The Merriweather Council Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Business, Goals and Longevity in the Time of COVID-19 Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

Hey friends, Popping in out-of-season with a special message for you during these uncertain times. COVID-19 has thrown us for a bit of a loop but WE are well positioned to deal with it. YOU are capable of rising to this challenge.

As entrepreneurs, we are capable of rising to this challenge and weathering this storm. We will do it better if we do it together and support each other. You are inherently up for a challenge - being an entrepreneur requires it! I know you have the creativity, drive, and determination to move through this.

I also want to remind you that the value of what you do is unchanged. Your work is still needed, wanted and valuable. Are things a little mixed up right now? Yes. Are people sorting out a new normal? Yes. Are you still allowed to market your product and not feel guilty doing so? Also yes.

Keep showing up, people are still looking for you.

It will not do anyone any good for you to recoil at this time. Keep showing up. If you can continue to do your work - do it.

Let's all give each other grace and understanding at this time. We are all going to work through this in a different way. For some, this is an opportunity to lean into business even more, and if that is how you are feeling now, we are here to support you.

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/covid

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

Season 5 Finale + 3 things I Learned This Year I want to Share With You Nov 26, 2019

Show notes

I cannot believe we are at the season finale of season 5 already! What a magical season this was.

We heard from SO many amazing makers and professionals who shared their wisdom and insights on a variety of topics. I really hope you enjoyed them all and gained a few pointers or felt inspired.

I have one final surprise!! There is a super-secret bonus episode of Merriweather Council Podcast that you can access right now by visiting http://merri.party/bonuspodcast - this episode outlines 4 powerful marketing strategies and mechanisms you can implement starting today (NOT including email marketing or anything having to do with Instagram! Shocking, right? Check it out!!)

Thank you so much for all of your support for the podcast and for looking forward to every episode in season 5!

Best, Danielle

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/107

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

The Virtues of Newness Nov 21, 2019

Show notes

This episode is a note to new sellers - those of you who are just getting started, those of you who haven't found your footing in the big picture yet.

In episode 99, I spoke about what makers who get to a steady spot are most at risk for. That episode is worth a listen no matter what stage you are at. So is this one.

But this one is specifically for those of you who are just getting started.

Spoiler alert: you have so many opportunities right now!! Let's discuss the many virtues of being a "newbie" - and how you can enjoy and embrace this time better!

Thanks so much for listening today!

Enjoy!

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/106

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

Business and personal inspiration from Kate Spade feat. Kimber Casteel Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

Is it possible to overstate how influencer Kate Spade was? I don't think so. So we did not refrain on this episode.

Today we are chatting all about Kate Spade, her legacy and influence and her HUSTLE. I don't really like the word hustle but, she definitely worked super hard to get her business off the ground in the early days.

This was a really interesting discussion, i did not know all that much about the history of Kate Spade or her brand but, Kimber did! You know Kimber as our go-to Taylor Swift expert, but she was able to regale us on the fascinating story of Kate Spade as well.

And we WILL get around to recording an episode about TS7 but today we are talking about Kate.

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/105

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

How @tlyarncrafts used crochet-a-longs to reach more customers + nurture her community feat. Toni from TL Yarn Crafts Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

I know how frustrating it can be to see business advice that doesn't seem like it relates to YOUR business. (As you hopefully know by now though, almost all business advice is just that: advice about business. And at the end of the day business is business and no matter what you're selling, you've got to market it. So keep an open mind as you hear things! You can listen to an episode I did about that here: https://www.merriweathercouncilblog.com/2019/02/product-sellers-are-marketers/

One thing that often gets a lot of traction in service based businesses is CHALLENGES. You've probably seen some of your favorite bloggers run challenges for things like growing your email list, or batching content. And if you've ever participated in one you saw how it works and how it does engage the community that blogger is trying to reach. Which of course, is awesome.

So how can something like that translate to a handmade business owner? That's the question we are answering on today's episode featuring my friend and fellow maker in business, Toni Lipsey of TL Yarn Crafts.

If you don't know Toni, you might live under a very large boulder. That ends today though! Toni was just as excited about this subject as I was when I reached out asking her to be a guest on the show! And she so willingly shared her insights and tips and experiences with running challenges in her community. Specifically she has been running CALs — or, Crochet-A-Longs. Similar to a knit-a-long. These are essentially the same idea as a challenge and she explained everything in this episode.

I have been following Toni for some time so I know how hard she works and how present she is in her community. This was a great strategy for her to implement and I'm excited for you to hear about it.

In this episode you'll learn more about challenges or "whatever-a-longs", how you might use this idea in your own business, the surprising thing Toni did in hers that is uncommon but worked and what she learned along the way.

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/104

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

The surprising strategy @stitchingsabattical is using to engage her audience feat. Michelle from Stitching Sabbatical Nov 12, 2019

Show notes

As an embroidery person myself, I am naturally attracted to other fiber artists - and Michelle Staub of Stitching Sabbatical creates such incredible work, it's hard to ignore. But also it totally catches my eye and I love it so much every time I see it. Michelle has an insane talent - she stitches photo realistic pet portraits. YES, STITCHES THEM. With thread. It's insane.

So it's easy to see why people would love following her to begin with, but Michelle wasn't going to rest on her laurels when it came to Instagram. She went about approaching her account in a very specific and intentional way (it might surprise you!) and she created an atmosphere where people could EXPECT something from her. She made herself a reliable party and people kept showing up!

What Michelle has done with Instagram might surprise you in a lot of ways. A lot of it was really refreshing to me and served as a good reminder that what we see and what we infer about what we see isn't already ... well, correct.

After chatting with Kim of Daisy Faye Designs about her IG debacle, and having this discussion with Michelle about her Instagram experience, I have firmed up my conclusion that Instagram is useful for connecting with an audience, and it's fun to use... but it's not the be all end all. (Personally i actually find it is NOT fun sometime haha.)

Both Kim and Michelle shared with us that while Instagram assists their business - and they are both using it in completely different ways - their businesses are reliant primarily on their talents. IG helps them share that talent and that's awesome.

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/103

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

Instagram account shutdown: what to do, how to recover + other lessons feat. Kim from Daisy Faye Designs Nov 07, 2019

Show notes

Imagine going through the motions of checking your instagram and suddenly realizing there is a problem. Imagine your instagram account simply isn't there ... and there is no indication of why and no one really at all to ask.

This is exactly what happened to Kim Chapman of Daisy Faye Designs in January 2019. And as you can imagine, this created a real sense of worry and concern.

This episode is going to make you SO uncomfortable but it's also going to help you so much. If you can get past the discomfort, you're going to learn that being proactive in your business is one hundred percent essential.

I asked Kim if she would be willing to share more about her experience with her Instagram account being shut down with us and she graciously agreed. Kim experienced this first hand and was able to shed some light on the mysterious world of instagram, the process of trying to recover her lost account and what to do if your account is closed without reason.

In this episode you'll hear from Kim about her experience with instagram before and after this incident, what caused this problem for her and what she learned in the process - plus of course she is sharing what she did in the aftermath of the loss of her account.

Kim handled this whole debacle with so much grace and she shared about how the community assisted her in making a comeback. This episode is an absolute MUST listen for any small business that utilizes Instagram as part of their marketing.

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/102

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

Shifting gears, making big changes and opening a retail storefront feat. Erin from Cotton and Flax Nov 05, 2019

Show notes

When I was in college I always felt a little weird around my classmates because most of them were insanely talented fine artists who had already decided they were dedicating their lives to being artists. This was NOT me. I loved being creative, but then what? What do I do with this creativity?

I spoke about that and more in this episode with my friend Erin of Cotton and Flax. I've known her online for YEARS! We only had the opportunity to meet briefly once in NYC at the Etsy Up Conference. But it was magical nonetheless.

Erin has done so many incredible things in her time as a creative entrepreneur and we spoke at least a little bit about all of them and how she got to where she is now: the owner of a small brick and mortar space in San Diego, California. If you've ever dreamed of having a physical retail location or studio, you will love this episode.

Erin told me that she is working toward nurturing more community in her space through trunk shows and workshops and I told her THANK YOU. because it was people like Erin who I was lucky enough to encounter in Boston while I was in college that made all the difference for me.

This episode is full of gems for creatives and makers who feel ambitious about the longevity of their businesses! If you need a mood booster, this is it! Thank you, Erin!! Best of luck with everything in CA.

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/101

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

How to avoid self sabotage this holiday season Oct 31, 2019

Show notes

One cool thing about the ridiculous amount of time it took to get season 5 of the merriweather council podcast out the door is that we are publishing episodes a bit later in the year. And that means it's timely and relevant for me to share holiday related dialogue with you! And you know that discussing the many things that are involved for handmade business owners at holiday time is one of my most favorite things.

If you've spent any time around here, you know that I regularly remind makers throughout the holiday season to refrain from getting too caught up in the comparison game when other makers start posting about how many orders they've got going out. You can actually hear that pep talk here // https://www.merriweathercouncilblog.com/2018/12/holiday-pep-talk/

Just as important as not going around the internet comparing yourself to others is being really honest with yourself about how much is realistic to YOU. This is a metric that can only come from you.

That's what today's episode is about and I genuinely hope it helps many of you make better decisions not only for your business but for yourself this holiday season!

Enjoy!

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/100

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

The reason handmade business owners are most at risk when things are going really well + what you are at risk for Oct 29, 2019

Show notes

I hope this episode is more of a motivator than a bummer. Because truly, that's what it is. And those of you who most need to hear it: hopefully you're more likely to feel motivation than anything else!

This episode is for those of you who feel like things are going great! Sales are steady, or business is going smoothly, or you have finally 'arrived' where you wanted to be... generally, this episode is for you if you are feeling really satisfied with your business at present.

First, if you are that person, i want to say a huge congrats! Not only is it challenging to get your business of the ground and to a point where things are really truly working for you (business ain't always easy!!) its even harder to actually recognize and fell that things are going well! We tend to be our biggest critics. So if you are feeling awesome, AWESOME! Congrats.

Now i want to help you keep it that way. That's what this episode is for: helping you stay UP. And the biggest hurdle to that is actually none of the things you think it is. It's not SEO changes on Etsy or Instagram's algorithm. It's complacency. Complacency will kill you faster than anything else.

Tune in to hear more!

For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/99

For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

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