People have been making things since ancient times. At first it was a necessity, because it was necessary to dress in something, to eat from something. Subsequently, crafts became a way to feed themselves and their families.

One of the areas of handicraft is folk arts and crafts, where things made by the hands of skilled craftsmen have not so much practical as aesthetic and cultural value. The activity called handmade originates from folk arts and crafts.

The anglicism handmade has become so firmly entrenched in our lexicon that even without translation the meaning of this word is clear:

Handmade is handmade things, as well as the process of creating them.

But is a carpenter or mechanic a handmade craftsman? This is manual labor. It is believed that this process must be creative, and things must be unique.

If a carpenter makes ten stools a day using one pattern, it can hardly be called handmade. But if he manually cuts out a stool with one-of-a-kind carved legs, putting a piece of his soul into it, then yes, he is a handmade master.

Since childhood, I have loved to draw, knit and make various crafts. I remember the delighted eyes of my parents when another product, invented and made by me, was born. Usually each thing was made not according to a template, but in a completely new way. I liked to experiment and find non-standard solutions for making ordinary things. With age, this hobby did not disappear, but grew into a small business: since 2010 I have been doing quilling.

Larisa Zasadnaya

In the industrial twentieth century, there was almost no demand for handmade things. Why make something when you can buy it in a store? Interest in handicrafts was temporarily revived only during the times of total Soviet shortages. Women sewed, knitted and embroidered en masse in order to somehow dress and decorate their homes.

In our culture, needlework was considered a purely feminine activity, intended to while away the evenings after work. The passion for macrame or beads was not taken seriously. Unlike Western culture, where handmade things are valued a priori, and the people who create them are considered creators.

It was from the West that the fashion for handmade goods came in the 21st century. Tired of the same type of industrial items, people are increasingly purchasing handmade things.

Handmade is a way to declare your individuality and show your aesthetic vision of the world.

Thanks to the Internet, needlewomen are no longer bored housewives, but are turning into real businesswomen who are well versed in sales and marketing.

Pros and cons of handmade

Like any activity, handmade has its positive and negative sides. Let's start with the fly in the ointment.

The main disadvantage is the rather expensive consumables and tools. At first, a handmade product requires a considerable investment, and it is sometimes difficult to explain to people why some “trinket made from two ribbons” costs so much.

People sometimes look at a beautiful, elegant thing and think: “Pfft, I’ll make one myself!” At the same time, they forget that simplicity, as a rule, is the result of hard work. Manual work takes up a lot of time (sometimes you don’t sleep at night just to meet deadlines), which you could, for example, spend with your family.

Oksana Verkhova

However, handmade products still have more advantages, and they are much more significant.

• Handmade contributes to the realization of the individual’s creativity. Such work is unlikely to ever get boring and turn into a routine.
• Arts and crafts promote the development of thinking and fine motor skills. Manual labor develops patience and accuracy in a person.
• Handmade artists, as a rule, are freelancers, therefore, they can work from anywhere in the world in a mode convenient for themselves.
• Handmade involves continuous self-improvement. Customers need to be regularly surprised with new ideas.
• Constant communication with clients and colleagues contributes to the development of communication skills, and reviews of work allow you to objectively evaluate yourself and give you confidence in your own abilities.

But, perhaps, the main advantage of handmade is that it brings good income. The main thing is to develop a portfolio and get your first orders.

From my point of view, this type of activity has more positive aspects than negative ones. Handmade helps you relax and show your imagination. You are always in a good mood, you enjoy your work, and it brings significant profit.

Larisa Zasadnaya

Where to buy materials

Beads, ribbons, paper, glue, paint, accessories - all this is necessary for handmade. Consumables for handicrafts are by no means cheap, so craftsmen accumulate them over the years.

Most often they are purchased from domestic (“Handicraft Shop”, “Thread-Needle”, “World of Beads”, GreenBird and others) and foreign online stores. A typical problem with domestic stores is that in order to receive free delivery, you need to purchase a large batch of goods. The problem with foreign stores is that payments are made in foreign currency, and sometimes the parcel takes a very long time.

When I first started, there were almost no stores with craft supplies in my city. Now they are everywhere, but the prices there are too high. Therefore, groups with joint purchases and AliExpress are very helpful. But parcels from China take a long time, and sometimes, when you realize that the parcel will not arrive on time, you have to run to a regular store.

Oksana Verkhova

Where to get inspiration

The Internet played a key role in the popularization of handmade goods. If earlier needlewomen had to buy thematic magazines and exchange homemade patterns, now everything is on the Internet.

So, you can get inspiring ideas from Pinterest. As soon as you enter keywords in the search bar, you will see a huge number of boards with various master classes.

For beginners and not only YouTube, YouTube is an excellent help: on channels like Etsy, Craftsy, Creativebug, CreativeClub and the personal channels of craftsmen, you can see with your own eyes how this or that product is made, and get a lot of valuable advice from practitioners.

Large English-language DIY sites:

As for Russian-language resources, a huge number of useful links have been collected. But perhaps the most popular are the following sites about needlework.

Website	Peculiarities
Osinka.ru	This online magazine contains a huge amount of information about needlework. The site has a fairly large community. Communication and exchange of experience takes place mainly on the forum. On the website you can leave orders for craftsmen, as well as take distance courses in handicrafts.
"Country of Masters"	A site about creativity for children and adults, where many master classes and examples of finished works are collected. There you can find the necessary literature, communicate with other masters, and also take online courses teaching various techniques.
"Do it yourself"	This is an online club for craftsmen and craftswomen, where you can read useful articles, watch master classes, post your works and participate in competitions.
"Handicraft Runet"	This is an online magazine for handicraft lovers, with a special focus on knitting and crocheting, cross stitch and sewing. But there are also workshops on scrapbooking, weaving and other creative hobbies. Communication mainly takes place on the forum.
"In handicrafts"	A site similar to a well-known social network in name, interface and essence. Here you can also post your works, like and comment on others.
"Modern handicraft"	A community of active and creative people. On this site you can create your own page, post photos of your products and share your achievements on the forum.
Rukodelka.ru	This is a depository where electronic versions of magazines on sewing, knitting, embroidery and other types of needlework are stored in various languages. Publications can be viewed online and downloaded to your computer. You can also subscribe and promptly receive information about the appearance of a new monthly in the repository.

If you have other interesting portals about handmade or its individual areas in your bookmarks, please share the links in the comments.

Where to sell works

The main question tormenting needlewomen who have already become proficient and are ready to sell their work is: “Where to start?”

Since childhood, I have been drawing and making things with my own hands. She graduated from art school and entered the university to major in Graphic Design. I started working in my specialty, but when I went on maternity leave, I realized that I wanted something even more creative. At first I did work for friends and relatives, just to get better at it. At the same time, I photographed everything and posted it in my VKontakte group - this is how the first orders appeared.

Oksana Verkhova

If you seriously decide to make money from handmade products, we recommend drawing up a business plan and registering on specialized trading platforms.

The most famous of them is Etsy. It is an e-commerce platform for creative people, created in 2005 by photographer and artist Rob Kalin. There are currently over 800 online stores on Etsy with over 15 million items in stock.

In 2015, the company entered into an IPO, during which it raised $267 million. The site is incredibly popular all over the world. Many people, thanks to Etsy, provide themselves with a decent income. (German platform focused on the European market);

The portal is not only a trading platform, but also a community of people interested in handicrafts. There you can read articles about design, creativity and art, track the latest trends, study master classes, exchange experiences with other craftsmen, and even purchase supplies.

Is it possible to make money with handmade goods for bread and butter and sausage? Here's what our experts say.

Handmade distracts from routine and brings a lot of positive things into life. It's nice when your work is praised and recommended to their friends and acquaintances. But I’m not ready to quit my main job yet - it’s a little scary to plunge into it headlong and not be fully realized.

Oksana Verkhova

It is possible to make a living from handicrafts, although it is not easy. At first, it is necessary that you have some other job or financial support, because the first results will appear only after long and hard work. But it all depends on your hard work, perseverance and talent.

Larisa Zasadnaya

French sculptor Auguste Rodin believed that the world will be happy only when every person has the soul of an artist. In other words, when everyone finds joy in their work.

Handmade is just such a field of activity. Handicrafts are no longer an outlet for bored housewives. This is an interesting business niche with quite tough competition and high earnings. Thanks to the Internet, handmade products are available to any creative person. There would be a desire!

How to make money from a hobby: 5 best directions to make money + 15 handmade ideas + 5 ways to sell your products or services.

Many people think about sources of additional income.

How to make money from a hobby dreams of mothers on maternity leave, housewives, creative and enterprising people who are tired of working for someone else.

And also people left without income due to dismissal.

The most important condition for the success of this endeavor is, in fact, the presence of a hobby itself, some kind of activity that interests you, and a desire to improve in it.

Of course, time will be the main resource you will have to invest in the beginning.

As evidenced by the experience of people who manage to make money from their hobbies, thoughts about banknotes should come after the desire to do what they love.

Otherwise, your endeavor will turn into an ordinary routine job.

Where does the opportunity to make money from a hobby begin?

First, you should determine the range of your interests, skills and abilities that you can earn money from.

You should also take into account the time resource: how long you can pursue your hobby.

Also, as a rule, any hobby requires the investment of certain funds.

After this, you need to do market research.

Explore offers on the Internet and nearby stores in your chosen hobby.

After all, the goal of your activity is to create some unique product - a product for which there is demand, which only you will have.

After studying similar services and offers, you will decide on your “trick” that will help you make money on your hobby.

It’s also a good idea to imagine ways of implementation and finding end buyers.

Review of successful hobbies for making money

It is unrealistic to consider all existing hobby options as sources of opportunity to earn money.

In the end, you can try to bring any idea to life.

The main thing is that what you have to offer is needed by someone.

5 well-known ways to make money from a hobby:

• on various types of needlework,
• on culinary hobbies (cooking dinners, artisan baked goods),
• on tourist hobbies (drawing routes, your blog),
• on plants, seedlings (growing seedlings of raspberries, strawberries, garden flowers on a personal plot).

How to make money from the hobby of “surfing the Internet”?

If you are a lover of the vast expanses of the World Wide Web, then there are several simple ways to combine this unique hobby with the opportunity to earn money.

In this case, you will not need.

This is a small amount of income, but it will help you decide on the direction of development in the future.

You will also better explore the network, having the opportunity to accumulate information on the type of activity you are interested in.

So, you can earn money by:

• surfing sites,
• entering captcha,
• reading letters,
• writing comments,
• watching advertisements,
• participation in social networks,
• participation in surveys,
• writing articles.

P.S. Creating your own website, online games, participating in trading on Forex, TeleTrade and similar exchanges, as a way to make a profit, requires financial investments.

Surfing sites involves following links to addresses provided by the customer.

You need to make 50 clicks per day.

In total, your earnings will be 50 cents per day.

With 20 working days – $10.

This is a small amount, but it can be combined with other types of income.

You can earn money by entering captcha.

This is alphabetic or numeric information that is designed to confirm that you are a human and not a robot.

On the Rucaptcha website you can earn 20-50 rubles per day for 1000 entries.

Let's take the average figure: 35 rubles per day.

Total 700 rubles for 20 working days.

It's about $11.

Let's add the previous amount: 10+11=$21.

By reading letters that arrive in the mail and clicking on the links provided, you can earn up to $1 per day ($20 per month).

Total: 21+ 20 = $41.

Websites that offer comments include: GCOMMENT, OTZOVIK, Advego, Etxt.

Earnings from 20 rubles per day (2–10 rubles per review with a minimum of 10 comments) – 400 rubles ($6) per month.

Total: 47+3= $50 per month in additional earnings.

1. Sites where you can look for similar work:
   • SEOSPRINT,
   • WEB-IP,
   • PROFITCENTER,
   • SEO-FAST,
   • WMmail,
   • TEASER.BZ ,
   • CashTaller,
   • Rucaptcha,
   • Kuban-Bux.
2. Sites to make money on social networks (they distribute posts on them, give likes, leave comments for a fee):
   • VKtarget,
   • LikesRock,
   • Smmok-FB,
   • Sarafanka, etc.
3. Survey sites:
   • OPINION.COM.UA,
   • PLATNIJOPROS.RU,
   • VOPROSNIK.
4. For those who like to write and who dream of becoming journalists or even writers, there are article writing exchanges:
   • Advego,
   • Etxt,
   • CopyLancer
   • Text.ru,
   • Weblanсer,
   • Textsale, etc.

How to make money from handicraft hobbies?

Here is a far from complete list of options for well-known and in demand today types of handmade work:

• knitting,
• embroidery,
• beading,
• cold porcelain products,
• wool felting,
• quilling,
• batik,
• soap making,
• candle making,
• production of volumetric works from tapes and scraps,
• patchwork,
• making postcards,
• container decoration,
• making photo frames,
• nylon products,
• wickerwork,
• production of photo books,
• making dolls.

Let’s take a closer look at what hobby each of us can make money from.

Option #1. Earning money from knitting

Of course, the most famous and traditional way to make money from a hobby is knitting.

We are talking about making a profit when you know how to do at least something at a good level.

It is impossible to know all the knitting methods.

But at least in something you must be an “expert”.

For example, in knitting socks.

They can be knitted or crocheted.

Socks are always in demand.

You can expand the range by adding booties and slippers, scarves, and hats.

It’s better to start with something small, to have at least some assortment.

And, of course, work on your speed of completing work.

Option #2. The idea of ​​​​a profitable hobby - embroidery

An equally popular way to make money from a hobby is embroidery.

They embroider with threads (floss, acrylic, etc.), beads, and ribbons.

Rhinestones are used in the work.

Fashion experts say that ethnic embroidery will always be in trend, which means it is a good opportunity to earn money.

You can embroider national clothes, decorative and interior elements (pillows, tablecloths, panels), useful things (bags), etc.

Option #3. Jewelry making

Beading is usually used in the manufacture of jewelry, on which you can also make money: bracelets, necklaces, beads, original hairpins and brooches, compositions.

Making jewelry and decorations involves more than just the use of beads.

The hobby uses a variety of beads, rhinestones, and stones.

Jewelry can be made using different techniques.

They use leather weaving, ribbons, quilling techniques, soutache embroidery, cold porcelain, wood carving, etc.

Option number 4. Cold porcelain products

Investments in this hobby are 10 times less than the cost of the finished product.

Prepare the mixture yourself or buy it.

A popular mixture is starch, soda and water.

The finished mixture, by the way, is sold for 1,500 – 5,000 rubles. per kilogram.

You may have to purchase special forms (folds), decorative elements, acrylic paints if you plan to put your hobby on stream.

It must be taken into account that the sculpting process is labor-intensive.

Typically, the weight of the product is 20-200 grams, and the cost is from 30-300 rubles.

Products are sold from 1,500 rubles.

Option #5. Felting wool

Wool felting is done using wet and dry methods.

For wet you need a soap or special solution, for dry you need a special needle (there are needles with different numbers), merino wool is also used.

They make toys, jewelry, decorative elements, clothes - you can make money on all such products.

Option number 6. Earning money from soap making

Soap making and candle making are one of the most promising hobbies where you can make money.

There is now a demand for handmade soap.

Moreover, demand exceeds supply.

You can do this at home too.

The hobby does not require large investments, since you can first take ready-made soap as a basis, improving its properties and giving it a unique look.

Wax, paraffin, and aromatic oils are used to make candles.

Option No. 7. Employment for sewing lovers

Making three-dimensional works from ribbons and scraps is called “iris folding.”

The basic pattern is filled with pieces of fabric, suede, ribbons, etc.

You can place it on bags, panels, pillows, toys - almost anywhere.

Techniques from this hobby are widely used in decoration.

Patchwork (sewing from scraps) is used to make blankets, pillows, bags, potholders, paintings, and in clothing decoration.

In addition to a special knife that will ensure accurate cutting, you will need a good sewing machine to practice this hobby.

Batik is painting on fabric.

Option No. 8. Making paper products

Making postcards, photo frames, and decorating containers involves the use of different techniques.

These are quilling, applique, iris folding, wool felting, cold porcelain, origami, embroidery, decoupage, wickerwork, etc.

These products can be made according to themes, especially taking into account holiday trends.

Quilling is a technique that uses thin strips of paper, leather or tape.

Used for making jewelry, decorative elements, panels.

Making custom photo books is a relatively new way of generating income.

At first, this way to earn money does not require large investments.

You simply design a thematic photo book using special computer programs.

They can be printed simply in printing houses, since special equipment is expensive.

But if you plan to turn your hobby into your business, you can take this step in the future.

Option number 9. Wicker weave

Wicker weaving, as one of the oldest crafts, still has its clients.

Accordingly, you can make money from this hobby.

In addition to baskets, vases, bottle decorating, you can develop your hobby into a furniture making business.

This activity is labor-intensive and requires the procurement of raw materials and the availability of premises for their storage.

Making wicker dolls is also quite old.

It is believed that a handmade toy carries a special energy, so even adults often buy such dolls for themselves.

The video presents stories of ordinary people,

who made good money from their hobby:

How to make money from a hobby by selling products?

Most likely, the first buyers will be your friends, relatives and acquaintances.

Thus, through word of mouth you will look for private orders - this is the first opportunity to earn money and “show yourself”.

In the future, you will need high-quality photographs of your products, and for this you need to purchase a good camera.

Don't forget about the description and packaging of the product.

• visit specialized stores and offer your work;
• disseminate information about hobbies on social networks;
• start your own website or blog, posting your work on the Internet;
• There are sites where you can post your items for free and make money by selling them.

Also consider these opportunities to earn extra money from your hobbies:

• selling materials needed for the hobby you engage in;
• conducting training lessons online (webinars) or offline (at home, etc.);
• conducting or creating master classes and selling them on handicraft sites;
• participation in affiliate programs (you can earn money by advertising products of online stores, subscribing to magazines, attracting advertisers).

You have learned the options how to make money from a hobby.

Most importantly, remember: if there are people who have succeeded, so can you.

Remember, making money doing what you love does not mean sitting at home and doing nothing, as many people think.

On the contrary, you will devote all your time to developing your hobby into a source of income.

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Anyone can start a business; it is enough to analyze the knowledge, skills and abilities that are available. A striking example of this is handmade ideas that can generate a stable income.

Ideas



The essence is simple - you create certain products with your own hands that resonate with the audience. The value is expressed precisely in the fact that the master does everything not in bulk, but in single copies or in limited editions. The last few years have seen a peak in the success of many entrepreneurs in this niche, and proof can be found in social networks and numerous conferences on this topic that do not lose their relevance.

We invite you to consider 7 profitable handmade ideas that, with a competent and responsible approach, will allow you to achieve financial independence.

Idea No. 1: custom knitting

This idea is put in first place, since knitting, both crocheting and knitting, is being revived, and it is the individual works of masters that are of particular value (moreover, it does not necessarily have to be hand knitting, there is also a demand for machine knitting, but the former still beats all records).

In Soviet times, this theme was more than popular, the most interesting thing is that everything that was so valued back then is coming back into fashion: braids, openwork. It is noteworthy that many people knew how to knit, but making money from it has become simpler and easier now.

Many people believe that this type of business is seasonal. Yes and no - of course, demand grows in the cold season, but this applies exclusively to warm products - clothing. However, knitting is multifaceted: with knitting and crochet you can create summer sets, jewelry, and home accessories.

Figure 3 Blanket for baby “blueberry mood” from thegarnetshop.ru

We will include knitting master classes in the same category, since they attract a huge number of people interested. Provided that you are “excellent” in this skill, you can give classes to those who are just trying to learn the basics or improve the technique. The most trendy trends: jacquard, plaits and braids.

Idea No. 2: creating photo backdrops

We live in the era of Instagram, Twitter and other social networks. The issues of creating your own business and presenting work in one direction or another are of interest to most, and competent photography plays an important role in this. In order for the product to “look” and “play”, you need to capture it against a beautiful background, and not everyone has access to the studio.

That is why so-called photophones are on the rise in popularity. As a rule, they are created from wood, less often they are printed on paper. It is on them that the composition for shooting is created.

Initially, this trend came from “food photography”; it has its origins in Instagram (relative to handmade artists). To make breakfasts, lunches, dinners and dinners look attractive, people built a background from boards, fabric and other objects, and today this is already a well-established business.

It’s interesting that despite all the frantic demand and even trendiness of this option, there are not many competitors on the market yet. The cost of a photophone, even made from good wood, is low, and demand will remain as long as social networks and the Internet in general are alive.

The relevance of the idea lies in the fact that both men and women can cope with such a task, and the necessary skills are minimal. An interesting interpretation of a handmade idea for the home, which you can do with your own hands, aimed at satisfying people who are also interested in this issue.

Idea No. 3: handmade dolls

The Moneymaker Factory has written more than once about handmade dolls and how profitable it is to create them. That's right - there is a demand, and the demand is great if the author's skill is beyond doubt. This applies to dolls made of textiles, papier-mâché, wood and other materials.

It is difficult to focus on just one variation of doll execution, but still one trend deserves attention. Portrait dolls cause delight as they are an excellent gift (which, however, does not exclude the fact that many clients purchase them as a gift to themselves). Handmade work coupled with an individual approach, and with portrait dolls it is simply impossible to do otherwise, creates an amazing and promising “cocktail”!

Of course, dolls can be made not only in the form of people. Animals are also a kind of fashion trend; they always evoke affection. There will always be those who want to get themselves a cute dog, cat, orangutan... The list goes on and on.

Dolls for children stand separately - they are play dolls, and not intended for decorating the interior and delighting the soul. The most optimal and popular option is a Walfdor doll.

Idea No. 4: Master classes as one of the subtypes of hand-made ideas for business

The issue of teaching the science of knitting has already been touched upon, but the direction of master classes itself is steadily developing. If you know how to do something well (and this, by the way, applies not only to needlework), then you can very well make money on it by giving consultations (consulting in the flesh).

We are talking not only about classic needlework, but also about cooking. Master classes on some “positions” are in great demand. In particular, these are cakes, cupcakes, macaroons (another trend).

If you know how to cut and sew, then organizing appropriate classes is also an option for starting in business. You can choose both online training and personal meetings. The profitability of the idea is obvious, and it is confirmed by many successful craftswomen who were also once just looking for an additional opportunity to earn extra money.

All of the above also applies to other types of creativity, which is why handmade ideas are good because you only need your hands to implement them, and you don’t even need an office, everything can be done at home.

It is also worth considering several other options that have been successfully implemented by a number of craftsmen.

Idea No. 5: wool felting

This is also a more than interesting direction. It is good because you can felt almost anything: clothes, shoes, toys, jewelry and accessories.

Idea No. 6: educational toys for children

I would like to separately highlight this hand-made variation of the business, since the industry of products for children is always able to overcome the crisis, since there is nothing more important for a parent than his child, which is good. Educational toys are made from natural and safe materials and help develop motor skills, imagination, vocabulary, and so on.

Idea No. 7: foamiran decorations

You can often see master classes on working with foamiran, a relatively new material, which is also called foam, foam rubber, or revelour. A variety of products are made from it, ranging from the same toys to magical jewelry for the fair sex. It is noteworthy that with some perseverance, anyone can learn to work with it. Fomphloristry (creating flowers) is especially relevant.

Whatever direction you choose, the main thing is to strive for excellence and develop your skills so that the resulting product is of decent quality, then success will not be long in coming. We, in turn, will publish the best handmade business ideas for you.

Attention! Photos from the social network Instagram were used for this article. All author nicknames are signed unchanged.

Business woman success stories

“I’m 28 years old, I divorced my husband and ended up in a communal apartment”

18 min

18 min

Text by Olga Selyanina, Evgenia Random

Photo by Maria Bichan

Anna Nazarova

Childhood

As a child, I had the opportunity to be the new girl in schools 14 times - this influenced me. I read a lot, had a funny last name, but when I found myself in village schools, I still didn’t understand how to behave. For the first five years I ran around the gardens from my classmates who tried to beat me or call me names. Over time, I realized that they were not to blame, and I began to behave differently. And so, in the 9th grade, once again finding myself in a new school, I fought back against the leader of the class! After that, I realized that if you want, you can come to an agreement with any person. This understanding developed my communication, courage and determination.

It took me 6 months of empty talk about a cool project

»

Path to business

I never thought that I would have a business. Imagine: I’m 28 years old, I divorced my husband, left everything and moved to St. Petersburg. Instead of a world of financial well-being, I found myself in a communal apartment and, apart from my future (current) husband, I didn’t know anyone. It was hard.

For a long time I sat at home and worked as a freelancer - doing copywriting with long-time customers. It was hard to fit into St. Petersburg at that age. I couldn't find a job even as an employee. But I was also tormented by something else - at the age of 33, I periodically received financial help from my mother. The problem was that for my services I quoted ridiculous amounts, which were not enough for me to live on. I couldn’t even imagine that at 33 I would have a salary of, for example, 70 thousand rubles. I thought: God, what do you have to do to get that kind of money?

Then I met a group of creative people, where everyone in the future was great writers, photographers, clothing designers, but no one could realize anything. That is, when you constantly talk about your cool creative projects, but it doesn’t end with anything. At some point, I became the same.

So that you understand, I came up with bouquets of vegetables on April 1, 2014, and started collecting them in October 2014! It took me 6 months of empty talk about a cool project. 6 months of continuous chatter and inaction.

Idea

On April 1, I went to a friend’s birthday party who was a creative person. I racked my brains for a long time, thinking about what unusual April Fool’s bouquet to give her. At the exit from the subway I saw an auntie selling bunches of fresh radishes. This is a ready-made bouquet, I thought! I grabbed a radish, ran to the nearest flower shop and asked the seller to help me put together a bouquet. Somehow we produced something like a bouquet, and I was so delighted with this idea! I walked down the street with such a smile that people looked not at the bouquet, but at me. And when they saw the bouquet, they began to ask: what is this, where did you get it, can it be photographed, and can it be bought? Then I realized: the topic is cool!

Project launch

By that time, I had a project - a one-day restaurant “Kura & Grecha”, which made a lot of noise when participating in “Restaurant Days” in St. Petersburg. TV stories were filmed about us and the media wrote about us. True, the project did not bring me money. It was non-profit. An event that takes place once every three months, where everyone sets a minimum price tag for their food and plays restaurateur.

So, after a big interview for a major media outlet, a guy from the crowdfunding platform Boomstarter wrote to me: “Anna, let’s raise money for your Kura & Buckwheat.” To which I replied: “This project does not need money. But let’s try to raise money to launch my other project.”

So I put myself in super conditions: on the one hand, Boomstarter is already waiting for some information from me, on the other, I agreed with a photographer to take me photographs of the bouquets that will be exhibited on Boomstarter. When you put yourself in a hopeless situation, promising everyone and everything, then you have no choice but to start.

Interview. Entrepreneur Anna Nazarova and Womenbz journalist Olga Selyanina

Money from Boomstarter

On this site we collected 90,000 rubles to buy refrigerators and rent a workshop, but in the end they delayed our payments. We received the money much later than planned. And this was the same year when the crisis broke out and all the raw materials (vegetables) became more expensive. In order not to raise the price of bouquets, I spent this money on the purchase of working material. Over time, we learned to replace expensive vegetables and fruits with cheaper ones. But then this money helped a lot.

Pricing

Many entrepreneurs are afraid to name the price of their product and hang around for a long time over the question of what the price should be. People seem to think it's expensive. Psychological discomfort arises. In fact, this issue is resolved very simply. Everything needs to be calculated.

My friend, a financial analyst, introduced me to the concepts of “business model”, “purchase cost”, told me what needs to be included in the price: florist’s salary, workshop rental, marketing costs, buyer’s salary, cost of the products themselves, etc. When you have an economic justification for the final price, internal questions and difficulties do not arise with this.

Sometimes they write to me in the comments: “What is the price for radishes? The people have gone completely crazy!” To which I answer: “Paintings painted with the same paint can cost 10 rubles, or they can cost a million. Radishes are our paint.” And I believe in this myself, because you can put together different bouquets from the same products. It's a matter of talent and experience. And then I understand that no one in the world has such experience as me and my florists. Because we have been making this beauty every day for three years now.

Bouquet from the “Very Good” line

Development

After Varlamov, orders for bouquets from Moscow poured in, and every three days we sent boxes of ready-made bouquets by Sapsan. The volumes grew, and I realized that I couldn’t handle this city on my own. About 15 people from Moscow wrote to me every day with an offer to do business together. Then I began to choose who to entrust my business to.

Moscow is a huge city, and a serious approach is needed there, since large volumes are planned. The main thing I needed to know about a potential candidate was whether he had business experience, whether the person wanted to do something with his own hands, and how he saw the organization of the process. This is how I found Svetlana, the director of our branch in Moscow. I went to the capital, met Sveta, trained florists, we rented a room for a workshop, and in June 2015 she began her work.

Immediately after Moscow, I opened a branch in Krasnoyarsk and a workshop in St. Petersburg. I decided not to sell franchises because I am not sure of the quality of what will be produced under our brand. To everyone who has questions about franchising, I suggest they first learn how to put together bouquets, and then think about whether to open one themselves or take business advice from me.

How everything works

Every city (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk) has a leader. I trained florists personally, plus we have regular planning meetings. But there are decisions that only I make, for example, recruiting new employees.

In St. Petersburg, I delegated everything I could. I myself manage social networks, discuss projects, look at bouquets and collect at least one bouquet a day myself. I control each bouquet - I look at its photographs from three angles, and make my own changes. So I look through up to 70 bouquets a day.

Competitors

I treated my followers differently. At the beginning I was furious, I was offended, and I didn’t understand why they were so impudent! Now there are so many of them that I have relaxed. You need to understand that a fashion has appeared, a trend has appeared.

Moreover, we are told that our bouquets are the most beautiful. Those who have seen our bouquet and the bouquet of an imitator will always order from us, but those who do not know about us order from imitators. This means that this is our jamb, and we must do everything so that as many people as possible know about us.

Education

Last February I published my first photo tutorial with step-by-step actions. The idea of ​​training was inspired by requests for a franchise. I thought that there are a lot of people who want to buy our bouquets in different cities, but I don’t have the opportunity to open workshops everywhere. And I decided to teach them how to make bouquets themselves.

There are currently three training options.

• Photo tutorial. If a person wants to collect a beautiful bouquet, but does not understand at all how to do it.
• Access to a training account. If a person understands that he is drawn in and wants to develop, he buys access to a special account. There I collected a video encyclopedia with fastening techniques that I came up with myself.
• Access to a private Instagram account. There we only talk about aesthetics - what is best to combine with what, what is best to assemble. We develop visual thinking and discuss the works of the participants.

Since I am an art critic and teacher by training, I understand how to convey information to a person so that he understands everything.

Inspiration

I have two main sources of inspiration.

The first is vegetables. When I travel, I always collect bouquets because I am interested in the ingredients that we don’t have. After such experiments, you look differently at what you use in your work all the time.

Personal life

If you are not initially ready for business, this is a lot of stress and will not happen without problems. But then, when you have already gotten better at it and learned to delegate, everything calms down and time appears for personal matters. Therefore, the main thing is to survive the initial period. To make it a little easier, I advise you to read “Shoe Salesman” by Knight Phil and “Startup Without a Budget” by Mike Mikalovits.

And my family supports me, for which I am very grateful to them!

1. If you come up with an idea, don’t put it off, look for funds to implement the project! Otherwise, you may get ahead of yourself.
2. Don't waste your business energy on followers. They will always exist in any business, but the main thing is to know their weaknesses.
3. Never stop there. Don’t be afraid to share your secrets, life hacks, inventions - this is also a kind of product that sells well. You just need to be able to present it correctly. If you can learn something, you are no longer just a salesman.
4. Know the value of your work and under no circumstances underestimate it.

We thank Olga Selyanina for the interview and Maria Bichan for the photography.

Weaving baubles, sewing plush toys, knitting mittens or soap making - any hobby can become a source of income with proper distribution of effort and the right business strategy. We tried to find out how to achieve success and make money from your talent by talking with successful masters.

What is handmade?

You will not find a definition of this term in any dictionary. Handmade could be translated into Russian as “handicraft” or “creativity,” but most “handmaders” will not agree with such a simplification, because for them this is a special way of self-expression and even a lifestyle.

Traditionally, handmade includes knitted or sewn toys, wicker jewelry, various accessories made of ceramic plastic, beads and felt, some interior items, for example, pillows, napkins, bedspreads and even handmade paintings.

Clothes, cosmetics, perfumes, postcards, bouquets, bookmarks, notepads, watches, bags, belts, even food - these are just the main items that you will find on any handmade market. The main distinguishing feature of all these things is their uniqueness and singularity. Each product is created by hand, and therefore cannot have copies.

In a market economy, the winner is the one who can offer the buyer something the most interesting, beautiful, convenient - in general, something the best. And it is precisely this very thing that makes up handmade items. These things are in great demand, and therefore sooner or later, creativity turns from making things for yourself and your friends into producing unique things for sale.

Where to start?

As a rule, all craftsmen start selling things by accident, most often to acquaintances. You made an item for yourself, a friend saw it and asked for the same thing, then her friends became interested, and such word of mouth brought a completely unfamiliar customer to you.

But you can start promoting your business through social networks. Creating a VKontakte group or an Instagram profile is the most obvious way. What exactly is required for this?

• Come up with a sonorous and bright name for your production. It should attract attention and at the same time reflect the essence of the things being made - this way people will find you faster through search. When creating a VKontakte group, try to include in its name not only the name of the brand, but also the name of the product itself, the mark “handmade” or “handmade”.
• In the description, formulate your concept briefly but succinctly: it is unlikely that users will hold their attention on these lines for a long time. The fact is that a modern Internet user spends on average 2 seconds viewing a page. And you must manage to interest him during this time.
• When working with your profile, try to actively use tags: they will guide people and help them find you more easily through regular search.
• To better assimilate information, come up with a short text accompanied by illustrations, graphics and videos.
• Try to come up with interesting lighting or design for the “photo shoot” of your products, the product should first of all look attractive! But don't overdo it: photos should give users a true idea of ​​the color and size of things!
• It's always interesting to see how some amazing things are created. We don’t suggest you reveal all the secrets, but you can show how you give the soap the desired shape or how you assemble the perfect bouquet piece by piece using a video!
• And if you know how to draw well or you have designer friends, then don’t be lazy to create your own corporate logo: it can be printed on packaging, business cards, and also placed on the group’s avatar and all promotional products!

The more original, the better!

All the counters are full of owls, hares, cats and dogs. But you won’t find camels or raccoons during the day with fire. If you start making jewelry, make something non-standard, for example, leather rings or unusual hair ties. Try to find in any niche something that your competitors don’t already have.

Resources for development

Even skilled and experienced craftsmen are constantly looking for something new. Specialized websites and forums for all handmade lovers will help you find a non-standard approach, learn to use new materials and techniques, find the missing accent, or understand the production process inside and out.

One of the largest Russian-language resources on handmade topics is the daily online magazine ProHandmade (http://www.prohandmade.ru), in which experts and ordinary users talk about all the most unusual and interesting things in the handmade world.

How much will you have to spend...

For the production of toys you will need fabrics, fluff, finishing materials (buttons, ribbons, braid, fur, sequins, stripes, fabric markers, etc.), for the production of cosmetics - cosmetic base, aromatic oils, bottles or jars for sale, packaging, in the field of jewelry making - beads, threads, wire, seed beads, fasteners/clasps, glue, paints, finishing materials...

In addition, special tools: some last a long time and reliably - scissors, hoops, machines, while others constantly have to be purchased and updated - brushes, needles, etc.

Many lucrative offers can be found in online stores, as well as in discount stores (for example, the FixPrice chain, where all items can be purchased for 38 rubles). And the easiest and most profitable way to find finishing materials is to collect all the little things they don’t need from friends.

... how much can I earn?

For example, a beaded bracelet will cost about 50 rubles (including thread - 5 rubles/spool, beads - 630 rubles/0.5 kg, clasp - 20 rubles / piece [hereinafter, the estimated required amount of material for making one thing is taken into account ]), making a knitted soft toy will cost about 350 rubles (a pair of knitting needles - 20 rubles, threads - 150 rubles / skein (450 m), wooden buttons - 50 rubles / piece, felt - 110 rubles / piece), we will appreciate sewing one butterfly approximately 60 rubles (cotton fabric – 550 rubles/meter, plastic clasp – 30 rubles), a notebook with a fabric cover will cost 250 rubles (notebook – 80 rubles/piece, fabric – 550 rubles/meter, fabric glue – 45 rubles/ 19 ml, finishing materials – 30 rubles).

Setting the final price for consumers depends primarily on how highly you value your work. Making some things takes 15 minutes, others – more than a day (felting, knitting, complex weaving and painting). In addition, you will add to the price the costs of placing goods and their delivery (in other words, the cost of participation in the market, mailing, etc.).

On average, the markup on such products is 300–500%, but sometimes it can be higher. So, you can buy a handmade beaded bracelet for an average of 180 rubles, a markup of 260%; handmade knitted soft toys cost from 600 rubles, markup 170%; butterflies sell for 700–900 rubles, markup from 1000%; notebooks cost 500 rubles or more, the markup is 200%.

Obstacles and difficulties

Alena Krasnova, administrator of a group selling polymer clay jewelry:

“For young entrepreneurs, the main difficulty may be the lack of clients, which can sometimes even cause them to give up! But this can all be fixed if you discover new spaces on the Internet and don’t rely on just one thing. You should also not put money first of all, because it is only an insignificant value that is not worth running after - only when a person really understands this, they begin to come to you on their own.”

Ivan Bazaliev, director of the bow tie and tie shop “Ivanov Tie”:

“Surprisingly, I didn’t have any particular difficulties. True, at the moment Moscow fabric stores have almost the same assortment. Accordingly, in order to do something different from competitors, you have to order fabric online. And accordingly, wait about a month for her arrival. But it’s not that difficult.”

Ekaterina Kladova, owner of the Zephyr handmade cosmetics store:

“There are many difficulties, but the main thing is not to be afraid and always move forward. At the very beginning, everything changes very quickly and rapidly. We pay great attention to the quality of our products and check absolutely everything ourselves. We need smart investments: at first we monitored a lot, tried and only then more or less began to understand which types of promotion work and which don’t.”

Olga Kazakova is a professional artisan; for the past 4 years she has been making designer jewelry, which she sells through Princessa Avenue band (