Crafting a Business

Crafting a Business is a great book for anyone thinking about starting a craft business - I wish I had read books like this when I started mine! My guess is most people start their crafty businesses in much the way I started mine. Friends and family compliment your work, and you realize that you've spent so much time and money on your craft that maybe you should figure out a way to earn a little of that money back, so you look into selling your work. Maybe you apply to sell at a local craft fair, or find a consignment shop willing to display your wares, or make an account on a site like etsy.com to sell online. And then you start learning about what it means to run a business. And you make loads of mistakes, especially when it comes to managing money, figuring out how much to charge, and how to market your new business. A better way to start a craft business: read books on how to run a successful business, write up a detailed business plan, and consult with experts to make sure you are doing the legal stuff correctly. Crafting a Business is a book I should have read before starting my business, because it emphasizes doing these things, and doing them right. It doesn't cover everything, by any means, but there is a lot of good information, and the profiles of successful craft business owners are very inspirational. After reading this book, I felt inspired to work harder on the business aspects of my business, and encouraged by the success stories.