Toronto Craft Alert

Q: Hi! I love your column and your stores! I’m a high school student, I make my own clothes and I’d love to become a fashion designer, but is this something I have to go to school for? Did you? Is it a good career choice? Also, what school would you recommend? I’d appreciate any advice! –Annie

A: Hi Annie! Thanks for your question.

I didn’t study fashion at all. I grew up in Saskatoon, so a career in [...]

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Laura-Jean has started a blog to archive all of her Crafty Biz columns for TCA. Check it out here: http://biznessadvice.blogspot.com/

Hi TCA fans,

We have a winner for our crafty bizness contest! I got so many good questions it was hard to choose, but I thought this one from Stephanie Atkinson was a great one to address for people starting to try to sell their stuff [...]

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Here’s a good question for any of you feeling defeated by a less than stellar holiday sales season… Email Laura-Jean with your own business related queries & quandaries.

Q: I don’t know if you can help me because my question is pretty vague, but here goes: I’ve been making things for years, but about 3 months ago, I decided to try to make it into a business. I signed up for a couple craft shows, approached some stores and now, just three [...]

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Laura-Jean is back with some advice on an issue that is relevant to any growing craft business: hiring help.

Here’s a question from one of our designer/members at Fresh Collective. Nicole from Precious Pink Designs, has been designing jewellery for years, and is now adding a clothing line, which she is also selling at our shop. She’s at the point in growing her business where she’s ready to hire help.

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In this edition of Crafty Business, Laura-Jean offers some tips on how to think outside the box when applying for jobs where grey suits and cubicles are not part of the picture.

I recently posted a job listing, and got a flurry of applications. I was surprised by how many of them were very “by the books” applications, like you might be taught in school. For a creative job like this, I just skipped over them, and when one applicant asked for [...]

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I’m sure this Crafty Business question will be of use to most budding craft entrepreneurs out there as it deals with the (for many) intimidating business of permits, licences, labelling etc. Contact Laura-Jean for advice on other stuff that freaks you out here.

Q. This question has to do with all the technical side of selling textile goods?! I was just asked the other day if i had a CA number and I had [...]

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