Is My New Market Table Setup the Secret to Profit?! |

[@SquirrelSprout]

Wooo, this is a longer than expected video, but there are TWO market days worth in there. Do you do markets, craft fairs, or conventions? What has worked for you so far?? And also, thank you so much for watching, and for the kind words you threw my way two videos ago!!

[@amandagloverart2425]

I do markets, festivals, fairs, and conventions. The conventions are new for me this year- and haven’t been so great thus far. Out door stuff has not been good due to frequent bad weather. Outside of that - location and organization matter as does turn out. If people show I make sales.

[@SquirrelSprout]

​@@amandagloverart2425 Oh wow! Im sorry to hear the con wasn't great! that would have definitely hurt my expectations too! Yikes... I hope that things turn out great for you at the next market!

[@patriciavillegas6055]

What a difference a day makes. Good to see you smile.

[@SquirrelSprout]

thank you!!

[@LillenArt2]

Yeah I love the new sign!

[@SquirrelSprout]

Thank you!! :D

[@emilyvergin]

My dad used to do the slurping sound while I was eating TOO 19:59 Awww the purry Curie

[@SquirrelSprout]

😂😂 so did my mom! Hahaha

[@jenswan1986]

Congratulations on putting yourself and your art out there! Be proud of what you accomplished. I'm starting to vend at markets in North Carolina. It's exciting and scary! Keep up the amazing job

[@SquirrelSprout]

It definitely is nerve-wracking at first! And congrats to you as well!! how are you enjoy it so far, even if it's scary? Haha

[@vidotter]

🎉🎉 😊🎉🎉 24:44 I love how you keep moving forward - improving your setup and adding to your shop - yeah try to lower expectations otherwise you get disappointed but it’s such a challenge as you try to prep as best as you can - so you are anticipating - ugh 😅 - just gotta move forward 😊

[@SquirrelSprout]

Moving forward is definitely a great strategy!! thanks so much for your kind comments!

[@homebodyplanner]

I absolutely LOVE your channel and love watching your business grow. So happy your market went well and I look forward to watching your journey!

[@SquirrelSprout]

That is so sweet of you!! omg

[@thinkerdreamersketcherspy]

Great to hear this round went better than the April 20th weekend! And you're so right, the networking opportunities are an important part of the equitation. It's not always about the money and sometimes the most profitable things come afterwards (like in my case, if I go to that seriously expensive con/market, I doubt I can make my money back with single stickers, but if I get a commission out of it...).

[@SquirrelSprout]

You're absolutely right! There's a good outcome in every market I've been to so far. If it wasn't profits, it was the connections I've made, and the people I've met. A GREAT example of that is the vlog I made about the April 20 weekend - I lost a lot of money on that day... but the vlog that I put out here on YT did great, and I was able to connect with a ton of people like you! :D It definitely sucks in the moment though haha but... It's been a good ride so far!

[@thinkerdreamersketcherspy]

@@SquirrelSprout haha, I guess the same reasons why the 4/20 markets flopped meant there were a lot of people watching vlogs and the recommendations picked up. 😂 That's probably how you landed on my recs page and now I'm invested. 😉

[@SquirrelSprout]

@@thinkerdreamersketcherspy I'm not gonna complain about that one 😂❤️🐿️🌱

[@dabblingdazza4656]

I saw your other video where you had bad markets and i decided to support you with all my heart! ❤ your content is so transparent and reflects what doing markets is like . Lots of love from australia!

[@SquirrelSprout]

omg that is so sweet of you, thank you! I'm glad that you appreciate the transparency!

[@MeganButzin]

I live in rural Minnesota and do what they call makers markets in the summer they are set up outdoors with music and beverages and do fairly well even in rainy weather, and a few craft/vendor shows at other times of the year. So far if something is run well or has good traction of people coming to it they turn out pretty good. I’ve had a few shows that did not do well at all because they planned it at the same time as another bigger event not far away. My favorite and more successful event I did was a small vendor booth at a pumpkin patch in the fall, sadly the pumpkin patch has since shut down a few years ago, so I’m still on the lookout for something similar in the future.

[@SquirrelSprout]

Aww im sorry to hear the pumpkin patch closed! :( That's sad... I'll have to see if there is something similar to Makers Markets here! Thanks for your suggestion! :D

[@MysticsLibrary]

Val I love these videos so much! You're doing amazing! I hope I can travel to you one day so I can attend a market and buy all your stuff :D

[@SquirrelSprout]

Sisteroonie! that would be DOPE!

[@Christina24life]

You’re my new favourite vlogger. You make me laugh and you inspire me. I’m super excited to go along with your journey!

[@SquirrelSprout]

oh my gosh, what! you're gonna make me cry this morning hahaha thank you!! I'm glad that you like the content I create! I'm heading to a school market in about 15 mins, so let's see how this one goes!

[@dinosaurjimin]

Hi! I’m an artist from the same area! It’s nice to see another local artist and seeing your pov on markets etc. I hope to see you at a market soon, and I love seeing your growth ❤

[@SquirrelSprout]

omg! hi hi! thanks so much for introducing yourself! What type of art do you do? Feel free to share your Instagram here :D Would love to check it out!

[@Jaspurrsmum]

Hey girl! I loved this video! The little hair sprout at the beginning had me dying. I'm glad you had a great weekend! Yay for Curie, 4bit and broski appearances! I love the safe space you added! ❤

[@SquirrelSprout]

hi Erika!! Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked it And the hair sprout LOL) I definitely miss hanging on Twitch with you! Hopefully when my market stuff is all figured out (as far as table setup goes lol) I won't have to cancel as many streams ;--; Say hi to Jaspurr for me!

[@jackyallaire5848]

Honestly those mother's day stickers were so sweet!! ❤ I love mine. And I did 100% sway all weekend lol

[@SquirrelSprout]

LOL! We both swayed together

[@annacanada7545]

Don't beat yourself up over learning that it didn't turn out the way you wanted. It's not a waste when you learn something from it. As long as you learned a lesson, albeit an irritating one, it's okay. It's too easy to self-depricate over our mistakes but they end up becoming valuable.

[@SquirrelSprout]

Yeah definitely! Although it was a good day for me, not so much for my vendor friends. There's always reflection at the end of the journey though, and I had a blast at this one! Thanks so much for leaving a comment!

[@brianagillustration]

I'm not much of a commenter, but I just wanted to say you have a new sub from me! Very inspiring to see you grow and have successful markets. Good luck with your next ones and I look forward to those vlogs! :)

[@SquirrelSprout]

Oh my goodness, you are so freaking sweet!

[@Pretear521]

Do you have a vlog of you making the peg board? I like yours better than my turning Sally. Mines so flimsy I get nervous when customers turn it.

[@SquirrelSprout]

I don't have a full tutorial, but I do have a vlog where I make it! It starts around 45 seconds kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5ekl4hnmciJaNE I do want to make a second one for another table though, so I might have one in the future! but as a TL;DR: I grabbed a 24x48 pegboard, glued/stapled on trims, and solidified it on the middle back with random wood from Home Depot. I then screwed / glued wood planks at the back bottom and used C clamps to hold it on the table top. I am not a DIY person, and it was fairly easy! It's easier to explain if you watch the short clip haha

[@MoonOwlDesigns]

Use some sand paper or nal file on the foam board to smooth out the jagged areas. I really need to start recording vids more but I do post on IG...same name as here.

[@SquirrelSprout]

Oh that's an amazing tip! Thanks so much!! I will have to do that. Good thing I didn't throw them away yet haha

[@CosmicCatCreation]

Oh, bigots, yeah. You could try telling them "Wow, it must suck to be so judgemental!" Grin at them, and watch their faces turn red. Though, I recommend having eyewitnesses, since some tend to get... stingy. I just wish we could tell them off without putting ourselves in danger. On the other hand, I also have some pride stuff, mainly the rainbow flag, and I had a mom tell her kid that it means that everyone is equal, and it made me smile.

[@SquirrelSprout]

Hahaha, Ok! Curie purring in videos passes the test... noted! LOL Thanks so much for your feedback! I try to not be confrontational while at markets because it could lead to something else that would ruin the market entirely, but when I'm not at work, oh they know my stand on it LOL

[@DeathTaffy]

Have you been at this long? Your art seems like it would do well at fan conventions.

[@SquirrelSprout]

Thank you! I've been an illustrator for a few years but only started doing markets this year. Getting into conventions is really hard over here! I hope to be able to get into one this year :)

[@DeathTaffy]

@@SquirrelSprout I feel that. The AA scene seems so much different and more competitive than it was pre-pandemic. I'm starting to get back into it after taking a break for a few years, and it seems to now be a much more daunting task. lol.

[@DaniAlexandria]

This video was so helpful to my ADHD brain!

[@SquirrelSprout]

LOL! I'm glad it was :D

[@Christina24life]

I love how close you are with your brother. I take it that you’re a single mom? You have to raise your prices. Pretend you’re Galen Weston 😂

[@SquirrelSprout]

Haha I'm scared to raise my prices as they are pretty much average to markets right now. But that's nice of you to say! lol And I used to be a single mom, but I have a partner of 3 years now! He's just away for work and will be back next week. My brothers and I are super close! They are the best! One of them still lives back east, but we still hang out every Wednesday for some online gaming! Thanks so much for leaving a comment!

[@LemonDawnStudio]

Omg thanks for the shoutout! You’re so sweet. My pronouns are she/her 💗💗💗

[@SquirrelSprout]

Oh Yay! thanks for letting me know and thanks for watching

[@katesmith6661]

Great video. I’m genX and I sell landscape and animal paintings, so not quite the same. But my advice is to not say a word. Just roll your eyes right back at them and then turn to the next customer. No need to defend yourself or your product. These bigots aren’t customers.

[@SquirrelSprout]

That's true - I don't want their business anyway haha. Thanks so much for your feedback!

[@Aruna_Shine]

I love your videos, they are so wonderfully real and entertaining. I'm from Switzerland (excuse my bad English) and also a neurodiverse bunch :D I always say: Asperger's is my big buddy. Give yourself a follow on Twitch :D See you soon and I'm looking forward to a new video from you 🥰

[@SquirrelSprout]

Oh my gosh, thank you so much!! That's super dope of you! English isn't my first language either, so it's all good!