Like the Arrival of Your First Born, There's No Going Back to the Old Normal

Being in this time reminds me of my first days of parenthood. During those first weeks, I wondered aloud, at what week our lives would go back to those regular days of sleep and order? What every other parent knew then was there’s no going back, sister. It's a new normal; you have to move forward and find your way. People depend on you. It feels the same today. I keep hearing people say, “when things go back to normal…” but the old normal feels like it’s gone forever. So here we are, tired of being stuck inside, having no idea where we’re headed, but ready to press on.

If I’m being honest, some positive things have emerged in the last eight weeks. I mentioned a few in an earlier post (here). It’s a time of exploration. We have tried more new things on social media in the last four weeks than in the previous year. And we’ve watched a lot of others do the same, which encourages us, and the cycle continues. This time forces us to have courage. (As entrepreneur, Rachel Hollis, shows us here.) All of our marketing documents, from emails to pop-ups to sign-up forms, got a refresh. Then there are the new social media apps to learn (or new to us), like Tik Tok, who knew? Somehow, it seems we need to design a dance routine while holding artisan gift boxes. Still working on that one.

Everyone, including the industries thriving today, is working on new protocols, processes, and offerings. We're all in complete heads-down, creative, innovation mode. For some of us, this will turn into bold, new opportunities, or so my virtual podcast coaches keep telling me. Having to do all this for sheer survival isn’t the preferred reason for making these changes, but it may get us where we need to be, or should already have been.

So, this too keeps us up at night, forces us to try all kinds of creative things, and motivates us to reach out to friends and mentors for advice and counsel (as if they know the answer?). We try, we fail, we have great days, then we scramble to avoid a meltdown. We do our best to find joy in each day. Along the way, we learn patience, perhaps a little grace, and one day we look back at the fond memories and appreciate all we’ve accomplished in our journey. This is our hope for the birth of this new age.

Designing a Tasteful Transition

Creative ideas, new approaches, and nimble behavior, that’s the name of the game. Plans are in motion, albeit on a smaller, more intimate scale. There may be less fanfare and greater challenges, but the world keeps turning. Families are moving into new homes, couples are getting married, and business projects continue. As this transition evolves from weeks into months and lays the foundation for a different future, what plans are you putting in motion? How will you create touchpoints to connect with existing customers?

As you consider your outreach strategy, here are a few things we’ve observed in recent weeks. First, the sincerity of the message matters, with more attention being given to the note accompanying each artisan gift box. People are pausing to reflect on their relationships. Second, now more than ever customers appreciate meaningful gestures and candid conversations. We work closely with clients who are genuine about their intention to recognize valuable colleagues, who still want to celebrate big life events like the milestone anniversaries and weddings, and acknowledge special business partners. They’re sending thoughtful ‘thank you’ gifts to executives who lend an extra hand and to colleagues who’ve stepped up as mentors. And for the newlyweds on honeymoon at home, well, special artisan gift boxes are arriving on their doorsteps too.

We’ve included a few examples here of artisan gift boxes selected by those who understand the value of quality, hand-crafted elements, and how much the thought behind them means to their recipients.

Embrace the Shift to Simple Comforts

Elegant vacation photos and highly produced event videos disappeared almost overnight in March. The landscape shifted from high-end glamour to the simple comforts of home and real-life, behind-the-scenes access. Suddenly, we were inside the sous chef’s kitchen and the home office of corporate CEO’s with their family pets. This silver lining moment grants all of us a hall pass to try some new things.

Meeting chefs, designers, and entrepreneurs in their personal space, via Instagram stories or live video, has been inviting and interesting. Seeing people dressed down, not made-up, sharing tips and ideas in a more personal way has been a big positive. Their willingness to be genuine, less than perfect, and vulnerable is refreshing. (On the flip side, we’ve also seen some big brand names do a less than stellar job hosting these more personal interviews.)

This is a moment to seize and apply to our businesses. How can we enhance the story around our core products or services and share unique tidbits of interest? Who can we introduce via a live video, YouTube or Instagram stories to let viewers see the genuine people behind the curtain? It’s a chance to build on what we already do if we’re brave enough to take the chance.

A couple of ways to put this opportunity to work:

• Many hotels have Artists in Residence, let’s meet one virtually each week, and learn more about their creative process, business lessons?

• Can we meet the restaurant’s sommelier and learn about a different wine each week that’s under $10? And what to pair it with that I can make on my grill?

• If you’re in the design space, what tips can you share for keeping my workspace looking cool, fun, energized? Anything to uplift our moods. What are the new trends in design, color, fabrics?

If you’re looking for current examples:

• @makerhotel in Hudson has gone live on Instagram with their chef making different plates, from pesto to pancakes (with his little girl).

• Masterclass is doing a free Q&A interview every Wednesday for anyone (nonmembers) to enjoy.

• Magazines and tech companies (Verizon Small Business webinar) are interviewing entrepreneurs on timely topics like how to manage finances in a crisis.

• Fashion influencers like Tom Ford are sharing tips for looking good on computer video chats.

It’s time to let our guard down and be super creative. Try something new. While we don’t love the reason that initiated all of this, we do think that the unintended outcome of genuine, unproduced content is a welcome bright spot in the day.

Telling the Artisan Story Behind Our Gift Boxes

Being in the business of hand-crafted means we have artisans from all over the country, working in their studios and workshops, to make the elements you see inside our gift boxes. Whether the items are hand-woven, created from clay and kiln-fired, or milled from rough cut lumber, it’s real, custom work. 

There are many interesting details about a makers’ process and we began to get questions from customers. Where is each piece made? Is it ceramic, porcelain, stainless steel, maple or walnut wood? The craftsmanship is part of the gift experience, and ultimately their clients appreciate that same story.

With all the inquiries and appeal of the maker space, here are four different ways we share the details of each unique gift box. As the storytellers of artisan work, it’s as important to us as it is to you:

• A written summary in each gift box. We include a summary detailing each piece and where it’s made. This way the recipient knows the care and craftsmanship that they’re receiving.

• On the website, we share content details under each gift box photo. On the web page of each gift box, you can page down and see a description of each piece inside the gift box, and where it’s made.

• Featured artists each month. Once a month we post an article about a different featured artist in our community. While this section continues to expand, we write about the artists with whom we have ongoing relationships.

• The addition of the Workshop page. People were intrigued by the craftsmanship involved in the gift boxes themselves. We received so many questions and comments that we added a Workshop page for a behind-the-scenes look at selecting the wood, making the boxes, cutting boards and more. We even launched a YouTube channel to share.

We know there are a wide variety of gift boxes options out in the world today, and the prices vary as wildly as the content. For us, we choose the path of hand-crafted because we believe in the talent and skill of the people behind each gift box. We hope that’s exactly why you’ll enjoy working with us too.

Creative Gifts Keep Important Connections

Travel plans may be delayed or postponed on any given week, so what better time to get your creative juices flowing and boost your client outreach. How do you stay connected and top-of-mind when you’re not meeting face-to-face? While clients are in the midst of deciding when and where to schedule their vacations, attend conferences and plan strategic meetings, this is a chance to surprise them with a bit of light humor and a stylish reminder that you’re ready to welcome them when the time is right.

Consider a new twist to the usual client note and office plant or bottle of wine. Pen your creative message and pair it with a tasteful gift that conveys business yet also brings a smile. (And it’s a gift that will last for years to come!):

Here are a few thoughts to get your wheels turning and the outreach moving:

• A note of enthusiasm for pending meetings; elegant porcelain glasses paired with a handwoven bar towel, and thoughtful note, “Cheers to our next get-together, we‘re excited to see you again.” (Shop Toast of the Town)

• When strategic discussions are in the works; ceramic mugs with fresh coffee along with the message; “We look forward to brewing up great ideas with you.” (Shop Now or Latte)

• When an off-site conference or vacation is on the horizon: a pair of whiskey cups and colorful handwoven coasters may be the perfect way to say, “We invite you to kick back and relax with us, when you firm up your travel plans.” (Shop Fireside Reflection, Midnight Rambler, and Evening Sipper.)

• An invitation for the next business dinner; a hand-crafted cutting board, (with your logo or customer initials); “We welcome the chance to serve up an exciting plan during your next visit.” (Shop Marketplace)

Being creative and willing to think differently can leave a lasting impression. It’s these small gestures that make the difference when selecting business partners. When plans change unexpectedly, whether it’s now or in the future, send an upbeat note and lighten the mood with a tasteful, unique gesture.

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.