In addition to networking and activities that help us connect as a community of makers and business owners, the weekend will be chock full of speaker sessions, small business classes, panel discussions, and roundtables pertaining to topics that are particularly relevant to those of us in the world of craft businesses.
No watercolor experience required.
This class will outline which aspects of your business are the most important to keep track of, and strategies and suggestions for how to incorporate this into your everyday life so that you aren’t slammed with an overwhelming amount of work come tax-time.
We’ll cover why and how to track revenue, expenses (and which are deductible), business miles, home office expenses, and saving receipts. We’ll also have time for Q&A so bring your burning record-keeping questions!
with Lindsey Ross
Are you looking to sell at more craft shows this year? Are you having difficulty getting into shows? Kristen and Heather will do a deeper dive into a myriad of topics from applying to vending. We will cover everything from picking the right shows for you, to how to apply if you are an omnicrafter, to photo submissions, to what to do at the show itself (or what to do if you are rejected).
Kristen has been a craft show vendor for 30 years and an organizer for nearly 18 years. Heather has been working in show production with various groups for 15 years. We hope to answer a lot of questions, demystify some of the process and leave you feeling excited to get in the craft show game once you leave. We HIGHLY suggest taking Chris Guillot’s class, Merchandising for Craft Shows & Pop-up Shops, right after this class to feel confident in your game from start to finish.
with Kristen Rask and Heather Peek
Join me for an inspiring and creative workshop where you will learn the art of botanical printing and create your own unique Botanical printed scarf using the beauty of nature. In this hands-on workshop, you will discover the magic of botanical printing and learn how to transform natural materials into stunning and wearable works of art.
With Atenas Morales Aguilar
– Create a vision and plan for self-leadership in YOUR business
– Evaluate where you are now, and how you can improve the 4 vital areas of your business to help you know what to do next
– Learn how to start (or grow) a business even if it seems daunting, (but you want to start making money from your art)
– Learn how to get past the feeling of overwhelm when you think about the “business stuff”
– Learn a simple framework you can start using today to set up or grow your creative business
Students will learn various tools, techniques and skills in this beginner friendly class. A variety of designs will be available for tracing, then you’ll be guided through the use of beads, glass, apoxie sculpt, grout and a variety of mosaic tools to create a unique piece of art to display in your garden/yard, or to share as a gift.
With Barbara Henderson
Explore the magic of indigo dyeing with fiber artist Melissa Galbraith of MCreativeJ. Learn how to fold and bind fabric to create patterns and designs with indigo dye. You’ll love seeing the dye change colors, and your designs come to life! Each attendee will receive two cotton tea towels to create their own patterns and are also encouraged to bring additional natural materials to dye. This class can get messy, so please wear clothing you don’t mind getting a little dye on. If you are bringing additional items to dye, Cotton, linen, wool, and silk materials work best and please nothing larger than 3ft x3ft.
with Melissa Galbraith
~You’ll take those and set business goals you can actually achieve.
~You’ll make goals that are aligned with your values, not the stories we’ve been told about success.
~You’ll make a plan that fits in with the needs of your life and your business.
~You’ll learn an easy framework to overcome obstacles and manage your operations that don’t automatically make you the bad guy.
~And you’ll use that to create a healthy, healing work environment that will foster connection and community, as well as the best art you’ve ever made in your life.
Merchandising helps you attract someone’s attention and draw them into your space for a closer look. With well-displayed products, you can offer a memorable shopping experience and create additional value for your customers — both loyal and new.
Want to create an appeal that’s all your own? This class will teach you how to combine fixture placement, display pieces, and signage in a thoughtful and achievable way.
In this class, you’ll learn about important set-up decision and see example pictures that will help you:
– Distribute your booth or pop-up space
– Choose display pieces that are shoppable
– Select signage that encourages sales
Whether you know it or not, every creative action you take plants a seed. Many of us have founds ourselves living amidst verdant gardens, the fruits and flowers and forests of our creative seeds having been tended to. Some of us are just noticing the seedlings sprout, excited for what they will become. And yet others are sitting there with a handful of seeds, wondering how (or why) to begin.
This class is meant to examine–from historical, contemporary and highly personal perspectives–the ways that our creative efforts might benefit the collective, and why this is necessary. We will establish a new understanding of the power that we hold as artists and makers, and the importance of using that power to do good in the world.
Most importantly though, this class acknowledges the fact that we have all come together in this particular time and place, and uses the energy of that coming together to build something new.
With Chelsea Snow
– How to get your message and story clear
– How to establish trust
– How to plan smart navigation menus
– How to grow your mailing list
Are you looking to create a sustainable content strategy and plan for your business? We’ll be discussing your brand strategy (who you are, your mission statement), your target audience, the types of content you can create, and how to create a content plan.
With Emma Cortes Ellendt
Want to turn your business into a captivating brand that resonates with your audience and makes it unforgettable? This workshop is where creativity meets strategy! Get ready to uncover your unique story, infuse it with personality, and learn how to make it shine. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this workshop will give you actionable insights as we craft your brand narrative into a tale worth sharing. Let’s ignite your brand’s journey together – because your story deserves to be heard!
with Alisha Kumar
・Create easy to maintain templates for outreach and follow ups to grow and maintain retailer relationships without feeling sales-y
・Linesheets that convert
・How to strategically use platforms like faire/bulletin to grow your wholesale without losing money.
・Build a fully integrated wholesale portal through your Shopify website so you can grow your revenue and control the buyer experience.
・Explore the benefits and challenges of exhibiting at tradeshows so you can decide if they are right for you.
・How to use social media and email marketing to strengthen your wholesale strategy and tell your brand story.
・Audit: make sure your product offerings are priced and optimized for wholesale success.
with London Tierney
In this session, you will learn DEI definitions and establish a foundation for creating more inclusive content. We will cover social media best practices and how to weave accessibility into your content creation process. We will also discuss inclusive language and how to make more culturally sensitive short form videos. It doesn’t matter if you started your business yesterday or 10 years ago, inclusive content is for everyone!
with Simone McNish
Camp ThunderCraft wouldn’t be nearly as awesome without our generous sponsors! All these wonderful businesses are helping out in some way to make sure the weekend is super fantastic.