Shop Small, Shop Local, Shop from Women

We talk and think a lot about community in Creative Business League - how to build it, how to improve it, how to start it. Community is at the heart of what we do; we draw our support from it, learn from it, are enriched by it and make money from it. We started our businesses here in the Bay Area where local business owners were open, welcoming, and encouraging in our new endeavors. We are so fortunate to be surrounded by fellow kick-ass, passionate, thoughtful and encouraging entrepreneurs who support us, and we want to support them right back. We also love to spend our money conscientiously. To that end, I would like to introduce you to a group of amazing women-owned businesses who support and share these values. These brick and mortar retail stores are owned by a diverse group of women and are strong supporters of the Bay Area arts and maker communities. They are the first to respond with support when their communities are in crisis; they provide income for their employees; they support local artists and makers; they actively create safe spaces in their stores.

Goji Berry and Chocolate Lip Balm at Concept Forty Seven in Temescal

So why is this list only Brick and Mortar stores? Because part of building community is getting to know the people in your neighborhood; it involves getting to know them as people with thoughts and feelings, and that starts with a little old-fashioned, face-to-face contact. Go in, say hello, introduce yourself, start a conversation and support your local small businesses.

https://www.msdoak.com/shop/msd

These shops carry a wide variety of art, bath & body care, clothing, jewelry, accessories, home goods, cards and gifts and they carry a wide variety of price points; from $4 cards to incredible works of art, they each have a little something for everyone and every budget. Most of these shops carry work that is under $20 for easy gifting. I’ve linked to some pieces that I think you’ll enjoy, but I encourage you to go and check them out in person.

Rare Device - This shop, owned by Giselle Gyalzen carries some of my favorite gift items including these candles by PF Candle - http://raredevice.net/collections/bath-body/products/pommes-frites-candle

Marion and Rose - Owned by Kerri, she curates a cozy collection of home goods and has regular art exhibits and is a champion of independent makers and Made in the USA goods - http://marionandrose.com/collections/kitchen/products/ca-shaped-bottle-opener

Maple Street Denim - owned by the super-rad Julie, she carries an awesome selction of denim and will even special order your size! She also carries great gifts for the holidays - https://www.msdoak.com/shop/enamel-pins-by-these-are-things

Show and Tell - owned by Alyah is a concept shop, gallery, and gathering space in downtown Oakland. They carry sustainable and socially responsible apparel, accessories, and gift items - including this cheeky Great Lakes T-shirt - http://www.showandtelloakland.com/store/show-and-tell/item/great-lakes-women-s

Concept 47 - Owned by Stevonne, her shop is a desitnation for her own line of skin care products as well as jewelry, aromatherapy, candles and gifts in Temescal in Oakland - http://www.conceptfortyseven.com/collections/natural-makeup/products/goji-chocolate-lip-balm

Little Paper Planes - Owned by Kelly, this shop carries her own line of clothing; gifts, art, ceramics and accessories - http://www.littlepaperplanes.com/product/1967-alyson-fox-poketo-wallet

Secession - Owned by Eden, this store and gallery hs been an incubator for emerging artists in the Bay and is a great place to start your art collection She also carries a variety of gifts and apparel - http://store.secessionsf.com/dino-bridge-onesie-baby-pink/

Hawthorn Boutique - owned by Laurie and located in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, her boutique focuses on makers and brands with artistic integrity and a commitment to sustainability - https://www.hawthornboutique.com/products-page/gamma-folk-necklace-42/

Viscera - owned by Ari, this shop produces their own line of 3D printed jewelry amazingness, including this bracelet - https://shopviscera.com/products/anconeus-bracelet

A last note: This list is by no means definitive - help us add to it! Leave a note in the comments with your recommendation for a woman-owned business that you love. If you know of a small, woman-owned business in the Bay Area or beyond, remember that they rely on customers like you for your support and your business. Seek them out, buy from them and make a new friend. See where it takes you.

Business Bad-ass Rebecca Saylor of OodleBaDoodle

Today's business bad-ass is Rebecca Saylor, founder, designer and creator of awesomely huggable pillows at OodleBaDoodle. On the side, Rebecca also runs an all-volunteer organization of 1600+ makers that is the powerhouse team known as SF Etsy. I'm never quite sure how she manages to pack so much into her days, all the while maintaining an incredible sense of calm and a great sense of humor.

1 - How did you get started with OodleBaDoodle?  

I'm sort of a backwards person, always thinking differently, so it makes sense that I began my business without a product - ha! After the start up I was working at closed, I knew I wanted to have a small business so I started with a business plan and then I created a few products that I felt like could sell. I tried a few things, but nothing was really sticking, so I went back to work in the corporate world. One of my coworkers was having a baby and I made him an owl pillow for the nursery. He is a very snappy dresser and so the owl had glasses, a bow tie and vest. He really loved it and I made some for a gallery show here in SF. I sold 25 owl pillows the first two weeks I was in business and I knew I had my product!

Since then, I seek out other things that inspire my designs, like sea creatures, huggable San Francisco and coming soon, the unicorn pillow!

2 - What is your top challenge in your business right now?

After 4 years of sewing constantly everyday, I feel like I am still in a constant backlog. My challenge now is production. Like a lot of makers, I truly enjoy the "making" part of my business and I am not ready to give that up, so I've been working on ways to make multiples of my pillows that still showcase my craftsmanship but also can be reproduced more efficiently. I'm using some new technology and I'm hoping to launch all my new things by the holiday season.  

3 - Before you had a business, you had another career. Was there anything from that experience that has helped you be an entrepreneur?

For 15 years I worked in the corporate world, primarily in the Human Resources and Recruiting departments for small and large companies. I loved my career and I was good at it! One of my favorite things was learning from the CEOs of the companies I worked for. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to be mentored by some amazing business leaders. I learned a lot about time management, business planning, project planning, resource management and working in a team environment. Even though I am an entrepreneur, I know the value of community and making connections. It's very important to have people around you that can help you navigate the world of small business and help you make connections to grow your business. 

4 - What do you do on a regular basis to maintain your sanity?

I've recently been taking some online Urban Sketching classes and I've really enjoyed exploring the city and then sketching some favorite spots. I love making clothes and spending time with my husband and my two Mainecoon cats, MaximusMilkshake and Matilda. 

5 - What is your favorite thing about running your own business?

Making all the decisions. As much as I loved working in the corporate world, I always wanted to break out and execute my own ideas. I love figuring out all the things that go with running a small business and I love making the decisions, even the bad ones :) 

Collaborations - The Good, The Bad, The Contractual Obligations

In April, we opened up our monthly meeting to a larger group of makers and shakers in the Bay Area community and invited them to come and share their experiences and hear more about how to navigate collaborations between artists or with stores.

Ideally every collaboration starts and ends as friends, or at the very least, colleagues. But navigating collaborations can run the gamut of experience.

Here are just a few of the ideas that came up at the meeting to make collaborations go smoothly.

• Charge a design fee - If a client is coming to you to create a custom piece, this may entail all kinds of hidden time costs including redesigning packaging, scaling their logo, product testing, etc. Be prepared to charge for it.

• Have a contract - This is a useful tool to determine who is responsible for what, and also can include deadlines and calls to action for both entities

• Negotiate the price - collaborations with stores are essentially like custom work - aka, super-rewarding, but also more time and labor-intensive. Make sure that the collaboration will be worth the money it brings in.

• If you are collaborating with another artist, make sure you spell out who will be responsible for purchasing materials, tracking costs and making sure that everything is spread evenly {editor’s note - Splitwise is a great app for tracking expenses as a group, and Creative Business League uses this regularly}

• Recognize when it’s a collaboration, and when you are essentially contracting with another artist to produce parts that you need for your work. Credit them accordingly.

• Make sure that the marketing and promotion is spread evenly and is utilized effectively

What has your experience been with collaborations? Do you have hints and tips to share?