How to Make It: 25 Makers Share the Secrets to Building a Creative Business

By Erin Austen Abbott

Twenty-five creative entrepreneurs reveal how they found success, offering advice and inspiration for those hoping to follow suit or find a new hobby.

This is the ultimate tell-all, show-all guide to making a living by making things. Featuring twenty-five profiles of illustrators, jewelry designers, ceramicists, painters, clothing designers, and printmakers, How to Make It provides a behind-the-scenes look at the daily rituals and best practices that keep these creative entrepreneurs on track. With Q & As, insider tips, and DIYs from each maker, these pages offer guidance and encouragement to artists just starting their careers and to professionals looking to take their creative business to the next level. Brimming with practical advice and inspiration, this book is a perfect gift for anyone interested in making it as a maker.

Praise for How to Make It

“Readers curious about starting a creative business will find these 25 interviews with artisans an entertaining introduction to the challenges and rewards of turning art into a livelihood . . . . In addition to photographs of the artists at work, the book includes craft projects developed by the artisans for beginners, giving the book a broader appeal to readers dreaming of giving up their nine-to-five jobs or just considering new hobbies.” —Publishers Weekly

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Mar 14, 2017
• ISBN: 9781452150529

Book preview

1

BLUE DELTA JEAN CO.

TUPELO AND OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI

NICK WEAVER and JOSH WEST DENIM DESIGNERS

Starting a company unlike any other is both daunting and risky. But for Josh West and Nick Weaver their denim business has been so rewarding, both personally and professionally, that the risk paid off. Despite neither having a background in fashion or manufacturing—Josh worked in real estate investment and Nick worked in tech—they have managed to grow their bespoke denim line to be sold in over thirty-five states and several countries, while still keeping all the manufacturing in-house.

I feel that now I am confident enough to admit when I am wrong or when I don’t know the answer. —Josh

A CONVERSATION WITH NICK WEAVER AND JOSH WEST

How have you grown as a businessperson?

Josh: I feel that now I am confident enough to admit when I am wrong or when I don’t know the answer. In the early days of Blue Delta I felt like, as the leader, I needed to always have an answer. This thinking led to a lot of wrong answers. I’ve also been working on knowing when to call in the experts. I am a generalist and have always fought the expert ideology that my generation bought into. In doing this I have sometimes waded into waters that were way outside of my territory. As consulting becomes more a part of our business, I have had to fight the urge to dive in and have learned to call in experts early and often.

What resources do you turn to, both online and in print, to gather current business advice?

Nick: I follow many individuals. I read their books and bios, track current companies and deals they closed. My heroes have quickly changed from Brett Favre to Warren Buffett. I was reading about how Buffett started his first gumball business, and his first purchase was another gumball machine. He kept it simple. It worked. I read as much as I can on successful people and how they made their money. I also reach out to business owners locally and visit them to learn their own stories. Very inspiring.

Josh: All my personality surveys put me right in the middle of the introvert/extrovert column, so reading is a good (quiet) escape for me. I like to read almost exclusively nonfiction. I have also learned a great deal from hands-on experience. Some of my best lessons in life have been failures. My favorite business resource books are Rework, Good to Great, Basic Economics, The Checklist Manifesto, and Thing Explainer.

How did you stay focused and original when you were starting out?

Nick: The plan Josh drew on a napkin (pick your thread, denim, and cut) was so original that it removed us from the design process. All we had to do was provide high-quality goods to our customer. This kept us from having to create trendy products, and instead we made something timeless. Blue Delta’s Oxford studio provides more options in denim than most stores that have larger storefronts. This napkin business model from the beginning has kept us focused and original.

How do you see your brand growing in the next five to ten years?

Nick: In the next five years, I see Blue Delta established in cities like Charleston, Savannah, and Austin—cities rich in culture, history, and creative minds, much like Oxford. I see the brand maturing in quality, first fits becoming a common occurrence, and several more denim options becoming available to our customers. I hope we continue to strive to keep our innovation and customer experience at a high level. In the next ten years, I hope that Blue Delta will be a brand that makes Mississippi proud, one that people associate with Mississippi roots. I hope Blue Delta will have played an important role in the Made in America movement, and that our craft inspires other brands to continue making great products in America.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Nick: A typical Monday for me begins at 4 a.m. I use this time to read business articles and motivational quotes and look at news on upcoming technology. I read anything from fashion to technology until about 5 a.m., then I’m on my way to Tupelo to the manufacturing facility. I meet with Josh and we like to get organized for the week. We first tackle the schedules, then discuss customer service, which leads into the budget. It’s guaranteed that my ADHD will come out at some point during our morning meetings, and we often trail off to discussing app ideas and partnerships and who knows what else. At the manufacturing facility, we cut denim and trim finished jeans, I grab what needs to go to the Oxford studio, then I head back and open the studio for private appointments and run the store from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In between, I’ll talk my butt off and answer anywhere from thirty to sixty phone calls. When 5 p.m. rolls around, I’m likely still having meetings on the phone. Normally I rush home to steal as many hours as I can with my son. Around 7:30, he’s out, and I’m scheduling calls for the next day.

YOUR FAVORITE JEANS

Here’s a tutorial on how to measure your favorite jeans, to know exactly how to have them re-created.

SUPPLIES

• Your favorite pair of jeans

• Tape measure

• Paper and pencil

DIRECTIONS

1. Make sure your jeans are lying flat for all measurements, that the measuring tape is taut, and that the jeans are buttoned and zipped for the most accurate readings. Have your paper and pencil handy for jotting down the measurements.

2. Waistband: Measure along the bottom inside of your jeans waistband, and run your measuring tape around the band.

3. Seat and depth of seat: With the jeans lying flat, measure across the jeans, approximately across the bottom of the curved fly stitching (seat). From this point, measure the distance to the top of the waistband (depth of seat).

4. Front rise: Measure from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband on the front.

5. Back rise: Measure from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband on the back.

6. Thigh: Measure across the thigh right below the crotch seam, the broadest part of the thigh.

7. Knee and depth of knee: Measure 13 in/33 cm down from the crotch seam, and then measure across the jeans leg.

8. Leg opening: Measure across the bottom leg opening of the jeans.

9. Outseam: Measure from the top to the bottom of the jeans for the total length.

MAKE ME A MIXTAPE: INSPIRING SONGS FROM THE STUDIO

From Josh

1. Kings of Leon, Pickup Truck

2. Marshall Tucker Band, Can’t You See

3. Van Morrison, Into the Mystic

4. Waylon Jennings, Bob Wills Is Still the King

5. Willie Nelson, Pancho and Lefty

From Nick

6. Jason Isbell, Cover Me Up

7. Dawes, All Your Favorite Bands

8. Leon Bridges, Better Man

9. Wood Brothers, Maryann

10. Andrew Bryant, The Free

2

BOARD AND BREAD

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

EMILY BROCK WOODWORKER

Emily Brock’s grandfather and father were both woodworkers, and although it might have seemed like a natural next step for her to become a woodworker, it took a while for Emily to make the leap. Emily was working full time as a graphic designer in Washington State when she felt the pull to become a self-employed, working creative. Now living in Nashville, where she shares a workshop with her father, she has made a name for her art in Board and Bread.

I wouldn’t change how things panned out for me, but I would always advise anyone wanting to scale back or quit other jobs to hang on as long as you can, ideally until your monthly income from your new business becomes consistent (and livable) at least three months in a row.

Reviews for How to Make It

[reedread · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

How to Make It is a beautifully crafted book about that would appeal to young, creative entrepreneurs. 25 young artists from across the country are featured in ventures from hand printed stationery to leather work. Each artist is interviewed regarding their work practices, hurdles and inspirations. An interesting feature is "A Day in the Life" of each artists, describing their daily routine from rising in the morning and how the rest of their day unfolds. This bit of detail may be helpful to artists who find it difficult to start their work on a regular basis, and added a personal touch that made the artists seem more like "regular folks" rather than professional artists up on a pedestal. Another unique feature was a mixtape list of inspiring songs chosen by each artist---I enjoyed reading through these for ideas.This book could provide inspiration for young artists searching for ways to start a creative business, from organizational set up to ways to maintain a daily business routine. As an older artist, I found some of the art products to be amateurish, and I wonder how many of these artists will still be in business in a few years. The projects offered for the reader were very simple; too simple for most creative readers. But I realize how difficult it is for artists to establish and maintain a business, so I applaud the effort of this book. I also appreciated the beautiful photos in this book, which capture details important to artists, from studio organization to artistic style. All in all, I feel that this book could be very helpful and inspirational for young artists.

[fundevogel · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I chose to request this book as someone that is very seriously developing my own creative side hustle. I lack any formal business education, but am working to launch something I can learn with and grow in the future. This book didn't offer any insight or useful advice. It comes off as a series of puff pieces on creative business owners stretched out to book length to showcase the author's skills in layout and photography.Each chapter features a short interview, a bunch of pictures, a blurb describing how their typical day goes, some kind of step by step craft that can fit on a single page and a playlist.It doesn't help that I happen to know one of the featured artists. A housewife whose business is certainly a privilege of her husband's good job. I don't know how many of the artists in the book are able run their businesses courtesy or similar arrangements, but I'm pretty suspicious. In a book ostensibly rolemodeling creative entrepreneurs it's pretty irritating to see the sugardaddy factor keeping a business viable. It shouldn't be surprising the book makes up for it's lack of good business insight with pretty pictures and too many mentions of yoga.

[frogwindy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

HOW TO MAKE IT by Erin Austen Abbott is equal parts interview, how to, and day in the life of an artist. With interviews of working artists in every type of medium from metal and wood, to paper and fiber, it gives valuable insight into what it takes to run an artistic business.Each artist has a How To project or tip included. From making a zippered pouch to creating homemade watercolor paints, this book is great not only for the business minded but the creative soul.The book is nicely formated and easy to follow with pictures of each artists studio and process. Although personally, being nosy by nature, I would love to see more pictures of each artists work space it works as a well balanced whole. As a bonus it contains a music playlist section from each artist, which is both unique and insightful. HOW TO MAKE IT has something for everyone and is definitely worth a look.

[fiberdzns · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.I chose to enter the giveaway for this book because I run a small creative business. I found the interviews with the various business owners to be somewhat helpful. I found most of the shared projects to be a waste of time. There were a few that actually included decent instructions and someone might want to make them.The book contained a lot of well done photos. I wished to see more photos of the overall work space. The interview format was interesting but limiting. Maybe there could have been less businesses and more in-depth information. There were makers who had outgrown producing everything themselves. How did they going about sourcing and hiring? This book may be good for someone just starting to look at opening a business. For someone already in business, there is just not enough here.

[theodarling · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was so excited to receive this book from the early readers program! As an artist with a small business, I always enjoy checking out new books on the subject. I didn't know much about this one going in and was pleasantly surprised to see some of my own favorite artists represented, including Maryanne Moodie, Jen Hewett, and Emily Reinhardt. The book introduces 25 artists/makers and includes a short interview (about the work process, creating work vs running a business, etc) with each one, as well as playlists and DIY tutorials from each contributor. There's quite a range of projects (and difficulty/experience levels) included here, from conditioning wood butter to printmaking to jewelry-making and more. I'm a potter, so the "spray glazing without an air compressor" project caught my eye. I love seeing such a broad range of creative people represented here, but the one thing I'd change about the book is LONGER INTERVIEWS. Each artist was only asked 4-5 questions, which might be plenty for someone in a different field who just wanted to peek inside the world of a working artist for a little while, but I was hoping for more in-depth information than this book ultimately provides. It's still super cool and a wonderful resource in many ways. I'm looking forward to making some new stuff and trying out some of the playlists myself!