🌷 Shop Talk: 1 Year Review of my Small Business! 🌷 Sources of Income, Crochet, What I've learned...
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- Опубликовано: 8 май 2024
- Hello all! This is yet another ramble-y talk talk talk kinda vlog, so get some tea and a snack!! I haven't uploaded one of these shop reviews in a while, but it's been a long time since my last shop talks and I wanted to briefly go over some of the changes since I started my business just over a year ago.
I ended up talking for almost 40 minutes but to be honest I still have so much more that I've learned and wanted to talk about! It's a pretty boring video style, so let me know if you want to know more about anything in particular and I'll do my best to make it! From taxes, shipping, expenses, logistics for travel and artist alley, my thoughts on social media and growth, etc.
I also wanted to say thank you for all the support this year! I started my RUclips Channel also about a year ago and have been having lots of fun with it. I'm still in my experimental stage of what I want to do with this and the type of content I want to pursue, so your feedback is appreciated!
Thank you!!
🌼 🌼 🌼
Leave a like if you enjoyed the video and don't forget to subscribe to follow my journey as I learn more about the market/craft fair world!
🌼Instagram🌼 @madewithapril
/ madewithapril
🌼Online shop🌼
madewithapril.com
🌼Etsy (Crochet patterns available here!)🌼
www.etsy.com/ca/shop/madewith...
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Girl don't give up, I love watching your chaotic videos and flowers you make, they are wonderful. You say how you look up others and admire their work etc but there are so many people that do the same and look up to YOU. You are fantastic! Sending love for Europe. PS pleaseeee pet/scratch April for me
😭😭🩷🩷🩷 thank you omg I appreciate that so much, thank you for the support!! (Petting april on your behalf RIGHT NOW)
@@madewithapril ❤
You are my favorite market person to watch on here because of your personality 🥰 Thanks for making such great videos!
🙈🩷🩷 omg stop ✨️ thank you ahahah
You rambling like this was one of the reasons that’s drawn me to your channel. I run mostly faceless accounts, but I still find ways to engage with my audience by answering their questions and interacting with it in my videos (not on this channel I’m typing with but different ones) and what I like about these rambling videos of yours is that you talk about your struggles and open up about the not so pretty side about running a crochet business which I find to be very relatable and even comforting since I also struggle with running my own crochet business too. I think documenting your authentic journey and having sit down rants/chats like this is so fun. I personally would like more of these types of videos. That said, I do hope things will go well for your business, and I already watch your content for you so if you put more of yourself in videos it wouldn’t change a thing 😁
OMG you spoke the truth 🙌🙌 Many small crochet biz owners do not see how creating a pattern to the product they are also trying to sell is not the best route for your biz. Especially if you are finished piece seller. On another note, I have enjoyed watching you since you started and hope you create the "brain space" you need ❤❤
I definitely got so confused by that part of it when I was starting out, why was everyone selling the patterns and the finished product at the same time? :S
Hello! Love your videos! Definitely share more about yourself! I like your personality and it definitely keeps me coming back to your videos and I consistently choose yours over bigger creators that do crochet because of your personality! I loved your plant and aquarium vlog! These are also hobby’s of mine!
I follow exactly 3 crocheters because there are SO Many of them right now. You are one of those three because I like you as a person. And your brand is already "made with april" so you could make anything and I think people would still follow you. Just gotta find what you love. Also TFT WOO!
😭🩷 omg this means so much to me, thank you so much!!
Looking at your shop, you can definitely increase your prices! I thought everything was five or $10 less than I thought it would be
Having a helper at events with lots of people, not only helps to streamline sales transactions, but also makes it harder for people to steal things. That extra pair of eyes watching really makes a difference.
Ahh totally true!! I look down all the time when I'm wrapping flowers or mid-transaction so it makes it hard to keep track of stuff
Hi Tina, I’m not sure you’ve realised, but you are already your brand! I’ve been watching your videos for a long time to watch you! Your personality, creativity, chaos and everything combined is what makes your videos so entertaining and I feel invested! I also watch uncomfy, and I think you can easily go that route too.
Ps: you could change your creative outlet and start painting fences and we would all be down to keep watching lol
HAHA omg thank you so much I appreciate this a lot 😭🩷 I thought about it a lot and binge watched some more uncomfy videos since making this video and I think it really is just not my style 🐟 I want to do more high quality videos but in a way that still is /me/
So not sure how to do that
Yet
HAHA I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually
Thank you!! (Ps painting fences sounds kinda fun HAHA)
@@madewithapril I agree that uncomfy style of videos isn’t your style, but that’s what makes you both unique! And I think you would both draw the same type of audience (creatives, creatives with a small business, vlogging). I think you just have to keep doing what you’re doing and trust that everyone who supports you will come along to support no matter what!! ✨✨You got this!! 🌸✨
Ahh life has been very taxing lately for me as well. I think there's an understanding of where you want to be vs where you are; the only way to get there is to keep pushing yourself, but there's a limit. It's hard not to burn out, especially with how much you create. I appreciate how honest you are about your struggles and how tiring it all gets. Ive been trying to get my business off the ground and have found your videos to be informative and inspirational. I'm excited to see what you make ❤️
I really relate to you and appreciate when you’re honest about your anxiety. That’s one of the reasons I subscribed! You come off very friendly, creative and genuine. I say post whatever the hell you want! We will support you. 😊🩷
😭🩷🩷 thank you friend 🫶🏻
fascinating video, thank you for being so transparent ☺☺
Glad you enjoyed it!
Loved watching you rambling, I managed to crochet a pair of micro earrings while I was listening to you. You should try to make micro earrings, they are super cute and no stem needed! Make 2 small flowers, add the findings, rub fabric stiffener on the flowers. Dry overnight, hang onto an earring display card. Also, they are very light and easy to take to markets. I sell mine for £10 a pair, sunflower earrings are very popular. What are your bestselling flowers?
Love the fabric stiffener idea, I might have to try that instead of some of the smaller wire appendages on flowers! My best selling flowers are definitely sunflowers and lavender!
You inspire me… SO MUCH! Please don’t stop!!!!!
Thank you!
I love this vlog and your flowers are so so so beautiful❤
Thank you so much!!
I love your energy and vibe! And I look forward to your videos 😍 keep going sistah!
Thank you so much!!
Please post more of YOU! I follow you because of you and the crochet flowers are just a bonus. You could do more weekly or day in the life vlogs if those are somewhat easier to film and edit. I watch for comfort content to turn my own brain off. 😆
Thank you for sharing your experiences! You’re one of the few people that inspire me to crochet and hopefully I will have the courage to do shows and markets one day. ☺
oh my goodness I'm honored to be able to inspire you, thank you!! It's scary at first, but you don't know if you like it until you try it! Thank you!!
omg i was literally just binge watching ur vids and u uploaded lmao
HAHA omg thank you 🙈🩷
I just want to say I love your youtube videos and feel like Ive gotten to know you as a person outside of crochet so if you ever switched to something else, I would still watch your videos for you as a person! I love how honest and real you are in your videos and I've lowkey started filming myself vlogging my crochet stuff cuz of you! (No yt video yet but maybe in the future haha) I've been podcasting your old videos a lot while crocheting and its so nice to watch someone from Canada go to art conventions that I've heard of/go to and hear about similar struggles and stuff as a Canadian!
Also congrats on plat in TFT!
that means so much to me :') thank you so much!! I feel like vlogging is along the same lines as journaling for me, so I hope it can help you too with watching your own progress in crochet!
I love your ramble-y talk talk videos and I agree with you I love Uncomfy also watch Smeeny in the wild.
Haha thank you!!
Hi, first I love the flowers I bought from you online. Second I think having limited edition collections will drive more repeat business and more business to your website. You can make as much stock as you want before hand and then schedule a drop or have market exclusives. I hope you find this helpful!
That's definitely helpful! I think I need to adjust my business model to be more like that. Thank you for the support 😭🩷
I love these vids from you! (fellow person who spends a lot of time thinking about how to be more efficient/use less brain space and winds up being less efficient and using more brain space because of that lol) I follow a lot of fellow crochet business owners but your vids are ones I always watch first because I love the vibe. Down for any new venture and infusion of more you in your vids ❤
I have been on a binge of artist alley videos and you thankfully popped up. I really want to support small business people. Personalities is what separates you from Big Brands, and people getting to know you from videos like this. I will be eagerly awaiting June (even though I'm sure i'm going to get killed by shipped costs to the US. But it'll be worth it i'm sure)
omg thank you so much :') I appreciate that!!
i felt you so hard on the beige moms thing. it's so hard to vibe with people at a general craft market which is why i've been looking high and low for more niche events D:
I used to try to adapt to their aesthetic but I just don't love it as much as I love doing my own thing 💀💀
I love your videos!!! I enjoy watching yt videos while crocheting, and you are by far the best creator🫶 I was wondering around about how many flowers you make in a day? Btw tell April and Taco hi from me:)
Ahh thank you so much!! It depends on what kind of flower but normally I make parts in one day, and then assemble them all a different day. So I never end up doing it all in one day! Doing it like this let's my brain focus on one aspect of it at a time and let's me work faster. I think for simple designs like lavender I could probably make 100 a day easy! For more complicated patterns it's hard to say - for example I could probably crochet enough parts for 100 cherry blossoms in a day, but the assembly would take far longer.
Thank you and I will definitely tell them 👀🐈⬛🐕✨️✨️
Hello, I live in the US, in California to be exact. I want to order flowers from you, but I am horrible at choosing which flowers to put together. I crochet too but I do not do flowers. I am intimidated by the process, and I prefer to get some from an expert like you. You had mentioned that customers get overwhelmed with choices but pre-made bouquets do not sell well. I know you are trying to avoid using too much brain space, I can totally relate...LOL. But when you have some time, if you put together some simple examples for online and in person, I think it will help shoppers like me. I just never know what flowers should go together. It will help get a visual of how some will look, and I can then use my imagination to figure out which ones to swap out and how it will look. A base line will help out so much though... Btw...love your channel and am a fan of yours :)
Thank you so much!! I might consider trying this again when I reopen my shop, and maybe for in person events as well!
Ahhhhh this video was so cuteee the way it was unedited, going on tangents and just yapping (in the nicest way possible Iove yapping lol) felt like I was catching up w a friend
HAHA omg im glad thank you hehe (also my rank has since tanked HAHAHAH)
You could sell bouquet sets that aren't really premade? Like you would assemble them as the orders come in instead of having multiple of the same premade bouquet just sitting in a corner
Your rambling was really relaxing ahaha
With the decision paralysis at markets, maybe you could make 2 or 3 buquets at the market with the ones you already brought? It could serve as a ready buy or an example!
Hope youre enjoying your restock time~
Thank you!! I am definitely enjoying my break. Someone at my last con suggested a little graphic of some pre-set combinations! I might have to try printing that off as a graphic.
Thank you!!
I feel you on the brain space lmao sometimes having too much variety is mentally exhausting and draining 🥴too many things to keep track of lol
I remember at the beginning I was trying to sell a bit of everything and keeping track of it all was so much omg
I love your videos!! I relate to the rambleiness lol. I totally relate to the whole pattern thing. I make paper flowers and I hate making patterns. There are zero technical terms for paper flowers so it makes explaining very hard. I just want people to pay for my time and experience designing and making them. Another frustrating thing about patterns is people leaving low ratings bc they use different material than what the pattern calls for?? Like hello? 😭 Anyways, I think everyone in general shouldn't beat themselves over profit rn with how bad the economy is. I'm sure many people are penny pinching for the essentials, myself included 😔 It's just hard out here and we can only do our best without running ourselves into the ground as artists. ❤ Wishing you the best for your next cons!!
I never thought about that part with the paper flowers - it's gotta be so hard to translate instructions for that !!
Totally true about the materials too hahaha
Thank you for all the support!! We just gotta do our best out here!
Hey Tina, can you please make a video about your flowers and where we can find the patterns (i love your video's ) thank you.
Hi! They're all my patterns and the ones i have patterns of are on my etsy!
@@madewithapril Ok thank jou.
hi, u have a nice personality. Some thoughts-- Can you make Kanzashi (flower hair accessories). Could u branch to different materials besides crochet? I appreciate your allegiance to handmade products-and ur customers will appreciate this too.
Thank you! I've never made hair accessories like that but it might be fun to try out! i definitely want to try different materials beside crochet at some point. Thank you!
Where do you buy your supplies like the boxes for shipping , paper and supplies for bouquets?
ULine!
@@madewithapril thank you 😊
Hope April is doing well.
She is doing well, still waiting for the cardiologist to call back (somehow they take so long for a referral omg) but we will wait until then to see!
brainspace - I call it RAM like a computer lol
HAHA I'm gonna call it this now
@@madewithapril and don't forget to clear caches and cookies (clear your head) at the end of the day :P
I think we all think these things as creators. How can I make maximum amount of money while still enjoying my craft?! Branding yourself is the way to go. Look at some celebrities. We buy their products just because it has their name attached to it. It doesn’t matter what it is. lol
This is definitely something I'm working on, but sometimes i feel like I'm just not eloquent enough or have the same aesthetic as my art 😵💫
@@madewithapril You’re funny and unique and real. I’m sure that’s why people watch you now! I watch crochet and small business videos because I have a small business, but the most interesting parts are seeing people’s lives.
What breed of dog is that?? 🥺🥺🥺❤❤ so cuuute!!
He was supposed to be a cockapoo but he's definitely not LOL I think we technically got scammed but hes so cute we're okay with it bahaha
Hi! We sent you an email! ☺ Have you seen it? Looking forward to hearing from you! 💖
Hi! I already replied to it! 😅
Have you considered trying to get a business grant ?
I've applied for a couple but never got accepted!
@@madewithapril keep trying if you can get a grant may provide some wiggle room for you so you don’t get burnt out