🌱 My Biggest Small Biz Mistakes ?!? 🌱 Let's talk taxes, budgeting + social media conversion rates 🌱

Рет қаралды 3,394

6 ай бұрын

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Hello! Thanks for tuning in to another one of my rambles, this time I'm talking about the mistakes I made starting out with my small business. I only started this year in the beginning of 2023, so what you've seen of me online is all of me learning as I go! As I'm approaching the end of my first year of business, I'm realizing that I've made lots of errors along the way.
Learn from my mistakes and don't do (and sometimes do) the things I did! If you're looking for a place to start, don't forget to check out Skillshare for some helpful videos on starting a business, bookkeeping, taxes, and more (get a free trial with my link!): skl.sh/tinamadewithapril11231
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!
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Пікірлер: 49

@daisywoon3142 6 ай бұрын

I really agree with having to keep things for yourself. I’ve been doing markets for over a year now with just crochet plushies and I’ve been selling axalotls (they have been super popular) I didn’t see anyone else with them for months and at my last market everyone had them as they have gone viral and they had bought them before they had reached my stall. I obviously didn’t come up crochet axolotls but it’s so difficult to come up with original stuff within crochet!

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

Def a problem I've been encountering over and over again at markets, with selling online I'm sure the same problem exists but it's 'invisible' so people don't always realize why their products aren't selling. 😭😭

@priscillamarie1536 6 ай бұрын

I think it also depends on where you live because in our area flowers Do Not Sell. But totes and stickers sell great! My sister also used to buy yarn just because it looked pretty. But she will NOT have her yarn shipped because she uses blanket yarn for her plushies and she needs to feel it to make sure she likes it 🥰

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

Ah totally true, location is a big part of it!! I bought a bunch of Walmart brand blanket yarn without feeling it and it is SO much harder to work with than the michaels brand. I def respect her for making that choice!!

@maureenvega 6 ай бұрын

this is honesty so refreshing to hear as a fellow small business owner!

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

We learning from our mistakes out here 💪🏻

@theminimalistninja 6 ай бұрын

Hobbi's friends cotton is so so amzing! You got me hooked on crocheting flowers and Hobbii's friends 8/4 cotton along with their rainbow 8/4 cotton are definitely my favorite yarns ever. It's so soft and the colors are perfect! I really enjoy watching all your videos and I am glad that you've found your niche and that you've also refined it and are now focused on what works for you and tossed what didn't. YESS to the room tour btw!!!! :D

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

Totally agree ahh and they're so consistent it's hard to say no to hobbii hehe Thank you for the support 😭🩷🩷

@dawnthompson5528 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for your honesty and for keeping it real.🙂

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

Hopefully I can help other people by going over my mistakes hahaha

@projectpink3365 3 ай бұрын

just don't give up. you are amazing!!!

@madewithapril 3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!!

@melaniechin9389 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing. I appreciate your honesty in this craft. I've made the same mistakes as you years ago when I wanted to turn my craft into a business. Now I just focus on a niche (mine is Christmas ornaments so i only sell on FB marketplace during that season). I think that's important, focus on your niche and what you're good at. Good luck and keep on believing in yourself!

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

Thank you!! It's def been hard to find a niche and stay true to it but I'm feeling more confident about it now!

@ChantelleArts 6 ай бұрын

thank you for sharing, this honesty is really useful to hear ❤❤❤

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@projectpink3365 3 ай бұрын

also, the design you have in your profile picture is super pretty, if you did that in your tote bags it would be better not only for it being cute but because it has your business name.

@madewithapril 3 ай бұрын

hehe, it's not my drawing but a commission I got so I don't feel right selling the design, but I may have to consider something like that in the future!!

@atlastnicole 6 ай бұрын

This video came out at such a great time ‘cause I literally just spent like a thousand dollars on crochet and shipping supplies when I don’t even have a stable customer base yet lol I also tend to buy organizers that would make my place look more aesthetic because it helps me with the creative flow and I can’t focus when things around me look messy or unpleasant to me, but I know it’s not necessary though. I am definitely guilty of bulk buying, ‘cause I’m afraid of things running out when I need them at hand and don’t have it but maybe it’s not necessarily worth getting into debt for, especially when I still don’t have a lot of customers yet 😅

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

This was me exactly hahaha I got too excited about the potential of things to come that I didn't always do the math first haha

@lunamalicreations 6 ай бұрын

Loved the video and yes a future video on taxes and other small business finance stuff would be awesome!! And every time you said you know what I mean I did know what you meant 😊

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

HAHA im glad!!!

@JoyfullyHandmade 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing this. I can relate to wanting to buy more yarn.

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! I think it's a common problem of always wanting to buy yarn haha

@TheSquishyWitch 6 ай бұрын

I'm just starting out and I definitely feel the whole finding your focus aspect. But I also have soooo much yarn for plushies because I feel like I never have all the colors in the type of yarn that I need lol

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

OMG THE STRUGGLE WHEN YOU NEED LIKE a little tail or face features or just the ears in a color that you don't have and it's like.. do i buy a whole new ball of yarn just for this color LOL

@KaydipityKrafts 6 ай бұрын

You shouldn't feel bad about not having pattern available for a flower/design that you have. If someone really wants to recreate it, not having a pattern is not going to stop them from creating it. I personally prefer a pattern for my own sake of mind cause trying to figure out how to execute some things just be taking forever and ends up being more of a headache than anything. My last market two weeks ago the organizers had another crocheter that made the same stuff i did across the way from me. It was disheartening to see their booth filled with patrons the whole night but now I know time to revamp and realign my creations and take it another direction. Thank you always for your insights on the small business side! Love seeing your videos and creations :D

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

It's easy for me to agree about not having patterns available, but there's still guilt there hahaha I'll get over it in time :S I've been having lots of similar experiences with markets lately and it's kind of made me take a small break from them. I'm not sure if it's just trendy right now but ah there are always so many crocheters/similar booths!!

@KaydipityKrafts 6 ай бұрын

@@madewithapril there are the “popular” items that’s floating around so it may be a bit of that. But yea. The market I started with last year only had me and another lady. Then this year the organizers added on 4 more other crocheters. I’m trying to participate in the last December market and then after that my next one is February 2024 lol

@JingoCrochet 6 ай бұрын

I feel you, I spent $200+ on 1000 stickers with the same design only to sell 1 😅so now they are freebies with every custom order aha I also have the same issue of making too much variety of things but i can't help myself LOL 😂and crochet becoming more mainstream has definitely made doing some markets more difficult than before q.q

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

LOL OMG I got stickers too but luckily they were sponsored because I also sold barely any.. maybe like 3 HAHA 😭😭😭 I think I need to take a break from markets 🐟

@projectpink3365 3 ай бұрын

in my humble opinion.. I think if you don't sell your patterns someone else will. you can create patterns that are not the ones you sell online, for example: the inventory that you sell online is exclusive to you, but the flowers you sell in person you can sell the pattern online. that way you make it harder for people to copy you directly. i don't know if i'm explaining myself

@madewithapril 3 ай бұрын

Ahh I understand! It's hard to decide :S

@alunanfatimah 6 ай бұрын

Your video is really informative

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

Thank you I'm glad!

@sdelli948 6 ай бұрын

I'm looking to start my small business next year with my mum. My mum makes jewelry and sell souvenirs in Jamaica so i am launching an onlne store. I too want to sell my crochet items online but i haven't found my crochet niche yet. The thing i want to specialize in, for now i might just aunch her items and just focus trying to find my niche

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

It's the hardest part!! I tried so many random things before I realized where I wanted to grow. Don't forget that your niche isn't just about what your customers want but also what you want!

@wandercollector6259 2 ай бұрын

Hey Tina! As someone who would like to start a small crochet business, how do you go about taxes for the year? Is it a good idea to put part of your sales income aside for when you file taxes? I think that’s what I’m most worried about on where to start with the whole finance and business aspect. If you have any suggestions or steps on what to do I would greatly appreciate your input! ☺️

@madewithapril 2 ай бұрын

I always try to be cautious and save more money rather than less! I would definitely advise seeing a tax advisor for help on small business accounting!

@PaintBrushBirdie_ 6 ай бұрын

Does Etcy normally let you know what to put towards taxes at the end of the year as well?~

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

I think they send you a summary/tax form at the end of the year, or maybe it's included in the docs they send at the end of every month.... I should know this LOL

@terrirussell6621 6 ай бұрын

I don’t think I would give those tote bags away for free, they are really cute. Maybe just market them more. I’ve noticed trends will hit inexplicably in business and things that were not selling suddenly become popular.

@madewithapril 6 ай бұрын

Thank you!! With trying to market my new flowers and varieties more, I'm trying to prioritize my time vs marketing my unpopular items. I've also slowly stopped making my coasters, stickers, and prints as a result :S It is what it is and I can always try again later. I have so many tote bags that I'm hoping that offering them as a higher order cost incentive will help me make back that money sooner rather than later lol