How to Start a Craft Business: Turn Your Crafts Into a Moneymaker

By Archie And Myrna Ossin
Published on March 1, 1978
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Many talented craftspeople are skilled at what they do, but are not always the best at running a business. This article teaches the basics of running a successful craft business.
Many talented craftspeople are skilled at what they do, but are not always the best at running a business. This article teaches the basics of running a successful craft business.
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This chart explains some potential marketing themes for a knitting craft business.
This chart explains some potential marketing themes for a knitting craft business.
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To calculate the cost pricing of a single item in your product line, follow the chart here to see if your product is making or losing you money.
To calculate the cost pricing of a single item in your product line, follow the chart here to see if your product is making or losing you money.

We know that there are a lot of talented craftsmen and craftswomen out there, but how many of you are as good at selling your designs as you are at creating them? Archie and Myrna Ossin — craftspeople themselves — have published a book intended to help all you artists and hobbyists go into business for yourselves … and succeed!

The Ossins have used the principles set down in their book for four years, and during that period, they’ve turned a nominal investment into a profitable craft business. That’s why we’ve chosen to reprint the following excerpts — which are representative of the kind of levelheaded counsel you’ll find in the guide — from Archie and Myrna’s book.

To start and run a profitable craft business, you must — of course — have a specific product which can be made and sold. THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A DEMAND FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN MAKE AT THE PRICES FOR WHICH YOU WANT THEM TO SELL. If you enjoy doing something for which you know there is little demand or if your product cannot be priced profitably, keep it as a hobby and start a business with some other item.

Ideas for Products

There are three general areas from which you can develop ideas for your products:

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