The Rev Craft Biz Podcast
Drawing your way into entrepreneurship - with Rebecca Ringquist
· Summarized
Key takeaways
- Follow your passion, even if it leads you on an unexpected path to entrepreneurship.
- Regular drawing practice is crucial for creative inspiration and product development.
- Sustainability can be integrated into business practices through resourcefulness and upcycling.
- Build and nurture a community with fellow entrepreneurs for support and collaboration.
- Keep personal and business finances separate to streamline bookkeeping and management.
- Adapt marketing strategies, focusing on newsletters and direct engagement with your audience.
Summary
Embracing Entrepreneurship
Rebecca Rinquist discusses her unexpected journey from academia to entrepreneurship. After years of working multiple jobs as a professor and artist in Chicago, she launched her business, Dropcloth Samplers, initially as a side gig to earn extra income. She emphasizes the transformative power of following one's passion and the beauty of creating a business that allows for flexibility and personal fulfillment.
The Power of Drawing
A key theme of the podcast is the importance of maintaining a drawing practice in Rebecca’s business. Drawing serves as her primary source of inspiration and a vital aspect of her creative output. She discusses her commitment to sketching regularly, even amidst the challenges of motherhood and entrepreneurship, and how it fuels her product development.
Sustainability and Resourcefulness
Rebecca shares her dedication to sustainability in her business practices, such as thrift-shopping materials for her samplers and using upcycled shipping materials. This commitment reflects her values and connects to her artistic heritage, underscoring the idea of being resourceful while creating.
Community and Collaboration
Throughout the episode, Rebecca highlights the importance of community in the craft industry. She cherishes her relationships with fellow embroidery designers and the connections formed through teaching and workshops. These relationships not only provide support but also foster collaboration and growth within her craft.
Navigating the Business Landscape
The podcast touches on the challenges faced by entrepreneurs, especially in navigating the business side of a creative endeavor. From bookkeeping struggles to scaling her business for wholesale, Rebecca shares her learning experiences and offers advice, such as maintaining separate finances for easier management of business operations.
Social Media Strategies
Rebecca discusses the evolving landscape of social media and its impact on her business. She laments the algorithm limitations on platforms like Instagram but shifts focus to her more effective newsletter as a primary means of communication with her audience. This pivot emphasizes the need for adapting marketing strategies to current trends.
Sponsors
- Creativebug · Rebecca offers classes on Creativebug, which she enjoys.
- Proof to Product · A community of product-based companies that Rebecca finds invaluable for resources and classes.
Show notes
#29 Rebecca Ringquist talks about how entrepreneurship led her out of academia, and how she keeps up the drawing practice that inspires her products
Show Notes
Website - https://dropclothsamplers.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dropcloth/ @dropcloth
Creativebug classes - https://www.creativebug.com/instructors/rebecca-ringquist
Facebook - Dropcloth Sampler Stitchers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2391553717791210
Art Institute of Chicago - https://www.artic.edu/
Squam Art Workshops - https://www.squamartworkshops.com/
Original Dropcloth Embroidery Samper - https://dropclothsamplers.com/products/the-original
Charlotte Lyons - House Wren Studios - https://housewrenstudio.com/
Pam Garrison - https://www.pamgarrison.com/
Strawberry Needlebook - https://dropclothsamplers.com/products/strawberry-needle-book-project
Spring Fling Sampler - https://dropclothsamplers.com/products/spring-fling-embroidery-sampler
Portland Bins - https://portlandsampler.com/behind-the-scenes-goodwill-outlet-the-bins/
Proof to Product - https://www.prooftoproduct.com/
Proof to Product Podcast - https://www.prooftoproduct.com/podcast
Miniature Rhino - https://www.miniaturerhino.com/
Later - Instagram planning tool - https://later.com/
Oregon Field Guide - https://www.opb.org/show/oregonfieldguide/
*Lisa Congdon - Art Inc. - https://amzn.to/4d3dx2h
Christmas Ornament - https://dropclothsamplers.com/products/christmas-cookie-platter-project
*Affiliate link - I might make a commission but you don’t pay more
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Where to find Sam Hunter:
How to Own a Revolutionary Craft Biz - www.revcraftbiz.com
Hunter's Design Studio - www.huntersdesignstudio.com
Embroidered Journey - www.embroideredjourney.com
Creatively Sorted - www.creativelysorted.com
Sam Hunter Art - www.samhunterart.com
The RevCraftBiz Podcast is a Quilt Talk™ product
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