Successful Business Operations 2: She Grew a Successful Craft Business

This continues our series on people who grew small family businesses into thriving ones

Many people start businesses because they have a good idea. Others start businesses out of desperation. Some start their business with grand ideas of amazing profits. Many people, however, start a business to add a small income to support their families. For a few, their business grows unexpectedly into a fantastic revenue generating machine.

Creative, Organized, and Active

I will call this owner Mandy, since she has not chosen to make her name public. Mandy grew up in a very creative family. Her father, who died recently, loved music, creative farming, and fixing things. Her mother enjoyed creating things with her daughters. Mandy carried on the tradition. She decorated her home with stenciled wall coverings, hand painted clocks, toll painting, and more.

Soon, she and another sister blogged Simply Home and Family. They shared recipes for sugar cookies, ideas for cute hair ribbons and braids, and place’s to take the family. They showed beautiful pictures on their site. While Mandy and her sister intended to show people how to do it themselves, many people wanted to buy the crafts she displayed.

Web Tools Extend Everyone’s Reach

On June 15, 2009 Mandy joined Etsy as Abbie’s House. She described her purpose on her about page “At Abbie's House, we are working to create great products that will help organize your home and family life. We offer high quality, durable, and helpful products to busy families. We would love to hear your questions. comments and ideas. Thanks for stopping by.”

Etsy allowed Mandy to expand and reach a much larger audience of millions. People loved her child’s measuring board, her personalized family money, and her magnetic chore charts. Sales increased exponentially. Mandy’s daughters helped her, around the kitchen table, manufacture each product, hand painting, gluing, and more.

Recently, sales expanded so much that Mandy and her family started a much larger home with a manufacturing workroom for the expanded business. She’s another success.

Saturday we will share how Lance and Jarid helped Donny Osmond, Mitt Romney, & others