In this era of corporate downsizing and cost cutting, thousands of people are looking to home-based businesses for income and job security. For the creative person, a career in crafts can be both fulfilling and profitable. Professional craft designer and successful craft entrepreneur Sylvia Landman has written the definitive guide for those wishing to start or expand a home-based craft business.
Crafting for Dollars is a step-by-step guide for woodworkers, quilters, knitters, and all other craftspeople wanting to establish an independent livelihood creating the crafts they love. It provides solid business guidelines and practical advice on establishing and maintaining a successful craft-based profession. Landman includes interviews with successful crafters who share their varied experiences in developing a business plan, organizing an efficient home office, and maximizing sales at craft fairs and trade shows. Among those profiled are:
·Bonnie Boots who sells doll patterns by mail-order
·Debi Linker who started a designer fashion fabric store in 1969, and now employs over 125 people
·Crochet enthusiast Gwen Blakely Kinsler who organized the First Annual Crochet Conference
·Joe and Kathy Lamancusa who built a strong marriage and business designing programs for craft manufacturers
Landman describes the myriad roles a craft entrepreneur must play in order to keep a small business alive. She addresses some of the difficult situations that can arise when one works from home. Issues such as child care, distractions, and interruptions are all challenges that need to be recognized and handled with care. Also included are tips on how to separate personal and professional tasks within the home, and how to maintain creativity and motivation.