Interviewing and getting to know other crafters and small business owners is a real treat for Melissa-n-Anissa the owners and partners of CraftyPlaces.com. Because we ourselves are business women and because we love to show our support for other business owners, we have interviewed Molly Mundt owner of BagsbyMolly.com. Molly is fantastically artistic!  Read a little about Molly and her business and visit her site, see for yourself how creative she is. Here are the questions we asked and the amazing answers she gave about where she started, where she’s headed, what excites her, and much more!

CraftyPlaces.com - Can you give us a brief history of Bags By Molly? (Where and how you started)
BagsbyMolly.com - - I love to sew and create, especially purses (which you can wear whether you gain or lose 5 pounds!) So, I started making purses for my friends and family
members.  They would then receive compliments on my bags and several people started to ask how or where they could get one of my purses. After several years of just word by mouth and handing out business cards, I thought it was time to test the internet.

CraftyPlaces.com - What differentiates your business from other businesses?
BagsbyMolly.com – All of my bags are completely customized and one of a kind. Whether you are looking for a small handbag or a large tote, I will find a way for you to combine a little bit of your style and personality with some of your most precious memories!

CraftyPlaces.com - What trends in bags, especially in hand bags and custom bags do you see developing over the next year?
BagsbyMolly.com - There is always a pressure to have the next big thing! Handbags are so incredibly popular right now and the styles are changing by the day. I am constantly looking for new handles, hardware and patterns.

CraftyPlaces.com - How do you plan on capitalizing on these trends?

BagsbyMolly.com - How do you plan on capitalizing on these trends?  I never get complacent with a design. One of my favorite aspects of this business is the ability to evolve and change styles.

CraftyPlaces.com - What new bags/products have you recently released or will soon be releasing?
BagsbyMolly.com – I am currently working on diaper bags. It has taken me a while to find the right look with the desired function, but I feel confident that my customers will be
pleased!

CraftyPlaces.com - What are your most popular bags?
BagsbyMolly.com - I
would have to say the Bags by Molly Original or the Bags by Molly Tote.  A lot of women like to carry their totes scrapbooking or to work and my original purse is the easiest to customize specific features.

CraftyPlaces.com - Can you tell us more about your bags/products and why gift givers or women in general would be interested in them?
BagsbyMolly.com - My bags require a couple of well thought choices to produce a time capsule of memories and love. Whether you have antique childhood pictures or a recent digital shot, each bag has the personality of the owner. People who have received my bags as a gift feel like her gift giver really focused on her and her style. It makes
them feel special!

CraftyPlaces.com - What advice would you have for other women who are just starting their own small business or thinking about starting their own small business?
BagsbyMolly.com - Stick with it! Be patient! Put yourself out there! Don't be afraid of being rejected! Remember that when starting your own business you are putting a huge piece of yourself out there for others to scrutinize. This whole process has really pushed me to stretch myself in ways I never imagined!

CraftyPlaces.com - What advice would you have for women who are trying to decide on a specific product and product line?

 BagsbyMolly.com - Always, always, always sell something you believe in! You are putting
your name and reputation on the line, so make sure that whatever you choose is of the highest quality with the best recommendation. Also, stay within your skill set and pick something you have and will continue to be interested in.

CraftyPlaces.com - Where would you like your company to be in 10 years?

BagsbyMolly.com – Keep the customers coming and happy. I would love to
say that I hope my company grows into a large business, but personally I don't want that. I love dealing with my customers and providing personal service to them. Maybe I should say, a hopping small business!

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Arts and Crafts, Business, Crafts, Home Business

One of the most important changes we can make is to take a more active approach in helping our customers of all interests and all skill levels preserve their memories, and help them to be more creative in their crafting talents.

Be friendly, know your customers names.  Encourage and inspire your customers and build or create an environment that your customers want to come back to and to get ideas from.  Show your customers how thankful you are that they have chosen you over all the other choices they had.

Tags: Business, Growing Your Business

[tag-self]Business[/tag-self] [tag-self]Growing Your Business[/tag-self] [tag-ice]Business[/tag-ice] [tag-ice]Growing Your Business[/tag-ice] [tag-tec]Business[/tag-tec] [tag-tec]Growing Your Business[/tag-tec]

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Business, Grow Your Business, Home Business

The first thing for every crafter who intends on selling their wares, is to be organized. Write down your creative ideas, go online or to local boutiques and see what others are doing. Do not copy, but merely see what types of goods are the most popular items. Altered crafts are always a great way to bring the old back to life in exciting and unique ways.

Make sure that you keep a notepad and pen at hand at all times, if you do not record your ideas right away, they may soon be forgotten. Create files for ideas, receipts, customer addresses, and supplier information. Make sure that whatever organizational method you use will be one that works the best for you and your particular business.

Stay on top of the industry. Be sure that you are a member of one or more groups whether online or offline that you can stay informed about craft business news. Online and offline publications for home businesses can help you to grow your business and gain insights into your craft business.

There are many online craft magazines and groups that have great information. Be sure to find the ones that suit you and are the most informative for your niche and general business.

Basic Craft Business Building Techniques

The more you know, the more you can do. Increase your technical skills and gain competitive advantages in the marketplace. Craft shops and schools usually offer courses in craft and art techniques. This is a good way to pick up tips for faster production methods.

Create and make products at home. By doing so, you will not increase your expenses and you can spend time with family members.

Before purchasing equipment and supplies, decide what you need to have rather than what you would like to have. Also, assess the time involvement, some tools that may not be necessary may save you time, therefore helping you to save money.

If working at home is not the best option, share costs with another craft person or persons, this may also cut the cost of new equipment. As a team or group you may find it beneficial to have someone who can give honest feedback and encourage you in your craft. As a team you may be able to order in larger volume and recieve bigger disounts from wholesalers. This is also a particulary good thing if you are renting a booth at a trade or craft show.

Use suppliers/wholesalers that offer credit terms of 30 days to pay for purchases. Many suppliers will extend you a month if you can come up with a few good references. Major suppliers should be approached with you being a retail store, in order to receive the wholesale discount. This is a fairly easy thing to do if you intend on selling any of the items seperately from your final craft and if you are teaching classes.

Be ready for good selling seasons. There are certain times of year when a larger inventory is a must in order to meet the demand. After each show you should make a list of what did and did not sell and what exactly you made as a profit versus your expenditures. Some areas and times of year are different so make sure you make a detailed record of what did or did not work.

When a customer wants a customized or out of stock item get the payment in advance. When a new boutique places an order ask for payment in advance or require them to pay C.O.D.

Always use contracts in all business arrangements. When working with galleries, designers, or large exhibitions, draw up agreements clearly defining all liabilities. Require purchase orders from stores. Many Office Supply chains and online sites have business and legal forms that can be tailored to suit your business.

Always be on the lookout for new shops, boutiques and trade.craft shows. If you find a new shop that carries similar crafts, but ones that are still different enough from yours, approach them about selling your crafts.

For Online Publications See these websites:

The Crafts Report - Online version of print magazine discussing all aspects of crafts business. http://www.craftsreport.com/

SAC News Monthly - Articles on craft business and promotions and reviews of craft shows: http://www.sacnewsmonthly.com

[tag-self]Crafters[/tag-self] [tag-self]Business Tips for Crafters[/tag-self] [tag-self]Small Business Owner info[/tag-self] [tag-ice]Crafters[/tag-ice] [tag-ice]Business Tips for Crafters[/tag-ice] [tag-ice]Small Business Owner info[/tag-ice] [tag-tec]Crafters[/tag-tec] [tag-tec]Business Tips for Crafters[/tag-tec] [tag-tec]Small Business Owner info[/tag-tec]

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Arts and Crafts, Craft Shows, Crafts, Home Business

At Crafty Places we are not only committed to providing you with quality articles, templates, patterns, supplies, ideas for all your crafting needs we are also committed to providing you with the best possible resources to flourish online whether you are in business for yourself or you just want to get noticed. We want you to come to our site to find inspiration for your crafts, but we also want you to find the best resources available to profit from your crafts online.

We know that having your own business online can be very intimidating especially when you are constantly being bombarded with false promises and "5-minute money-making cash machine" ideas. I mean come on, this stuff is not for real. If you want to truely be successful online whether you are selling your crafts online, you have products, or provide services it takes work, there is no magic bullet.

I started my own business almost five years ago as a web designer and out of a love and admiration for crafts I decided to start Crafty Places, bringing my offline passion online. Of course, I bought into alot of the hype thinking that some of this stuff I was reading was real and that if I just did EVERYTHING word for word that they said that I would be one of those people on those sites giving a testimonial about how they "made $5,000 in two hours!" Well that never happened, but I did run across a truely legitimate opportunity and I went after it. All my dreams of becoming successful online have been realized and I wanted to share this opportunity with all of you. It is real, it is work and it has become the best decision I have ever made.

I joined the RPM Institute and learned how to truely become successful online. Most importantly I found a lifelong business partnership for Crafty Places, because two heads are always better than one when it comes to having the best crafts website on the internet!

I hope you take a look at the RPM Institute, join and come back here and ask Anissa or myself any questions Submit@Craftyplaces.com about what we are doing to be successful online.

Tags: home based business, home business, work from home

[tag-ice]home based business[/tag-ice] [tag-ice]work from home[/tag-ice]

[tag-self]home based business[/tag-self] [tag-self]work from home[/tag-self]

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Home Business