tara, Author at Tara Swiger

tara

Should you do free?

Should I give away free patterns or products or services or tutorials?

This is a question many people (those who have been steeped in the crafty community but yet to open a crafty business) ask me.

My answer is different for everybody, but this great post and Free + Sustainability + Community by Diane at CraftyPod reminded me that I've wanted to talk about it for a while.

The short answer:

Free is fine. But what do you hope to accomplish with Free?

Is there another way to reach that goal, one that's more sustainable for you and that sets up the right relationship between you and your people?

(Right Relationship = the relationship you hope to have with them long-term. For my yarny people, it's a yarn-buying relationship. For my craftybiz people, it's a more personal relationship: we work together to craft their businesses.)

The long answer

Free is fine.

But before you start giving stuff away, think about your Right People, think about your Right Relationship.

How can you build that sustainably over time?

What can you give them that will build the Right Relationship?

Realize this: if you give it away now, you won't be able to charge for it later.

When free is great:

When it's a prize for getting the interaction of your Right People (ex. 50% off when I spin a yarn that you suggested).
When it's in exchange for information you need (ex. a survey, or a sign-up to your list).
When it's building the relationship through building your expertise, your cleverness or whatever it is that highlights your YOUNESS.
When it's a taste of your awesomeness (ex. I send mini-skeins (5 yards) to regular customers if they want to try a new yarn) that entices them to pay for the full awesomeness.

When does free work for your CraftyBiz?

PS. We'll be talking a LOT more about baking Right Relationships in the Starship.

3 reasons your crafty business dreams aren’t coming true

I've been thinking (and plotting!) a lot for my own crafty business this week and I've been talking to others about what they want (and what they aren't getting) with theirs.

And I'm sad to say that lots of us aren't getting everything we want from our business.
We have this sinking feeling that it should be more.
That we should be more.

First of all, you're doing the best you can.
You shouldn't be different or better or work harder.

There are just some (pretty simple to move) obstacles in your way that you're not seeing.

1. You don't know what you want.

Yeah, you may have a general overview (quit my dayjob! Be happy! Spend my time crafting!), but you don't know specifically what you want. How much do you want to make a year? A month? A week? How much time do you spend crafting? How much time writing, photographing, bookkeeping, shipping? What would your day look like if your CraftyBiz was wildly succesful?

The truth is: we can't get what we want until we know what we want.

2. You don't prioritize.

Once you have a clear vision of what you want from your business, what comes first? Growing a list? Creating new products? Creating content? Fixing your pricing?

3. You don't have support and accountability.

Even the most driven amongst us (and I was raised by two Marines, so yeah, I'm a bit obsessively driven), can't keep up the sort of sustained, long-term work (and play!) in a vacuum. Especially in the beginning, when you're not getting any feedback from customers (because you don't have them yet!) or your community (because you haven't found them yet!).

From the outside, this problem shows itself as lack of focus, or lack of commitment, but the more CraftyBiz-ers I talk to, the more I'm convinced that beating yourself up is NOT the answer.

A much saner (and sustainable!) solution is to find a support network.

People to who will check in (kindly!) with you.
People who will give you honest (gentle) feedback.
People who will brainstorm awesome ideas with you.

The good news

You can fix this!

You can spend the time figuring out what you want with your notebook + a few hours.
You can list your prioritize in a few minutes of focused attention.
(That is, if you know what you want (see #1!) and the business basics of how to get there.
You can learn that via classes or through reading everything you can get your hands on and trial and error.)
You can form your own accountability circle on Twitter, Facebook or just your email buddies.

Or.

You can join the CraftyBiz Kitchen.
We'll spend the first class working on our goals + dreams + plans + getting specific about what we want.
We spend one-on-one IdeaStorming sessions prioritizing the what-to-do-next after we've had classes that cover the how-to-do-it.
We have accountability and brainstorming and a general fun time during the chats.

Either way, don't let these things get in between you and what you want.
Don't let your business feel like a weight when it could feel like a joy.

Ask for help.
Seek answers.

And no matter what, don't treat yourself like a Marine drill sergeant would, ok?

——

Ah yes, I keep forgetting to say: the CraftyBiz Kitchen closes next Wednesday, 1/12, because that's the day of our first class and I don't want anyone to miss it.
Please get all the details and sign up here.

52 books in 2010

In 2010, I made a goal to read 52 books.
first books of 2011

No wait, come back! This isn't another round-up of my year kind of post, I promise! I'm just going to talk about the best books, ok?

Even though that's 1 book a week, the actual reading didn't turn out like that at all. Many weeks I read no books and many weeks I read 2 or 3 books. I finished the 52nd book the week before Christmas and…haven't finished another book since then.

I had very few rules.

I couldn't count a cookbook (or knitting book) unless I actually cooked a recipe (or knit a project) out of it (unless it was a mostly-words book, like Gluten Free Girl).
I am always allowed to quit reading, at any point. No guilt.

Instead of talking about every book or just listing them (you can see the entire list here), I want to share the surprises.

Oh, and I'm linking to their GoodReads page because I did not buy them (99% of the books were checked out from my library), so it seems disingenuous to tell you to buy them.

However, if you're like my friend Jamie and want to own every book you read, I strongly suggest using IndieBound to find an independent bookstore to buy them from. If you don't have a bookstore near you, you can buy from my favorite, Malaprops.

Now, for the books!

The books I did not expect to like

Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

It's Young Adult fiction! It's set in an apolyptic future! Not usually my thing. But so good.

It was Kim's review that convinced me to check it out and she was right! I finished the first book in 5 hours one night (yes, I stayed up until 3 am finishing it), it was that great.

Finding your Own North Star by Martha Beck.

I didn't really know anything about Martha Beck other than she was in Oprah's magazine. That was enough to convince me her stuff would be too cheesy or woo-woo for me.
Plus, I sorta already HAVE my North Star. I'm already doing what I love.

But when Eileen and Brianna both rave about the smartness of Martha, I knew I had to give it a shot. And this book was great. I learned all kind of skills for dealing with my own stuff and helping my CraftyBizzers deal with theirs.

The Happiness Project

I only picked it up after loving Bluebird by Ariel Gore (which I read just because I love Ariel Gore), because I like to put together my own little series around a theme (why yes, I am a geek).
I'm not really into improve-your-life programs. I'm all about improving my life, but not through traditional, do-this-next-steps. I thought that was what this book is.

But it's totally not. Gretchen puts together a plan to research and learn more about her own happiness and in doing so shares helpful information without being preachy.

Most proud of myself for (finally) reading:

Jane Eyre

Seriously! How have I not read this before? Sweeping, epic, beautiful.
And I still can't get over what a contemporary role model Jane is.

Did not like as much as everyone said I would:

Girl with Dragon Tattoo

Wayyy too violent for my sensitive self. I've experienced enough violence in the real world that I try to avoid it in my own imagination.
The action was gripping and I couldn't put it down until I finished.
But I've been haunted by the violent imagery every since. Really wish I had never read it.

Dune

zzzzzz.
Couldn't finish it. Could barely keep reading.
So full of science-y description.

But it's a sci-fi classic so I tried REALLY hard to read it and like it.
But I just couldn't.

Best business book

Book Yourself Solid

I loved Trust Agents and The Art of Non-Conformity (I read both of these guys blogs (Chris and Chris) every week and their books have the same friendly, helpful voice), but Book Yourself Solid had the most new-to-me, detailed, do-this-next helpfulness.

If you can get past the constant Book Yourself Solid phrase. You've been warned: the author says “Book Yourself Solid” several times a chapter.

And you?

What was the best book you read last year?
I'm trying to read 60 books this year, and I need a few more for my list!

Thematic

I'm not one for resolutions.

In the past, I've picked words to guide me through the year, to sum up my goals.

But this year, the year ahead feels sprawling. Too huge and unknown and exciting to slap a word or two on it.
Instead of picking a word or goal for the entire year, I'm picking a goal for each quarter (more about this in today's SparklePointer).

But for the whole year?
I'm repeating something from last year: allowing a theme to come to me.

The difference between a theme and resolutions?

Resolutions, goals, visions = action, grasping, finish lines

Themes are just there. They define a period time, whether we want them to or not.

For me, picking a theme means bringing awareness to something. To notice when I need it, to notice when I'm blessed with it.

And the best themes aren't picked. They picked me.

An example

In 2010, during an exercise with Havi, the word PEACE came to me.
And I was annoyed. I am not a person who seeks peace. I seek adventure and challenges and struggle.

Oh. Yeah.

That is why I needed peace.
For the rough times. For the struggles. For the challenges. For the adventures.

And 2010 brought me plenty of opportunities to look for peace, to find it unexpectedly, to cultivate peace in an unpeaceful time.

This year

Despite avoiding it, despite wanting something more sparkly or exciting, I got SAFETY.

Oh, blah. How boring!
And so expected after the recent unpleasantness.

But that's the word.

But what does it DO?

Knowing the word is like having a study guide. I know what I need to pay attention to, even though I have no idea what's coming.

To get a handle on it I start by writing about the qualities that SAFETY includes. What does it mean for ME?

And then, I just pay attention.

I notice the word.
I notice when I feel the feeling (or feel the distinct LACK of it).

In confusing, uncertain or hard times, I ask myself:

“How can I bring the qualities of Safety into this situation?”
“Where is Safety here?”
“What small thing can I do to make this feel more safe?”

This isn't about fear.

Or playing it safe.
Or avoiding risks.

This is about building a safe space, within myself, to act from.

To brunch with.
Like a comfy house in the Shire that you set out from to go on great adventures. Its presence (no matter how far away) comforts you on the cold nights.
Or, for a different geeky metaphor, it's a space station. It's DS9 and my adventures happen with the Away Team, who stays safe as long as they're in contact with the station.

Does your new year have a theme?

Better yet, does it have a geeky metaphor? Tell me about it in the comments!

A letter in the morning cold

I woke up at 6:30 am (about 2 hours earlier than usual!) with the following email burning inside me. I couldn't sleep, I just kept thinking I need to write this!

I sent it to my SparklePointerettes on Tuesday and only waited to share it here until I was all moved (I'm still a little wary of sharing where I am or what I'm doing in real time on the web, since the break-in).

——-

Today's my last day in this house and I'm sitting just a few feet from my busted up back door.
As you may have read, my house was broken into.

Jay and I have felt unsafe, anxious and never-quite-comfortable since it happned.
What was once a beautiful, comfy farmhouse has become a source of tension.

We knew we wanted to get out of here fast, but we didn't want to make a decision on a new place fast. We want to take our time, pick just the right place, create a new home.

To give ourselves space and peace, we made an unusual decision.
Today we're packing almost everything we own into a storage space and we're moving, temporarily, onto a friend's farm.
This will give us the time and space and security to look for a new place while living without fear.

I've been hesitant to share this with anybody. The break-in left me feeling raw and vulnerable, like a turtle without its shell.
But I woke up very early this morning, with this email burning in me.

Why?

Because this is a success story.

Lots of “online business gurus” show pictures of their fancy car, big house, or island vacation and claim success.
I'm doing the opposite.

I'm saying, even when things are rough…
Even when things are not going as planned…
Even when what I really wanted (to feel safe, to stay in my home) isn't working out…

My business is giving me what I need.

My yarn-making has given me exactly what this situation calls for:

Flexibility (to live and work wherever I want (or need) to).
Peace of mind (to take the time I need off work).
Support (both financial and through the community of my Right People).

Working for myself, and specifically working within the amazingly supportive crafty community, has given me more security than any dayjob.
I'm not tied to a location.
I'm not tied to a specific schedule.
I can get up at 6 am to write a blazingly honest email.

First, I just want to say thank you.
For your emails, your tweets, and as always, for your support.

But also, I want to encourage you that you can have this too.
No matter what 2010 has looked like.
No matter what 2011 may bring.
You deserve to have security, community and peace of mind.

This kind of business – one that supports you in the hard times, one that gives you space and flexibility and freedom – this is the kind of business that we create in the CraftyBiz Kitchen.

Your stories (and my own!) of illness, of job loss, of hard times have encouraged me to include even more practility and pragmatism. Even more concrete, do-this-next-steps. Even more personalization, so that stuff you learn can be applied to what you'red doing.

If you need a little more stability or flexibility or freedom, I hope you find it in 2011.

No, I hope you craft it for yourself.

If you have any questions or you'd like some help in deciding if the CraftyBiz Kitchen is right for you, just ask (and I'll get back to you as soon as I get moved in!).

Thanks again for making today possible,
Tara

PS. A BUNCH of really smart businessy friends (along with a few people already in it!) told me that the CraftyBiz Kitchen wasn't expensive enough, that it should be over $80. I raised the price (to $54) for a few days, but it just didn't feel right. The price I started with, $47 (even though the experts say it's not the kind of number that will psychologically seduce you to buy), just feels perfect, so I've corrected the page.
https://taraswiger.com/index.php/help/personal/test-kitchen/

PPS. Oh, it just occurred to me that I never mentioned: even though I'll be in a new place, classes and Ideastorming and yarn-making will go on as normal. None of my plans for the CraftyBiz Kitchen are changing. In fact, they're just getting more fabulous. That's the joy of a flexible business!

Merry and Bright

I wish, for you my dear sisters-in-craft:

Peace.
Joy.
Abundance.
Light.
Snuggles.

And most of all, I hope that all your dreams and all your plans for the new year come true.

I'll be far from my desk for the next week, but I look forward to joining you in the CraftyBiz Kitchen or right here in the new year.

Good Shtuff: Naps + Rests Edition

Since I'm on sabbatical, and the rest of the country is in a holiday-induced panic, this is a rest-filled, super-short Good Shtuff.

How can I NOT love a book called Take That Nap?!

Stop worrying about the website stuff. Updates, plug-ins, meh! Let my pal Wendy handle the hassle while you just work on creating your awesomeness.

During all this resting, how about a little knitting? I have plans to make 11 shawls in 2011 and I know at least 2 of them will be the fabulous Betico. I LOVE patterns that let you work your own magic. And I can think of a zillion ways to make it and 50 people to make it for. Totally smitten!

Hope your week is filled with rest, joy and light!

PS. If you're using the next two weeks to plan the new year in your business, I humbly submit the CraftyBiz Kitchen as a fabulous place to learn, hang out and generally figure business stuff out in a no-panic, no-should cozy (virutal) kitchen.

Sugar Cookie Day

I woke up today, the first day of my sabbatical, thinking about sugar cookies.

(Well, not just sugar cookies. I was also humming this song (you're welcome!) and wondering if new people joined the CraftyBiz Kitchen overnight (they did!).)

Specifically, these sugar cookies. I'm making them right now (ok, as soon as I stand up).

(the recipe takes a LOT of flours! 5!)

And I am dying to decorate them like the Pioneer Woman and Bakeat350 taught me here.

And, well, I just wanted to share. Sugar cookies! Decorating!
No big business lessons. Just luxuriating in a sabbatical. Look for pictures tomorrow (or follow me on Twitter and get pictures LIVE. Thrilling. I know.)

That's how I'm spending my snowy Thursday. What are you doing?

(pictures added 12/18. You can see that I fell far short of The Pioneer Woman's beautiful examples. Sigh)

Throwing a party inside the CraftyBiz Kitchen

Let's get right to the point: The CraftyBiz Kitchen is now open.
You can join us here.

I tried to keep that page short and to the point, but there is so much that I'm excited about that I just had to share some of it here.
Let's do Q+A, shall we?

What's the CraftyBiz Kitchen?

When it started, in July 2010, it was simply a subscription to my CraftyBiz classes. Every class came with recordings, worksheets and post-class chats. As more people joined and started asking for different features, I decided to close it to new members on September 1, so we could experiment together.
Over the next 3 months, I added some things, tried other things and asked the Kitcheners what they wanted at every turn.

They voted and what we have now is something we all really love:

2 hours of classes/month (most of them private, a few classes will be available to the public for $30-$70)
30 minute one-on-one session with me, via Google chat. We talk about your business, prioritize for the next month or just brainstorm product ideas (like Zombie Jesus. Yes)
Weekly chats, in a private (online) room and on Twitter

The best part?

You pay each month and can leave at any time.
Or, if you'd prefer, you can pay for 3 months at once.

(Once you've been in it for 3 months, you have the option of buying a 6 month membership, at the request of some very eager Kitcheners!)

What classes?

This is the part I am most! excited! about!

The CraftyBiz Kitchen allows me to know who, exactly,will be in the classes, so I can shape the content and discussion to benefit you, the individual business crafter.
I've started to work on the outline of the first quarter and am delighted that as I was mapping everything out, it turns out that each step could happen in a real kitchen, as you're planning a party. So that's the metaphor we're going with (but we're also going to spend some time coming up with a metaphor YOU like, for YOUR biz (if you're into that sorta thing)).

January
For starters, everyone who joins will get Right Price + Right People in mid-December, so we're all on the same page when we start in January.

Build your own Kitchen: Building the “home base” for your business, the fist step in creating a thoroughly-you business. We'll look at all the different spokes of your business + learn how to make them cohesively you. This step makes it easier for your Right People to recognize you when they find you.

Stocking the Shelves: Does your online presence (website, etsy shop, etc) answer all of your Right People's questions? Is it easy to navigate? Easy to understand? Before we invite people over, we need to make sure we've got what they need.

February

Planning a Party: We all want more sales, but before you invite the people, let's plan for what kind of party you're throwing. In other words, what your Unique Selling Point? What's the thing that makes your thing awesome?

Putting together the invitation list: In this class, we'll dig into who YOUR Right People are. Who do you hope shows up? What do they want from you?

Who has it helped?

Here are some CBKers who agreed to share their story.

Kristine says, “I launched my crafty business in 2010, and the help that Tara gave in form of classes, one-on-one, and chats was invaluable to getting off the ground. I'd highly recommend that if 2011 will be the year of something new for YOU, consider investing in yourself and join the CraftyBiz Kitchen!”
Joyce started her business after our first IdeaStorming and has since started teaching, succeeded at her first craft show and totally rocked it.
(Also, she sends me emails after classes that say hilarious things like this:

“I got so much from the most recent class!!! SO incredibly informative and helpful! I dub thee Tara Awesomepants! “

There are lots more stories and sillyness, but everything you share in the CBK stays in the CBK. Privacy and mystery and ridiculous passwords. Yes.

But here's the thing: none of this is the CraftyBiz Kitchen.
It's all them. Their hard work. Their application of what we've talked about. Their curiosity and experiments and willingness to try.
I'm just delighted I get to hang out with them while they work on it!

Is this for me?

It depends.
If you're wondering if this is for where you are in your business, the answer is “Probably yes.” I'm working on baking layers (like a cake!) into each of the topics we cover. The general concepts are great for someone just starting their business, but the specifics of how YOU implement them will help even the most advanced crafty business.
For newbies, you'll be building your business as we learn.
For established businesses, you'll be tweaking and improving as we learn.
For everyone in between, it'll be a combination of new-to-you-stuff and oh-I-should-really-look-again-at-that stuff.
Everyone will have the support of me (via one-on-one time) and other crafters (via chat) to ask questions, dig deeper and explore all the gooey layers.

(Side Note: The layers thing is something I am terribly excited about. I plan on playing with the concept (and maybe even actual cake layers) a lot during my sabbatical. You've been warned.)

If you're wondering if this kind of thing is right for you, the answer is “maybe“.

Before you decide, it might help to ask yourself these questions (this is what I ask myself before I buy anything):

How do I intend to use this, actually implement it, to improve my business?

Do I have time to listen to the classes and join in chats (about 4 hours a month)?

Do I enjoy the other things by this person (blog, other classes, etc)? Would I like hanging out with her on a regular basis?

But is this for ME?

Still not sure? Send me an email: vulcan@taraswiger.com

And you know what?

If this isn't for you? Or it isn't for you right now? That's totally cool. I still adore you and your businessy dream and can't wait to hang out with you in the comments.

Sabbatical

I quit my dayjob in July 2009. Since that first day, I have always had a to-do list. Always had deadlines. Always been working.
Oh, I have taken some vacations, but each of those were full-fledged ignore-all-work weeks off.

I have not experimented.

I have not started a work day without a list.

And I love lists and calendars and plans; it's not lists that are the problem.

It's that I've been working in much the same way that I worked in the dayjob. Similar hours, similar goals. Looking at my time in chunks of hours of days, not weeks or seasons.

I'm ready to play with this. To explore. To experiment.

I'm taking a sabbatical.

Not a vacation.
Not away from work.

But a focus on a more inward kind of work. More writing. More plotting. More listening to what wants to be built and building it.

From this Thursday through January 3rd, I'm changing the way I interact online and off, with customers and with ideas, with working and with resting.

What this looks like (for you):

I'll be:

Answering emails once a week (except about something you bought, that gets a reply within 2 days).
Writing for the blog once a week.
Finishing up the IdeaStorming sessions I have left in December, but not scheduling any more until late January.
Taking a break from the SparklePointer emails. They'll recommence on 1/4.

What this looks like (for me):

I'll be:

Experimenting with my relationship to work. What does a day without a to-do list look like? How do I feel when I don't have (self-imposed) deadlines?
Organizing and researching for first quarter classes in the CraftyBiz Kitchen.
Writing mini-books to go with my past classes (I'm turning them into more-complete resources, which will be available in January and February. If you want them at their current price, get them now.)

So what's different?

Really, from your point of view, not a lot. It's mostly internal.

It's really a pulling-back, not a going-away. I'll still be on Twitter (as, just, myself, hanging out). I'll still be sharing the Good Shtuff I find.

But I won't be brunching or launching or promoting anything new. Even though I've had the CraftyBiz Kitchen set to reopen 12/15 (for months!), it's getting very little fanfare.
Tomorrow I'll share a bit about the specific classes for the first quarter of 2011 CraftyBiz Kitchen, but that's it. It's not even officially open and it's already filling up, so I'm comfortable with it.

Thank you

Thank you!

It felt scary to even imagine a world with a sabbatical, let alone say it out loud. But here it is. And I feel great.
Thank you for your support with yesterday's bad news and thank you for making the past year awesome!

Wanna take your own sabbatical? Check out my course with Stacey Trock of FreshStitches: Take a Break (without breaking your biz!)

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