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Back at Rio Again

While I didn’t blog it daily like I normally do, I was back at Rio Grande again this past week, for a three-day intensive on “Smart Tools to Help Grow Your Business,” taught by Marlene Richey, Julianna Silva, and Eugene Brill.  This wasn’t the kind of class where I had pictures of projectsI had made to put online each day, so I saved my commentary for one post now that I am home again.  This class, instead, was all about the business end of things.  I learned a bit about marketing, especially for when I start doing some actual “collections” – something I’m working on quietly in the background right now.  I learned a bit about finance, and I know have a vague understanding of what a T-Account is and a Profit and Loss Statement.  I also learned a bit about internet marketing as well – Eugene Brill’s end of the class – and found out that not only am I supposed to move this blog over onto my business web site (which I will do at some point soon), but I am also supposed to be posting on it at least weekly.  Which I’m terrible at, but I promise to make the effort.  I’m just like every other artist out there – more interested in the art itself than I am about marketing and selling it – so these tools are very useful for me to have.  Now I have a clue on what I’m supposed to do to get my finished pieces into the hands of buyers.  I also have a clue about pricing said pieces, and have learned that I was not charging nearly enough for what they ought to be worth.  Yikes.  The folks who have bought from me before now have been getting quite the deal.  However, I’ve got the skills set to produce some production pieces and now I know I’m going to need to do that if I want to be able to sell more affordable pieces to keep myself in in multiple price brackets.  I want to make my work accessible to as many people as possible – and that’s MY desire, not something I learned in the class.

For anyone going into the jewelry business, I highly recommend the class.  Marlene Richey and Julianna Silva did a marvelous job of going back and forth in sharing their expertise as it was pertinent.  Eugene Brill managed to pack a lot into just a half of a day, but has also made resources available online and was kind enough to take a look at the web sites the students already had to give some insights into what we are doing right or wrong.  Marlene Richey has, quite literally, written the book on the subject of making a profit in the jewelry business – I know, I read the first three chapters of it on the flight out to Albuquerque.  Although I linked to it on Amazon for you, I purchased it directly through Rio Grande myself.  Julianna Silva works for WESST, a company that helps small businesses and startups with classes and consultation so that they can succeed.

I so LOVE getting to learn directly from experienced industry experts!

amyhoward

amyhoward

amyhoward

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