🎯 The small business magazine for Canadian makers and creators
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👩‍💻 By Kat Tancock and Corinna vanGerwen
https://www.workshopmag.com/how-to-get-grant-funding/
We're pleased to be partnering with Craft Ontario this fall to present a webinar on how to get grant funding. Come join us on October 25!
October 25, 2023 | Join Workshop and Craft Ontario as we welcome ceramicists Naomi Clement and Heidi McKenzie to share their expertise on applying for and receiving grant money.
🫶🏼 Do you want to build an ethical handmade business that makes more money and reaches new customers?
Join Workshop and guest speaker Deb Alcadinho, founder of Business4SocialGood, for an inspiring presentation on the concept of a “higher purpose” and how defining it for your business can help you grow and evolve — and achieve your goals. 💪🏼
In this virtual webinar, Deb will dive deep into the “why” behind your creative business. She’ll discuss the role of “higher purpose” and in building an impactful, profitable and ethical business that creates meaningful connections with your customers. Get ready to be inspired and equipped with practical tools and strategies to take your business to the next level.
We’ll discuss:
✅ The “why” behind your business;
✅ The concept of “higher purpose” and what it means for you;
âś… Why social impact businesses have value for customers; and
âś… Steps to get you started on building an ethical, profitable, impactful business that customers want to support.
Find out more >> https://www.workshopmag.com/event-building-an-ethical-business/
"I want other knitters and fibre artists across the country to understand all the amazing sheep breeds that are out there, how they’re connected to different land bases, and how that can inform their practice."
In her new book Sheep, Shepherd & Land, the yarn store owner turned farmer profiles people from coast to coast who are revitalizing the Canadian wool industry.
https://www.workshopmag.com/featured-members-tracey-and-ali-infiknitlove/
We love our members, so every month we feature one of them on the site and in the newsletter. This month, our featured member is actually two members: Tracey Girma and Ali Smith, partners in knitted goods business Infiknitlove. Here, the pair gamely answer all our questions about their work and their life.
Workshop members Tracey Girma and Ali Smith chat about their path to business, their dream studio and their top-secret upcoming project.
If you’re into embroidery, you know Kiriki Press. Owner Michelle Galletta has been in business for about a decade now, selling her adorable animal doll kits alongside necklaces, hoop art and supplies at both markets and retailers.
One aspect of Galletta’s business for a number of years has been her sampler club, a popular subscription business that sent quarterly embroidery kits to fans near and far. As she phases out the sampler club to focus on new projects, we thought it was a good time to get her perspective on the pros and cons of the subscription model and her advice for others who want to try it. Here’s what she said.
Michelle Galletta of Toronto’s Kiriki Press chats about her now-retired embroidery-kit sampler club and what she’s doing next.
"When you get boxes or tape piling up, it’s not a good feeling," says Emma-Love Cabana of Three Sisters by Emma.
"I think anything to lighten that load helps people in a small way."
Beader Emma-Love Cabana from Three Sisters by Emma shares how she integrated compostable stickers, labels and tape into her shipping workflow.
Markets are the lifeblood of many maker businesses, which often do most of their sales at these shows. To take full advantage of this vital sales channel, it’s important to create a space that draws customers in. Because let’s face it —if they just walk on by, they’re not going to buy.
To gather some inspiration for your next booth design, we walked the floor at Toronto’s One of a Kind spring show. Here are the booths we liked and what we liked about them, plus the Best Booth Design Winners as selected by OOAK.
Amidst aisles and aisles of sellers, how do you stand out from the crowd? These makers each created a craft market display that gets shoppers to stop and take a closer look.
There’s nothing like a good podcast to keep your mind engaged while your hands are busy making product or packing orders. And there’s nothing like word of mouth for the best podcast tips. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some favourite podcasts as recommended by members we’ve featured. Add your own suggestions in the comments!
Get tips on what to download next to fuel your busy days.
Join us for Show & Tell, a casual meet-up to share what you’re working on, get feedback on business problems, chat about discoveries and insights, and meet other members.
"Workshops are a huge tool for reintroducing and reclaiming our Indigenous art," says Dawn IehstoseranĂłn:nha Setford of the Indigenous Arts Council of Canada.
"A lot of our original art forms, anything from beadwork to clothing, are born out of needing tools or spiritual items, or for expressing our spirituality. This is a huge part of what goes missing when mothers are broken and children are broken. The family unit and the community fall apart, and that learning stops. That’s what I was looking to repair."
Dawn Iehstoseranón:nha Setford founded the Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada to help Indigenous women reclaim their culture, connect with each other and turn their artistic skills into a source of income. Here’s how she did it.
Meet Vikki Wiercinski, this month's featured member!
Workshop member and graphic designer Vikki Wiercinski chats about her favourite podcast, her first-ever sale and the product she might bring back from the dead.
As attendees of our February 25 event learned from lawyer Czarina Pacaide of Anahaw Law, there are several intellectual property rights that apply to handmade businesses. These laws can help you ward off copycats and thieves from stealing and profiting off your work.
Here’s the lowdown on what Pacaide discussed, with some extra details from the very informative website of CIPO, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.
Here's an overview of the Canadian intellectual property laws we learned about during our February 25th virtual event with lawyer Czarina Pacaide. Plus, watch the replay!
"If somebody claims to be anti-racist, it means that they’re actively donating to communities, or working with communities to help them rise," says Amrita Aggarwal of Bakau Consulting.
"A lot of the BIPOC communities — Black, Indigenous and people of colour — are the ones who’ve been disadvantaged. So if you have privilege, devoting some time to being anti-racist is actively working to give your power and privilege to somebody else."
Amrita Aggarwal of Bakau Consulting in Vancouver shares tips on how small businesses can build anti-racist practices into their everyday operations.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how to improve your DIY photo set-up from Tiu Tabak of Kinsfolk Shop in Guelph, Ont. >>
A behind-the-scenes look at how to improve your DIY photo set-up from Tiu Tabak of Kinsfolk Shop in Guelph, Ont.
Is the one-person-show routine getting to be a burden? A virtual assistant might be able to help. Here’s what they do and what to look for when hiring one.
Meet Edwin Fong, this month's featured member!
Workshop member and doodler Edwin Fong tells us about his dream studio seating, his reading recommendation and his biggest achievement of 2022.
**** New event alert! ****
Have you ever been scared that someone will steal your work? Or that someone else will accuse you of stealing theirs? Or are you just curious what legal rights you really have as you design and sell products and build your business?
In this Zoom session, British Columbia–based lawyer Czarina Pacaide of Anahaw Law will walk you through the differences between copyright, trademarks and patents, and answer your legal questions about how to use them to protect your business. The session will cover:
- When and how to use copyrights, trademarks and patents in your handmade business and why you might want to.
- How to stay on the right side of the law when you’re “borrowing inspiration” from others.
- Things you can do if someone copies your work or (eek!) accuses you of copying theirs.
- Key steps to take toward getting your legal affairs in order so your work and your business is protected both in Canada and beyond our borders.
Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to ask your own questions!
More info at the link >>
February 25, 2023 | Join Workshop as we welcome lawyer Czarina Pacaide of Anahaw Law for a live virtual session on what you need to know about copyright, trademarks and patents as a small-business owner.
How do you know if the One of a Kind Show is a fit for your business, and what’s involved in applying and getting in? We spoke with Valérie Roy, One of a Kind’s director of sales and recruitment, to find out.
Plus, we’ve gathered show tips from vendors who’ve been there.
Got suggestions of your own? Please share them in the comments!
Have you got this massive craft market on your list of potential sales venues? Our guide – and expert tips – will help you decide if it’s the right fit for you.
Just like getting your first business cards printed, having branded packaging does wonders for making you feel like your company is “real.” The true benefit, though, is being able to present your brand in a more professional way and build a better unboxing experience, which can increase brand recognition and help with sales.
But when you’re small, custom-branded boxes, bags and mailers can feel out of reach. Large retail-packaging suppliers often require minimum orders of thousands of pieces, meaning you have to lay out lots of cash for ribbon or hang tags that you’re just not sure you’ll use up. (Never mind that you’ll have to find the space to store it.)
Luckily, there are options to help you graduate from printing out tags on your home printer and using plain off-the-shelf mailers. You can start out with something as simple as a sticker or rubber stamp of your logo added to a plain box, or go for a fully customized printed piece. To help you get a professional look, we want to share a few Canadian suppliers with low minimum order quantities (a.k.a. MOQs). Your packaging is going to look so good!
Think bags, boxes and mailers emblazoned with logos are just for big companies? These suppliers offer plenty of options for small businesses.
Want to reduce the taxes you pay? (Yeah, you do.) This free download will help you make sure you don’t forget to account for any of your eligible deductions.
"I’m the first to admit I’ve undercharged for custom tapestries and macrame work," writes Cornelia Laughlin of Corimai's. "It’s probably happened to most of us at some point. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are seven key things to include in your future custom quotes."
Read more >>
Someone's asked you to make them a custom piece — great! But how much should you charge, and what goes on your quote? Here are some tips.
Meet Lisa Pijuan-Nomura of Studio Beulah, our latest featured member!
Workshop member, collage artist and all-around creative person Lisa Pijuan-Nomura chats with us about residencies, round-number birthdays and her "mouse hotel" conversion.
Don’t know a deduction from an expense from a writeoff? That’s okay, because they’re all the same thing. What matters is that you know what counts as one and how to keep a record of it.
One Workshop member recently asked us: What is a tax writeoff and why does it matter? We chatted with Canadian bookkeeper Jayne Dykstra of Zetique Bookkeeping for her advice.
We all pay taxes, but you might not need to pay as much as you have been. Bookkeeper Jayne Dykstra fills us in on what counts as a business expense and how — and why — to keep track of all those receipts.
As we rest and reset with our families and loved ones (and try to find time for some fresh winter air), we hope you’re able to do the same.
Here’s wishing you good health, some quality sleeping-in time and a 2023 that brings you joy and fulfillment.
From seeing you face-to-face to awards nominations(!), we share our favourite moments of the year, plus our 5 most popular articles.
How do you balance parenting and running a small business? It's not easy, but Gemma Smith has a few ideas >>
Quilter and small-business owner Gemma Smith shares eight principles that have helped her juggle motherhood and entrepreneurship.
Whether you’ve got a creative entrepreneur on your nice list or are dropping hints for presents you’d like to receive, consider adding one of these useful and inspiring books to your shopping list. They’re just the thing for an introspective January that will start the year off on the right foot.
Time management, creativity, finding meaning, connecting with community, making a difference and getting things done: these inspiring and useful reads cover it all.
We love our Workshop members, and we love the things they create! Check out this gift guide featuring some of our members' products >>
Workshop members make some amazing things. Here's a sample of them for you to shop for the holidays or anytime.
Including a bit of link-building into your overall marketing strategy is not an onerous task, and it’s one that can have huge rewards. Here are some steps to follow.
A link to your website is a vote of confidence in the eyes of search bots. Here’s how to build them into your SEO strategy.
We all know that shipping isn’t actually free, nor is it cheap — especially in a country like Canada, with big distances and big fuel surcharges to match. So what’s a small seller to do?
Shoppers want it and platforms want it, but free shipping isn’t actually free — it comes with a cost to the seller. Here are some things to think about for your own online store.
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