Happy Mother's Day

In the mid 1800’s an eight-year-old girl was kidnapped by a stranger, placed on a ship and sold to a sugarcane plantation owner in Trinidad and Tobago. Far away from her native Ife, Nigeria, she was left with flashes of childhood memories and the sound of her mother’s voice. Her name was changed to Mary Durant. She later became Mary Barber and she was my Great, Great, Great Grand Mother.

The strength that she had was passed down to her daughters and their daughters. The lessons taught and the knowledge shared lives on in my heart. It is the root of who I am as a daughter, friend, woman, and mother.

Today on Mother’s Day I, honour all Mothers in their daily task of teaching, nurturing and supporting. Today I also thank my Mother, my Grandmother, Great Grandmother and the generations that have come before me. Without these women, I would not be the person or the mother I am today.

It is because of these strong, loving and nurturing women and their ability to make it through adversities with grace and their ability to love, that I can stand here today. I am proud of who I am and I feel honoured that I have been blessed with the role of Mother and that I have such wonderful examples to follow.

My Mother and I in 1978.

Happy Mother’s Day!

10 Tips on How to Successfully Price Your Crafts

by Yvette-Michelle Cottle Darby

This article was written to explain in detail how to price your crafts. There is a previous article "Pricing Your Handcrafted Products," which took a brief look at this topic. However, the goal is to look at the topic more extensively and provide some tips on how to successfully price your crafts and your services. Setting a price can be know easy task and often times for those creating unique crafts and art, the idea of placing a price on their creativity can be a challenge.

It is important to keep in mind that an important component in pricing is profit. The key is establishing a balance between being competitive and profitable.

1. Mark-up

The mark-up is generally 100% more than what you paid. However, depending on the product you may be able to increase your percentage. If however, you are producing your own item you will want to consider a few key elements when deciding upon your mark-up. To keep it simple, keep the following factors in-mind:

• Cost for the raw materials + labour cost + other cost (eg. rent, machinery, packaging, ect.)  = product/service base price
• Your base price is the minimum amount you can sell your items for while covering your cost
• How much are customers willing to pay?
• Is your product unique?
• What are your competitors pricing?

Example:

If you make jewellery how much will you price an earring and necklace set, that took you 45 minutes to make?

If the cost of the beads and finding your purchased cost $25.00 and you are paying yourself $15.00 per hour for labour and provide your customers with a jewellery book for their set. Consider the following;

Materials Cost = $25.00

Labour            = $11.25

Jewellery Box = $1.50

*Other Cost       = $2.50

Total Cost         = $40.25

*Other Cost; includes a percentage of your rent, utilities, website, online shop or cost for craft show, transportation, etc. 

You can price your earring and necklace set at $40.25 or you can "Mark-up" the price based on the quality of your product, its unique features, what competitors are selling similar products for, and most importantly what customers are willing to pay for your product.

The "Mark-up" is the additional profit you make that gets added to your business to support the growth and development of your business.

2. Method of Selling

It is crucial to identify your method of selling your craft. Where you are selling your creations will significantly impact the price by which you can sell the item. Take the time to visit the store, craft fair or online site that you are thinking of selling your creations and make a list of the prices of items that are similar to your own.

3. Target Audience

You will need to identify who you are trying to sell your craft to and where they will most likely buy your items. What is the nature of your buyer and what are their needs? What are they willing to pay for your creation?

4. Competition

Identifying who your competitors are and what they are selling similar products for is also crucial in your pricing. Identifying the quality, craftsmanship and unique features of their work, and situating yourself in the market. This also helps you to identify the unique features of your work and to find ways of standing out from your competitors.

5. Customer Service

What level of customer service are you offering. The time you invest with your clients and the care given to their needs will be a greatly appreciated. Customers are often willing to pay more for an item when they know they are receiving a quality product accompanied by quality service.

6. Raw Materials

The cost of your materials are simple items to include in your pricing. Keeping track of your raw materials and what is used for the creation of each item is important. If the same item is purchased at varying prices, perhaps taking the average cost is a method you can consider.

For example, if your purchased 5 meters of fabric at $14.00 per meter, but later returned and was able to purchase 5 additional meters of the same fabric on sale at $7.00 per meter; then perhaps the price of the material for the items you are making can be the average to the two. This will therefore make your fabric cost $10.50 per meter.

7. Labour

The cost of labour may be what you have to pay yourself or a contractor that you use to make all or part of your item. You may pay by the piece or by the hour. It is important that if you are paying yourself that you determine what rate your services are going to be valued at. Are you above minimum wage?

9. Fixed and Variable Cost

These are business expenses that you will incur during the course of doing business on a daily basis. Often it may be overlooked when pricing; however, it is crucial to factor in these cost into your items in order to sustain the cost of doing business. Regardless of how much you sell and how much you make each month, many of these cost (eg. fixed cost) are constant and must be paid on a monthly basis. Things like the rent for your workspace (eg. studio or part of your home), telephone, utilities, etc. should always be factored into the price of your items.

10. Packaging and Shipping

Your unique creations deserve the proper presentation. An investment in the way your creations are packaged and delivered to your customers are also part of your branding. This variable cost must be factored in when pricing your crafts. Your hand knitted cowl from organic wool, is a special item for which you are charging a higher price and the presentation is a factor in this.

I hope that this article helps you with your pricing and provides you with some key tips in successfully pricing your crafts.

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Today we will be discussing on Crafted Spaces Radio, The Challenges of Pricing; listen in here!  You are invited to add your thoughts on this topic.

8 Steps to Getting Organized

Getting organized and creating an environment that is clutter free can be a challenge. At one time or another, many of us have struggled with clutter, and some of us have mastered the art of staying organized. However, I find myself sitting somewhere in the middle and I am able to organize some things with great efficiency, while I have an un-going struggle with other things. To address this in my own life, I have adapted a system that I have found great success with and over the pass few weeks I have been discussing the topic on Crafted Spaces Radio in the segment: "Getting Organized: Steps to De-Cluttering and Organization"

Whatever your reasons are for wanting to get organized, there are a number of common elements. The following tips are great for tackling a number of organizing projects, but is especially helpful to those wanting to organize their home office or studio. 

8 Steps to Getting Organized

1) Identify Your Purpose

Look at the space that you will like to organize and determine what function you will like the space to serve. Access if the space works well for its' current purpose or if another location will be better suited.

• What will you like to get out of the space?
• What is your objective?

2) Take an Inventory

Take an inventory of the items you are organizing or the space that you are organizing. Identify the purpose of the items and it's continued usefulness. Place items into one of three categories; keep, maybe and to-go.

• Are there items that clearly do not belong in the space?
• What items are needed in the space for it to function well?

3) Gather Your Resources

Identify what tools or additional resources you may need to get things organized. What can you repurpose in your home or office to help organize items.

• Do you have adequate storage?
• What is your budget for purchasing additional items for getting things organized?
• How much of the work can you do yourself?

4) Categorizing

Remove items from the space and designate an area for the purpose of organizing them. If you are organizing a room, remove all the items that do not belong in the room for the purpose you have identified in Step 1. If you are organizing a closet, remove all the items from the closet. If you are organizing your desk or workspace remove all items from the space. Follow by organizing the items into the categories you identified in Step 2, automatically reducing your clutter by 1/3.

• What is the usefulness of the item?
• Is the item in good condition or does it require repairs?
• When was the last time you used the item?
• Can someone else benefit from using the item?

5) Eliminate

Donate items or take them to your local dump. Those items in the "Maybe" category will require your attention; therefore designate a time for sorting at a later date. Take the time to evaluate what items you need to keep for the purpose and function of your room or task.

• Is there a local charity that can benefit from some of the items you have?
• What is the safest way of discarding each item?

6) Reworking your Space

If needed, make additions to the space or move furnishings around for better use of your space. Add shelving, baskets, rubber containers and other items to store the contents you are organizing. Refer to Step 1 to guide you through this process.

• What items can you repurpose to assist with storage?
• Do I want to consider giving the space a complete facelift?
• How accessible does the items need to be in the room?

7) Everything has a Home

Create a home for everything. Every item should have a place. You can use labels to identify contents or use containers that make it easy for you to see its' contents at a glance. Labelling items properly will assist in helping to keep things organized.

• What type of labelling system will work best for the items you have?
• Do you need to identify the contents of your storage containers at a glance?
• Will using a colour coding system work for you?

8) Keeping Things Organized

Return items to there home after use. Create a system or a process for dealing with each item or activity. Keep it simple and easy to follow.

• How will you deal with new incoming items, such as mail, bills, inventory, craft materials, etc?
• Are you able to dedicate a few minutes each day to putting things back in their place? 

I also suggest that after you have gotten things the way you like it, that you access the effectiveness and overall functionality of your newly organized space or task and determine what works and what may require modification. You can do this evaluation after a few weeks or months. On a regular basis it might be a great idea to do this as a way of keeping things on track and ensuring that the changes you have made still meet your needs.

Resources
(Please visit again as more items and links will be added to this list.)

Pinterest Board - Organization and Storage

Getting Organized: Steps to De-Cluttering and Organization

I have done several posts on different aspects of getting organized and recently talked about the topic on Crafted Spaces Radio - "Organizing Your Creative Space." However, I really wanted to dig into this topic with a more in-depth look at how to get organized at home and at work.

If you are a designer and crafter like myself, perhaps you work from home and if so, this series will be very helpful as I take a look at how to keep things organized to improve your productivity.

Checkout my closet which has been transformed into an office nook!

Listen to the first of three Crafted Spaces Radio episodes in this series. I also invite you to visit my Pinterest board on Organizing and Storage.

Your Business Plan - A Clear Outline of Your Vision

by Yvette-Michelle Cottle Darby

Earlier this year Crafted Spaces was fortunate to have Dr. Cheryl Cottle of Cottle’ Professional Consulting contribute a post to our blog titled; Developing a Business Plan. This post was part of our “Business Tips” and has added great value to this section of our blog. This post however, is meant to further expand on the question; what is a business plan, and why do I need one?

The task of writing a business plan can be a “daunting” and rather time consuming task. It does require some research and the analysis of some data. However, the rewards far out weigh the difficulties. A business plan is more than just an intimidating, boring document, invented by people to make things difficult.

A business plan is an extremely valuable tool to you and your business. It is a formal statement of your business’s goals and outlines why you feel these goals are attainable. The plan also outlines how you plan to accomplish your goals and the tools available to do so. It is an invaluable tool as you shape your business, develop your brand and work towards getting your products and services to your target audience. A business plan can be utilized internally or externally. You can use it as a guide and reference for what you want to achieve and where you will like to go with your business. It is usually a required document when approaching potential investors.

You may say; well I do not plan on going to the bank or approaching any investors; so why do I need to take the time to draft a business plan? I simply do not have the time nor can I afford the time needed to dedicate to such a task. However, I suggest that you do not have the time not to dedicate to such a task. Think of it like this; taking the time to develop your business plan can save you valuable time and money while developing and growing your business. It by no means guarantees your success, but it goes a long way towards ensuring success. Further more, you do have an investor, yourself. A mistake that many small business individuals make is not identifying themselves as their biggest investor. Your biggest investor therefore deserves a clear picture of where your business is at, where you will like to go, and how you plan on getting there.

A good plan will accomplish several important things; assist you in developing a clear statement about your goals, helps you to take a look at the feasibility of your business venture and provides valuable insight into your industry and target audience. The process of writing your business plan is just as important as the plan itself, as the process allows you to think deeper into the various aspects of your industry and effectively develop the goals of your business and its benefit statement. A business plan can also be a valuable tool when bringing others on board and can provide them with a clear outline of your vision. This will allow others to be more effective members of your team and facilitate the growth of your business, by better tapping into the skills and expertise available.

Get started today on your plan. There is never enough time or the right time to get started, so dive in. Pay carful attention to “Cash Flow” and understand how critical it is to the success of your business. Be specific about how you plan on achieving results. Do the legwork and research required for learning more about your clients, competitors and your industry as a whole. Gain an understanding of where things are at and where they are going. Analyze how the industry currently impacts and or will impact your business. As an added word, seek help when needed. There are many government agencies and various websites available that will assist you in the development of your business plan. However, it is also recommended that the services of a professional be employed. It is also recommended to revisit your plan regularly and rework every three to five years.

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This post is written by Yvette-Michelle Cottle Darby and was previously published on cpcwib.ning.com - http://cpcwib.ning.com/profiles/blogs/your-business-plan-a-clear-outline-of-your-vision and CPC Women in Business blog.

Growth Through Collaboration

The topic of "Collaboration" has been surfacing around me lately and I wanted to address the topic as it relates to creative ventures.

The question is "What does collaboration mean to you?" I have had a few colleagues share with me their experiences with collaboration. Some experiences have been positive while for others have been described as a "nightmare."

When I think of collaboration, I think of all the individuals contributing to a project or venture and all parties being credited for their contribution and have the opportunity to benefit equitably. In a perfect world, we will be able to all agree on the terms and shake hands. Experience cautions against the "good old handshake" and suggest a more formal approach. When it comes to someone we have known for a long time or a friend or family member, we are often uncomfortable with taking what can be perceived as an impersonal approach.

However, regardless of whom you are collaborating with, it is always a good idea to consider the following:

• Outline the terms in writing prior to starting your project
• Clearly define how each person will be credited for their contribution
• Outline how each individual will benefit from the venture
• Protect your ideas and creative contribution by copyright or trademark were applicable prior to "shopping it around" (this protects everyone's interest)
• Have respect of each other's creativity and place adequate value on their contribution to the final product
• Acknowledge what each person's time is worth financially
• Be professional!
• Know when to "back-out" if needed
• Always ensure that you are speaking the "same language," it can be very easy for someone to genuinely misunderstand, based on their personal definition of the same words
• Value of each others talents and mutual respect is important

Over the years I have worked with others and I have had diverse experiences. I have found that respect is a great place to start and can go a long way. I also think that individuals who value their work can value the work of others. I have also had the misfortune of meeting individuals who have an idea and speak of collaboration, but who's objective is to be the only one to gain from the experience.

If someone works (minutes, hours, days, months, years) on shaping an idea or concept or contributes to its development and helps to bring it to life, they should be acknowledged for their contribution in a way that allows them to grow and develop from the skills and knowledge they have contributed. Each person's growth and development should be at the core of the collaboration. If only one person stands to benefit from the "collaboration" then someone ends-up with the short end of the stick. As an added note, "a work-for-hire," means you have walked in with everything in-hand and you have provided specific instructions with no expectation of creative input from the other.

I have been fortunate to find a handful of individuals who I can truly credit with the ability to collaborate. There are many collaborative projects that work well. The objective of this post is to emphasize, "no one is an island." We all have something of value to contribute to another, but the key word is value. Valuing each other and valuing ourselves will in my opinion always nurture a successful collaboration.

Share with us your experience with collaboration!

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Selecting Craft and Trade Shows

by Yvette-Michelle Cottle Darby

It is that time of year when many of us are getting organized in our studio and getting ready for another year of craft and trade shows. Perhaps you already have your list of events all lined up or are considering adding some new events to your schedule. Most of the show organizers are currently posting their new application packages and before long the application deadlines will be upon us.

Through my business Verona Collections I have been attending craft and trade shows for over fifteen years. Over the years I have done community based events, retail craft shows and wholesale trade shows. Most of the events I have attended have been juried. There are a number of shows that have built great reputations for themselves and they can be difficult to get into. However, don't despair, there are lots of shows to choose from and each have their benefits.

With so many shows to select from, finding the one that is right for you and your product can be overwhelming. To help you avoid the costly trial and error process, I wanted to share with you a few tips that have worked for me over the years.

Tips for selecting the right shows:

1. Start early in your search
2. If possible attend a prior show to evaluate if it will meet your needs
3. Request information from show management that will help in your decision making i.e. target audience, attendance, and other stats
4. Evaluate the full cost of attending the show; including, exhibit space, service fees, transportation, accommodations, etc.
5. If possible chat with someone who attended the show to get feedback on their experience
6. Enquire about what services and other resources are being offered by show management
7. What percent of your target audience attend this show
8. What price point are other vendors selling at

Join us at our NEW Crafted Spaces online community for a list of shows that might be of interest to you and your creative business venture. We also have available a "Show Evaluation" sheet that will help you with your selection process. Your comments and show suggestions are also welcomed and can be shared in the comment section of this post.