Generating sufficient revenues to earn a living wage from a home custom sewing business
With the help of Ingrid Tiffe, a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinty, ON, and an Eco-Fashion Designer, running her own company IsaTe’s Designs out of Seattle, WA; and with Metis-Entrepreneur Jacques Pilon , we are exploring in this 3rd video segment on launching a Custom Sewing Business, strategies that need to be in place to generate sufficient revenues to earn a living wage from a home custom sewing business.
Esther Stewart, is an Entrepreneurial Intern in the ICN Blueprint for Success program. She is a Nissga FN woman who has recently completed a seamstress course with the aim of launching her own custom sewing business. She is now fine tuning her design skills.
Questions received from Bryde Fresque
I’m really into sewing and costume making….I’m starting to plan to launch my own “side hustle” which is custom built specific niche women’s clothing – and was wondering how @ Ingrid plans her skype dates with customers? What are the pitfalls to avoid would be scheduling of Skype dates, etc. How do you get the most out of your time & money with these Skype dates?
INGRID
1. How do you deal with custom returns? What return model would you use?
2. In your own business model, do you show yourself as more of a professional shop, or more of a “mom and pop” shop? I’ve had dealings with several custom fashion outfits on line, and always loved the way certain “Mom and Pop” places deal with it. I appreciated the goofy emails, silly posts, etc – rather than the big retailer type. Can you give me some direction on this?
Jacques
How much do you budget for advertisement? In what order would you advertise it? IG, FB, Snapchat first, then Google targeted ads?
Ester
1. Do you worry about blow back from different nations?(beadworks from the prairies, totems from the west, etc. Colours, etc.) I would also include that you give artistic credit where it is due.
2. Just a comment – when you set up your website on Etsy (etc.) make sure you advertise where you’re from, what your culture is – so the consumer KNOWS these are designed by an Indigenous person, by an Indigenous run business. Savvy consumers may want to pay that extra dollar for First Nation built custom fabric, etc. vs. buying from Asia…. Check out Manitobah Mukluks for examples.