Welcome to part 2 of How to Make Quilting Your Business! My hope is for you to be as successful as you are passionate. This week we will discuss choosing your quilting career path.
First, brainstorm all of the different quilting career possibilities, many of which I listed in last week’s post. Which sound fun and exciting to you? Which do not pique your interest?
Think about your talents, time and resources that you can devote to pursuing your passion. Do you love creating original designs and figuring out yardage and cutting instructions? Then perhaps pattern designing is right for you.
Would you rather machine quilt than piece? Then maybe you want to start quilting for others. Are you a fast and efficient sewer who cranks out the projects and uses up lots of scraps in the process? Then commissioned work may be right up your alley.
Maybe you enjoy sharing the latest sewing techniques with your friends, family and guild members, and teaching comes naturally to you. Perhaps it’s finally time to retire and you have a nest egg that you’ve been saving to open your own shop.
This week I’d like you to jot down as many ideas as you can, no matter how outlandish they may seem. The sky’s the limit at this point. Getting your thoughts down on paper is the first step into turning one or more of your dreams into reality.
Think about your ideas for a few days and circle your top 3 choices that you think are actually doable. You can share them here, or keep them private. In the coming weeks, I will be discussing different career “paths” or choices I have made or am considering in the future. If some of these ideas are on your list, take notes and ask questions as I get to your topic. Hopefully that can help you narrow down your choices.
Now, start to do a little planning – just a little. What would it take in terms of time and money to make your dream career become a reality? Can you start it in the next month, or the next year? What is standing in your way? Where do you see your business in 5 years? By answering these questions, you can start to visualize your end goal. Backtrack from there and start filling in the steps you need to take now, a month from now, or a year from now so you can make it happen.
Sewing Summit, 2013
If you are still not sure where you want your path to take you, consider attending craft and sewing related conferences that are open to the public. I attended quite a few lectures at Sewing Summit last year that really helped me define my goals.
More recently I just found out about another cool conference called Altitude Summit. I didn’t get a chance to go this year, but I’m on their email list and read their blog quite often. And this is just the tip of the iceberg – I’m sure there are tons more!
Next week we will discussing what seems to be a popular desire – owning your own shop. I’ve been there, done that, and I’ll share with you the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Christa Quilts 