This post is about the power of using your personal brand to represent, even embody, your marketing message. This presents a fantastic opportunity to leverage who you are personally for the benefit of your business. After all, while there are products on the market that are similar to yours, there is only one you. When…
If you’re just starting a business, you have a lot to consider: what to sell and how to sell it, whether to use a Facebook group, what to blog about, how to use social media, etc. Those things are important, but one thing is even more important, and you may have overlooked it entirely. I’m…
I had a great time in Nashville last weekend, attending and speaking at the Tennessee Soap and Candle Conference. I thought I’d share a bit about what I learned while I was there. THE FORMAT The conference was a one-day event, which was nice. It was a mixture of business speakers and maker demonstrations, which…
One of the benefits of IBN membership is a live monthly Master Class with someone who has mastered a topic that will help you be successful in your Maker business. Our Master Classes are great opportunities to learn and grow in our supportive community, and to meet some of the people who can make help…
Do you have a story to share? Of course you do, and we want to help you share it with the world, on Indie Business Podcast, hosted by Donna Maria, the founder and CEO of the Indie Business Network! As you may know, the Indie Business Podcast features inspiring stories of Makers from across the…
We are excited to announce the winner of IBN’s March Instagram Pod Giveaway. Our theme was Your Perfect Bath Retreat. It was fun! The IBN members who participated loved it, but no one is happier than our winner, a mama, nature lover and adventure seeker, who will soon have a bath filled with amazing products…
I am thrilled to share that Indie Business Podcast is now available on Spotify for your listening pleasure. To subscribe now, just open the Spotify app on your phone, search INDIE BUSINESS PODCAST, and click subscribe. In addition to Spotify, you can listen to Indie Business Podcast on your favorite podcast app. Here’s a list…
I’m pleased to share that applications for Q2 Maker Mastermind Circles Business Incubator are officially open. Spaces are limited, and there is an application deadline. Why Maker Mastermind™ Circles Business Incubator? I won’t repeat the details on the information and application page, but I would like to strongly encourage you to check it out today. If…
I am thrilled to share that several of our members are featured in a recent issue of the Handmade Business Magazine. The article, entitled Your Packaging Problems, Solved!, appears in the September 2018 issue. The article features real life case studies and tips from the trenches to help Maker and Handmade Entrepreneurs solve their packaging problems. Here are…
One of the benefits of IBN membership is a live monthly Master Class with someone who has mastered a topic that will help you be successful in your Maker business. Our Master Classes are great opportunities to learn and grow in our supportive community, and to meet some of the people who can make help…
In our private entrepreneurial discussion community, IBN members discuss and resolve entrepreneurial problems all day long. Recently, I sat down with a few of them to talk shop and learn how they resolved some of their toughest packaging challenges. After your customer’s order is placed into the hands of your shipper, it is completely outside…
I am thrilled to announce that I’ll be speaking at the Tennessee Soap and Candle Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, next month. I know it will be an amazing time because I spoke at the event in 2013, 2014, and 2015, and it has never once disappointed. Click here to register for this event. The Tennessee…
The Indie Business Network now offers, through Veracity Insurance Services, IBN members product liability insurance for topical, full-spectrum products containing hemp CBD. This new offering enhances our robust yet affordable non-hemp CBD product product liability insurance program. Both programs are described here. We are hosting a member Success Call today to share more details and…
Let Your Customers and Colleagues Know That Your Membership is Current! The new 2019 Indie Business Network member badge is here! Indie Business Network members in good standing can log in and grab the code (without the watermark) for the badge for the current year. After you log in, choose the “Get your 2019 Member…
If you are not a member of the Indie Business Network, it might be helpful to learn a bit about exactly how we help Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs succeed, so you can know if IBN is right for you. If you already know you’d like to join, click here to join now. We look forward…
As we draw ever closer to 2019, I am reflecting on the many wonderful experiences IBN and its members have had during the past 12 months. This is my 19th year leading the Indie Business Network, and I can honestly say that I have yet to work a single day since January 16, 2000 when…
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Welcome to Episode 65 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today’s Maker Story introduces you to Joanne Voelcker of Mt. Airy Lavender in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Joanne started her lavender business after a long career in the financial services industry during which time she worked in Belgium. It was then that she fell in love with lavender…
Wouldn’t it be great if you could sell your products with confidence and success, even if you think you hate selling? Well, you can. But it starts with one basic requirement. Stop selling. Seriously, it’s not as hard as you think, especially when you embrace an approach that not only allows you to sell more…
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Welcome to Episode 64 of the Indie Business Podcast! Today’s Maker Story introduces you to Michael McPolin of Birch & Main in Port Jefferson, New York. Michael has tons of professional experience in the retail world. When you combine that with his passion for shopping (he can’t stop), it will be clear why his retail…
I have been mentoring women for nearly 20 years, and I have been mentored all my life. But not in the ways you might think. You might think that I’ve been surrounded by mentors who meet with me personally (and for free) over a leisurely meals to school me in the ways of the entrepreneurship.…
I am excited today to announce that applications are open for the first Maker Mastermind™ Circles. A Maker Mastermind Circle is a community of two or more similarly situated, like-minded Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs who gather regularly to address and solve their biggest business challenges, and celebrate success together. Together, you and your Maker Mastermind…