One of my goals this year is simple, but not easy: put myself out there more.   Actually, my entire plan for the year is to do this across all my pillars of focus, seeking and developing relationships and collaborations across licensing, wholesale, and design. Screenshot of my Goal Planner Trello Board Over the years, I’ve learned that the kind of opportunities you want don’t usually fall into your lap. You have to go after them. But it’s easier to think you’re just unlucky.

After 10 years of being a vendor at artisan markets and bazaars, I am more than familiar with how local markets are their own scene, and that every booth sets the tone for how shoppers experience that space. But, we’ve all been there, wondering why shoppers aren’t stopping... I recently asked a handful of locals what makes them walk right past a booth, and their responses were brutally honest in the best way.   Hearing what shoppers actually notice makes it way easier to set

Here’s the wild thing about being a product-based small business: while the rest of the world is sipping iced tea and soaking up the...