had to go through that a couple times, and while it was distressing to see someone tear me down, I used their words to make my store better and am more successful than before I asked for a tear down.
If you’re interested in sharing your experience running your online business, we’d love to interview you! Send us an email to find out more.
The seller interview: Sharon Siew (@cate_com_sg)
Tell us a little about your background.
I’d never really considered starting my own fashion business until I turned 24. My dad was in the Singapore Air Force and he was posted to Perth, Australia for work when I was 14. I majored in accounting and quantitative finance at the University of Western Australia, and upon graduating with honors, returned to Singapore and stepped foot in the corporate world as a management trainee in finance within local media behemoth Singapore Press Holdings who turns out the national daily, the Singapore Straits Times. My love for fashion had been inspired by reading Australian fashion magazines while at high school and university.
Although the nature of my studies and work had been highly numeric, I always had a creative bent that yearned for an outlet somewhere. I sought it with a move to marketing with Raffles Hotels and Resorts, where I picked up insights into branding for the iconic Raffles Hotel. All through this time, my dream of starting a business in fashion and marketing continued to beckon. I still remember the defining moment when I decided, over Häagen-Dazs ice cream, to take concrete steps towards realising my passion and I left the corporate world. I started out knocking on doors with no fashion experience or contacts, just a passion to launch a thriving online retail fashion store and champion talented fashion designers from our region, and presenting them to the world.
How did Cate get started?
The idea came to me one night of the blue two years ago. Now I was pretty certain that someone surely would have created an online fashion retail store stocking the collections of Asian designers. I shop online and I know there were Australian websites stocking collections by Australian designers, but there were no websites that pulled together apparel and accessories from the wider Asia Pacific region, and I felt especially that the Asian designers were under-represented online. We had our own fashion weeks and fashion festivals, and we were covered in the regional press at least that I knew of, but more often than not, ladies would not be able to get their hands on anything that caught their fancy. Timing-wise, the fashion industry in key Asian cities were only just beginning to develop, mature and find their voice.
Here I was, in cosmopolitan Singapore, seeing indie designers produce highly wearable pieces that were in equal parts elegant and edgy, at attractive price points thanks to low cost production and smaller marketing budgets. The result is that customers get to enjoy sophisticated designs influenced by popular Western culture yet also infused with our rich and diverse Asian heritage, by labels that are just waiting to be discovered. So I started developing Cate from this premise.
Tell us a little bit about the items you sell at Cate. What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?
Cate sells mostly indie apparel, followed by accessories and LUXE travel guides. We specialise in coolly elegant silk dresses and tops, effortless pieces that trend towards the classic, although we do love our designers who bring a twist to the classics and we also like items that are a bit edgy. We like relaxed tops but there are also lovely fitted pieces. To sum it up, we are all about effortless contemporary dressing.
What makes Cate unique in the online retail space?
We are still very new, of course, and to date, we have 23 brands on Cate. I feel that we are unique just by our brand mix. We carry online exclusives with brands such as Farah Khan, Nicholas, Burgundy, ReshamM, KOOPS by Keith Png. Keith for instance, is a fashion designer and recently, a TV host who regularly dresses celebrities and singers in Singapore and Hong Kong. ReshamM and Farah Khan both have delightful capsule resort collections comprising lovingly embellished dresses and playsuits. Theirs is a coolly modern look resplendent with signature embellishments in the form of silk wrapped roses and ruffles, beading and embroidery. Burgundy, another favourite label of mine, always reminds me of Bottega Veneta and Calvin Klein in their design aesthetic – timeless, sophisticated and just so quietly luxurious. Alldressedup is another fast-growing label that was featured on Germany’s Next Top Model in May this year. I adore their finishings, their play on colours and layering potential. Cate carries the widest range of their collection online.
Cate is great for ladies who appreciate the little-known and being in-the-know about emerging brands that could be the next Ashley Isham or Andrew Gn. As you know, shopping indie means owning a design that is produced in limited quantity. And it’s also great for intrepid travellers who have been by the region for work or play and in that time, having found a fashion brand they liked during their travels, realise it’s available on Cate! Or vice versa, be introduced to the brand online and go check out their boutiques when they swing by, I’d like that!
Are you originally from Singapore?
Yes, I was born in Singapore, and apart from my seven years in Perth, this has always been home. I’d jokingly say that we have brought Singapore’s Orchard Road online! Ok ok, in a small way for a start.
How do you market or promote your site?
Locally, we prize editorial mentions and endorsements in local press and magazines. Online, our site is search-engine friendly and we also use Google adwords, list on a number of shopping directories, put out press releases and e-newsletters regularly to customers and press, including inflight magazines because we want to see the word about Cate spreading beyond Singapore and Asia. I am always actively looking for cost-effective ways to promote Cate.
How do you use Twitter to help with your business?
I was introduced to Twitter by a good friend a few months ago, and was intrigued by the Twitter race between Ashton Kutcher and CNN, and how Ashton and Demi twittered in support of Susan Boyle, helping to propel her to international stardom. Suddenly the world seemed so much smaller. I put up a page for Cate but have only recently customised Cate’s twitter page and started twittering more regularly. To date, we still have a very small following and I hope to see that increasing! I’d like to connect a bit more with fellow twitterers and have two-way dialogue going on. I’ll be getting an iPod touch soon, and should be more linked in then.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting her/his own business started?
Do your research, and have very clear goals and objectives and work towards that. Often, the small business owner IS the business and you have to learn to juggle the many roles until the business stabilises and you can have your own team working with you. Focus is so important! Having sounding boards in the form of mentors, close friends or spouses is great for injecting a good dose of objectivity in your planning. Also, work to your strengths and outsource those areas you are weak in or have absolutely no knowledge of. And most importantly, believe in yourself, and persevere!
The seller interview: Tara Roark (@couponbootcamp)
This week, we talked to Tara Roark (@couponbootcamp), Founder of Coupon Boot Camp.
Tara is the author of a weekly newspaper column, Cutting Corners. She resides in southwest Ohio where she also facilitates seminars with her husband of nine years. Mother of three, Tara developed Coupon Boot Camp to train others how to save on their everyday shopping. Since then she has been featured on three local television stations and made several organizational speaking engagements to share her cost saving ideas and techniques. You can find her on her site, her blog and on Twitter.
Tell us a little about Coupon Boot Camp. How did it get started?
A friend of mine had taught me a little about couponing and I began saving BIG immediately, like getting 20 boxes of Kellogg’s cereal for only $17.60. I was sharing this savings and photos on my Facebook page and many of my friends requested that I teach them how to do it, stating that they would gladly pay for a class. I had been doing home training with another business, Computer Help, and was familiar with creating comprehensive manuals and training so I thought I would give it a shot.
I did some additional research and before I administered my first training class. I ran it by my best friend who I knew would be sincerely honest and thorough in reviewing. She was someone I refer to as a “Coupon Backslider”. She used to use coupons and save but for whatever reason had gotten away from it. She had several challenging questions for me. Two of her main concerns were actual savings and time. Once I was able to show her that she could get name brand groceries cheaper than her off brand and how to manage the whole coupon process with minimal effort, she was once again happily clipping! I then polished the manual and offered classes to the public.
My first class was in January 2009 and I had sold out bi-weekly training classes of 20 – 32 attendees each. Many of my trainees have written, spoken to or called me excited to share their savings and appreciation.
Why do you think coupons are so important?
With this economy, I think it is vital that we save in all areas of our family budgets and with manufacturers eager to win our loyalty by offering coupons and sales, it would be a shame not to take advantage of the great savings!
What would I learn if I enrolled in one of your classes?
Let me tell you, the reason I titled my series Coupon Boot Camp is because, much like any other type of boot camp, it is hard core! In a six-week military training, for example, they have a short period of time to condition recruits mentally and physically so that they are prepared for battle. In my training courses I have a short period of time – two hours for Basic Training – to prepare consumers to win the war against high prices!
How do you market or promote Coupon Boot Camp?
Through my weekly newspaper column Cutting Corners in the Wilmington News Journal, handing out brochures when people behind me in the store check out comment on how much I saved, word of mouth from previous trainees, TWITTER!!, my Facebook page and EVERY area I can! Whenever I see a news story about saving money, shopping, etc.., I go to that website and tell them about myself.
How do you use Twitter to help with your business?
In a short period of time, Twitter has become a HUGE valuable tool for me. Through it I recently earned a newspaper interview and FRONT page article in the Cincinnati Enquirer! I have so many new followers and sales are beginning to generate from that!
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started with his/her business?
Work it! Work it! Work it!! Self promotion should be a HIGH priority!! Don’t be afraid to tell people who you are and what you do. Be proud of your accomplishments!
The seller interview: Suzanne (@threepeats)
This week we talked to Suzanne, a designer of handmade jewelry made from vintage materials and owner of threepeats Jewelry. Suzanne is a public high school dance teacher in New York City, where she has lived her entire life. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, her blog and in her Etsy shop.
How did you get started making jewelry?
I have always collected vintage jewelry, admiring its workmanship and materials. But two summers ago, I realized that I wasn’t wearing any of it… it was too heavy or too fragile or too tacky! I was about to start selling it on eBay when I came across some broken pieces and I decided to see if I could take them apart and put them back together again in a way that would make them wearable. I came up with a basic necklace design of three bead sections interspersed with three chain sections in one, long, continuous, claspless collage. I started wearing the necklaces and getting compliments. I started giving them as gifts and got more compliments. I have always been a buyer of handmade and vintage things, most recently on Etsy, so that was where I set up my online shop. I called it threepeats because the necklaces were three sections of repeated (recycled) vintage beads and chains! I recently branched into earrings at my customers’ request (it’s a great way to use up tiny amounts of leftover materials!).
Tell us a little bit about your jewelry. What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?
I make long, light, easy-to-wear, affordable necklaces and earrings from recycled vintage beads, chain, ribbon and lace. Each piece is UNIQUE! I’m not a fan of matching, symmetrical things – so my jewelry is eclectic in both the materials used and design.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Sometimes I am inspired by the vintage materials themselves and their colors, but I am also inspired by places I have traveled to and even sometimes specific people, like Bette Davis and Rachel Maddow.
How do you market or promote your work?
I am part of two great teams on Etsy, the Etsy Twitter Team and the Retro Handmade Team, and we all cross-promote each other. I blog, am on Twitter, run sales and promotions, and do giveaways.
How do you use Twitter to help with your jewelry-making and your business?
The Etsy Twitter Team is very active. We constantly tweet and retweet each others’ work and promotions. I notify CheapTweet whenever I am running a sale in my store and I like reading tweets from “regular” people to keep me informed about fashion trends.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started selling her/his own work?
As difficult as it may be, especially for some people, you can’t just sit back and wait for people to discover you and your work… You need to promote (yes, sell) yourself in as many different ways as you can. Figure in an advertising budget, even if it’s small, when you set up shop online.
The seller interview: Camille Jackson (@actionjacksontx)
This week, we talked to Camille Jackson, sole proprietor of Diamonds and Guns by Action Jackson.
Camille is originally from Houston, Texas, but has lived in Austin for five years and proudly deems herself an Austinite. She graduated from UT Austin in May 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in government and Spanish. And though she doesn’t have a degree in design or any of the arts, she’s had the creative juices flowing since she was very young. She’s had a musical instrument in her hands since she was nine. Since graduating, she devoted most of her free time to developing her jewelry business, Diamonds and Guns by Action Jackson, as well as writing and recording music for guitar, bass, and vocals (she hasn’t had the time to master drums quite yet). You can find Camille on her blog, on Twitter and in her Etsy shop.
How did you get started making jewelry?
Fashion and clothing has been a very integral part of my life since I can remember. Growing up, my mom made a lot of my clothes and always took me fabric shopping with her. I distinctly recall having to touch every single piece of fabric that I walked by, from the rich velvety deep blues to the vibrant pink and green Pucci/art deco mod pieces, and always being in awe of the multitude of colors and patterns that were available.
When I was about ten, I took up jewelry-making at the persuasion of some of my friends who were really into it,and after finding I was into it too, I realized they were on to something. My mom, who’s always been a huge supporter of mine and who’s always encouraged me to flex my creative muscles, bought me a case of really nice beads from our local bead shop around that time. I’m sad to say that my time spent making jewelry and beaded crafts for my friends and family didn’t last for too long after that. However, my love for fashion has persisted through the years and at some point in college, I found myself wishing I could make something as beautiful as the pieces on the pages of my favorite fashion mags. What sprouted from that was creating custom hand-painted canvas shoes and bags for my friends and eventually coming full circle to making jewelry again, which in a weird way has been somewhat bittersweet for me. Diamonds and Guns has been growing ever since.
Tell us a little bit about your jewelry.What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?
I love color. I think it stems from all the trips to the fabric store with my mom when I was young. In addition to that, I have an inexplicable fixation with shiny things. So, the colors incorporated in my work really run the gamut and almost every piece of jewelry that is currently available incorporates Swarovski crystals. I primarily use various plastics (cellulose, laser-cut acrylic, and lucite), polymer clay, and aluminum chains for the sole reason that these materials allow for the broadest range of color usage. My absolute favorite pieces to make are my cameo necklaces; there’s a certain sweetness and nostalgia attached to them that I really adore. Overall, there is definitely a dichotomy within the jewelry I make, which even the company name is representative of: Diamonds and Guns. Diamonds are the finer elements like cameos, Swarovski crystals, chandelier pendants, etc…, while Guns represents the rock and roll elements of pistols, skulls, and thick-linked chains.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Everything around me! I’m constantly thumbing through magazines, whether it’s the newest issue of Lucky or Austin’s very own Rare Magazine, which I always relish picking up with the start of each new month. I love really classy vintage and retro relics and keepsakes. So everything from Audrey to vintage damask prints to steam punk aesthetics is always sure to be a worthy obsession for me. One of the most important inspirations for me is definitely music, which has always been a huge part of my life. The name, Diamonds and Guns, is also representative of this (you can tell I really thought the name through) as it is the name of a Transplants song. Whenever I’m making new pieces, I always make sure that I have music playing. I think everything I’ve gained from constantly having music be a part of my life has bled over to what I’m able to do with my jewelry. I hope to someday buy all my favorite albums on vinyl when I have the money to do so. And who knows? Maybe the improvement in the music quality will translate to better jewelry.
How do you market or promote your work?
Ha ha. This is actually something I’ve only recently come around to realizing I need to do more of and with better techniques. On the whole, I’ve really just been trying to brave up to trying new things. I finally started selling in Austin boutiques and stores (you can find some of my work in Parts and Labour on South Congress Ave). I’ve recently signed up for more shows (to sell at) than I’ve done in the past to try and find my perfect niche, which includes Blues on the Green, Austin Roller Derby Tournaments, and Austin Fashion Week.
Someone suggested to me recently that I work more with putting myself out there for the online public community. So, I breathed a new life into my spiderweb-ridden blog last month and have been pouring in the hours on it since. In addition to my blog, I started up a flickr account so that I can provide archive slideshows of older pieces that I’ve sold for all to see. I have also been working to actively keep up with my Twitter and CheapTweet account. I think one of the keys to a successful business, especially in Austin, is word of mouth. With that in mind, I try to wear my pieces as much as possible and pass on to my friends as well as the members of the awesome Etsy Austin team what I’m up to.
How do you use Twitter to help with your jewelry-making and your business?
I make sure I’m on CheapTweet when I make pieces that are real deals and when I have sales going on in my shop. I also try to connect with my friends to let them know what I’m working on and to encourage to pass it on. Like I said before, word of mouth is completely invaluable, especially when it’s via internet, which is arguably the most relevant medium nowadays.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started selling her/his own work?
Do I ever! Take the time to ensure the quality and image of not only your work but also the pictures you take, your business cards, and any online promoting you do (blogging, Twitter, Flickr, shop appearance, etc.).
Ask questions. You would be amazed at the plethora of helpful information and resources that are out there for your use and digestion. Several books are available on how to build up a burgeoning business. People who have owned their own business know so much more than you could imagine, and every kernel of knowledge they possess is helpful because hey, they’ve been through what you’re going through! If you’re unsure about a certain direction to take with your pieces/work, ask people their opinions. I always post the newest jewelry I’m working on on Facebook so that everyone I know can leave feedback.
If you want to sell online, do it through Etsy. So many people have found out about my work through Etsy that would have never been able to if I’d originally just started my own website for my work. I’ve even sold jewelry to people in London thanks to the amazing network Etsy provides. On a similar note, if there is an Etsy team or a crafter’s organization near you, join! So much of what I’ve learned and have done has been in huge part thanks to my amazing Etsy Austin team. They are a big reason why my business has been able to grow and why I’ve had the majority of the opportunities I’ve had thus far.
If you own a store or sell goods you make, we’d love to interview you for a future post! Send us an email to learn more.
The seller interview: Suzanne (@sisterandme)
This week we talked to Suzanne (@sisterandme),a handbag designer from North Carolina.
Suzanne was raised a northern city girl, and is now living with her family (a husband, four daughters, two dogs and one fish) in a town of 700 north of Charlotte, NC. She is a trained teacher and during the school year works as a Title One Teacher in her local public school. She has a shop on Etsy called Sister and Me. You can also find her on Twitter.
How did you get started making handbags?
I am lucky enough to have been raised by parents who believed in letting me try my hand at machine sewing at an early age, somewhere around 9 or 10. Mom always told me to try anything. If it didn’t work out and it couldn’t be fixed, just throw it away—this is an idea I still use today. The first thing I remember sewing was a crazy quilt, which I sewed on an old pump sewing machine that had been left in our attic by the previous owners. I loved that machine–in my child’s mind that machine and I could fashion anything! As I grew the machine was replaced first by borrowing my mom’s machine and later inheriting my grandmother’s sturdy Singer. With four girls there is always stitching to be done, costumes and clothing to be made.
When my daughter Katie had a birthday, I started making my bags because of a simple birthday wish, a secret whispered into my ear: “Mama, Katie really wants this bag for her birthday.” You see the 16th birthday of my oldest was upon us and everyone wanted to make it special. The girls were on high alert to figure out the perfect gift. I was elated to know exactly what she wanted, but sorely disappointed when I saw the bag in the boutique, placed on a shelf full of the same pricey bag. Not only was the price too high, but I also wanted to give her something incredibly unique for this special occasion. I had been involved with making quilts for the local hospice house, so I had upholstery material in my workshop which I used to design and make a bag. My daughters and I pieced the messenger bag together for Katie; the first Sister and Me bag thus emerged, and the birthday wish came true. Each subsequent purse and bag has its beginnings with a similar wish and story.
Tell us a little bit about your bags and purses. What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?
First, I would love to tell you about the fabrics I am lucky enough to work with. Our area of North Carolina has its share of fabric and furniture factories that supply upholstered furniture to the likes of Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and even Earl Spenser’s line of furniture. The fabrics I acquire from the factories and outlets here are the “end bolts,” the leftovers, which means it’s enough fabric to make a bag, but not nearly enough to cover a chair. The gorgeous fabrics I am able to obtain would otherwise end up in the landfill. This being said, all the materials I use are up to date and first run fabrics.
I specialize in using upholstery fabrics to make sturdy bags of all sizes. I have fashioned 7 different styles and continue to create new designs as their popularity surges or wanes. My most popular bag today remains the Katie Messenger Bag, which now comes in 3 sizes. I believe it remains so popular because it is so versatile. I have girls of all ages carry it to school, new moms use it as a diaper bag, busy moms as a tote and travelers as a carry on item. I also have a small evening bag first requested by girlfriend Laura, and a popular Natalie Tote, which I fondly refer to as my “library lady” bag (it works super well for carrying books). These are my most popular.
Where do you get your inspiration?
The inspiration for the styles of bags and purses I make comes straight from my girls and girlfriends. I listen to what they are after and then spend some time coming up with the pattern for the bag. Sometimes it clicks right away and sometimes it takes a try or two. I also let the girls test drive the new bag style to see if it really is a keeper. If it passes the tests for comfort and durability I name the style after them. It’s fun for us all that way! As for the colors and weights of fabrics that I use, I let the seasons dictate that. Recently I enjoyed a week at the beach, and I made bags with ocean blues and seaweed greens for weeks!
How do you market or promote your work?
Locally my marketing is word of mouth. I must say the absolute best marketing a person can do comes from the mouths of happy customers. When I have a new market open I’ll give a bag to a local charity or school raising funds with sales, auctions or giveaways. I also work off the web with postcards, craft fairs, and school fall festivals. Online I’ll spend time on the Etsy site, in chatrooms, forums, etc. I’ll let my Facebook friends and Twitter followers know when I have something special to offer.
How do you use Twitter to help with your craft and your business?
Twitter is just a blast! I love following interesting people and learning more about their part of the world. I love the fact that you communicate in 140 characters; it certainly makes my writing more succinct! For me twitter is all about presenting yourself in a way that creates a positive community for your followers and those you choose to follow. I twitter about the new bags I post, the shows I will be participating in and the new ideas I am working with.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started selling her/his own work?
Have fun with what you do, create things you love, things that you would purchase. Never try to sell something you wouldn’t purchase yourself. Creating something you don’t like, trying to sell it to people you don’t relate to is just too much work. I see people try to do it all the time, thinking they are on the way to fast money. Ask questions, surround yourself with positive people and work hard.
At CheapTweet, we’re always interested in interviewing creative folks who sell their own work and independent and local retailers. If you’d like to be featured in a future post, send us an email!
The seller interview: Derek Bacharach (@ssuperheroes)
This week, we talked to Derek Bacharach (@ssuperheroes). Derek is the owner of SimplySuperheroes.com and lives in Maplewood, NJ with his wife and two children. He has a bachelor’s degree from Penn State and a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College. While he enjoys time with his family, he is an avid Rush (the band) and Mets fan. He has been selling online for more than 10 years on eBay. You can find him on Twitter and his Simply Superheroes blog. He also enjoys blogging about a sports card niche.
How did you get started selling superhero merchandise?
I attended eBay Live last year and went there realizing I needed a niche market. At this time I had started my own Yahoo website store for several months and realized I needed to specialize. This realization took awhile to sink in after being spoiled for so long on eBay where you don’t have to specialize.
Tell us a little bit about simplysuperheroes.com. What kinds of items do you sell? What else can we find on the site?
At eBay Live, I attended lectures on finding your niche which helped me realize from the products I sold in 2007, I enjoyed the feedback given to me from parents who purchased superhero merchandise from me such as Superman pajamas. So this got the ball rolling.
Our website is a hub for families who like superheroes. We sell t-shirts, pajamas, school supplies, party supplies, books, posters, and many household items. One of my favorites is a Spider-Man liquid soap dispenser! In addition to what we sell, we offer a gift registry, gift certificates, and a birthday e-card service in which you can register your child to receive a superhero birthday e-card of their choice in advance.
We also have a Fun Stuff section that has over 15 free superhero video games for kids to play. We also have a Library section that catalogs over 100 superhero videos spanning from the 1940s to current superhero movie trailers, wikipedia links, superhero current events, event calendar listings, and upcoming movie listings.
Where do you get your inspiration?
The feedback from customers. For example, I was a vendor at my town’s music festival recently. One family had to leave my tent after a few minutes because one of their children was going nuts seeing so many superhero items he wanted to buy. But my inspiration mainly comes from my son. His interests in superheroes when he was younger and even now, he gives me feedback on which superhero products are cool and why for his age.
How do you market or promote your business?
I have a few avenues: referring shopping sites, PPC, SEO, eBay customers, local online ads, social media websites like Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon and Reddit, blogging and newsletters. Offline, I have been a vendor at a few local events.
We also blog about cool things we think both kids and their parents will enjoy, whether it’s about a man who built his own Batman Tumbler to the latest news about the upcoming Spider-Man Broadway musical.
How do you use Twitter to help with your business?
I use TweetFeed to announce new blog posts. Occasionally I’ll post a sale I’m having or announce the monthly promotion I’m having at the beginning of the month. But mostly, I try to be informative and helpful on Twitter and re-tweet what I’d want people to who are following me to know about related to superheroes.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just starting his/her own store?
Set up modest goals when you’re starting out. Read as much as you can that’s online about getting started and read Seth Godin’s blog – every day. There’s an urgency to getting your website started as soon as possible. But the dividends are in the planning and research stage prior to the launch. Last, while you may need to hire help with your website at first, be ready to wear these hats later on if you want to save money.
The seller interview: Alisa Treasurefield (@treasurefield)
This week, we talked to Alisa Treasurefield (@treasurefield). Alisa is a jewelry designer who lives in a very small town where she’s a mom to two delightful, teen-aged boys. One of her greatest sources of pride is how they’ve grown to be creative, inventive and resourceful, as well as good-humored! Alisa designs and sells jewelry and other treasures in her Treasurefield Etsy shop. You can also find her on Flickr and on her blog.
How did you get started making jewelry and other kinds of artwork?
I guess the jewelry was just a natural progression for a girly-girl sort like me! I also like working small, so wearable art is perfect. I started drawing at a young age, maybe following the lead of my mom who is talented and artistic with many media, especially sewing and crochet. My dad has always had a knack for wood projects and building. I suspect a little of both my parents rubbed off on me.
Tell us a little bit about your artwork. What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?
For the past few years I’ve specialized in polymer clay jewelry. I call my pieces “sculptural” because I often start with a lump of clay and just see what it becomes. I also do a lot of sketching that I later turn into jewelry. Lately, I’m getting back to the drawing and painting, and trying my hand at sewing and fabric art. I like to be challenged, so I try new things. Hopefully, that keeps me and my art from becoming too boring.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Like so many other artists, nature is a huge source. I’m also inspired by other art out there; whether ancient art or architecture, poetry, literature, my kids’ creations, or the things contemporary artists are doing. I like to see how these ideas can morph under the influence of my mind and hands. Also, my imagination flows like a river when I close my eyes at night, but I’m not sure where THAT comes from!
How do you market or promote your work?
Flickr and my blog are the places I “Show & Tell” about my newest creations. I’ve exchanged links with other bloggers; occasionally, I place ads on blogs and other sites.
How do you use Twitter to help with your artwork and your business?
I always announce my special sales on Twitter, and sometimes tweet about what I just made. I’ve been known to ask for input on ideas, too. I love the community aspect of Twitter and the people I’ve gotten to know there, so I mostly use it to connect with like-minded artists and business-owners. I’ve found them to be incredibly supportive.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started selling her/his own work?
I would strongly advise anyone who’s selling their own work to be authentic in their creations, and to be positive in the image they convey to the rest of the world. Tap into that part of you that’s happy and enthusiastic, that very thing that causes you to be creative in the first place. The world is hungry for that. Never be afraid to share that part of yourself!
At CheapTweet, we’re always looking for interesting sellers, retailers and artisans to showcase in our weekly interview series. If you’d like to participate, send us a note!