Why do you want to make money from your craft? We're actually going to dig down into this a little bit. So, for our in-studio audience, which of these statements have you heard at some point in your creative journey? And I already asked you guys this one, but, "You made that? That's so cool! You should sell it on Etsy." All right, who's heard that one from somebody? Yeah. I think pretty much all of us have. Yeah, I've heard it many times. How about this one, "When are you going to give up on that and get a real job?" I know. A few nods of agreement there, right? So, there's that one, right? Like, there's the opposite, "You should sell this immediately." Or, like, "You're a crazy person, grow up, ditch the dream, go get a real job." Right? Or how about this one, "I made $6 million in my first five minutes on the internet and you guys can too!" Right? There's so much of that pressure of like, "Look how fast my business grew and I can teach you how to do it too." That's not why I'm here. ...

I am not going to sell you guys false promises. But I think it's important to acknowledge that that kind of language is out there and that you're hearing it a lot. Because then when you don't make $6 million in five minutes, it starts to make you feel like you're doing something wrong, right? You guys felt like that? Like, "Uh, I don't understand. That guy's over there saying he made $6 million in 12 seconds. Like, what's my problem?" I know that happens to me too, right? So we fall into these kind of comparison traps when we see other people's success stories. And especially when we're seeing people peddling success stories, so they can sell us other marketing advice. So, what we want to do is look at this real versus perceived pressure. Real pressure comes from an actual financial need. And it's fine, it's important. Like, I have real pressure, if I don't make money, I have to get a job. Okay? My husband and I both contribute to our income. We cannot live on his salary alone. I have to help pay the bills every month. So, if I'm not bringing in that in through my business, I have to go get a real job. I have no idea how to have a real job. I am pretty sure I'm unemployable. So that is real financial pressure. Perceived pressure comes from strangers on the internet and well-meaning friends. And I couldn't decide which word to put in quotes there, and I ended up with both of them because I think their both true. Right? Like, your friends they really mean well and they're like, "Are you going to get a real job," or "you should sell that on Etsy." But they don't really know, right? They're just, like, throwing stuff out and they move on with their day and you're, like, "But, Suzan... Now I don't know what to do because Suzan said I should do this, and oh my God." And like, she's over there thinking about what she's going to do in spin class tomorrow, right? So, they mean well, but they're really not. So why is it important to understand this? Why is it important to understand your real financial needs? So, you're going to see this a lot, get real comfortable with our little circle. When you're working on your business, you're splitting your time between these two elements, between honing your craft and growing your audience. But the reality is, it's probably not a 50/50 split. So, your financial needs are going to dictate where you're spending your time. If you have less financial need from your business, you might get to hang out over here, right? Spend a lot of time honing your craft, a little bit of time on the audience growth. But if you're like, "Oh, I have to pay my mortgage this month," you might end up over here, right? Working a little harder growing your audience and you have to spend a little less time in the studio. But you know this is what you have to do to move your business forward and hit those financial needs. So, it's really important to understand that. And, again, it's okay whatever solution you're in. Everybody is coming from some place different. So, it's important that you understand these for you.

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Megan Auman

Megan Auman is a designer, metalsmith, educator, and entrepreneur who has built a multi-faceted business around her passion for great design and sustainable business. Her eponymous jewelry line is sold in stores across the US and online. Her designs have been featured in Design Sponge, Better Homes and Gardens, Cooking Light, and more. In 2009, Megan founded Designing an MBA to help designers and makers develop their business skills. Since then, she has created a number of successful e-courses, including Marketing for Makers, Wholesale Academy, and Do/Teach. She is a frequent speaker on pricing, wholesale, and business thinking for creatives.

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Business Marketing & Sales

Ratings and Reviews

Liana Badea

I truly enjoyed this class, as it is very detailed, but straight to the point. 30 modules, more than 10 hours, it is so worth it! I also loved the interactive part of it. Building your business from scratch is not easy, there is so much to do. This class gave me some important pointers and valuable guidance, thank you Megan! I strongly recommend this class to anyone who wants to work smarter, not harder and be successful.

Kristen Girard

Fantastic class! If you have never taken a Megan Auman class, this is the perfect one to start with. It filled in some knowledge gaps that I didn't know I had. Lots of great basic knowledge that I haven't been able to find elsewhere. Super helpful!

Maike Armstrong

First of all, it's so fun to learn from Megan! She is so motivating and enthusiastic – making you feel great about your business even when you are just starting out. The class is well put together, easy to follow and has simple, actionable steps to follow in order to actually move forward. I definitely recommend you check it out for yourself!

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Why Do You Want to Make Money from Your Craft?

Why Do You Want to Make Money from Your Craft?

Lesson Info

2. Why Do You Want to Make Money from Your Craft?

Lessons

Class Introduction