Bookshelf: Starting (or Expanding) Your Crafting Business

I checked out two ebooks by Meg Mateo Ilasco from my library: “Craft Inc. Revised Edition” and “Craft Inc. Business Planner.” The two go hand in hand and offer some great advice about turning your hobby into a successful business.

Craft, Inc. Revised Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Turning Your Creative Hobby into a Successful Business talks about developing your company (name, identity, products, and pricing plans) obtaining licenses, paying taxes, and where to sell your items (online, Etsy, craft fairs, wholesale, stores, etc.). The book is pretty detailed, so it would be good for those who already have a basic understanding of how to sell their arts/crafts. It is not a comprehensive guide, but has very good information and tips.

I enjoyed the Q&A with artists and business owners, but I would’ve like to see their pictures and examples of their work. I didn’t want to spend time looking up each of them online. I also didn’t like the overall lack of pictures and graphics.

Craft Inc. Business Planner is great for starting and expanding your craft business. The book walks you through the steps, helps you define your business, has useful charts and lists, and helps you plan out goals. “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” right?

What I liked about this book is that it gives you some business basics, but goes beyond that as well. It helps you map out product lines and prices, tells how to market your items with a press kit, and prepares you for trade and retail shows.

Since I didn’t have the physical copy of the book, my experience with it is a little different than what was planned for the reader. The description of the book is a planner that you can write in, that has pockets, and that has tear off pages for notes. This is great for keeping things organized and in one place! You have your business plan and ideas right next to checklists, tips, and information which can be essential for creating a successful, organized business.

Amazon has both books in stock if you want to purchase them or read more reviews.

I have a third book Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business by Meg Mateo Ilasco on hold. This is the Craft Inc. version for Photographers, Illustrators, and Graphic Designers who want to be freelancers. So if you are interested in one of these fields instead of crafting, this would be the version for you.