Since last summer, I have been pleased to write a monthly column for Chris Brogan’s Owner Magazine. This month’s column marks my 10th for the online publication, and I’m excited to share it with you here because I think every Indie can relate. My July article is entitled Make Up Your Mindset, and it contains…
American manufacturing is not dead. It’s alive and well, and living here at the Indie Business Network. Need some proof? Today, we launched My Maker Box, an exclusive, hand-curated box of Handmade In America products. My Maker Box is a monthly subscription box For Makers, By Makers, and contains products created by Makers and Handmade…
If you have read this blog for a while, you know that I don’t spend a lot of time tooting my horn, or even IBN’s horn. I much prefer to toot IBN members’ horns, and I do that very well. But no matter how much or how little tooting I do, the truth is that…
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking at International Natural Hair Meetup Day in Washington, DC. I had such a fun time learning more about how to manage natural hair, especially my daughter’s, and enjoyed meeting tons of Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs from the DC area. The nation’s capitol is my hometown, so I was…
Here’s a great chance for us to meet while I’m in DC this weekend! I’m delighted to announce that I am speaking at the International Hair Meetup Day outside my hometown of Washington, DC. Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to buy your tickets to the event, and to enter to…
Several years ago, I got an idea to create a documentary of sorts to celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurial MAKERS nationwide. I sent my husband business partner out to gather B-roll and photographs of members who were making waves in their local communities. Here is the result. As you can see, it’s a kind of…
If I didn’t have to deliver the keynote at this weekend’s Tennessee Soap and Candle Gathering in Nashville, I would probably be at Unique LA with hundreds of Makers from around the nation, including several of our Indie Business Network members. In this post, I’m going to let you know who they are so you…
This month, all across America, Indie Business Network members are heading into the spring season at the local farmer’s market. I just returned from opening day at the Matthews Community Farmer’s Market near Charlotte, North Carolina. It was pouring down rain, but on the bright side, nothing sold out, even though I didn’t arrive until…
Im excited to share that I will be traveling to Tennessee to deliver the keynote address at the Tennessee Soap and Candle Social on May 3-4th, 2013, at the Montgomery Bell State Park outside Nashville. Hosted by Rachel Turner of Music City Suds, the Tennessee Soap and Candle Social is an annual gathering of soapmakers…
Today, I’m pleased to share that the Indie Business Network is featured in the “Shop Talk” section of The Charlotte Observer. Along with me, our members Curtis Durham of Bath Nation and Jennifer Devlin of Celtic Complexion and their products are also featured. My favorite thing about this article is that the journalist chose to…
Iam excited to announce #MakerMonday, a new way for the world to experience the local and handmade products from members of the Indie Business Network. For those who don’t know, our members hail from all 50 states and Canada (and a few other countries), and#MakerMonday is our newest fun way to help them spread the…
I am saddened to report the passing of one of IBN’s members, Holly Beatie of High Octave Healing in Truckee, California. Holly had been a member of IBN since April 2009, making herbal products to help people live better lives. Holly’s products were sold online and at local artisan markets near her home near Lake…
Connection Day Atlanta was so incredible that we had to do it again! As you know, Connection Day will be hosted in multiple cities in 2014. We kicked things of in Atlanta last month. Our next Connection Day is set for Friday, April 24, 2014, at the newly opened Indie Business Studio in South Charlotte,…
Ine am pleased to share that I have accepted an invitation to deliver the keynote address at this year’s Tennessee Soap and Candle Social on May 3-4, 2014, at Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns, Tennessee, near Nashville. You may recall that I was a speaker at the event last year. Hosted by Rachel Turner…
One of the questions I am most often asked by new members is, “What should I do first now that I am a member of the Indie Business Network?” There are so many benefits to joining the Indie Business Network (you can see them here), and it can be a big daunting to decide where…
The new 2014 Indie Business Network member badge is here! Indie Business Network members in good standing can log in and grab the code for the badge for the current year at this link. The badge looks like this, except the year is 2014 and there is no “sample” watermark. The badge is available in…
Before you start taking your products to retail stores to sell them, you might want to get into the head of the people you are trying to influence. Retailers are a special type of customer, and they do not respond to the methods you use to sell your products directly to consumers. Yes, there is…
It’s hard to believe 2014 is really here, and I am so excited about it. Last year was awesome and this year is already shaping up to be even better as I embrace new opportunities to help you build and strengthen the business of your dreams. I have noticed that many of you are asking…
During these last few days of 2013, I am reflecting on the fabulous year it has been. I have the privilege to wake up every morning to live the life of my dreams doing what I love. There is nothing like this way of living. Through IBN, I help others discover and use their unique…
Dozens of our members had fun exchanging gifts during our first annual Indie Business Network Secret Santa Gift Exchange. All of the gifts were personally handmade (of course) by the Secret Santa member and had a retail value of somewhere around $20.00. Pictured here are aromatherapy soaps in Cashmere, Holiday Magic and Cinnamint, gifted to…
I‘m excited to introduce a new topic we’ll be covering here at the blog. The idea is to showcase the ingredients and product components our members use to make the fantastic handmade products they sell. Our members make everything from perfume, to james and jellies, to soaps, to bath bombs, to candles … and hundreds…