5 CHALLENGES YOU WILL FACE AS A HANDMADE ENTREPRENEUR

If you’re a handmade entrepreneur seriously thinking about turning your creative passion into your own business, you’re probably already aware that you’re going to face some challenges along the way. After all, nobody ever said entrepreneurship was easy right? But before you start getting discouraged by all the things that could possibly go wrong, we’re here to share with you some of the most common challenges handmade entrepreneurs face and some top tips and tricks for overcoming those hurdles.

 

5 CHALLENGES YOU WILL FACE AS A HANDMADE ENTREPRENEUR

 

RUNNING A BUSINESS TAKES TIME AWAY FROM YOUR MAKING

Pretty much every creative business owner dreams of spending all day every day just making beautiful things, but when you run your own business that just ain’t going to happen. As a boss lady you’re going to have to put in a significant amount of time drawing up business plans and proposals, keeping track of your budget and books, and dealing with things like marketing, web development, networking and sales. At some point you’re going to need to help, especially if you want to be able to get back to creating.

TIP: You may not be able to afford to hire full-time staff or a personal assistant when you’re just starting out, but you can probably afford to outsource some of your most time-consuming tasks, especially those that give you the most difficulty. There are lots of great freelancer sites where you can find web developers, writers and virtual assistants at very affordable prices. Some of our faves include Upwork, Guru and Zirtual.

 

YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

There are no two ways around it—if you want to compete in today’s world, you’re going to have to familiarise yourself with technology. That’s not to say that you have to teach yourself coding or graphic design, but you’re definitely going to need to know a thing or two about website platforms, social media marketing and maybe even online advertising. We know that it can be daunting at first, but we highly recommend putting aside some time to research a few basics about doing business in the digital world.

TIP: These articles on Website Builders, Instagram Marketing, Pinterest Marketing and Facebook Advertising can teach you the basic ins and outs of building a website and putting together a marketing plan. You can also check out our Resources page for tons of great platforms and apps you can use to get your online business off the ground.

 

MAKING AN INCOME IS GOING TO BE TRICKY AT FIRST

Having your own business is a great boost to the ego, but at the end of the day it’s all about bringing in the money. This is one of the biggest challenges that new entrepreneurs face, as there is no magic formula to raking in the dosh. Every business is different, and strategies that work for one brand may not work for another. Before you start funnelling your life savings into your creative business, we suggest sitting down and working out an actionable plan for selling and marketing your products and services.

TIP: There are plenty of options available to makers who want to sell their goods, so it’s all about choosing the ones that make the most sense for you. For example, you may want to create your own e-commerce site to sell your products online or sell them on already established online marketplaces like Etsy. You can also sell at craft shows and gift fairs. Another option is to become an expert in your field and sell content to other creative entrepreneurs or create an online course or workshop.

 

YOU CAN’T BE AFRAID OF MARKETING AND PROMOTION

You may have the most gorgeous products and website in the entire world, but if nobody knows about them then you’re not going to get very far. Marketing is key to getting your brand out there to the world, obtaining new clients and making sales. So many entrepreneurs make the mistake of shoving marketing to the back burner either because they’re too modest to big themselves up, they don’t know how to reach out, or they fail to create a consistent marketing schedule and plan.

TIP: If you’re looking for some marketing ideas, these articles on Pinterest for Business, Influencer Marketing, Email List Building and Visual Marketing Tools are great places to start.

 

YOUR BUSINESS CAN WREAK HAVOC ON YOUR WORK/LIFE BALANCE

The work never seems to end when you’re running your own business, especially in the beginning when you’re just trying to get everything in motion. You will probably find yourself working for hours on end, and even slogging away well into the evenings, especially if you work from home. This can have a huge effect on your relationship with your partner, social life and sense of well-being. It is important not to let your business overtake your entire life, and to make time for yourself and your loved ones.

TIP: As we mentioned earlier, outsourcing is a great way to free up some time that otherwise would have been spent on difficult and time-consuming tasks. We also suggest giving yourself at least one day off a week and scheduling in time for exercise, socialising and doing the things you love to do outside of work. Read more about finding a better work-life balance here.