7 Necessary Maker Business Fundamentals You Need to Implement-Yesterday!

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I am a firm believer in building systems. Go ahead and ask a few of my clients. I am always asking "CAN YOU BUILD A SYSTEM FOR THAT?"
Yes, even artists and makers can implement systems.

Yes, even  artists!

Especially for artists.

I am asking you to start thinking about ways you can streamline your business right now? It's time to simplify and build out your business so you are spending less time "managing" and more time creating.

As creatives we can sometimes struggle with a bit of ADHD. Well, at least I do. And being so, we can avoid the frustrations of being able to find a tool, or heck, not finding exactly what we need, when we need it.

Having these basic business systems already established will help us avoid that feeling. We're all a little absent-minded or disorganized like that sometimes—and with our ADHD brains efficiency can almost seem impossible.

I always feel better after creating some semblance of order out of chaos by building something lasting, like a business systems. It's how I deal with my own ADHD.

I get so frustrated if my office is a mess and I can't find what I need. It makes me unproductive and grumpy.

Is it time you set up some basic business systems so that you can easily grow, stay organized, and keep your sanity?

Building business systems will help you be more productive and creative too. So stop fighting uphill battles every day and immediately drive more personal success in your life and your career by introducing a few simple tasks that will streamline your process. Getting these important documents started will help you a lot down the road. Scouts honor!

Having a wildly successful artisan business starts with owning the future, believing you can do it, and implementing the systems you need to get there.

Putting some of these systems in place will only help you:

-Avoid that overwhelming feeling we can get as creative entrepreneurs
-Streamline your process and help you be more productive
-Save Time and of course money
-Build confidence in your skills and help you have a clear idea for what’s next in your business.

Every day, more and more people are turning to the creative arts for their livelihood. And with good reason too—artists can do whatever they want!

There is no need for a degree or certification of any kind. You just have to be talented, persistent, and willing to put in the hard work it takes to succeed as an artist. But there are plenty of things you'll need if you plan on making your living as an artist—these 7 necessities will help get you started off on the right foot or help you find balance again in your business:

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Create An Operations Manual For Your Handmade Business:

Your manual should include anything you need to run your business without you. This document includes contract templates, visual identity information, invoice and sales processes, social media info and passwords, Copy-writing information, access and location of photography, price lists, inventory, etc. Everything you would need to do business on a day-to-day...

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Hiring and Onboarding New Employees As A Small Business:

Start thinking about the way you want to welcome people to your team. For some, this may be a crazy notion but it's not!! Having an assistant, VA or another team member is not a crazy dream. Create a document that is easy to follow and outlines everything a new hire might need to be up to speed. This guide can welcome them and make them feel engaged, valued, and supported.

Perhaps you aren't in that place yet, to start thinking about hiring, and that is OK. Do you actually freak out a little bit when that thought hits your frontal lobe? It can be a daunting task but wait, hear me out. This might be something you need to think about for a minute.

Ask yourself why the thought of hiring someone makes you a bit queasy and uneasy? The answer might surprise you. And that, my friend, is a reason in itself to push through these exercises. If you are holding yourself back in business, doing these simple business fundamentals will help you see yourself and your business more clearly. Eventually, hiring won't seem so daunting, it will bring so much freedom.

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Create A Document For Your Sales And Pipeline Info:

If you are a serviced-based business or even a solopreneur (#artpreneur) you should still have a sales pipeline in place. Having a process in place to make sure you are engaging and communicating with people who, like what you do, is super valuable.

Make an outline for newsletters, emails, sales pipeline, etc. This is handy when it comes to hiring someone to do some work for you. Not only will they know what to say, but how you would say it.

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Commissions And On-boarding Document:

Do you accept commissions or one-of-a-kind projects?? Layout your On-boarding or sales process so that you have everything you need to make it go smoothly. Don't get hung up when the opportunity arises.
This document should include contracts, billing and invoicing, welcome email sequences, and more.

What will your process look like when you accept a commission? It's OK to set boundaries, expectations, and of course, give your customer a sense of what the plan is.

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Apply technology to your work and handmade business:

Applying technology to your business is a no brainer! Even as an artist we can take advantage of a few tools that make our lives easier, and our admin tasks a bit less daunting.

Organize and maintain your social presence without being overwhelmed.

Try Later or start using the technology available to set up and automate systems so you can be visible without being present. Use a project management system or use a tool like Trello to keep your ideas organized. Need something specific just send me a DM.

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INVENTORY YOUR SUPPLIES AND FINISHED WORK:

Create an inventory or document for all of your current supplies as well as your finished works. Seriously there is nothing better than knowing what you have and what is available.

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CREATE THE "PRODUCTIVITY" PLAN:

If you are an artist or maker it's time to think about how you can streamline your process so you can make more in less time. Create a document that outlines each of your products or artwork and how they are made. Every step. This way you can keep track and simplify your process. If you aren't making a "line" of goods and only create one-of-a-kind pieces either think about how you can simplify the process or perhaps it's time to do some batch work. There's nothing wrong with making more money in less time even when it comes to handmade artisan goods. ;)

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Need Help?

Are you ready to work on your business and simplify your systems so you are spending less time "managing" and more time creating? I would love to talk.

Book a free 45-minute strategy session and let’s get really acquainted, dig through the inner workings of your business and then I can give you some tools to quickly implement some of these business systems so you are ready to grow.

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