Once you know you make a good handmade product, how do you know what to do next? According to Alana Rivera, you hone your skills before “jumping over the edge.” Alana started her handmade bath + body company, Etta and Billie in San Francisco, while she still had a traditional job. Today, not only has she quit the job, but she's opened a new studio, hired employees, and landed her products in several popular online and brick and mortar and retail stores around the country.
Among the well known retailers that have carried her line are: Banana Republic's pop up stores, Urban Outfitters online, and most recently, Terrain, Anthropologie's new garden brand. Alana shares a few of her secrets to making it all work in this episode of Indie Business Podcast.
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“
Hone your skills before jumping over the edge.
”
Alana Rivera, Etta + Billie
Season 1, Episode 2: Show Notes
Here are few of the things Alana and I discussed in this episode.
- Honing your entrepreneurial and leadership skills before jumping over the edge.
- Staying connected locally.
- Focusing on doing what you love and what you're good at, and hire people to do the rest.
- Using social media wisely … and which tool is Alana's personal favorite these days.
- Embracing (instead of fighing against) how large retailers work if you want to “scale up your game.”
- Hiring employees and virtual assistants to help you grow.
- Opening a new manufacturing studio, and choosing a location. Alana found hers on Craig's List.
- Alana's top challenge and how she overcomes it daily.
Here are links to the resources mentioned in this episode
Manufacturing: San Francisco Made
Business help: Small Business Administration
Online handmade product sales platform: Etsy
Online craft product sales platform: Brika
Online American made product sales platform: Martha Stewart American Made Ebay Market (this site has moved to Amazon, at this link)
IBN: Indie Business Network
#IndieCruise Mastermind: #IndieCruise
Renegade brand of craft fairs: Renegade Chicago and Renegade San Francisco
Trade show: San Francisco International Gift Fair
Garden store: Terrain
Connect with Alana and Etta+Billie
Etta + Billie's website
Etta + Billie on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram
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The post Episode 2: Alana Rivera: Etta and Billie: Indie Business Podcast appeared first on Indie Business Network®.
