I write a lot about my day-to-day activities, but don't really talk much about my vision for the future. Traveling always seems to stimulate rumination on my place in the world and what I want out of life.
When I started my first crafts business ten years ago I had no idea what I was doing. I bought a lot of equipment and thought I'd just "wing it". I didn't have a clue just how much more it takes to start and run a low-margin business like this.
This time, I wrote a thorough business plan, expecting to take out a loan to get started. (Actually, I did 12 financial projections for different crafts businesses and chose the obvious winner in terms of earning potential and personality match.) The big dream loan didn't happen. Instead, my friends chipped in to support the "skin of my teeth" business model where I barely survive for a while in trade for irreplaceable experience.
Last April I started weaving on a contract, learning the ropes of the production world. In May I quit my minimum wage day job and started getting by on just my income from that contract. My finances have been ridiculously tight as I "put in my time" as an apprentice, gaining extremely valuable experience.
This week, that's all starting to change. I am giving up the San Francisco apartment that has been eating almost all of my income. I'll have spare cash for the first time in years. Well, spare isn't exactly the right word. I'll finally have the money to start taking intentional steps forward. And here's what that looks like:
1. Pay back my loans. People were incredibly kind in helping me to get my loom. I need to pay the rest of them back.
2. Buy a vehicle. I need to be able to transport myself and my weaving stuff.
3. Buy raw materials. I will need huge amounts of yarn to start weaving my own cloth.
4. Show and sell at Southern Renaissance Faire in March. Annie has offered to let me sell in her booth as a way to get started in the Faires.
5. Really prepare for Northern Renaissance Faire in August. By then I'll have an impressive set of merchandise to show, maybe half of the booth even.
6. Find, enter, and sell in a show or two of my own.
From there I'm expecting to keep moving toward my goal of meeting other artists and creating a monastery based on the business of craftwork as a spiritual practice. By that time I will have been living it for a few years. I'm sure others will have noticed, and perhaps a few will be ready to join me.
Does anybody know a gentle, spiritually inclined fine wood worker? metalsmith? ceramicist?
Related Post:
Vision for a Crafts Monastery
4 comments:
A craft monastery---what a wonderful vision! There was a time, by the way, when there were mixed monasteries--both men and women. They were separated but they worked and worshiped together. I will be following all of this with great anticipation.
I'm not expecting to see gender segregation at this particular monastery. The idea hadn't even crossed my mind. Of course, as a collective endeavor, the group of us that comes together will get to make decisions about things like this.
If I use the existing timeframe to predict how long it'll take to make this happen, it's going to be a while. It took me 10 years to get the crafts business off the ground in any substantial way. Keep watching, though, maybe a snowball effect will kick in when we get a few people interested...
You might be interested in the very popular Bristol Renaissance Fair located near Kenosha, WI - I have heard from good sources that the lady who ran the weaving shop is leaving and won't be returning next season. Love your spirit, keep up the good work. I wish you well and will continue to follow your adventures.
best wishes, Martha
I love your vision and your bat-like precision and focus. Of course, you will get nothing less than what you want. I'll keep my eyes and ears open.
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