The Smart Way to Start a Crafting Business

For a start-up, experts recommend trying to keep your feet in both areas. And given the rising cost of certain raw materials, gas and show fees (which can run several hundred dollars per event), Laurie MacAdam plans to restart her wholesale business.

Don't Forget the Internet

Given the popularity of e-retailing nowadays, a Web presence is a must. To keep costs down, Gan used Etsy.com to set up her business. The Web site not only helped her quickly create an e-storefront, it also helped her figure out what she wanted to produce.

"You can see how many items people have sold, which tells you if there is a market for the product or not," says Gan. "You can also see what sold that second and also what remains undiscovered."

Cost: 25 cents to list one item, while setting up an account is free. But be sure you are pretty handy with a digital camera or know someone who is. Since storefronts tend to look the same, it's your products that will set you apart. Another trick is to not post all your items at once. Update periodically so clients feel like you have something new to offer all the time. Specialize and make the most of the tag features. "This lets you list up to 14 terms that describe your item so buyers can find you when they type in a certain word into the Etsy search engine."

Controlling Growth

Another hard question to ask yourself is what kind of business you want to be. If your plan is to produce one-of-a-kind pieces, how are you going to fulfill demand? After all, there's only one of you. To get around this issue, says author Fitzgerald, the founder of Confetti Cakes decided to make TV appearances and write cookbooks.

Time and Money

So how much is it going to cost you? Most of the 30 women Fitzgerald profiled in Country Living Crafting a Business started with as little as $2,000. Yet, all launched their companies while holding down another job. Because, no matter the craft, you need to build up inventory. That takes time.

MacAdam lived with her mom in part to cut down on expenses and devote herself to her jewelry line. She recommends making two years worth of products before launching because "if you don't have enough stock, then you don't have anything to sell."

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