Business of Craft

Today our guest is Richard Parker, the President of Diomo Corporation, who has dedicated his career to advising and mentoring people who want to buy or sell a business. He has purchased and sold 13 of his own companies and understands firsthand the emotional journey that buyers and sellers experience. This is a very relevant topic in the craft industry as many of the businesses are independent and/or family owned. As owners age and are looking toward retirement, there is often a question of how to position the business for sale, or where to even find a buyer? On the flipside, for buyers, who often come to the industry as hobbyists and enthusiasts first, how should they assess a business for purchase?

Today our guest is Pamela Slim, celebrated author and small business expert who has dedicated decades to shaping and enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem. She is a co-founder of the KEH community lab in Mesa, Arizona, alongside her husband, Darryl. This innovative hub serves as a grassroots, community-based think tank dedicated to accelerating small business growth. Pam's insights and expertise frequently grace the pages of esteemed publications, including The New York Times, Forbes, and BusinessWeek. She has written several books including "Escape from Cubicle Nation," which was recognized as the Best Small Business and Entrepreneur book in 2009 and her follow up, Body of Work. Her latest book, "The Widest Net," helps you grow your business by connecting with customers outside your usual field of view.

Today we have John Li, the startup and co- founder of PickFu.com who believes in the transformative power of consumer insights to drive business success. Recognizing that better insights lead to better decisions, John advocates for frequent and in-depth market research. With experience spanning from tech giants like Microsoft to bootstrapped startups, he's witnessed the exponential benefits of well-executed market research and the pitfalls of ignoring consumer voices.

Today, our guest is Adrian Koehler, and we're jumping into leadership and how to use emotions in leadership to lead fearlessly. Adrian works with coaching leadership engagement and is senior partner at the executive coaching powerhouse, Take New Ground. They’ve worked with companies such as Lululemon, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream (which we LOVE at Stitchcraft Marketing) and Nike. Adrian has carved a niche in coaching executives and entrepreneurs alike. His goal is always to empower these leaders to bring out the best in themselves, rally their teams, and serve their clients in ways that not only break new ground but also infuse a deep sense of fulfillment in their professional lives.

Today's guest is Cathy McKillip, CEO and president of RETAIL PROFIT MAKERS, a consulting business designed to help independent retail companies maximize profits through better inventory management. Cathy has over 30 years of business and retail experience and sold her retail business after growing sales to a tenfold multiple in 10 years.

Today, we have a very special guest joining us, who refers to himself as a tax savings architect. Mark Myers is the CEO of Peak Profit Solutions, and a former Marine Corps Sergeant. Mark has over 20 years of successful business operation, ownership, and consulting experience under his belt. He has helped thousands of individuals increase their profits and permanently reduce their annual tax bills, enabling them to better grow their businesses. We're excited to have him on the show today to share his insights and strategies with our audience.

Today I’m excited to welcome our guest, Wendy Batten, also known as the Retailer’s Mentor. She is a coach, consultant and host of the podcast, “Creative Shop Talk” She also runs a membership group called the Retailer’s inner Circle. Wendy comes to us as a champion for small shop owners and creative business owners in particular. She knows firsthand the challenges of running a creative business and has overcome burnout to build a successful venture. Now, Wendy is passionate about helping others achieve their dreams, offering one-on-one guidance, signature courses, and live retreats. She’s bringing her years of business experience and warm approach to becoming a trusted mentor and coach for creative retailers and entrepreneurs all over the world.

Meagan Rodgers is an Account Manager at the agency with mad skills in the area of writing for SEO. She is a lifelong writer and former educator with a PhD in English. Like all of us at Stitchcraft Marketing, she’s a maker including embroidery, crochet, sewing, and knitting. She also publishes a writes for her website, craftculturestyle.com, where she writes about crafts in society. Today, Meagan is going to walk us through SEO. We’ll explore the ins and outs of SEO, including how it can help small craft businesses improve their website's search rankings, drive targeted traffic, and boost their online presence. We'll discuss the integration of SEO into various online platforms, such as websites, blogs, and social media, and how it can complement other marketing efforts.

Today my guest is Carly Brush, she is the General Manager of Arts and Handmade at Whatnot, a new live selling platform. Carly is an expert in live selling and she's here to share her insights on how it's changing the game for both retailers and customers. She's got a wealth of experience and knowledge in live selling, and she's going to dive into how it's transforming the shopping experience and why it's becoming a must-adopt strategy for retailers in today's competitive market. Carly’s passion for this platform and approach to retail is contagious, and we can't wait to hear her insights today. So, let's dive in and learn all about it.

Today's guest is Anneliese Johnson. Anneliese is on-half of the mother-daughter design duo behind Eye Candy Quilts, which focuses on quilt pattern and fabric design. Anneliese also has experience working in local brick -and -mortar quilt shops, and most importantly, she's also an account manager over here at Stitchcraft Marketing. She is an expert in influencer marketing and is here to share her insights today on influencer marketing and the crafting business sphere and how they can kind of both coexist and maybe learn from each other and of course support each other.

Today's guest is Jeffrey Madoff, an accomplished director, writer, and educator who has spent over four decades working in the creative industry. He is the founder of Madoff Productions a video production company based in New York City. He is also an adjunct professor at Parsons School for design where he teaches a course on his book, Creative Careers: Making a Living with Your Ideas. In his book, Jeffrey shares insights from successful creative professionals who have proven that you can be both creative and business-savvy. Jeffrey is here today to discuss the importance of breaking down the myths surrounding creativity and how anyone can reach their full potential in a creative career. Welcome to Business of Craft, Jeffrey Madoff. Business of Craft is a show designed to help entrepreneurs with fabric or fiber businesses become more successful. Our guests share best practices and teach effective marketing skills, that help crafty business owners learn to grow and scale. Let's start crafting a better business together!

Welcome to Business of Craft, a show designed to help entrepreneurs with fabric or fiber businesses become more successful. Our guests share best practices and teach effective marketing skills, that help crafty business owners learn to grow and scale. Let's start crafting a better business together! Today we welcome you to our kickoff for season six of Business of Craft. Leanne and Anneliese present our findings from the 2023 Craft Retailer Research project. The 2023 Craft Retailer Survey organized by Audience Audit and Stitchcraft Marketing included 923 respondents from April to May 2023. Respondents included manufacturers, distributors and retailers of craft products. The research has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Four distinct attitudinal segments emerged among respondents; these are groups of craft business owners who share a set of attitudes. The data that came out of this study is going to inform a lot of the shows we have planned for this season.

Today my guest is Lori Highby. Lori Highby is an accomplished entrepreneur and a marketing expert with over 20 years of experience in the industry. As the founder and CEO of Keystone Click, a digital marketing agency based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lori has been helping businesses of all sizes to improve their online presence and grow their brands since 2008. Her passion for helping businesses succeed in the digital age is a driving force behind her continued success. Lori’s knowledge and passion for helping businesses succeed in the digital age is a driving force behind her continued success. Today we’re going deep into the newest technological advancements, artificial intelligence and what it means for your business.

My guest today Jennifer Keltner has been a maker of things from a very early age. Her first truly independent crafting involved melting crayons in an Easy-Bake Oven. She’s passionate about all things fabric, quilting, embroidering, and sewing—always trying to squeeze a little “making” into every day. As President and Chief Visionary Officer for Martingale, Jennifer leads an employee-owned company with 45 years of book publishing history, now producing 36+ new titles per year.

Our guest today, Meg Goodman, is an award-winning podcast host and producer, and the founder and CEO of Flint Rock LLC an audio production company. Early in her career, she entered the world of advertising agencies managing notable Fortune 100 accounts. After 25+ years in advertising, including a stint running an agency, she returned to her native Chicago roots to create Pure Audio for her clients. When not writing, hosting, producing, or running Flint Rock she serves as an Elder in her church and volunteers for several philanthropic and civic boards. She been skydiving, has a black Belt in Hapkido, and enjoys scuba diving and riding motorcycles with her family.

DeAnna McIntosh is a business strategist and retail consultant at Retailing Evolved specializing in helping retailers drive sales and increase conversions in their business. In 2020 she founded Diversify Retail Inc to bring more attention to the issue of diversity in retailing. She joins our podcast today to give our craft retail listeners some special insights into future-proofing your business and how to be a disruptive retailer.

My guest today is my colleague Michelle Walker. She’s a Financial Strategist and an Account Manager here at Stitchcraft Marketing who began her artistic endeavor at a young age with painting and sewing. She’s a small business owner of Weaverwalker, an Eco-conscious macrame-focused DIY kit & supplies business on a mission to deliver the meditative experience of macrame to everyone's home. In May, Michelle is launching a new mastermind for Stitchcraft Marketing called Good Math, Smart Business to help crafty business owners really get a handle on their financial numbers. So, today we’re going to talk about math monsters and her philosophy which we loosely call profit first-ish.

My guest today Nichole Schneider is the founder and CEO of Coley International, a product development company for the craft industry. Nichole specializes in helping craft companies bring a product from concept to retail ready. She has over 20 years of buying, sourcing and product development and is an avid sewist and knitter.

My guests today are Morgan Huff and Jim Huff, Co-Founders at Impact Analytics Group. We're discussing data analytics and software that is compatible with most point of sale (POS) systems, such as POSIM, Shopify, and even LikeSew, to provide additional information that can guide your marketing efforts.

Mark Hyland is the CEO of Handi Quilter and former CEO of Premier Needle Arts. Mark has been involved within the craft and hobby industry for more than 18 years, manufacturing, producing and marketing of leading world wide consumer enthusiast brands found within Crochet, Knitting, Sewing, Quilting, and Longarm Quilting categories. Mark currently serves on several boards of directors within these segments both for profit organizations and non-profit organizations, including the National Quilt Museum.