Turning your creativity into a business might just be your saving grace for this pandemic. Many have been pushed to stay at home and that might have led you to explore new hobbies and interests. From candle-making and T-shirt design to self-care DIYs.
The global arts and crafts market is expected to rise at a considerable rate between 2022 and 2027. This is not really surprising considering many people love handmade products, especially if they’re of high quality. Etsy, the popular ecommerce company known for its handmade items and craft supplies, even doubled its revenue to $1.7 billion in 2020 alone.
If you have a hobby that you think would make a good business but you’re not sure if it’s the right choice for you, this article is for you.
How can you tell for certain if this business is going to be fun, profitable and worthwhile for you? Go over these 10 compelling reasons.
1. You work for yourself
You’re independent and you work for yourself. This means that you’re your own boss and motivation is no longer an issue. You’re following your vision and you’re in control of your own success.
It won’t be easy, and it will be a bit stressful but because you know that the business depends on you, you’ll be motivated and inspired to make each day count. You can do anything you believe will benefit your business and see it succeed.
2. You’ll be following your passion
As the saying goes “find your passion, and it’s no longer work.”
Most entrepreneurs start their business to fulfill their passion or love for a product or service. Starting your business and following your passion will bring you a kind of fulfillment that you won’t be able to get from working for someone else.
You run your business, so you can shape it to something that fits your preferences and turn it into something you’re proud to share with other people.
3. You don’t have to travel to work
Many arts and crafts businesses can be done from home. You could set up shop in a room in your home, garage, or attic. You won’t need to commute or even dress up for work. This will allow you to concentrate more on creating your pieces and will put less stress on your mind and body.
4. Monetize what you love
Starting an arts and crafts business is an exciting venture. You get to indulge in your passion while monetizing what you enjoy doing. With the internet, it’s easy to conduct market research and figure out what people want or need, and it’s also easier to sell your products around the world.
You can easily network and expand your business because of technology.
5. You continue to learn
As a business owner, you’ll constantly learn about things involving the business as well as your craft. As you grow your business, you’ll want to learn more about how you can be competitive, how to market better, how to make your products better, how to improve logistics and delivery.
You can take classes or learn from people around you. You’ll grow more confident and will produce better products that more people will grow to love.
6. You can wear anything to work
Since arts and crafts involve a lot of creativity, you’re free to wear anything you want to work. You can still have a professional wardrobe, but you won’t have to stress out about what to wear to work and if you’ve groomed yourself properly for the day.
Not only is this more satisfying and enjoyable, but you’ll also save lots of money.
7. You’re in control of your money
As a business owner, you’re in control of your finances and how much you work. This is a double-edged sword as you have to be business-savvy as well as stay disciplined for you to succeed. You have to know your worth and where you can expand.
Since you control your finances, always put your money in aspects of your business that will allow it to multiply.
Ultimately, there’s no limit to what you can do if you know your own worth.
8. It can supplement your income
You don’t have to quit your full-time job at once. You can manage your crafting business on the side until it fully takes off. At first, your earnings will just be supplementing your salary from your day job. But as you get more customers and orders, you may feel that you’ll have to dedicate more time to your crafting business and leave your job.
9. Many consumers are buying local
According to a poll, 61 percent of buyers shop at a local business because of the unique product selection. It’s also reported that the pandemic has driven over half of the consumers to shop locally. You’d be surprised how many people want to keep their money close to home and support local businesses.
10. You inspire others with your creativity
If you enjoy something, chances are there are others who will feel the same way too. It’s important to show your work. You have to put out quality products, but that doesn’t mean that you should know everything there is to know about the craft.
As we have mentioned earlier, owning a business is a continuous learning process. You will expand your knowledge, learn new skills, and be more experienced as time goes on. The important thing at the moment is to show people your work. You enjoy it which should mean it’s good.
5 Crafts Ideas to Sell
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Candles
Candles are one of the easiest products to source and sell. You can buy wax or dollar-store candles and melt them. Mix in crayon with the melted wax and design it the way you want. You can then repour it in a teacup or glass and place a wick in the middle.
You can find candle-making supplies online if you have more specific preferences. Make it more marketable by adding unique scents or flavors.
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Unique embroideries
Embroideries are making a comeback. But instead of traditional embroideries, try making them more unique and funky, like how statement T-shirts are. Incorporate something modern and unique into a traditional handmade craft.
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Custom tea blends and tea bags
You can make personalized tea bags. Tea mix can be ordered from your local store or online. You’ll also need coffee filters to put the blends in. You can sew it up or machine lock it in place, include a personalized tag and put it in a banded box.
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Marbled glassware
Many people are interested in sprucing up their kitchenware and are into collecting a variety of plates, glasses, and bowls.
Marbled glassware is easy and cheap to make. You just need nail polish and a tray filled with water. Put a drop or two of your chosen nail polish colors on the water, use a stick to swirl the nail polish around, then dip your mug or plate in.
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Paint splatter shirts
Paint splatter shirts are the new tie-dye. They’re fun and easy to make, too. You’ll need a plain shirt, acrylic paint or fabric paint, paintbrushes, water and something to cover your surface area with.
Mix the paint with water until you get a consistency that’s similar to honey. Put the shirt on a level surface and make sure to cover the surface with newspaper or tarpaulin to keep the paint from splashing everywhere. Next, dip the brush into the paint and flick it onto the shirt. You can splatter it however you want, it all depends on the look you’re going for.
Follow Your Passion and Share What You Love
Knitting, candle-making, or pottery, you have multiple options on what products to create for your business. There’s no set formula on how to do things right, though you can study those who came before you or those who are operating a successful business around you to learn about what they’re doing right.
Innovation and creativity are important to a successful arts and crafts business. As you take on this challenge, you’ll encounter hurdles. But at the same time, you’ll also benefit from exciting opportunities and a chance to grow yourself, your business and your passion.
