Donna Maria is an entrepreneur mentor, the founder and CEO of the Indie Business Network, and the host of the Indie Business Podcast and the Indie Business Retreat. She has been recognized as one of the most trusted voices for Makers and Creative Entrepreneurs. Her coaching and consulting enterprise trains thousands of new and evolving entrepreneurs every day.
Welcome to Episode 8 of the Maker Mastermind Show. If you missed previous episodes, you can binge watch them here. Be sure to join the free Maker Mastermind group on Facebook so you can join us live for the next show, and be entered to win prizes and/or get discount codes on the artisan made…
Most of our Featured Member articles share the stories of our members who are moving and shaking, growing their Maker businesses, and using them to define success on their own terms. But once in a while, we celebrate a member’s decision to move on. Today, I have one such “moving on” story to share with…
If you are reading all of the bad news in the media about how retail is dying, you are probably missing out on the good news that handmade is the new American manufacturing. In case you don’t believe me, here is some proof. Last week, we highlighted products from our members in Indiana, New York,…
To join the free Indie Business Book Club, click here. I am pleased to announce the July 2017 Indie Business Book Club pick: Live Your Best Day Ever, by Anne-Marie Faiola. In case you did not know, Anne-Marie Faiola is a member of the Indie Business Network through her Bramble Berry…
To join the free Indie Business Book Club, click here. For the June 2017 edition of the Indie Business Book Club, we read The Introvert Entrepreneur by Beth Buelow, PCC. While the book is aimed at introverts, it is also a great book for any small business owner, solopreneurs in particular, who wants to improve…
The members of the Indie Business Network are like a sun that never sets. They shine their lights from all corners of the nation, offering amazing products and making sure you know that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. Last week, we shared wins from members in Wisconsin, New York, and…
To register or request Maker Mastermind Live in your city, click here. Masker Mastermind Live: Boston was inspiring and amazing! Attendees from Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, Kansas, Maine and Rhode Island gathered for two days of Masterminding, goal setting, business planning, Maker shopping, and fun. For those who don’t know, I host Maker…
The good news just keeps coming from our Indie Business Network members. Last week, we shared wins from members in Florida, New Hampshire, and California. If you missed them, you can catch them here. This week, we bring you excitement from Wisconsin, New York, and Michigan. You will love being inspired by the smart moves…
I am thrilled to introduce the Indie Business Network Summer 2017 interns, my children: Vanessa Johnson and Brooks Johnson. Before I do so, let me first ask your indulgence because you will probably see this post about a million times over the next few days. As you know, I do not beat people over the…
Our members are always on the move. There is no grass growing under their feet. They are not sitting around wondering what effect Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods will have on their business because it doesn’t matter. They have a plan, and they are executing it, regardless of what any other companies (large or small)…
A bomb dropped in the retail space this morning. With Amazon’s $13.7 Billion purchase of Whole Foods, a slowly expanding gulf between niche and mass market has finally become a gragantuan divide. The news just dropped a few hours ago, and I’m still developing my thoughts. Completion of the sale is subject to approval by…
Last week, I shared some of the inspiring accomplishments of Indie Business Network members in our new Makers on the Move column. (If you missed last week’s stories from Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs in New Jersey, Ohio, Vermont, and Ohio, you can catch them here.) This week, our winning moves come from New York, Oklahoma,…
Welcome to Episode 7 of the Maker Mastermind Show. If you missed previous episodes, you can binge watch them here. Be sure to join the free Maker Mastermind group on Facebook so you can join us live for the next show, and be entered to win prizes and/or get discount codes on the artisan made…
Recently, I told you about our member, Christina Wennstrom of in Redondo Beach, California, and her fabulous “road trip of a lifetime. If you missed Part 1 of her journey, you can get it here. Christina has ended her road trip, and this post shares Parts 2 and 3 of her exciting journey. Christina attended…
Last week, I shared some of the inspiring accomplishments of Indie Business Network members in a new Maker on the Move column. (If you missed last week’s stories from Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs in Louisiana, California, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, you can catch them here.) Based on the positive feedback received after the first Makers on…
See for yourself why thousands of people have joined the Indie Business Network community over the years. We invite you to experience our unsurpassed entrepreneurial training and community with a free day pass on June 1, 2017. Meet our members, enjoy complimentary networking with other Maker and Handmade Entrepreneur leaders, get access to one of…
To join the free Indie Business Book Club, click here. This month, we read Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne in the Indie Business Book Club. While the book is aimed primarily at large, traditional businesses, our book club members managed to scale some of the advice to fit our needs.…
To join the free Indie Business Book Club, click here. I am pleased to announce the June 2017 Indie Business Book Club pick: The Introvert Entrepreneur, by Beth Buelow, PCC. Thanks to our book club member, Univerze Ramos of Bubbly Moon Naturals in New York for suggesting this book. If you’re not familiar with the…
Every week, Indie Business Network members do amazing things, and I remind them of the benefits of being bold and out loud about their achievements. Members are encouraged to brag on themselves, and when they do, it’s another opportunity for me to brag on them. Whether it’s opening a retail store, or launching a branded…
Welcome to Episode 55 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this episode, I’ll introduce you to Paul Chambers of The Gentleman’s Box and The Subscription Summit. A few years back, through his web design company, Paul was asked to design a website for a subscription box company. Seeing more than just a website design gig,…
For nearly a decade, this blog has recounted the journey of multiple pieces of proposed legislation designed to amend cosmetics laws in the United States. This post is the latest in that series. Yesterday, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the Personal Care Products Safety Act of 2017. A bill with the…