It’s Business Time
artwork by Dafne
I really enjoy making things like zines and jewelry, and selling them is really the only way I can afford to keep making things. After working with people who sell their handmade goods outside the safety net of Etsy and listening to the encouragement of friends who are not afraid to tell me when I have bad ideas, I decided to see if I could get my line in retail locations - and I actually didn’t get my fragile heart stomped on much at all!
I, personally, was horrified to learn that putting yourself out there, giving other people (strangers who seem to have their lives together, even!) a chance to help you actually really works. I didn’t want it to be true, because it pretty spun me into an existential crisis, but I’m starting to realize not only that somewhere in me is self confidence, but also that I can use it to my advantage.
Having someone else sell your product can be a huge relief, whether it’s online or in person. People who wouldn’t necessarily see your work otherwise might become customers and you don’t have to package and ship each individual sold item anymore. Though I’m still pretty new to this whole thing, I have a bit of wisdom to share:
hi, i’m contributing to girl guts now and my first piece is up and i’m even more excited about the next couple things i’ll be writing for them. go check it out and also things by all the other contributors who would probably make super fun BFFs!
