Last week, I received a surprise email from Trina Espinosa, aka Ms. Beautyphile, via LinkedIn. Trina linked me to a video she made featuring her visit to The Nova Studio, which has been an Indie Business Network member since 2006. The video was so cute that I had to share it with you. The video…
It’s springtime! After this crazy winter, who isn’t excited about that?! As we progress toward the end of the first week of spring, I am pleased to share some of the graphics our members are using to share their seasonal handmade wares with you. Let’s kick things off spring with three of our Indie Maker…
We love it when our members use video to tell their stories. If you have a handmade business, you are so lucky that you never have to do much work to create a fun video that can be shared thousands (or maybe millions!) of times during the life of your business. For example, check this…
Here is a positively beautiful bar of handmade soap. It’s Cranberry & Figs from our member over at Hill Country Haiku in Spicewood, Texas. Not surprisingly, it’s cross between the tartness of of cranberries and the sweetness of figs. What may be surprising is what a work of art it is. How gorgeous is this?…
Last month, some of our members were kind enough to send us some of their awesome handmade beauty products as a holiday “thank you” for how we serve them throughout the year. One of the products we received is a wonderful facial cream from our member, Marilene Richardson, at Songcroft Naturals in Monroe, Washington. I’ll…
Can you think of a better way to invest a Sunday afternoon than Masterminding with your fellow Indie entrepreneurs? Of course you can’t, and if you need some inspiration, check out our members in the New York region. They gathered today at Jennifer Wojcieski’s store, in2ition Mercantile, which we told you opened its doors last…
As we continue to share our handmade holiday surprise gifts, we are reminded that it is good to give and it is good to receive, but both are best when the giving comes first. In 2014, everyone serving on the Indie Team truly gave of themselves to serve your members. That’s one reason why the…
Our members are generous all year long, but during the holiday season, they often take a little extra time to share their best products. If you don’t believe us, check out this amazing assortment of handmade goodness form our 2014 Indie Business Network Holiday Gift Exchange. We are thrilled to open surprise packages all year,…
Retail store ownership is not for everyone. It certainly wasn’t for me. But as more Americans seek ways to keep local dollars circulating in their own communities, many of our members are finding success in bricks and mortar. Our Jennifer Wojcieski opened the in2uition Mercantile in Oakdale, New York, just in time for the holiday…
Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Coming up with a good product is the easy part, and that’s just the price of admission. These days, you need so much more than that, starting with persistence and the ability to personally sustain a high level of energy and stamina for years at a time.…
Earlier this month, we received a lovely gift from one of our members. All of our members are special of course, and they all stand out for different reasons. One of the many ways SunRose Aromatics is special to us is because the company is one of the first to join the Indie Business Network…
Yesterday, our member Christine Laureano over at Ba6 Botanicals in Hampton Bays, New York, hosted a holiday open house. (No, it’s not too early.) Here is Christine showcasing her beautiful Ba6 Botanicals handmade products. Along with Makers throughout the area, other IBN members participated at this exclusive event, at Christine’s invitation. Judging from the pictures,…
Do you like glitter? Of course you do. Do you have nails? Yes again, right? What do you get when you have glitter and nails? You put them together of course, to create nail polish with glitter in it. Here is a screen shot from a recent news story where FOX5Vegas A.M. Anchor Monica Jackson…
One of the many awesome things about entrepreneurship is that amazing things happen every day, many of them not specifically planned for. When our member Christine White of Scandle Candle in Addision, Texas, joined IBN back in January 2008, who would have known that her products would be sold in spas around the world? Check…
As the economy continues to recover (ever so slowly), we are seeing an increase in the number of our members who are breaking ground on new warehouse locations and opening retail stores and work spaces. Today, we are thrilled to tell you that Niambi Cacchioli of Bloomsbury Square in New Jersey has made the leap…
How exciting is this? Last week, our member, Roberta Perry of Scrubz Body Scrub in Bethpage, New York, was recently a guest on the Dr. Oz. Show! According to their website, the Dr. Oz Show is broadcast in 118 countries and has over 4 Million daily viewers. On this show clip, Roberta educates Dr. Oz…
End of the year festivities are fast approaching, and that means a lot of wonderful things for Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs, among them, opportunities to donate some of the fruits of your labor to worthy charitable causes. According to a study released earlier this year by Good.Must.Grow., a socially responsible marketing consultancy, 30 percent of…
From time to time, I receive inquiries from Indie Business Network members who want to sell their business for one reason or another. I am not always in a position to share the opportunity publicly because not everyone wants their friends and fans to know that their business is for sale. Today, I am able…
Our members are all over Instagram like hot syrup on a fluffy pancake! Since part of my job is to hang out on Instagram and take in all their wonderfulness (lucky me), I thought I’d share some of their latest handmade goodness so you don’t miss out. A few days ago, I told you that…
We scoured the Web this week to bring you some American Made Goodness from our members nationwide. Bursts of color, a bit of bling, some honey sweetness, a billionaire celebrity and more — all in the mix. It gives me such great pleasure to tell you about the love and beauty IBN members are adding…
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…