Trends & Takeaways from Show Season

The start of the year brings with it cold winds and the season of big retail and artisan shows, some exclusively for makers, others with a large carve-out of global hand-made elements, as the world becomes a smaller place. In our travels, we met small business owners from South Africa, England, India and across the US. We decided we were grateful to be focused on artisan, hand-crafted gifts. Otherwise, we would quickly become overwhelmed by the thousands of options available to large retail stores. Thankfully, life is simpler (and more naturally beautiful) in the artisan space.

Here are three trends worth noting from the global shows:

The influence of sustainable storytelling. While a drive toward sustainability isn’t new, it was more widely reflected as an active part of the shop owners’ consideration in product development. Each owner had a story about the source and importance of how they crafted their products. From textiles to beauty products to fabric stains, the makers are searching for new ways to get ahead of, or keep pace with, the movement. We talked to textile shop owners who find their stains through natural sources like flowers and vegetables. Some shared their process of using only leather sourced from animals who died of natural causes. Others highlighted a bamboo beauty cloth and encouraged the use of hand-illustrated linen bags as an upgrade to your brown paper bags, or replacement for your plastic ones. What these items demonstrate to us is that you can add sustainable elements to gifts and also add beauty. In the early days, many alternatives were functional but less attractive. We’re glad to see styles have evolved to accomplish both.

Style makes a clean sweep. The household broom has seen a complete makeover. The size and scope of this old bristled tool has been miniaturized and expanded to match any cleaning task. Handles are made with special wood designs, rich color stains, or with a custom ceramic base. There’s a broom for your home, one for your workshop table, for your elegant dining area, the camping table inside the airstream or outside by the picnic table. We’ve seen several examples of award-winning brooms, and because of the variation in design, they can be an added gift option for those who enjoy being inside and out. Now, there’s no excuse not to have a custom broom at every turn to make a clean sweep of your workspace.

The soft and cozy appeal of natural fibers was on display in a wide variety of hand-crafted bags. Felt, made from as far away as Nepal, appeared on custom dyed handbags, large carry bags for business and travel, and as makeup bags for professionals on-the-go. We admired the mini bags to help keep things organized inside our big bag. Complete with natural dyes, the mini sported a pair of zipper pulls for easy opening and access. For the bag-lovers among us, you know two zipper pulls are a welcome luxury typically by-passed to lower the cost. These soft materials, in an array of different patterns and sizes, nicely expand your gift choices.

As we’ve learned in our business, the origin story and artisan process is a big part of a company’s path forward. The authenticity of a company’s commitment to creating a unique, quality product with purpose, while working in unison with the natural elements around it, is increasingly important.

Set the Mood for a Moment of Escape

Winter can be a time when we’re all looking for an opportunity to take flight, set sail, cozy up, in short, to escape. Is it possible to package up that relaxing experience for clients without them ever having to leave the room? With the right mix of elements in your gift box, you can set the mood and encourage a few blissful moments to let the senses unfold.

Maybe it’s a journey to the crisp air of the slopes, the feel of a warm ocean breeze, or a quiet trail walk, packaged into one distinct gift. Like a favorite song, or the smell of a certain fragrance, the right combination of artisan pieces can do wonders for the imagination. For any skeptics out there on the power of setting a mood, consider the rise of Hygge, the Danish lifestyle of embracing light and texture to inspire feelings of well-being and contentment. We first heard about it from friend, and branding expert, @andrebean who shared the concept and how it complemented our artisan gift business. As we soon discovered, much has been written on the topic. (More here.)

While you’re planning the details of your next client gathering, consider how the gift choice will set the stage. Is it smooth and sophisticated (porcelain glasses, hand-crafted cutting boards) or casual and upbeat (colorful tumblers or steaming mugs of tea and coffee)? If visions of warm summer nights are the goal, light textures make a nice addition (festive ceramic cups with hand-woven coasters). On the other hand, rich leather and woolen blends conjure up visions of a cozy fire inside a winter retreat (whiskey tumblers, ceramic flasks). How will your gifts stir excitement and anticipation?

The right textures can deliver an experience that helps transport your guests to a place of quiet respite. And the good news is, there’s no waiting line or baggage fees on this journey.

Defining Community and Who Belongs In It

There’s a pattern of questions we’re regularly asked regarding our artisan business community and how we originally got started. Here we take the mystery out of the equation, and answer the most popular questions asked of us. We hope this gives you a better feel for our world, and offers some insight if you’re thinking about building a business of your own.

How Do We Find the Artists?

This is the number one inquiry; people want to know the story behind our artisan network. There is no magic, single convention or show for this. Making these connections is a grassroots effort. We’re on the road traveling to art shows throughout the year. We attend big retail shows and small artisan craft shows. (More here.) We also connect through referrals between artists, and by doing our own research. No question, it is a time-consuming effort, which is why what we do is so valuable to our clients. We do all the driving, hotels and bad coffee to find beautiful artisan pieces, so our customers don’t have to.

How Did We Come Up with This Idea?

That’s a longer story. I’ve been creating thriving communities of different kinds for more than a decade, mostly in the start-up space and with a focus on university-based start-up communities. Eventually, I became more interested in moving toward a different kind of creative community. I missed my earlier years of creating content – writing, print, magazines – and wanted to get back to the areas I enjoyed. We had been going to art shows for years, and many of the artists we knew wanted to stay focused on enhancing their craft, not on packaging and distribution as much. Since I’ve created other successful communities in the past, launching an artisan community was a logical next step, both in terms of my skills and interests. Kevin (a.k.a. Rugged) has been a craftsman forever, so opening the door to his talents, creating beautiful gift boxes and other custom wood elements, was a big draw for him.

What Was Our First Step?

There isn’t one first step in launching a business. There are a ton. A lot of things happen in tandem once you decide to move forward - and that decision alone requires research, conversation and planning. Exploring the artisan community, and reaching out to different artists who were potentially a good match took months and much trial and error. While all that was going on, we were working with legal and accounting professionals to set a solid foundation. Then we launched a website (more here) and basic marketing materials.

We’ve come a long way since those days, and now have an established community of artists. We work closely with corporate executives, and have access to a growing number of talented professionals interested in working with us. It takes a village to build a business, and it’s important to determine quickly who belongs in your camp.

Listen, Learn and Land That Next Idea

If we listen closely enough, we find that often our customers will tell us what’s next, what to change, and how we can add value. Gathering data and metrics are important, however, combining that information with customer feedback provides a more complete picture. If you’re hearing the same suggestions coming at you in multiple ways, take the time to slow down and listen to what the market is telling you.

By paying close attention to customer feedback, we’ve made changes to our website, offerings, and to the packaging that goes with them. While not all of the changes suggested are possible or practical, many are worth considering.

One example comes from our ability to tell a story via the artisan elements we curate. Each month, we pull data to review which gift boxes have been the most popular during that timeframe, and which artisan pieces were sold. We work with a global community of artists with whom we’ve traveled to meet and built relationships. These artists represent different styles, as well as diverse geographic areas. Combined with our hand-crafted gift boxes, one could say our gifts tell a story using quality, custom, artisan elements that tie in with the origin of place.

Over time, we realized our clients kept asking for that story. First, we responded by posting where each artisan element is from on our website. Then we noticed customers wanted it in email or in summaries, so we began sending it to them with each invoice. Some clients then took our emails and printed them out, or copied and pasted them into a note that they then gave to their gift box recipients. Everyone knew the story then. Not only was their gift handcrafted, they knew the region and state where the pieces were made. As a result of observing all of this, we decided we should provide a brief, elegant summary with each gift box, as part of our service. This will mean our clients’ customers can enjoy the story of their artisan gift box, not just our customers. It also means we’ll have to figure out the printing, paper, sizing, cost and time investment, but that’s what our customers are asking for as part of their luxury gift experience.

This is one example of information we couldn’t have uncovered in metrics alone. Keep tabs on what’s being requested (or asked to be removed) and discuss those things. It could be the game changer that takes your business to the next level.

Building a Foundation to Revive and Thrive

As we post our goals, journal our dreams and visualize the future, can we also create moments of rest and reflection? How about a few deep breaths that lead us to a hearty revival of energy and spirit? Let’s take some time to reflect on how to build a solid business base in a steady yet manageable way.

One step we’re taking is preparing to add more talent to the equation - part time, contract, hourly, weekly, it’s not a one-size-fits-all. The gig economy offers a variety of options to find talented people with flexible schedules. The challenge is, we still have to set aside time on our calendars and do the research. It means slowing down (interview, train, communicate feedback) to then move faster. Admittedly, this feels daunting, but in reality, it has to be done to grow.

Here are a few things we’re doing to move forward and create the space to thrive:

Document Tasks to Hand Off

Over the course of the last six months, we’ve started to document tasks that we could delegate. It’s nothing fancy, a page on a tablet where I scribble a few words. (Rugged loves his workshop tasks, so his list will follow.) I’m making a running list I can trim later, but it’s a start. It feels like progress to write it down. I’ve been much more aware of the tasks I’m doing and the time spent doing them. I’m also aware of what else I could be doing. For example, unlike many people, I enjoy writing content, so that’s not something I want to hand off. I’m also the client-facing professional. However, operational items (inventory, shipping, research, invoicing, packaging, reports, templates.) are tasks I’d happily stop doing. It’s a chicken or egg decision. Do you add talent before you bring in the extra revenue or will more time in the day accelerate business? We’re wagering on the latter.

Virtual vs In Person Help

This decision boils down to whether the task has to be done on site or not. Packaging, for example, can’t be done online. If that’s a task we want to hand off, we need a person come here, have an area for them to work, access to the studio etc. Important things to consider. Or, reports, research, templates, these are all things that can be done from anywhere. As I jot down our wish list of tasks to delegate, I split them into virtual or in person.

Ask Around for Sources of Talent

We’re not the only ones in this situation and neither are you. Ask your business owner friends and colleagues who’ve hired, and their experience with the hires. (Cheap is not always good.) Research options via podcast interviews (see this blog for suggestions). Be sure to ask people who are close to your stage of business so you get recommendations on par with your budget. I’ve been on the phone with Belay to better understand their offering, and had UpWork recommended to us. This is in addition to the usual online options of LinkedIn, Indeed etc. Time and research are required here.

Start Creating Process Guidelines

This transition will be much smoother if there’s some kind of guideline for a new hire to follow, even if it’s bullet points. I’d like to skip this step, but logic prevails. I know I’ll pay later and spend all my time on the back-end fixing what I really wanted people to do, and not moving the needle on the company. And we’ll frustrate the talent too. So, the last time we shipped gift boxes, I sat down immediately afterward and wrote bullet points on all the steps we’d just completed. It was two pages long, and more steps than we realized. (I need to do the same thing when I post this blog too.)

Write it down, calendar it and set a timeline. This is a less glamorous side of business, however, it’s the part that will add freedom and time to enjoy the other things that make it all worthwhile.

Gadgets and Gifts for the Studio & Workshop

After years of giving traditions and holidays, it’s challenging to find small, festive gifts that are useful in the realm of work and play. We’ve put together a few of our favorite gadgets and gifts we use in the studio and workshop to give you some ideas (pics below):

A Sampling from the Studio

On-the-go Travel Sleeves – We carry these to-go-cup sleeves in our cars and keep them in our travel bags. These woolen sleeves are the best to stuff into small spots in the car, zip pouches, and inside your travel packs. They’re colorful, rugged, and practical when traveling over the river to Grandma’s house, or to the slopes and trails. They’re made in a historic mill, by fifth generation craftspeople, a real bonus in our opinion.

A Touch of Tape – When we send cards through traditional mail we use different styles of tape to add a touch of color to envelopes and wrapping. We do use brand stickers with our logo too, however, if we know a client or an artist well, we’ll spice things up in our communication. That’s where the tape comes in. We also pay attention to postage stamps which have become quite a personal statement and design option as well.

Travel and Packing Bags – These colorful flannel bags were custom made to be small, cheery, and flexible. Some of the bags are used for packing ceramics and hand-crafted wood items when meeting with clients. The bags keep artisan pieces protected, and separated by type, making it easy to find and share. We also saved some bags for shoes, a necessity when you have client meetings in cities and need to carry dress shoes. We like to engrave when appropriate too, it takes things up a notch and feels more personal.

Cool Coasters – When the sun goes down and the feet go up, we like to unwind with drinks ranging from hot tea to sparkling water or perhaps something more spirited in nature. No matter what the choice is, coasters are everywhere in our house and work. We like the color, the added texture, and the fact that they protect wood and marble furniture. Whether wooden or woven, hand-crafted coasters are ready to entertain a refreshing beverage break.

#Workshoplife

The workshop is full of large machinery that can sometimes make a freight train sound quiet, however, there are small tools and toys for craftspeople who love to tinker in the land of saw dust and sanders. When you’re tired of turning to duct tape as the last gift resort, here are a few tips for the Workshop:

Noise Cancelling Headphones – We searched for a compact yet effective accessory because this one is important. It needed to be relatively small, and at the same time, do the intended job of dimming the saw noise. Spending hours around the sounds of Table and Planer saws may have an impact on hearing over the weeks and months, and at the very least can invite discomfort. We thought it best to be safe not sorry.

Push Block – This lightweight piece is used with table saws to help push the wood through saw blade and avoid getting fingers too close to the blade. Easy and lightweight, you just need to remember to use it.

Orbit Sander – This electric sander works in a circular motion to quickly and evenly sand larger boards. It fits in the palm of your hand, which makes it easy to use. If you need to sand in tight spots or corners for touch up work, you’ll need to resort to traditional sand-paper or a sanding block, since the orbit is round.

Impress Them at the Entrance

It could be the moment of the door opening or the gift opening, either way, first impressions matter. Creating an element of surprise and delight with guests and party-goers can mean the difference in an experience that’s talked about for weeks, or one with not so much as a whisper. Whether it’s the first peek inside a party room or the entrance to a luxury guest suite, we have mere seconds to grab their attention and create an amazing first impression. What combination of colors, textures and visuals will you use to create an enchanting, unexpected moment?

Make an Impact at the Opening
What’s the first thing guests see as they enter the room? Does the scene invite them in or leave them wondering why they came? Try adding a design twist to a colorful floral arrangement by pairing it with an artisan look that’s unique and beautiful, yet doesn’t overwhelm. A distinct ceramic piece, blended inside a hand-crafted gift box with a small bouquet, makes a thoughtful, artistic selection that can be enjoyed as event centerpieces, or on the entrance table as guests arrive in their room. The best part? This gift keeps on giving, it’s meant to travel home to continue the celebration! The hand-crafted gift box can be used to hold blooming succulents in the sun room, or scented soaps and hand towels in the master suite. And each custom ceramic tumbler keeps the conversation going at the bar, or kitchen table, for years to come. (See examples in Tablescapes.)

You Had Me at Hello
The gift tag is often at best an afterthought, or at worst, a complete oversight in the gifting process. Taking the time to select a simple, well designed gift tag can set the stage for a delightful gift experience. Take a few moments to complete the look and create a feeling of surprise anticipation. Delivering your thoughtful message on a custom-designed gift tag can capture a client’s attention from the minute the gift is unveiled. It’s a small detail that leaves a big impression.

Host a New Kind of Jam Session!

This is the time of year when people head home to gather and greet while dipping, spreading and snacking. Whether it’s visiting the old homestead, celebrating a new home, or traveling to a beloved home-away-from-home, here’s how to serve up some fun:

• Add a little jolly to the jellies by creating jam stations at your next brunch affair.

• Keep things berry merry with a variety of sweet berry flavors like these.

• Preserve the elegance of the occasion with hand-crafted serving boards as detailed as the foods are delicious.

• Jellies not your jam? Don’t be blue, add your favorite aged cheese and crackers to the mix.

• Make the most of toast, with options like hazelnut and cranberry bread, vegan cheddar or rosemary lemon crackers.

• Expand your jam. For an extra kick include spicy salsa or chili granola for the breakfast tacos.

• Spread the love. If you’re a guest not the host, help get the party started with a custom gift box filled with the fixins.

Match Their Passion to Make a Memorable Gift

Updated 02.21.23

How do you create a gift experience that tells clients you know them as a person and as a customer? You’ve likely noted your client’s passions by the courses they take, the texts they send, the conferences they value, and even the trips they’ve booked. Whether they’re entering a hotel suite or a meeting room, imagine their delight when they experience a gift created just for them.

Here are a range of options to personalize gifts and create a memorable first impression:

Custom Engraving – A simple, yet beautiful way to personalize is through engraving. Is there a phrase, date, initials, or emblem of significance to them? For a long-lasting impact, hand-crafted cutting boards (and gift boxes) can be beautifully engraved as a genuine gift of craftsmanship. Unique lettering and font styles add to the personalization. This is a straightforward option, with a minimal time commitment, yet it still delivers a custom experience.

Blend a Gift Box – Combine a special element of your brand with an existing gift box. Select a distinct artisan gift box and blend elements together to deliver a more custom feel. For luxury hotels, it may be adding the taste of homemade jams, sauces, or aromatherapy with a hand-poured candle, into an existing gift box. For corporate gifts, it could be the preview of a product sample, a gift card, or unique local flavors to reflect your location. A touch of calligraphy with a personal message on the gift tag goes a long way. This option does require engagement and planning with us in the process to perfect the combination; however, blending creates a sense of craftsmanship and unique gifting without you having to find and coordinate the artisan elements (that’s what we do).

Match Their Passion - Is your client an explorer who likes to hit the trail or walk the beach? Do they enjoy a culinary experience in their kitchen? Perhaps they prefer a black-tie affair? Maybe she’s a whiskey taster, and a sip of bourbon in a cool ceramic cup is the way to go? Custom gift boxes beautifully demonstrate that you appreciate your clients as individuals first. Examples include adding postcards from the national parks, ceramic cups, forged metal slicers, a leather journal, or handwoven champagne towels. All are elements that match a passion. If you know the feeling you want to evoke, artisan gift boxes can deliver. This option works best with advance planning to allow us the appropriate time to select artisan elements to meet your goal. Time to exchange and confirm ideas is part of a successful custom process.

Take the time to give a gift that delights clients at the door. This may be the added touch that keeps them coming back for more.

Roadtrip Ready: How to Prep for Client Meetings

Our schedule for the next week looks like unpacking in four different hotels, spanning seven nights, while logging hours on a variety of interstates and coastal highways between Maryland and Maine. Client meetings are scheduled throughout the trip, so everything is organized in advance. One thing we’ve learned in our planning is that customers today receive information differently, and situations pop up that require flexibility. Since client discussions range from formal to casual, we try to include diverse visuals when packing our travel bags. Here are a few of the basics we consider as we hit the road:

As an artisan business, ours is a visual one, and the textures and finishes make a difference. When customers can hold a cutting board or ceramic cup, see the glaze, and feel the weight of the piece, they have a better appreciation for the work that went into making it. It’s best when a selection of artisan elements comes along for the ride, representing different colors and styles. A gift box also gets packed so clients can see first-hand the craftsmanship in our work.

The black hole of technology has taught us a lesson or two over the years. We always bring a PowerPoint of photos, mixed with access to the website. (All it takes is one big appointment, when the internet isn’t available to access your website, to learn this lesson. Been there, done that.) With the variance in internet speeds, waiting a few seconds for a page change can feel painful enough to make things awkward and there’s just no need. These days, depending on the number of people in attendance, clients don’t think twice about looking at photos on an iPhone either.

We pack beautiful, colorful promotional cards to leave behind and use to write notes (thank you, we dropped by to say hello etc.). They’re bigger than a business card, yet smaller than 5x7. (The website, MOO, has a variety of marketing options when you don’t have an in-house marketing team.) Again, we’re a visual business, and it’s beneficial to share our work in different mediums. We never know which one will resonate best.

The bottom line, be prepared and flexible. Technology breaks, time gets reallocated, and attention spans vary. The more you can adapt, the better your chance of success.