In coaching with makers, I’ve reviewed hundreds of Shopify sites in terms of their aesthetics and function. But until this year, I had never actually built one! 

Recently, I started working on a new project that required creating a Shopify site. And as you probably know, it’s technically straightforward but can be daunting once you realize how many steps and decisions are actually involved. I knew I didn’t want to commit the funds to paying someone to create the website for me… but I also did not want to spend more of my time on it than I needed to. 

Like so many people, I got really into The Great British Baking Show a few years back.

After a stressful day, there is something bizarrely relaxing about watching people frantically bake Cardamom-Vanilla Cupcakes With Raspberry Coulis Filling.

As you probably know, we’re in constant dialogue with our Wholesale In a Box makers about their questions, concerns, and new opportunities on the horizon. We combine these insights with our own observations of how the wholesale community is shifting and changing. And we synthesize all of that into a docket of course updates and changes that we do in batches.

As of October, 2023, JuniperMarket closed its virtual doors permanently. Its parent company ANDMORE (International Market Centers) is turning its focus into their physical markets and digital tools designed to support those physical marketplaces.

That said, read on if you are curious what JuniperMarket originally was…

It’s so exciting to get an order from a new stockist. But the thing that is most satisfying and ultimately transformative to your business is to have long-term relationships with stockists that order from you repeatedly over the span of years. Here’s what we recommend in terms of communication with your stockists, including those who buy from you on Faire.

In this article, we’re talking about the power and opportunity of email newsletters: using email to engage with your community and build relationships.

When considering wholesale marketplaces there is no shortage of options these days. Many of the marketplaces are similar but small differences can mean large impacts on makers and independent brands. In this article we review a newer wholesale marketplace, Creoate, and give you the information you need to decide if it’s a good fit for your wholesale strategy.

Our guide to making quick, affordable changes to your wholesale line sheet — for makers and small product lines.

Editor’s note: Originally, Candid started at well under $100/month with unlimited users. But as of March, 2024, Candid’s price increased to a minimum of $179/month. For many small makers and brands this may be well out of range as a fee that makes sense. This article was originally written when the tool was more affordable, but at that higher price, think carefully about whether it makes sense for you before proceeding.

Honest reviews of Faire from makers and small product companies, tips for succeeding on Faire Wholesale, and the key things you need to know to use Faire to grow wholesale.

So much of running a creative business boils down to words on a page. What you write in your outreach to stores, social media captions, wholesale marketplace listings, “about” page, and other materials are where the rubber meets the road. These are the places where your vision and dream and work touch the people who can support that work.

Whatever you are facing right now, you likely feel a large amount of stress and a lack of clarity. You feel pressure to reinvent what you are doing in your business but don’t have the support to make that happen. I believe that for most business owners, COVID-19 has created an unfamiliar and disorienting economy and landscape. It’s not a time when you can simply do what you’ve always done. But I also believe -- based on what I am seeing from the business owners we serve -- that this landscape is one you can succeed in with the right tools.