Dear Handmade Life

Delilah and Nicole talk to Mei Pak of Tiny Hands Jewelry and Creative Hive Co. about how to pitch, preparing your business before you pitch, the do's and dont's of pitching, following up, combating the fear of rejection and more! Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole talk with professional portrait photographer Sarah Deragon of Portraits to the People about standing out in a crowded industry. They discuss Sarah's journey to being a full-time creative entrepreneur, how she booked a years worth of clients from one press mention, the importance of designing your business with your client in mind, passion projects, staying current and more. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole talk to Robin Christenson, co-owner of the Blinking Owl Distillery. They discuss how she and her husband started the first craft distillery in Orange County, how she translated her skills from running a successful medical business, the process of getting investors, and what it means to create a business - not a job. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole have 25 years of experience running businesses between the two of them. And there’s so much they wish they knew at the beginning. The ladies share their top ten lessons they've learned while running all sorts of businesses. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes....

Delilah and Nicole chat with photographer, videographer, and their podcast producer, LP Hastings, about the freelance life. They discuss having a safety net, how to know what to charge for your services and products, determining your ideal work schedule, productivity tips, how to find the right clients, the myth of instant social media fame and more.  Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole discuss a few of their favorite moments from Craftcation Business + Makers Conference 2017 and share what they've learned during 10+ years of event production. Topics include building a solid team, scheduling downtime, putting your customer's happiness ahead of your own and more. To view photos, read our Craftcation recap, or for the show notes visit www.dearhandmadelife.com

Delilah and Nicole talk to Portland-based community organizer and event planner Isaac Watson of the Academy of Handmade about the importance of in-person connections in an online world. They offer advice to help introverts make connections, share how they maintain those relationships, chat about places to meet fellow creatives, and more. PLUS - In celebration of their 50th episode they're giving away access to ALL FOUR of their online workshops to a couple lucky winners. If you love the podcast and want to enter the giveaway go to the iTunes store to leave a review of the podcast. They'll be announcing the winner on Episode 51, so be sure to listen. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes…

Delilah and Nicole talk with Katie Hunt of Tradeshow Bootcamp about hiring help for your creative business. They discuss how to determine when you need to hire help, how to find help, how to train employees, and share some positive and negative experiences on finding and maintaining help. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes... 

Delilah and Nicole talk with Todd and Anthony of T & A LeatherWorks about how they have created a community of regular customers that have been an integral part of the success of their business. We chat about techniques to connect with your customers and keep them coming back for more whether it's in-person sales or online. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole talk to artist, designer and Craftcation 2017 presenter Robert Mahar about diversifying your income streams as a freelancer in the DIY world. They discuss Robert’s path to making a living through juggling several different projects, saying yes or no to prospective opportunities, keeping your eyes open to new possibilities, the importance of finding your own way to hustle, and never being bored! Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole discuss a heated subject: sharing about your personal beliefs and politics in your business. We know this is a sensitive topic for many people. While our goal in this episode is to address balancing your personal beliefs and politics with your business, some political ideas emerged during our unscripted conversation. If you’re feeling emotionally raw or don’t want to potentially hear views that may be different than your own, we urge you to skip this episode. The views shared in this episode do not reflect the views of our sponsors or necessarily reflect those of Dear Handmade Life.    The ladies talk to artist, author, mother, and Craftcation 2017 presenter Anna Joyce about why she doesn’t shy away from not only sharing her political views and personal life on social media, but about adding products to her collection that reflect her views. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole talk about the trends of 2017. They make predictions about what lies ahead in DIY, crafts, lifestyle, design, fashion, business, social media, décor and more! A few surprise guests make appearances with their own predictions too! Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Nicole and Delilah are saying goodbye to 2016 and hello to 2017. They talk about the notion of being and doing enough, success, gratitude, transitions in their businesses that they went through this year and they share some of the best and worst moments of 2016 submitted by listeners.  Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole send their warmest wishes to you for a lovely and drama free holiday season. Catch up with them and a new batch of episodes on January 7th. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the full archive and blog posts on everything business and creative.

Delilah and Nicole talk with the creator of Oodle Ba Doodle pillows and the co-leader of the San Francisco Etsy group, Rebecca Saylor. The ladies discuss how we can grow our businesses without compromising our original mission statement. They chat about growing through people vs. technology, being realistic with growth, and about how overnight success can turn into a nightmare. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole talk to the owner of Epheriell Designs jewelry and Create & Thrive consulting, Jess Van Den. They discuss navigating the waters of living with someone and being business partners. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes.  

Delilah and Nicole talk to the insanely successful and charming women behind Bella Lucce Skincare and Lucky Break Consulting, Miss Lela Barker. They discuss ways to set up your business so that it stays for the long haul, how to streamline tasks, and why you shouldn't feel bad about your business mistakes. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes and Lela's special offer to listeners... 

Delilah and Nicole talk to Abby Glassenberg of While She Naps and Craft Industry Alliance about the reality of running your own business. Surprise - it's not as easy as opening an Etsy shop. They discuss the rise in creative businesses, the role technology plays, and how to decide if you’re ready to turn your passion into a job. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...

Delilah and Nicole talk to Sharon Fain of Academy of Handmade about burn-out and balancing work life. They discuss how to recognize when you’re burnt out, distinguishing it from regular work stress, taking care of yourself, and why we need to stop glorifying busyness.    Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...  

Delilah and Nicole talk with Rachel Smith of The Crafted Life about comparison and authenticity online. The ladies share times when they’ve fallen into the comparison game as well as tips for dealing with moments when you’re feeling less-than. They also touch on how much to share about your personal life with your online audience and stay authentic when working with sponsors. Visit www.dearhandmadelife.com for the show notes...