BUSINESS OF CRAFTS
Workshop aimed at helping local craft producers create business model.
If you’re a hobby crafter and would like to make your pastime more business-oriented, a workshop being offered through the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design may be what you need.
The workshop is aimed at helping local craft producers understand the process of creating a business model and demonstrate the steps of how to develop a business plan.
It’s the first time this sort of workshop has taken place, Marcy Anderson, craft business development manager, said in an interview last week.
“It’s meant to develop emerging craft producers, established craft producers and people who are existing craft producers to help them build capacity within their businesses,” Anderson said. “It doesn’t matter what level they’re at, it can help them hopefully grow and make more money.”
The centre has a mandate for the educational, promotional and economic development of the craft sector in Cape Breton. There has been an ongoing effort to assist members in professionalizing their ventures and helping them advance their business skills.
“It’s taking something that might be a hobby for someone and turning it into a revenue stream for them,” Anderson said. “Having a business plan is really essential for anybody starting a business, not just craft producers, so it’s a great way for them to look at who their customers are, what their key activities are going to be, really look at their value propositions and figure out what it is that they have to offer that’s special.”
Those are important issues to consider, Anderson said, because it can be easy to be sidetracked.
The workshop will be limited to about a dozen participants but additional sessions may be scheduled if the need is there, she added. There has been good interest shown in the workshop from craftspeople working in a range of media, including jewelry, woodworking, knitting and weaving. They represent the broad spectrum of artisans working in Cape Breton, Anderson said.
“Hopefully they’ll leave with a business canvass idea,” she said.
The session will take place Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Centre for Craft and Design located at 322 Charlotte St. in Sydney and will cost $25.
For more information or to register contact Anderson at marcy@capebretoncraft.com or phone 902-539-7491 ext. 115.