So many makers think to themselves, “I LOVE doing this. I could make money doing this.” And then they try to create a business based on that feeling. I am here to say that MAY not be the best idea, for a few reasons.

When you are just starting out in a handmade business, custom orders seem practically NECESSARY. And for me, to get that ball rolling and start making money that I absolutely needed to make to contribute to our family, it WAS, for a time.

I love when bloggers and creators share their numbers- it lets me know what is possible in my business! Today, I am sharing my top five best selling products from 2020, along with the revenue they brought in.

Don’t get hung up on the image of making crafts to sell online. You don’t have to be artsy-craftsy to be creative. Leveraging your wonderful ideas into a flexible business with sustainable income is absolutely a creative undertaking!

You may want to do pottery, but do you have to keep stopping and washing up to care for children as well, or tend to other responsibilities? Maybe your item goes viral, but you work a full time job as well, and this would mean you never got to sleep! Be realistic. What can you do WELL in the amount of time you have available?

One great way to get noticed is to sell on Facebook, specifically in groups. It’s great to have your own Facebook group, but you still need a way to get people there- some way other than just adding all of your friends and family. Joining groups designated for handmade products, or your product or service in particular, is a good way to dip your toe in the water and drum up some sales, clients, or custom orders.

Many libraries are starting to offer more than just books and movies and a quiet place to study. There are some that now offer maker spaces, recording booths, and more! They may have better computers and software than you have access to at home at first. You never know what resources might be available to you! This is an especially good option for content creators.

Setting goals for your creative business is fundamental. It will give you the framework to know if you need to raise your prices, if you’re being realistic about your plans, or if you’re heading in a direction that will even make you happy. Here are some of my goal setting tips for creative hustles when you’re starting out.

So if you are feeling discouraged that you may not have the creativity to use the power of Etsy or YouTube because you don’t want to be an artist or crafter or be on camera, etc.- take heart! There are also AMAZING creative entrepreneurs making spreadsheets and planners, talking politics, teaching a skill.

In this day and age, you can just…put something out there. You can write a great post, flip an item you found at a thrift store, launch a podcast, post a video, or share your artwork. You don’t need an investor, you don’t need anyone to take a chance on you, except YOU. We have what we need at our fingertips, and with very little overhead and startup money, we can simply begin.