Q: What do you get when you combine some empty wine bottles, scraps of fabric, random-looking but specific electrical components, and a web project manager with a mean creative streak?
A: A successful small business!
That made it sound easy, but of course there is more to the story. I thought you moms out there could use a little inspiration (and help) from a person who turned their creative energy and spare time into something special. In this case, it’s upcycled lamps.
A friend of a friend had a small shop on Etsy selling handmade recycled lamps and votive holders. Then she knocked on some doors and got an order from a restaurant (lamps), then from a friend planning a wedding (votives). Long story short, she had more work than she could handle alone.
How did this artist swap her soldering iron for iron-clad contracts? Luckily, this is the 21st Century and if you have a question, Google is there. She started at the top- the government’s small business association.
Then she found the most efficient way to get insurance for small business.
Now for taking care of her few employees- soldering irons can be dangerous, after all. She got caught up on what the health care reform laws would mean to her little venture, then got group health insurance quotes.
Those wine bottles don’t just walk themselves to her house, so she had to make sure her business auto insurance was up to snuff. She joined an online community to keep updated on all issues affecting her business.
There is a lot more to her story, but maybe her legwork can help you out if you are dreaming of making a living (or just a little extra cash) from your creativity.
