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Once you know you make a good handmade product, how do you know what to do next? According to Alana Rivera, you hone your skills before “jumping over the edge.” Alana started her handmade bath + body company, Etta and Billie in San Francisco, while she still had a traditional job. Today, not only has…
I found this video while hanging out on Vimeo the other day. I noticed it because one of our members is featured. It’s a very inspiring looking at what Jen Serena, a Burbank, California-based photographer, is doing to encourage and highlight local independent business owners in her area. Can you spot the IBN member? If…
Several months ago, I was interviewed by Becky McCray of Small Biz Survival: The Rural and Small Town Business Resource. Becky quizzed me on her podcast for my thoughts and advice to those of you seeking to grow a sustainable small business, especially if you are in a rural area. We joked abut my advice…
There is a slight chill in the air. My tomatoes are not growing like they were last week when I made Roasted Plum Tomatoes. Fall is coming, and with it, comfort food time. And what says comfort food during the fall better than pumpkin and soup? Put the two together with a little bit of…
Today I had the privilege of speaking about social media at “Farm to Market: 21st Century Practices For The Modern Herbal Entrepreneur,” an event co-sponsored by the North Carolina Natural Products Association (where I am a board member) and the American Herbalists Guild. My topic was “7 Easy Ways to Supercharge Your Online Marketing Efforts…
One of the things I emphasize to my members and clients is the importance of using technology to spread the word about your business. As you might imagine, we talk about a lot about social media. One thing I always encourage people to do is to systematize their social media outreach so they are not…
Our member Karrie Welch at Fortunate Face shared this video in our Secret Facebook Group this week, and it is producing a fun discussion about the importance of trademarks. Have a look at this video from Pandora’s Makeup. In addition to sharing their opinion that they are the subject of “corporate bullying,” (I’m not sure…
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I launched my podcast in 2005 as the Lifestyle CEO Show. I later changed the name to Indie Business Podcast, and ultimately hosted a weekly show over 300 times between 2005 and 2012. As technology progressed from the Dark Ages, I switched my podcast from the now defunct Global Talk Radio to Blog Talk Radio.…
I am pleased to announce our theme for #IndieCruise 2015: Unleash Your Awesome: Branding Breakthroughs for Handmade Entrepreneurs: February 8 to February 15, 2015. Our theme is all about breaking through barriers, real and imagined, to fully express who you are as a person, a business, and a brand. Our carefully selected speakers have been…
We are thrilled to announce our members who are finalists in the 2014 Martha Stewart American Made contest! You can vote for your favorites starting TODAY, and every day, through October 13. The 2014 Award Winners and Audience Choice Winners will be announced on October 17. The Martha Stewart American Made program celebrates all things…
Autumn is finally here, and with it, the September My Maker Box is making its way across the country as we speak. Featuring a dizzying array of handmade goodies and resources for Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs, My Maker Box is THE subscription box for creative entrepreneurs who want to enjoy other locally made products and…
I have been a part of at least one Mastermind group, sometimes more than one at a time, for several years. I have participated in virtual and in-person Mastermind groups. There are major differences between the two, but that’s for another post. This post shares how to start and manage a virtual Mastermind group, because…
When Kenna Cote asked me to speak on the topic of work/life balance at the Central Soapers Workshop this weekend, I was thrilled. At first, I didn’t have a clue what I would say because I don’t think there is any such thing as work/life balance. There’s just life and all the stuff you have…
This year, I grew my first little garden, quite by accident. My son tossed a few raw green beans into a patch of dirt beside our home sometime in May. A few weeks later, he ran into the kitchen claiming that green beans were growing, and the rest is history. All my life, I have…
Not only do our members run their own businesses, but they also help others to be successful in theirs. For example, this week, our Roberta Perry and Angela Carillo were featured panelists at the Newsday Connect Small Business Seminar: The New Normal: Growing Your Business in a Digital World. (Newsday is a paper in Long…
I hope you all had a wonderful week! For me here in Charlotte, it was a huge relief just to enjoy temperatures below 90°F. We’ve had some scorchers here lately and the cooler temperatures are more than welcome. Fall is my favorite time of year, and I love the chill in the air. Speaking of…
Today, we remember with respect and sadness the thousands of people who died in the terrorist attacks at the Pentagon, at the World Trade Center and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11th, 2001. I was 8 months pregnant with my first child on that day, and like everyone else, I can remember it like it…
One of the most critical teachings in my Indie Business Blueprint is that Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs must leverage the power of the video to build their brands and boost customer engagement and sales. Most of my students know how important this is, but they are fearful that it will take too much time or…
In case you missed, it our August My Maker Box was a huge success. You can see some of the unboxing videos here, and click here check out all of the Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs whose products and services are featured in the August My Maker Box. Today, I’m excited to tell you about the…
Networking. The word sends chills up and down the spines of many a Maker and Handmade Entrepreneur. But the truth is that networking happens all the time, even when you are not aware of it. A networking event can be planned in advance, or it can be impromptu. Both are great, but the impromptu ones…
While the show is coming to a close today, I just had to share this beautiful picture of two of our members at the Face and Body (Northern California)! Here is Elissa Choi of Bon Bliss (this is her booth), and Alice Lin of Wonderland Organics, both from California. for those who don’t know, Face…