James Carleton

The term crafting brings to mind the knitted sweaters my aunt made for Christmas gifts. Those weren’t worn much after that day. The old stereotypes of crafts are being redefined by a new generation of creative people. Today’s crafts are functional, stylish or cute creations that appeal to a new audience who are tired of massed produced options from the mega store.

If you appreciate hand made items, you used to visit your local craft fair. The halls were filled with knit pot holders, yarn haired dolls and jewelry made from “friendly” plastic. Today, crafting is back and it’s high-tech. Creative folks have turned to the web for inspiration, instruction and customers.

Websites like Etsy.com (rhymes with Betsy) are built as a marketplace for crafters. Customer can buy a wide range of items from talented crafters without leaving their couch, while crafters get a worldwide audience for their specialized creations. Several of my family and friends have gotten into it the craft business with the help of Etsy.

Feel like creating something unique? Share it with the world. Love hand-made items? Have fun shopping. Crafting 2.0 has arrived.

Taking an idea and making it a successful business is a struggle. Not only do you have to manage internal factors like productivity, customer service, and accounting, you are also subject to external factors like competition, market volatility, and fickle customers. Recently I was surprised with a legal challenge which required big changes to one of my websites and its products. Challenges like these bring the entrepreneur to a crossroads. Do you allow the challenge to be a stumbling block or a launching point? It’s easy to be discouraged, but it takes endurance and hope to turn a setback into an opportunity for success. There is always more to learn or a fresh way to approach your challenge. In this case, the abrupt legal issue has lead to a renewed marketing effort and careful planning for the future of this small business.

Welcome to the blog of James Carleton Design. I will be posting articles on my work and the design world at large.