Over the last year, we’ve read much about The Great Resignation, about people looking to start their own businesses or more fulfilling side gigs. It’s not so easy taking a leap into your own creator business. Will people value what I’m doing? Will they be willing to pay me?

Clearly there are no sure bets, but it helps to learn what you can about the market: potential buyers, competitors, pricing. Creators can save a lot of time by consulting the research that others have already done for them.

One great local resource is the Small Business Accelerator reports created by Aleha McCauley, the Community Engagement Librarian from the Irving K. Barber Library at UBC. She and her team have developed over one hundred Accelerator Guides which offer market research, sample marketing strategies, industry associations and step by step business plans relevant to specific careers in specific industries.

Amongst these SBA Guides, you’ll find guides for businesses in: a) Arts and Culture, b) Craft & Production and c) Food & Drink. You might be interested in starting a business in photography, teaching music, performing, baking, making furniture, fashion, jewellery…

The SBA Guides

Say, for instance, you were interested in designing and selling jewellery.

http://sba.ubc.ca/guide/jewellery-design-business-accelerator-guide

You’ll find links to relevant books:

There are industry stats. Global sales of jewellery, for instance, were expected to be greater than 285 billion by 2020, up from 170 million in 2013

Links to useful industry resources:
Canadian Jeweller Magazine

Craft Council of BC

And sample marketing ideas:

Jewellery Marketing Plans

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Whatever your goals, the SBA Accelerator Guides are a great way to start thinking about how best to shape your own creative business.

www.creatorsvancouver.com