Greetings! I was wondering if we could have a discussion about crafty business and other jobs. As crafty businesswoman and full-time worker in an unrelated field, I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed with it all.

I would like to know how others are handling their crafty businesses... by that I mean, do you work full-time and have a crafty business? Do you just just concentrate on your crafty business? Do you have a crafty business and a part-time job? Do you go to school and have a crafty business? What works for you, and why?

I ask because I feel as though I'm at the end of my rope, doing both. I'll give you a little background... please feel free to do the same. I'd like to hear everyone's stories.

So I started my website (http://www.gauchita.com/) a year ago, to sell my handbags and totes. Business was slow at first, but really picked up around the holidays and I've been super-busy ever since. I spend most nights working on making bags, trying to keep up with the site, and filling orders for word-of-mouth customers. Everything seems to take so long to make... of course that may be because I do so much embroidery on the bags and that is really time-consuming.

All this time, I'm still working at my day job (book designer) of three years. I'm reluctant to give it up because the income is good to have, the work is creative, and it is one of the VERY few book design jobs in this area. On the other hand, the job is very high-stress, working conditions are less than great, and there is really no opportunity for advancement at this company. There are so many pro & con factors...

But I'm starting to feel like doing both things is taking too much out of me. I feel like I work on the crafty business in all my spare time and never get anywhere. I've been wanting to get my bags into online and local shops for ages, but I just don't have the time to create the extra stock. I'd love to start pitching a few crafty article ideas, but again, the time isn't there. Etc, Etc. Basically, it seems that until I am able to put more time into the business, it really won't be able to grow. (then there is the fear of, how much CAN this business actually grow?)

So, I guess I'd like to know... what works for you as a crafty business owner? What doesn't or didn't work? Is anyone having similar issues?

Thanks so much for reading through this... I really do appreciate it! :)

SF

i personally think about this all the time!! i, too, have a full-time job and a crafty business. however my job is a lower level position, without a lot of demand for mental/creative energy. i have found, over the years, that this works best for me. the years i have had a job that demanded more of me i found i was lapsing in the "craft" department of my life. the perks of working a "crap" job are that i am able to devote free time at work to working on my business on the sly. not necessarily an ethical thing to do, but whatever. i basically have this job so that i can have medical insurance and other necessities. it also avoids that maddening financial pressure to sell!sell!sell! my crafts if i were to depend on my craft business singularly. i find i don't work well with the sell!sell!sell! pressure on me. i'm a wimp! good luck!

I started my website while I was in high school. Last year I worked part time, went to college full time, and took care of my son. I will not be stressing myself out like that this year. This school year Ill be living off of financial aid and student loans and working on my website full time. It has actually been bringing in some income lately. Working at it full time has really put things into perspective and forces me to get things done.

I work full-time, but I work from home so the hours are flexible -- so if an order comes in I can stop what I'm doing and prepare it, or work on the site design when the mood strikes.

Strangely, I think working full-time actually makes me more motivated in regard to my site, since I have to get up early, get ready for the day, and be at the computer. Without the job, I'd probably be a lot more lazy. When it gets to the point that income from Plain Mabel is decent and the workload is bigger, I'll probably talk to my boss about going part-time.

SpanishFly, would your job permit you to work from home (even for a day or two a week)? That might help a lot -- automatically better working conditions, more motivation to work for that company, and more flexibility to spend with your product design and fulfillment.

I'm a graphic designer as well, but I freelance primarily from home. That gives me quite a bit of flexibility with how I spend my time and how many hours I work.

Roughly, it works out as though I'm working 2 part-time jobs. Although I've found that it also requires that I have an accountant/tax advisor to keep everything straight. (Art girl, yes; math girl, not even close.)

What are the chances that you could cut down your hours at the office, or become a contracted freelancer with your company, working offsite? It may benefit both you and them: they don't pay for your benefits anymore, and you can choose how much work to take on.

If you don't have a computer at home, though, that's a substaintial investment you'll need to consider, along with legal versions of all the software (Quark = ouch!), a fax and a second phone line (or the online equivalent), printer(s), something to back up to, and a high-speed hookup if you don't have one already.

Good luck balancing it all!
ms m

Would it be worth taking a contractor position and having to foot the bill on your health insurance? That's one of the struggles for me and the reason I work full-time in addition to running a craft-oriented business (that and I don't want the pressure of depending on my selling skills).


I'm at a loss for advice. Purposely, my online biz is a creative outlet and not huge so I am able to balance it with working outside of the home. I've promised myself not to allow my creative outlet to become a hassle like a "real" job.

I own a part time craft business and I'm a full time programmer. I never stop working. Really.

At times I'll have to stay late to program for work, or work from home at the weekends and inbetween I'm usually working on my site. I really need to start giving myself set hours for my craft business so I don't burn myself out working the entire day.

Hang in there, it's tough but eventually things start working out.

SpanishFly,

I am going through the exact same thoughts. I work full time in marketing data / code release (so not crafty) and often have to stay late to complete whatever is going on at work. As a result, my site hasn't even gotten close to even being launched. Like several other glitterati said, I don't want to have to sell!sell!sell! from my site to make it feasible to live (that would definitely make it more like a job and less enjoyable, which it is now), so I'm sticking with the day job for the financial/benefits perks.

That being said, I find every day at work just a little more frustrating and often daydream about what work I'd be doing at home. Hubby and I are tossing back and forth the idea of me going part time and working the day job 4 days instead of 5. A significant decrease in pay, but not as significant as quitting altogether...we'll see how I feel about it in a few weeks.

Good luck. I know a lot of us here are going through this with you. In the end, we always end up doing what we should, right?

I work part time at my non-crafty job, and part time making jewelry and the very occasional custom knit item. I am trying to shift from the non-crafty to the crafty job slowly. But the non-crafty job is getting to me. I also just dream of the things i could be making if i were at the studio.

It's hard, and i don't know what i plan to do next, but it's been on my mind A LOT lately.

--Nat

Well, after many years of working 9 to 5, I'm making the leap and cutting back to part time beginning 12/1. Yikes. The good news is I am staying at my current job. It is with a nonprofit but I've worked really hard to make a good position for myself, and I'm going to keep most of my benefits (as well as the continuity, lack of job-hunting stress, etc.). I'm way nervous about it, though, as I need to ramp up my biz quite a bit in order to get to the income level I'm at now...

One thing I'm having to do is cash in a few investment accounts to pay off credit cards, thus lowering my expenses.

It's going to be a tough few months gearing up, and with the holidays coming... But I am so excited! I just haven't had time to make stuff AND deal with my consignors/vendors AND keep my website updated AND increase my outreach to other stores AND do marketing.... So I am really looking forward to having more time.

And I will be highly motivated, as I need to make the money!

I tell you, though, the economy needs to improve, because it's really tough to find a part time gig that pays okay. As I said, mine will pay so-so, but hopefully good enough to get me through the lean times.

It's a big decision but I just couldn't go on the way I have been, and I need to (cringe) follow my heart on this one. Making stuff just makes me so happy.....

Balance is the key though. I am trying to keep my expectations reasonable. Working too hard at both the full time and crafting jobs started to affect my health - and that's just not okay!

ksue

First of all, I love your bags and I'm not surprized your success is growing. Congratulations! Where you're at is where I plan to be at in a year or two. I'm starting my crafty business slowly and not giving up the well-paying day job. then I was thinking when I got sucessful and busy enough I could leave the day job.

But it probably won't be as easy as that, as you're finding out. I would do what other people have suggested and see if you can cut back to 3 or 4 days working at the office. it will be for less pay, but your increased productivity and sales will begin to fill the gap. Good luck!

Seriously, those vocabulary totes? Adorable. Make t-shirts too!

please keep making the bags they are georgous.....

this is something that i *now* have to struggle with! this is my first year of business, and i started up late april--i was still in school but classes were winding down and i didn't have to over-produce much. now i have a full-time college schedule (luckily, i'm only at school 8 hours a day twice a week), i have to make product for my saturday market booth every week, and i'm trying to do advance inventory for the holiday season which will be very very busy for me i know. :) where to start?! where to stop?

my advice would be to prioritize. with me, school is required to be first priority because my mom says so. ;) my second priority is spending time with my boyfriend, although he sometimes gets put on the back burner during big production weeks. my third priority is making new stuff/inventory, and my fourth is mainting the website. if you feel like your "real" job is more necessary to your life right now, keep it and maybe cut down to only doing online sales. if you want to expand your bag biz, talk to your employer about cutting hours or maybe working from home (telecommuting is an idea a lot of employers really respond to, so don't rule it out yet!) and using free time to do crafts.

when i have tons of homework to do as well as products to make, i give myself an hour of homework time and 15 minutes of craft time. then i don't get too burnt out on doing homework and get craft stuff done (admit it, you really spend about two hours a day just sitting and thinking about what you should be doing for work--you can use that time to craft!).

I don't mean to hijack this thread, I promise this is relevant! I was wondering how long it took all you people with crafty business' to establish yourselves? And what kind of promotion did you do?
I have a total lack of finance at the moment so I'm finding it hard to get on my feet with my bags and accessories and the promotion of my website. I get the impression that being in the UK is also a put-off for many people.
This for me is definitely a hobby, I would like it to be more, but I think that might take the shine out of what I do. However I would still love to get my business going.

Cath>http://www.geocities.com/seraphinabags/enter
p.s. I think the lack of a personal domain name is also a put-off, what do you think?

I am SO glad you posted this. This is my biggest concern right now and it is a relief to know that others share my worries. I have so much to add to this thread I don't even know where to begin. I'll just warn everyone, my post will be kind of bloggish and long.

I, too, work both a full-time "day job" and devote almost every second of my free time to my home accessories business, Happy Home Designs. Particularly in the time leading up to Renegade Craft Fair, I was extremely stressed and my boss commented that my performance at work was suffering because of my "extracurricular life." While I felt discriminated against, perhaps this is just defensiveness of the realization that managing the two is becoming more difficult every day.

My typical week is this: Monday-Friday I get up at 5am to work on Happy Home. 7:30-5:30 I am at my day job with occasional breaks to check for emails and field phone calls or ship orders on my lunch hour. By the time I get home, I am so exhausted I can only do a few things online or pack up orders. I really don't get to be creative until the weekends, where I work from 6am to 8pm on my projects, making stuff, photographing items, sourcing materials, updating my site, doing paperwork, logging sales and invoices.

In my "day job," I have what most people would consider a great career in marketing for an entertainment company. My problem? I feel ilke a fake because this is not what I want to be doing. I hate the ass-kissing, politics dodging and red tape barriers I am constantly dealing with. There is a lot of pressure and threats of instability. There's not enough creativity, and conformity and conservativeness is valued more than entrepreneurship and risk-taking. What do I like about it? Primarily, the paycheck.

I am trying to remain positive and see the benefits of doing both things: The Firm funds my creative start-up venture while I pay off my debt and get my business stable enough to the point where I can meet my portion of the bills. The added stress is that my boyfriend is in school, so I feel like the pressure is on to maintain my income and not do irresponsible and risky things that would jeopardize paying rent or putting food on the table.

Like you, with not having a lot of time to focus on Happy Home Designs, I feel that I'm not getting anywhere sometimes. I feel like this day job and my debt are a prison sentence. I kick myself for not being more financially stable at this point in my life, but I will just have to lie in the bed that I made for myself. Also, I feel guilty for complaining because I realize I am very lucky to have a job to pay my bills, as I have been unemployed in the past.

I love doing Happy Home and want to do it full time. I feel like I need to stop, take a step back, develop a more specific plan and timeline and stick to it. I'm exhausted, but I feel that if I know where the light at the end of the tunnel is, it will be easier to deal with. I've put a goal date for leaving The Firm at September 1, 2004. I don't know how I'll make it to then doing both, but that's the plan.

I have met so many others of you out there that are struggling with this dual life and trying to still find time to sleep, eat and socialize. I feel I need more time to focus on my business to make it work, but that unless I have capital to cover the basics, I will lose my mind. Very chicken and egg.

I don't have a ton of suggestions, but will lend empathy and support. Hopefully laying out my personal life here on the glitter boards will help someone realize they are not alone. It's also been kind of cathartic for me, which has helped.

Isn't it wonderful to know that there are other people out there who understand what you're going through? I'm so glad I found this! I have a day job and an evening/weekend crafty business and was wearing myself ragged. I finally asked my boss if I could cut back my hours and work part-time because I knew that I really needed more time for my business to make it grow. This week was my first 4 day week and just knowing that I have an extra day has taken so much pressure and stress away! I agree with the people who suggested you ask your boss if you could cut back hours or work from home (although, be ready for the consequences of having asked if he/she says no). Balance is really the key. Now I feel like I have a little more time to socialize and relax and take care of myself. I really hope all of you can work something out so you can enjoy life and have a successful crafty business that pays the bills.

It really is great to know I am not alone.

I have been thinking so much about this lately. I don't know if what I feel is depressed or trapped? Like some others here I have racked up so much debt that I feel it will take me forever to be free from my salaried job. I kick myself for not being more fiscally responsible!

Ugh, I can't think about this anymore. Maybe I just need to win the lottery and open a craft store - take on JoAnn! :)

I know where you are coming from. I had a job, left it to do my crafty business, began to hate crafty business, got another job (which i love), still do crafty business now too...sigh.

both are full time, very demanding creatively but i've been on the "other" side and will not quit my day gig unless i hit it BIG (chances are slim). it sucks to have to depend on your art, it totally takes the love out of it. it's nice to do it and not have to think about the money. before when i quit my day job all i did was stress over bills even though we had a huge stack of orders, the two never matched up.

i love my job now and it would take a lot to quit, but there are a lot of times when i think about "if only i had all day to work on my art!", but it takes a happy medium.

i wish i had better advice!! what i do know is that before you quit add up all your expense including crafty expenses and figure out how many purses you will have to make in a week. will you need to hire help if you get larger orders? how many hours are you willing to put in a day? do you just want to cover your bills or have money to enjoy life too? there's a lot to think about, consider EVERYTHING before you make the leap! It's a gamble but you never know it could pay off...best of luck!!

edited to add: my hubby does art full time, as well as his band. if weren't for him theres no way we could keep our business running like it is. i only do art on sundays now, early in the am to about midnight. that way i have my nights and one weekend free to do family and stuff withthe kids, and i teach art workshops and do book stuff then too. keeping that strict schedule really helps a lot!

i also take a week of vacation in the summer and wintoer strictly to do all my spring and summer pr stuff, tie up loose ends, etc...

Sigh.... man, this is all so relevant to me right now. There are plenty of people - mostly people who haven't spent 10 years establishing themselves in a career like I have - who are making and getting by on what I'll be making part time at my current job. But... I have racked up lots of credit card debt, and feel like I am just making ends meet as it is...

But... I feel like my *soul*, for lack of a better word, has been talking to me loud and clear about doing something more creative with my life. Whodathunk it'd be stupid old bottle caps, but... I believe in what I'm doing, I feel like I'm doing it in a unique way, and most of all I feel HAPPY when I'm creating. Working for an environmental nonprofit has been very rewarding, but I feel like it's time to make my soul a little happier.

So I feel like I"m going into it with eyes wide open. When I do the math, I start freaking out. For instance, I just opened a business checking account... which I am quickly draining buying supplies. August was an awesome month, September less so... but I know it'll be an ebb and flow thing.

I also know that I can't just make my living on bottle caps; I have dreams about creating a NoCal craftswomen coop, opening a store etc. And I do make other stuff; it's just that I'm hooked on what I'm currently doing.

But CraftyChica, I take your posting very seriously, as you are one of our (and I do mean OUR) role models. IT's not easy. I just know that I can't keep going with 1.5 jobs. It is making me dislike both, and it's messing with my sense of well-being. And I have worked for da man for almost 20 years, and I'm ready to be on sort of my own schedule for a while.

I'm fully cognisent (SP?) of the fact that I have a good situation lined up, but it's still fraught with worry. IT's starting to keep me up nights. But... I'm lucky, I have a place to live, and enough income to keep food on the table, and... I ramble...

Anyway, I love the thread, keep the thoughts coming....

ksue

i know, it's tormenting. sometimes i feel like my day job is really holding me back, and i know it takes sacrifice to make things work. if i wasn't a mom i would totally do it! my husband and i always talk about trading places, which wouldbe cool, but i'm spoiled, i love my day job too and they are so nice to me. i get paid to do crafts and watch movies!

heres a couple tips:
- look for a sales rep, that will increase your sales (but get ready to be very busy).
- teach workshops in your local area or at art centers.
- find a pt job that will help you out in the long run, like at an art supply store where you can get discount supplies.
- this one will take a lot of work, but look into getting projects published in craft magazines - did you know a lot of craft companies pay handsome designer endorsement fees if you submit a project using their products and it gets published?
- sell on ebay on a steady basis.
- Donate art to local silent auctions for large community events, put a stack of cards there and you'll get repeat business.
- Look for local trade shows (female oriented) and wheel and deal to get a booth.

Hope this helps, my husband and juggle ALL of this to keep things going. Sometimes you have to go away from the art studio for a week and just spend time plugging into new accounts, press releases, working the phone and sending out samples, but it pays off!

Thanks CraftyChica, that's all great advice! I am kid-less so that makes going out on a limb a bit easier, but on the other hand.... I am 38 and need things like benefits, vacation time and a steady enough income to feed myself and my 7 pets.

This is very, very helpful. My next task is to step away from the *making* stuff and get more organized about the finances, marketing etc.

ksue

Hi all! Great topic. Definately something that consumes my thoughts at least 5 times a day

First off, SpanishFly, your bags are so pretty and creative. Nice work!

I work as a computer programmer during the day and run craftastic.com in my free time. Luckily I get so few orders that filling them is totally manageable. I rent a table at 3 or 4 craft fairs a year in Boston which give me the opportunity to makes loads of fun stuff to sell. I'd love to sell to stores but I also just don't have the time to make extra stock.

I've also had dreams of ditching the day job and doing the crafty-thang full time.

I think that the two things that deter me are:

(1) when I do the math, it becomes painfully obvious that I won't be able to pull in anywhere near the same income (in fact, most importantly, I wouldn't have the dough for what I love most -- buying craft materials and gadgets!)

(2) I worry that it will become un-fun to do crafts (and CraftyChica's comments let me know that that CAN happen)

So this thread got me thinking ... what do I really love about crafting? What is it about it that's so important to me? Obviously crafting IS really important because when I don't find time to do it, I get miserable!

So for me I think it's:

(a.) coming up with new ideas / finding materials tyhat inspire new crafts / figuring out how to execute the idea, etc.

(b.) selling my crafts / getting positive reactions from people / seeing or hearing about people truly enjoying an item they've bought from me

So if there's some way to fulfill whatever your above list would be and still put the time into a full or almost-full time non-crafty job, that might be the way to go.

SpanishFly, if I were you I might consider taking your website and making it just a "showcase" of your work (no shopping cart) rather than a website where people can flood you with orders.

Then, instead of selling your stuff on the web, you could go to a set number of stores and sell them exactly the number of bags YOU want to make. I also think that you should not be afraid to give the store a high wholesale price. I personally think that you could charge way more. Especially for the ones that have all of that floral embroidery.

Craft fairs are also fun if you spread them out over the year because you just crank of making things for the month leading up to the fair and then have a little reprieve until the next one.

I would think that another nice thing about moving away from the web and over to stores and craft fairs is that you wouldn't have to deal with all the shipping hassles.

If my website somehow "took off" and I was feeling burnt out trying to keep up, I think I would stop selling there and just move over to stores and craft fairs.

(If you don't want to cut off the ability to buy from your website, you could also just double your prices and that way you'd get fewer orders and it would be more worth your time to fill them.)

So, basically I'm advocating not doing the craft-thang full time but instead doing the practial jobby-job thing and than making crafts fit in to a percentage of your week.

At least, that seems to be what works for me...

Leah

Wow! This is so much great advice... I never expected this much feedback. It does seem like a lot of us are going through this right now...

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. You've given me a lot to think about... and some options that I never thought about.

The whole thing is really tricky. On top of the pros & cons that everyone has mentioned, there is also underlying "I would love to make it big" thought in the back of my mind. Then right near it is the little voice telling me how impossible that would be, especially since I have never worked in the fashion industry. (I'm a pessimist.... I can't help it.)

There is also the fear of "leaving the workforce" and having a hard time getting back into it. And the fear of not having enough social interaction because I'd be making handbags at home all day.

Before I do anything, I really do need to sort out exactly how much $$$ and time I spend for each item... so far I've kind of been winging it. And I do want to raise my prices, especially with the heavily embroidered items... that was some good advice. I think I started out the site with prices too low... and it's been hard to bump them up with out making the increase too drastic.

I like the idea of going part-time at the office... I'm not sure it is an option there, but it would probably work out best for me.

The one good thing is that I have my insurance through my husband's company, since he works for a larger company with better benefits. He would love it if I quit and just do the crafty thing... he's concerned about my full-time job and the stress level it entails.

I still need to think more about this one... but you've all given me some good things to think about. Thank you!

* And thanks for all the compliments on my bags! Glad you like them... *

SF

OK, off the topic, but i just had to say I ordered a bag from Alicia (Spanish Fly), and oh man, it is sooo cool! And I was VERY impressed by the professional packaging. It was 100% quality from the ordering process to the package itself and of course the bag! Great job, I know you will go very far with this! I've been sporting it ever since I got it and have recieved so many compliments!!

I LOVE buying handmade stuff (I also got a cool purse from Vanessa at Gerbera) and showing it off - there is no better feeling than to have people ask where you got something and be able to brag on a friend and show off their talents.

One of a kind stuff rocks... Everyone keep it up, that's all I gotta say!!

Great topic and timing ... I was just struggling with this same issue lately. I am in the same boat as many of you.

But I did want to ask - has anyone ever "made it" in crafty businesses besides Martha? Who can be our role models? What is "making it" anyway? What do people consider a great lifestyle? $50k? $100k? What would make you feel like you absolutely had hit career success with your business?

I ask, because as I plan my own business and goals I have trouble setting really compelling successful goals - I have trouble picturing my business that big! I mean, to replicate my current salary is a lot of wedding favors! Is that realistic? How could I be that big and still have things handmade? So am I just doomed to do this part time? Like a lot of you, I know for a fact that would not make me happy. But how do you make the leap in a crafty business into one that can really provide you a good income???