Helping Makers Cultivate their Creative Businesses.
We have been working on something very exciting…and we are thrilled to finally share it with the small business community! Introducing The Growth Guild, a monthly subscription email to support blossoming small businesses. Subscribe Now, and read on to learn more about what will make this newsletter a bright spot in your inbox.
As a small business maker, have you ever had any of these thoughts?
I don’t know what I’m doing.
Fake it til you make it, I guess?
Why aren’t my reel’s going viral?
Do I even need to make reels?
Why did I chose to do this again?
I love running a small business!
To say that the mind and life of a small business owner is always in flux…is somewhat of a comical understatement. On any given day, at any given moment, from hour to hour, you may experience a range of emotions, thoughts, and motivation levels. Not to mention up-and-down energy reserves, and limitations of that one elusive resource – time. You move from absolute frustration to a “eureka!” moment. You spend months in crazy growth and then hit a major plateau. Or you finally have the time and energy to grow your passion, but wonder where to even begin.
On one hand you think, why am I putting myself through this? And then on the other hand you say, why would I chose to do anything different?
Over the span of the last 8 years of running Made Market, we have met thousands of makers and small business owners. Some of them are still making – some of them have stopped. Some have grown and left their full-time jobs. Some have remained breakfast-nook projects and side hustles. Regardless, we have heard several things repeated over and over, as if on a tape recorder loop. We hear triumphs and excitement. We hear “I love what I am doing!” and “running a creative business is so gratifying!” There is a strong common denominator of passion, and a resounding desire to learn, grow and build something.
But there is another common theme that comes after that inhale of positive passion. There is a collective groan of total frustration, overwhelm and feeling of failure. I love what I’m doing…but how do I run a business. I love what I’m doing…but how do I sell my products in an ever-changing world of social media and e-commerce? I love what I’m doing…but how do I build a brand and market it?
Thus far, these conversations have been before and after markets, over coffee, and in Instagram DM’s. But coming this June, we will be launching a monthly resource newsletter – to educate, equip, and inspire our Maker community to confidently build their small businesses….The Growth Guild!
We’ll be sharing very practical tips on a myriad of topics you’ll be eager to read more about! Over the years, we have made note of topics, questions, and areas of frustration for small maker businesses. Our hope is to address these pain points, and give valuable and practical insight.
Interviews with Makers
& Small Business Owners
Who better to hear from than other small business owners? We’ll be bringing you valuable insights and musings from folks who have stood in your shoes and have found a way to work through the many challenges and triumphs of business ownership and growth.
Time-Tested & Current
Marketing Practices
That blasted algorithm — always a’changing! We’ll be sharing basic marketing principles, as well as practices and tools that are ‘with-the-times’ as well as ‘trend-proof.’
Actionable Steps
Come for the inspiration and stay for the action steps! We want to help small business owners gain confidence and know-how as they efficiently build businesses that mesh with their goals and lifestyle.
Resources & Further Reading
We could write an exceptionally long email for each of our chosen topics — but instead, we’ll give you other resources for further reading and/or listening! The goal is to supply you with some great content to geek out on.
Here’s to growing in community support, practical know-how, and confidence! Subscribe here.
In the comments, tell us more about what you’d like to learn about small business growth. And check out our other blogs for more inspirational content.
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