Shows
The Faculty Coffee Break PodcastThe Underground Crafter: Dr. Marie SegaresDr. Marie Segares is a long-time intrapreneur in the non-profit health and education industries. She has launched or expanded programs in every full-time job she has held during her career. Her experience includes managing a federally-funded public housing community health center for an academic medical center in the South Bronx, co-founding a public high school in Downtown Brooklyn, and developing an online, bachelor’s degree completion program for a faith-based, historically Black college in Texas.
Dr. Segares earned her AB in Sociology from Barnard College, her MPH in Sociomedical Sciences with a concentration in Health Promotion and Di...2023-01-2331 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 177: Why the College’s Cost MattersWell, we are just about done. We are on Step 14, the final step in researching colleges on your son or daughter’s LLCO (that is, one last time, the Long List of College Options). And, one last reminder: Feel free to rush online and get our workbook How To Explore Your College Options: A Workbook for High School Students (available at Amazon). It’s a steal at $9.95! Step 14 is, to many people, the most important step and even the only step. I find it ironic that we would end our podcast--for now--on this note and that we would...2018-08-3111 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 173: Why the College’s Housing MattersWell, we are up to Step 10 out of the 14 steps of your kid’s summer homework. So far, so good. Keep checking our workbook How To Explore Your College Options: A Workbook for High School Students for further detail and more examples (it’s still available at Amazon). Step 10 calls for your son or daughter to investigate on-campus housing options, which could make some difference in where to apply and where to enroll if you are planning for him or her to live in college housing. Some students, of course, will be commuting to campus, so these ques...2018-08-0314 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 167: Why the College’s History and Mission MatterToday we are going to talk about the Step 4 of your kid’s summer homework. Regular listeners know that this summer homework is based on our workbook How To Explore Your College Options: A Workbook for High School Students. It’s not too late to get one from Amazon for your son or daughter. In the last two episodes, you and your kid have been getting ready to start the real work. You have hopefully completed Step 1 by creating the all-important Long List of College Options (or LLCO, as we like to call it). And you have hope...2018-06-2220 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 164: The Most Important Step in College AdmissionsBefore we start today’s episode about the most important step in the college application and admissions process, we want to let you know that we are headed into our final season of USACollegeChat. Well, I wouldn’t rule out coming back on Netflix or something by popular demand from our listening audience, but we are at least going to need to go on hiatus for a while. Maybe we will be like Game of Thrones (which I have never seen) where there can be a year between seasons. I am headed out to Phoenix and leaving my beloved New Yor...2018-06-0115 min
Getting Loopy! with Mary Beth TempleMarie Segares of Underground Crafter on Getting LoopyI first met Marie several years ago when Underground Crafter was new! Join us as we talk about her blog, her design work, and the other interesting things she does!2018-05-1547 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 151: What About a College’s Grading Practices?Today we are going to talk about a topic that I bet you and your high school senior have not given any thought to. And yet, it’s a topic that you and your high school senior have done nothing but think about for the past year or so, just from a different perspective. That topic is grades. Or more precisely, today’s topic is grading practices, which is not exactly the same as your kid’s grades. Probably the most you have thought about your kid’s high school’s grading practices is whether the school uses a weighte...2018-02-1621 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 147: It’s a New College World, Or Is It?It’s the middle of December, and those of you with teenagers who are facing application deadlines in the first week of January either see that the end is in sight or are pulling out your hair. Whichever it is, I am not sure how much more we can do for you. I will make our standard offer, nonetheless: If you are wrestling with a question about a college application or trying to figure out another college or two to add to your list--yes, it’s not too late--then, give us a call. Quick, free advice is available for the next...2017-12-1521 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 146: The Biggest College Application Mistake You Are About To MakeAs you head into December and draw near to the looming college application deadlines that follow in the first two weeks of January, we are sure you have a lot on your minds, parents. Almost all of you are worried about how you are going to pay for whatever college your teenager eventually enrolls in. Most of you are worried about whether your teenager is going to get into his or her first choice. Many of you are worried about whether your teenager will get into any of his or her top several choices. Some of you are worried abo...2017-12-0824 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 143: High School Students Can’t WriteLast week when we talked about college application essays for what seems to be the millionth time in our three years together, we suggested that you go back and listen to Episodes 98, 99, 106, and 110 if you have a senior at home with college application essays due now and over the next few weeks. As I said last week, I have been spending some time in one of New York City’s most exclusive high schools to help two classes of seniors with their essays. As a result, I have been thinking hard about the sorry state of the writing skills disp...2017-11-1024 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 138: It’s Early Decision/Early Action Time AgainLet’s open today with an acknowledgment of a reasonably impressive milestone. We have just passed the third anniversary of our podcast. That’s three whole years of trying to put the college applications and college admissions process into perspective and within the grasp of the all-too-many parents and teenagers who have been left out of the conversation. When we started the podcast, we thought that it would be most helpful to parents who had not been to college themselves and to their first-generation-to-college kids. But we have found that parents of all educational backgrounds have learned from the epis...2017-10-0636 min
USACollegeChat PodcastUSACC 135: Another Look at Community CollegesToday’s episode in our series Researching College Options looks at a big option--an option that we have talked about in quite a few USACollegeChat episodes and in our first book, How To Find the Right College: A Workbook for Parents of High School Students. Most recently, we took a careful look at this option about five months ago in Episode 113. However, I have to admit that I am considering it again, based on a new opinion piece by LaGuardia Community College President Gail O. Mellow in late August in The New York Times. The option is community college. As...2017-09-1523 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 134: The College/Career Value of InternshipsWelcome back from the Labor Day holiday and welcome back to school for those of you living in the Northeast, where the very last kids to start back reside. And welcome back to our series, Researching College Options, where we have spent the last three episodes talking about the academic hurdles that kids will meet in trying to get into a college. Those hurdles are, first, SAT and ACT scores of competing applicants; second, average high school grade point average (GPA) of competing applicants; and third, courses that all applicants are expected to have taken in high school, usually...2017-09-0825 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 129: What You Don’t Know About CollegesIt’s getting serious now. It’s almost August, and kids who are headed off to their senior year in high school are realizing that it is time to get moving on investigating college options more thoroughly. There are a hundred things we would like to tell you and your senior about that and just as many pieces of advice we would like to give you two. In fact, we will do a lot of that in this new series that we are starting today and that we like to call Researching College Options. But in this episode we are...2017-07-2827 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 112: Speeding Up College GraduationOne of the biggest practical issues in higher education today is the rising and insanely high cost of a college education--obviously. The cost of going to college is not something we talk about a lot here at USACollegeChat, partly because there are so many other people talking about it all the time. But sky-high cost is the reason behind the topic we are going to discuss in this episode: speeding up college graduation--that is, graduating in fewer than the traditional four years. Of course, given that so many students these days are taking longer than the traditional...2017-03-1727 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 107: What’s All This I Hear About Online College Courses?Welcome to Series 10, Issues in Higher Education. We want to spend at least the next handful of episodes discussing a variety of what we believe are issues in higher education--not necessarily about college access or college applications or college admissions, which is where we spend most of our time with you. Yet, we believe that these issues could have long-term implications that are important for your family. When casting about for a good definition of what we mean by an issue, we came across the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary and its definition of issue: “a subject or pr...2017-02-0330 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 105: Colleges Still Accepting Applications!Well, we thought we would be starting a new series for the new year, but it turns out there are one or two things we would like to say to the seniors who are looking at their college prospects now--albeit a bit late--with newly serious eyes. I was talking to one of my best friends recently. He has twin girls, who were just finishing up their applications when we chatted on December 27. He said that one of the girls was feeling a bit blue as she looked over the list of colleges she had applied to and worried that non...2017-01-0619 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 103: Can You Find a College Like Georgia State?We are going to Georgia--well, not literally--in today’s episode to talk about a college that we did not include in our virtual nationwide college tour (Episodes 27 through 53), but I now wish we had. I have to admit that I did not know virtually anything about the college we are going to talk about, and that’s why Marie and I say all the time that we learn something every day while navigating the ever-changing world of college. I think this episode will be eye-opening to many of you. 1. What’s in a Headline? It all st...2016-12-1622 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 102: Using Technology To Communicate with CollegesToday’s episode takes us into the world of technology, so that means I’m already in trouble, but fortunately not Marie. We want to highlight four ways colleges find out things about applicants, now that we live in a world of super-connectedness--which can be good and can be not so good. 1. Email Address So, let’s start with the most obvious: an applicant’s email address. Virtually all kids have email addresses these days; indeed, kids are called on to provide them as part of the Common App—under Profile, then under Contact Details. So, tell y...2016-12-0923 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 100: Historically Black College and University Freshman Enrollment on the RiseWell, it is the 100th episode of our podcast, which started out as NYCollegeChat and then rapidly became USACollegeChat when we realized that everything we had to say was useful to families all over the USA and not just in our home state of New York. In the television business, having 100 episodes is a big deal because it means that the show lasted long enough and with sufficient quality to be syndicated (actually, it’s really only 88 episodes, or what used to be four full 22-episode seasons--not that anyone can figure out how many episodes are in television seasons an...2016-11-1821 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 71: Managing Subscriptions, Diversifying Your Income, and Growing Your Business at the Right Pace with Stacey Trock from FreshStitchesStacey Trock is the owner of FreshStitches. After a technical failure during our interview at The National NeedleArts Association summer show in June, we talked over Skype about the success of her kit club and why she is switching to digital subscriptions. We also discussed how and why she's diversified her income and her perspective on pacing her business growth, customer service, social media, and more. About Stacey Trock Stacey Trock, the owner of FreshStitches, recently relocated to Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. Stacey started her business in 2008 selling crochet amigurumi patterns as PDFs and has sin...2016-11-131h 09
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 70: Transitioning Your Business from Online to Face-to-Face - Time Management - and More with Kim Russo from Kim Dyes YarnKim Russo is the yarn dyer behind Kim Dyes Yarn. We met at The National NeedleArts Association summer show in June, and later I spent some time talking to Kim, who shared how her business has transformed over the past 10 years, how she transitioned her fully online business to one that includes face-to-face elements, and her approach to time management. About Kim Russo Kim Russo, owner of Kim Dyes Yarn, lives in Virginia. She is obsessed with gorgeous colors, the way colors look when mixed and matched with each other, and how to achieve the next gr...2016-10-2144 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 96: Narrowing Down Your Teenager’s College List--Step 4In our last three episodes, we have been suggesting some steps to take in order to narrow down your teenager’s long summer list of college options in case it is too long. However, as we have begun to say--and frankly, I am a bit surprised by this--perhaps your list is not really too long. Let’s say you still have about 15 colleges on the list. Even though we said in our book (How To Find the Right College: A Workbook for Parents of High School Students, available at amazon.com) that applying to 8 to 12 colleges seemed like a reas...2016-10-2116 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 69: Staying Inspired, Being Authentic, and Learning to Say No with Dedri Uys from LookAtWhatIMadeDedri Uys is the crochet designer, blogger, author, and teacher behind LookAtWhatIMade. I spent some time talking to Dedri and she was incredibly open and generous in sharing how she is able to work a full time job, be a devoted wife and mother, and still find energy and inspiration for her crochet business. About Dedri Uys Dedri Uys is the crochet blogger, designer and teacher behind LookAtWhatIMade. She is best known as the designer of Sophie's Universe, a stunning continuous square crochet blanket pattern available as a free, 18-part crochet-a-long. She is the author of Amamani Puzzl...2016-09-2356 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 91: Think Harder About Community ServiceHopefully, you have finished your 10 summer assignments designed to expand and then investigate seriously the colleges on your teenager’s long summer list of college options. So, let’s review what those 10 assignments were: First, you expanded your teenager’s long summer list of college options. Next, you checked out four key admission standards for the colleges on that list--namely, average high school GPA, high school class rank, SAT or ACT scores of admitted and/or enrolled freshmen, and both required and recommended courses to be completed in high school. After that, you looked at each college’s undergra...2016-09-1633 min
Etsy Conversations Podcast144 – Creative Yarn Entrepreneur, Marie SegaresHey Crafters! Have you ever thought about the other ways you could make money with your craft? Whether you sell handmade jewelry, decorative pins, or crochet pieces and patterns, as a small business owner, it’s important to think about building your business around multiple streams of income. My guest on this week’s episode is Marie Segares, she’s […]2016-09-071h 03
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 90: Assignment #10—It’s Never Too Late To Add One More CollegeThis is an episode we like to call “It’s Never Too Late To Add One More College.” Now, if your teenager and you have done your nine assignments this summer to expand and then investigate seriously the colleges on your teenager’s long summer list of college options, you are probably wondering what we mean by “adding one more.” But, first, let’s review the nine assignments you have already done—and it’s an impressive group: First, you expanded your teenager’s long summer list of college options. Next, you checked out four key admission standards for the colleges on...2016-09-0227 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 68: Getting Started with Video and Growing Your YouTube Channel with Jennifer Dickerson from Fiber FluxJennifer Dickerson is the crochet and knitting designer, blogger, author, and YouTuber behind Fiber Flux. I had the chance to chat with Jennifer about how she got started with video and grew her YouTube channel to over 125,000 followers in less than two years. In this interview, she shares her practical tips for working with video, building a YouTube channel, time management, working for free, and monetizing your blog and videos. About Jennifer Dickerson Jennifer Dickerson is the crochet and knitting designer, blogger, and YouTuber behind Fiber Flux. In addition to her blog, she launched the Fiber Flux Yo...2016-08-1255 min
USACollegeChat PodcastUSACC087: Assignment #7--Looking at Core CurriculaWell, this is Assignment #7, which means that your teenager and perhaps you have done a lot of work so far. Take a look back and look at all you have accomplished this summer: You have expanded your teenager’s long summer list of college options. You have checked out four key admission standards for the colleges on that list--namely, average high school GPA, high school class rank, SAT or ACT scores of admitted and/or enrolled freshmen, and both required and recommended courses to be completed in high school. You have looked at each college’s undergraduate enrollment, brok...2016-08-1237 min
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 86: Assignment #6--Looking at College Location, Not DistanceYour teenager and you should be learning a lot about colleges if you have been keeping up with your assignments. Yes, we know it’s summer, but you will thank us in September. Let’s review what you have done so far (we hope): You have expanded your teenager’s long summer list of college options. You have checked out four key admission standards for the colleges on that list--namely, average high school GPA, high school class rank, SAT or ACT scores of admitted and/or enrolled freshmen, and both required and recommended courses to be completed in high s...2016-08-0517 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 67: Mailing List and Email Marketing Best Practices with Heather Solos from FeedblitzHeather Solos is a director at Feedblitz. I met Heather at the 2016 Snap! conference and we later had a Skype chat about best practices for growing, maintaining, and monetizing your email list. About Heather Solos and Feedblitz Heather Solos started blogging in 2004 and became a professional blogger in 2006. She joined FeedBlitz, an RSS and email marketing company, in 2012 where she built the customer service team. She’s now a director at Feedblitz and swims in a sea of email, marketing, and best practices. When she comes up for air, she works for Home-Ec101.com, a site that...2016-07-211h 02
USACollegeChat PodcastEpisode 83: Assignment #3—Looking at One More College Admission StandardSo, parents of juniors (and parents of freshmen and sophomores who are thinking ahead) you have had your first two assignments in the college search process. We hope we are keeping you busy, but—more importantly—interested in what can be a fascinating and actually enjoyable process. So far, we have had you expanding your teenager’s long summer list of college options so that you are truly ready to narrow it in the fall. And we have had you check out key admission standards for the colleges on that list—namely, average high school GPA, high school c...2016-07-1517 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowCYESmmtc2: Make Money Teaching Crochet Virtual Tour Wrap Up/Question and Answer SessionI answer questions about teaching crafts and self-publishing as I wrap up the virtual tour for my new book, Make Money Teaching Crochet. About this episode In this episode, I share the edited audio of a Facebook Live event I hosted earlier in the week where I answered questions from listeners about teaching crafts and self-publishing. Thanks to Rosalba Bassora, Novella Bobo from MadebyNovella, Patrice Walker from Yarn Over, Pull Through, Rachel McKinney from 100 Creations, and MG Camacho from Booktalk 'n More for sharing questions beforehand! I reference a lot of different resources...2016-07-0329 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 66: Showcasing Your Creative Business and Pitching to Brands and Clients with Leslie Albertson from MixbookLeslie Albertson is the director of marketing at Mixbook. I had the chance to get to know Mixbook in person at the 2016 Snap! conference and was later introduced to Leslie. We scheduled a Skype interview to talk about the best ways to present your creative business to potential sponsors and collaborators, following up after networking events, and more. About Leslie Albertson and Mixbook Mixbook's mission is to help you share and relive life's most important memories through its custom photo products. As director of marketing, Leslie brings her passion as a storyteller to Mixbook's content, community...2016-06-2945 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowMake Money Teaching Crochet (and Other Crafts)I kick off the virtual book tour for Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students by talking about how teaching has helped to grow my yarn-related business and earn me a stable side income. I also share more information about the book and self-publishing. About this episode In this episode, I talk about Make Money Teaching Crochet, including... Sharing how I got started teaching crochet and how it has impacted the development of Underground Crafter, Discussing why I wrote the book and key decisions I made in the self-publishing proc...2016-06-1140 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 65: Organizing Your Inspiration, Branding Your Creative Business, and Working with Brands with Alexis Middleton from Persia LouAlexis Middleton is the crochet designer and craft blogger behind Persia Lou. I had the chance to meet her in person at the 2016 Snap! conference and we later scheduled a Skype interview to talk about the panel workshop, Generate and Pitch Ideas Like a Boss. About Alexis Middleton Alexis is a work-at-home mother of three and a lifelong crafter. She learned to crochet from her great grandmother as a child but put down the hook until a few years ago. She started her blog, Persia Lou, as a place to share her crochet projects and it...2016-06-0442 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 63: Blogging, Taking Risks in Your Business, and Working with Sponsors with Erica Dietz from 5 Little MonstersErica Dietz from 5 Little Monsters had been blogging for less than a year when she started working with sponsors. We chatted at the 2016 Snap! conference about blogging, taking risks, how to work with sponsors, and more. About Erica Erica Dietz is the crochet, sewing, embroidery, and craft blogger behind 5 Little Monsters. She shares designs and tutorials on her blog. Erica is also a stay-at-home mom to (you guessed it) 5 children. You can learn more about Erica by visiting 5 Little Monsters. You can also follow her online on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Ravelry | Twitter Abo...2016-05-0727 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 62: Bootstrapping Your Business While Knowing When To Spend with Lorraine C. LadishIf you're like most home-based business owners, you're bootstrapping your business and keeping costs low with a DIY approach. In this episode, I interview author, speaker, and digital entrepreneur, Lorraine C. Ladish, about how she bootstrapped her business. We also discuss when to invest and spend in your business, taking risks, taking care of yourself, and more. About Lorraine Lorraine C. Ladish is a bilingual author of more than 15 books, and a writer, editor, speaker, and digital entrepreneur. Lorraine is the founder and CEO of Viva Fifty!, a bilingual online community that celebrates being 50+. Lorraine is a con...2016-04-2346 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 61: The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA) Membership and Trade Show for Newbies with Beth WhitesideHave you considered joining The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA)? In this episode, I interview knitting teacher, designer, and tech editor, Beth Whiteside, about the benefits of membership, newly formed Business and Creative Services sector, and power tips for getting the most out of the TNNA trade show. About Beth Beth Whiteside is a knitting teacher, designer, and technical editor whose curiosity has led her to visit many countries (stranded color, EPS, k1b, lace, ...) on the knitting-world map. Originally from New England, she now lives in San Francisco, where mountains, ocean, and Haight Street are always good sources of in...2016-04-0756 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowBeing a Mompreneur, Staying Positive and More with Elayna Fernandez from The Positive MomI interview Elayna Fernandez, author, speaker, and owner of The Positive Mom. About Elayna Elayna Fernandez is an author, international keynote speaker, and a key Latina influencer and storyteller through ThePositiveMOM.com. She lives with her loving husband and her three brilliant bilingual daughters (and home school students) in Fort Worth, Texas. Elayna’s mission is to encourage, empower, and equip moms to have more influence at home, more impact in the world, and more income to make it happen. Elayna is also an award-winning Certified Guerrilla Marketing Master Trainer and the creator of...2016-03-2528 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 59: An Interview with Kara Gott WarnerToday's episode is a double header. I'm interviewing Kara Gott Warner, host of Power Purls Podcast, and she's interviewing me! Read on for more details and then have a listen to both episodes. About Kara Gott Warner Kara is the Executive Editor of Creative Knitting magazine. She began her career in the yarn industry as a knitting designer in 2002. Kara's designs have been published in several magazines, including Creative Knitting, Vogue Knitting, Family Circle Easy Knitting, and Interweave Knits. Kara has also worked as a technical illustrator, working with craft book publishers such as Random House, Lark Books...2016-03-0756 min
Podcasting with Purpose for Life Coaches022 Marie Segares, The Underground Crafter and Host of Creative Yarn Entrepreneur PodcastMarie Segares is a crochet and knitting blogger, designer, teacher, podcaster, and small business consultant. She started the Underground Crafter blog in 2011 while working full-time in public higher education change management. In 2013, she left the working world and became a full-time solopreneur, straddling two disparate industries: education and yarn. The combination keeps things interesting! Marie is also the host of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Podcast. She continues to self-publish her designs and freelance for several magazines including I Like Crochet and I Like Knitting. In 2016, she will present podcasting workshops at the We All Grow Summit by Latina Bloggers Connect...2016-03-0742 min
Podcasting with Purpose for Life Coaches022 Marie Segares, The Underground Crafter and Host of Creative Yarn Entrepreneur PodcastMarie Segares is a crochet and knitting blogger, designer, teacher, podcaster, and small business consultant. She started the Underground Crafter blog in 2011 while working full-time in public higher education change management. In 2013, she left the working world and became a full-time solopreneur, straddling two disparate industries: education and yarn. The combination keeps things interesting! Marie is also the host of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Podcast. She continues to self-publish her designs and freelance for several magazines including I Like Crochet and I Like Knitting. In 2016, she will present podcasting workshops at the We All Grow Summit by Latina Bloggers Connect...2016-03-0742 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 58: How To Organize and Participate in Multi-Business CollaborationsThis episode is all about multi-business collaborations, including blog hops, multi-designer make-a-longs, and in-person events. I share 4 reasons you might want to participate in such a collaboration, 7 tips for organization a multi-business collaboration, and 5 ways for being an ideal collaborator when you're not organizing the event. 4 reasons you might want to participate in a multi-business collaboration There are many reasons you may want to participate in such an event, but here are the four major ones: Introduce your business to a new audience and expand your reach. Network with other businesses and sponsors you...2016-02-2646 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 56: 6 Income Streams for Yarn-Related BusinessesI share six different income streams for yarn-related business owners to consider in this episode. Many of us start our own businesses part time and by leveraging our existing skills. As you plan for expansion in 2016 and beyond, consider these different options for earning money for your business. Six Income Streams for Your Yarn-Related Business Here are some options to consider. Most successful businesses have a combination of income streams which helps to mitigate risk and to standardize cash flow. Consumer Products: This is a very broad category including... Handmade products you sell directly...2016-01-2334 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 55: Email Marketing 101: Or, Why and How to Set Up an Email List for Your Creative BusinessIf setting up (or enhancing) an email list for your business is on your list of New Year’s Resolutions, listen to this episode. In this episode, I talk about why you should start an email list, how to get started, the different approaches you can take to an email list, and how to grow your subscriber base. Why should you have an email list? Here are just a few reasons why having an email list by benefit your business. It provides you with a direct connection to your fanbase without another platform as an...2015-12-1632 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 54: Time Management for Your Part-Time or Side BusinessTime management can be more challenging for part-time business owners. Whether you work full time, run another business part time, or rely on several part time jobs or gigs, if your yarn-related business is part time, you may struggle to manage your time and stay productive. In this episode, I share my time management approach to being a part-time business owner: Start by setting your short- and long-term goals Look for "chunks" of time in your schedule that can be devoted to your business Arrange the activities required to meet your goals into types of tasks...2015-12-1242 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 53: What To Do When You're Not Feeling Inspired for Your Creative BusinessAs creative business owners, we thrive on feeling inspired. But what about those days when you just aren't feeling inspired or creative? I share 5 things that I do when I'm not feeling inspired to keep my business moving forward. Work through it Focus on other crafts Do a "mindless project" Take a break from the creative side of your business Express gratitude to someone else Other resource mentioned in this episode: Interview with Steven Pressfield on The Creative Penn podcast You can listen to the episode for more tips on dealing with a lack of...2015-12-0421 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 52: How to Increase Your Blog Traffic for Your Yarn-Related BusinessIn this episode, I talk about increasing blog traffic in response to feedback from the listener survey and and email exchange with Lindsay Lewchuk from Knit Eco Chic. I'm listening to episode 48 & am a bit bummed that she wouldn't get into particular dollar amounts. I've got content on my site (content I'm proud of), but I have very little traffic... I know I haven't done any SEO but am completely lost online with how to do it & what to do. I want to budget for this, but have no idea. Do you have any insights of which company I sh...2015-11-2549 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 51: Should I Be Using LinkedIn for My Yarn-Related Business?In this episode, I answer a listener question from Caroline Ruzicka from Cherie in Wonderland about using LinkedIn for a yarn-related business. Caroline asks, What about LinkedIn? I didn’t see anything on your podcast about it, so I believe you didn’t cover it yet. I use LinkedIn a lot in my main job environment (which is not related to yarn) but honestly I’m not sure this is really working in the yarn industry or for networking in this creative environment yet. I had a quick look today and it seems to me that m...2015-11-1317 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 50: Do I Need to Formalize My Yarn-Related Business?In this episode, I answer a common listener question: Do I need to formalize my yarn-related business? There are legal, tax, and mindset reasons for formalizing your business. But first, let me mention that I'm neither a lawyer nor an accountant. You may want to consult one if plan to formalize your business. So, why might you choose to formalize my yarn-related business? You may find it easier to get a business bank account, buy products wholesale, and protect your personal assets in the event of legal action. You may find that you are more...2015-11-0521 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 49: How to Submit Crochet or Knitting Design Proposals to MagazinesIn this episode, I answer a common listener question: How do I get my patterns published in a magazine? Even if you aren't a designer, you may want to listen as the same process is used for submitting tutorial or article ideas. But first, I shared why I was on a 6 week (!) podcast hiatus and my new philosophy about show notes. (Spoiler alert: They will be shorter.) So, how do you submit your crochet or knitting design proposals? First, if you haven't already, listen to Episode 1: Identify the Right Magazines to Target for Your A...2015-10-2831 min
Web.Search.Social Marketing PodcastWSS #0154: Death To Free: How To Get Paid For What You DoFirst, A Word From Our Sponsor
Do You Wish You Could Use Great Visuals In Your Marketing? But find yourself saying things like, "I'm not a designer!" Or, "Ugh, I don't have time for that."
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Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 48: Website Strategy and Working with Digital Marketers for Your Business with Carol Lynn RiveraIf thinking about your company's website makes your head explode (even just a little bit), you'll want to listen to this week's episode. I talk with Carol Lynn Rivera, a digital marketer at Rahvalor Interactive and the co-host of the Web.Search.Social podcast, and she shares great information about how to think about a website for your yarn-related business. You can find also Carol Lynn online on Facebook, Google Plus, and Twitter. This week's episode In my interview with Carol Lynn, we talk about different ways to approach your website. Carol Lynn...2015-09-1656 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 47: Best Advice for Yarn-Related Businesses: Listeners and Former Guests Share Their Tips to Celebrate One Year of the CYE Show!This week's episode is a special one-year anniversary episode of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show. Listeners and former guests share their best advice by telling us the one thing they've done in the past 2 years that has had the most benefit for their businesses. Before we started on the advice, I shared the top 10 episodes from the first year of the show. Can you sense the themes? Episode 32: Journey to 100k Monthly Blog Visitors and More with Sedie Maruska Episode 8: Affordable Crochet and Knitting Fonts with Adriana Hernandez Episode 1: Identify the Right Magazines to Tar...2015-09-0744 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 46: 8 Free and Low-Cost Resources for Professional Development for Your Yarn-Related BusinessIf you’re in the United States, you’re being bombarded with “back-to-school” advertising. I decided to put my own spin on the back-to-school theme by sharing 8 free and low-cost resources you can use for professional development to help you launch, manage, and expand your yarn-related business. Here’s a preview of the 8 ways you can take advantage of these free or inexpensive resources: Use your local, regional, or federal small business development center Read Connect with colleges and universities Apprentice or barter skills with a master crafter Participate in a blog challenge Take a video course Lis...2015-08-2150 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 45: How to Balance Two Creative Businesses - The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowIn this week’s episode, I answer a listener question from Kathy Kelly, a crochet designer and teacher at Crochetbird and a jazz musician at Kathy Kelly Vibes! Kathy wants to know how to juggle two creative businesses at once. She says: I’m a jazz musician and a crochet teacher/designer. When I start to have some success in one area, it’s hard to keep things going in the other area, and I’m kind of making lopsided progress. Since my crochet and knitting business isn’t my full time work either, I thought I wou...2015-08-1428 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 43: 10 Tips for Attending (and Getting the Most Out of) Your First Blogging or Social Media ConferenceThis Week’s Episode I’m sharing 10 tips (plus a few bonus ones, too!) for attending and getting the most out of your first blogging or social media conference. As regular listeners know, this year I spoke at the #WeAllGrow Summit by Latina Bloggers Connect and #BlogHer15: Experts Among Us. These were my first two blogging conferences, and I have plenty of ideas to share! You may be thinking this episode isn’t relevant to you if you aren’t including blogging as part of your business model, but most of these tips are transferable to any conference...2015-07-3129 min
Today's Leading Women with Marie Grace Berg ~ Real Stories. Real Inspiration. Real Take-aways. 7-Days A Week!516: CARLOTA Zimmerman of Creativity Yenta: Helping You Manifest Your Personal And Professional GoalsAs the Creativity Yenta, CARLOTA Zimmerman launched her business in 2008, with more moxie than money, crafting a coaching practice with clients throughout the US and Europe, a practice specializing in helping men and women around the world, manifest their personal and professional goals.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Carlota was a produced playwright and a TV writer/producer. She lived and worked in Russia, India and China, as well as across the United States.
With her friend, Marie Segares, Carlota co-created and co-hosts a monthly podcast, âNo Frills Small Business.â The show is aimed at all entrep...2015-07-2800 minCreative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 42: Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series 7: Promoting Your PatternThis Week’s Episode I’m wrapping up the Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series by talking about promoting your pattern after release. Updates from Last Week’s Episode Since last week’s episode, I’ve been informed that CraftFoxes now offers a digital download option. I can’t find anything about it on their Seller Help page, but a quick scan of the Patterns section in the Shop confirms that several sellers are offering digital downloads. Additionally, there has been some concerns raised about selling on Craftsy. In the episode, I share two tips for your Pa...2015-07-2248 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 44: Getting The Most Out of Ravelry For Your Yarn-Related BusinessIf you missed the live Google+ Hangout on Air for getting the most out of Ravelry for your yarn-related business, or you want to watch or listen again, here is the updated post. In this week’s episode, I shared seven tips for optimizing your use of Ravelry. The video (which you can watch here) includes screenshares and walkthroughs, and the audio podcast includes an additional summary. 7 Tips for getting the most out of Ravelry for your yarn-related business: Optimize your profile to include information about your business, a link to your blog or websi...2015-07-2159 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 41: Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series 6: Publishing Your PatternThis Week’s Episode I’m continuing my Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series by talking about publishing your pattern. I’ll be exploring six different online marketplaces in depth (Craftfoxes, Craftsy, Etsy, Kollabora, Patternfish, and Ravelry), and will be briefly talking about other self-publishing options (such as your blog/website, ebook vendors, and printing patterns). This episode is longer than usual, so I’m including some time stamps if you need to pause in the middle of the show. You can scroll down past the time stamps for detailed show notes. 0:00 – 17:25 Introduction and announcements. Feedback on pricing afte...2015-07-161h 56
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 40: Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series 5: Pricing Your PatternThis Week’s Episode I’m continuing my Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series by talking about pricing your pattern. I’ll be exploring the advantages and challenges of offering all of your self-published patterns for free, all for sale, or some combination of free and paid. The subtitle for today’s episode is “To free or not to free?” Let’s start by examining 3 strategic approaches to pricing your self-published patterns. (By the way, your pricing strategy for your self-published patterns might be the same as the pricing strategy you use with third-party publishing, or it might be different...2015-06-2040 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 39: Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series 4: Photographing Your PatternThis Week’s Episode I’m continuing my Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series by talking about photographing your pattern. I’ll be focusing on 3 topics: the photographer, the model (or backgrounds/props for non-wearables), and tutorials. Let’s talk about the photographer! As the online world has shifted to becoming more and more visual, pattern photography has become increasingly important. As a self-publishing designer, you may be your own photographer or you may choose to work with another amateur or professional photographer. Designer as photographer If you take your own photos, you have complete control. You...2015-06-1246 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 38: Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series 3: Polishing Your PatternThis Week’s Episode I’m continuing my Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series by talking about polishing your pattern through editing and formatting. If you’re new to self-publishing, or your current approach to editing isn’t working as you hoped… You may want to listen to these two earlier episodes. Episode 3: 8 Tips for Organizing Your First Pattern Test, and Episode 25: 8 Tips for Contracting with Your First Tech Editor. Each of these episodes outlines strategics, tactics, advantages, and pitfalls of using testers and/or tech editors to edit your patterns. 4 Approaches to Editing In this epis...2015-06-0639 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 37: Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series 2: Drafting Your PatternThis Week’s Episode I continue the Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series with a focus on Drafting Your Pattern. In today’s episode, I talk about drafting the written pattern (including pattern grading) and creating the sample. But first… I wanted to mention that Dianne from Same DiNamics Crochet recently completed a Crochet Design Series. I was one of ten crochet designers she interviewed. Most of the information is also applicable to knitting. I have linked up her posts below. Meet the Designers 1 In the Beginning… Design Inspiration 2 The Writing Phase 3 The Testing Phase 4 The Modeling of...2015-05-3038 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 36: Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series 1: Planning Your Pattern This Week’s Episode I launch the Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series with a focus on Planning Your Pattern. In today’s episode, I talk about style sheets and yarn support, as well as aligning your style sheet with your ideal customer’s preferences and needs. But first… Thanks to Angela Doherty from Hooked By Angel (on Etsy and Facebook) for sharing the first bit of audio feedback on the show! Angel had some wonderful things to say about the show (thank you!) and she also reminded me that I like to say, “That makes sense” a lot during in...2015-05-2039 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowMini series on designing and self-publishing your crochet & knitting patterns!This Week’s Mini Episode In this week’s mini episode, I announce a new series on designing and self-publishing your crochet and knitting patterns that will start next week. So far, I’m expecting the series to include episodes focused on: Planning and drafting your design, Polishing your pattern, Pricing, Publishing (including an exploration of different online marketplaces like Amazon, CraftFoxes, Craftsy, Crochetville, Etsy, Kollabora, Patternfish, and/or Ravelry), and Promoting. I shared some questions from Goddess Crochet, Junee B Designs, Patterns Tried and True, and Hooked by Angel, but I’d love to answer other qu...2015-05-1507 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 34: How to Source Yarn (Inexpensively) for Your BusinessThis Week’s Episode I’m talking about ways to source yarn inexpensively (or for free) for your yarn-related business. Getting your yarn for less (or for free) can have a huge impact on your profits as a yarn related business! In this episode, I’ll be sharing 4 ways to source your yarn for less money. The 4 ways are: Establish a wholesale, maker, or professional crafter account with a yarn company Apply for yarn support for your crochet and knitting patterns Shop for discounts Use discontinued yarns Not every one of these ways will be r...2015-05-0237 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 33: 7 Steps for Pitching Your Ideas for Workshops, Presentations, and Panel Sessions to Conferences and EventsThis Week’s Episode Today’s topic was suggested by last week’s guest, Sedie Maruska. I’m going to share a 7 step process for pitching your ideas to conferences and events. This process is what I use both for yarn-related events, like regional fiber festivals, and for other types of venues, like blogging or social media conferences. The 7 steps are: Define your goals Identify potential venues Find the speaker or workshop guidelines and understand the compensation practices Choose your pitch Refine your pitch Submit and wait Follow up (maybe) Some Background As a teenager, I was par...2015-04-2450 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 32: Journey to 100k Monthly Blog Visitors and More with Sedie Maruska from Yarn ObsessionThis Week’s Episode In this episode, I shared an interview with Sedruola “Sedie” Maruska from Yarn Obsession. Sedie is a crochet designer, blogger, and crochet business consultant. I wanted to talk with her about her public journey to 100,000 monthly unique visitors to her blog. We also chatted about pricing, empowering women business owners, prioritizing different elements of your business, and more. About Sedruola “Sedie” Maruska Sedie started Yarn Obsession as a hobby and eventually started selling her finished crochet items as a maker. Later, she started designing but noticed she was getting a lot of questio...2015-04-1356 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowBonus Episode: Managing Your Business While Being a Mom with Lane KennedyThis Bonus Episode I’m sharing an interview with serial entrepreneur Lane Kennedy today as a bonus episode. Although Lane isn’t involved in the yarn industry, she has a lot to share about managing your business while being a mom. Since I’m not a mom, I thought her perspective would be helpful for listeners who are! I also thought this episode would pair nicely with my interview with Amy Ramnarine earlier this week about how she planned out her maternity leave. About Lane Kennedy Lane is a serial entrepreneur who is also a coach...2015-04-1137 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 31: Preparing for an Absence from Your Business, Collaboration, Blog Monetization, and More with Amy Ramnarine from The Stitchin' MommyThis Week’s Episode In this episode, I shared an interview with Amy Ramnarine from The Stitchin’ Mommy. Amy is a crochet designer and DIY blogger, and a fellow New Yorker. We met up at Martha’s Country Bakery in Forest Hills, Queens back in March. (By the way, Amy recommends the Strawberry Shortcake which is made with real strawberries.) I wanted to talk with her about her plans for maternity leave. We also chatted about collaborations that expand your business, blog monetization, customer service, and more. About Amy Ramnarine Amy is a full-time crochet and DIY blogger. Her...2015-04-0850 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 30: Going Beyond the Basics with Pinterest for Your Yarn-Related Business with Cynthia SanchezThis Week’s Episode Back in February, I had the opportunity to meet and interview Cynthia Sanchez at the We All Grow Summit by Latina Bloggers Connect. Cynthia is a Pinterest marketing expert, so in this interview, we talked about taking your Pinterest use to the next level for your yarn-related business. (If you’re just getting started on Pinterest, you may find Episode 2: 10 Ways to Use Pinterest to Grow Your Business helpful.) About Cynthia Sanchez Cynthia Sanchez has a background in healthcare as a nurse navigator. In 2011, she was interested in using social media to get the word out t...2015-03-2430 min
Yarn Thing: Crochet and Knitting Podcast | Blog Talk Radio FeedUnderground Crafter, Marie SegaresMarie Segares, the proprietress of Underground Crafter, is a crochet and knitting blogger, designer, teacher, podcaster, and small business consultant. She teaches crochet and knitting at several adult education venues in the New York City metro area and at regional fiber events. In August, she launched the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show, a weekly podcast for indie business owners in the yarn industry. Listen Live for chance to win great prizes! Stay up to date with the Yarn Thing podcast with the App available on iTunes and for Droid.Find our more about Marly at www.MarlyBird.com or follow her on face...2015-03-191h 26
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 29: Selling on Etsy, Passive Income, and Using Trending Keywords with Alexandra Tavel from Two of WandsThis Week’s Episode I interviewed Alexandra Tavel, a crochet and knitting maker and designer. Alexandra owns the Etsy shop, Two of Wands. We met up in person in New York City (where we both live) to talk about how she launched her shop, how it became her full time income, and what she enjoys about the platform, as well as other topics related to owning a yarn-based business. About Alexandra Tavel Alexandra Tavel earned dual degrees in fashion design and costume construction technology from Indiana University. After graduation, she moved to New York City with plans of en...2015-03-1849 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 28: Indie Craft Fairs, Negotiation, Freelancing, the Hazards of Etsy and More with Grace DobushThis Week’s Episode I interviewed Grace Dobush, a full time freelance writer and part-time crafty business owner, in this week’s episode. Grace and I talked about many topics including prepping for your first indie craft show, deciding whether Etsy is the right online marketplace for your craft business, tips for starting up as a freelance writer in the craft scene, negotiating for a higher rate, and more! About Grace Dobush Grace Dobush is a freelance writer and a part-time crafty business owner. She is the organizer of the Crafty Supermarket, an indie craft show in Cincin...2015-03-1154 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 27: Connecting with Your Mailing List and More with Vashti BrahaThis Week’s Episode I share an interview with Vashti Braha this week. Vashti has been in the crochet business for over ten years. She has experience as a freelance designer, a self-publisher, a publisher of another designer’s work, and now, as a yarn company owner. I invited her on the show to talk about something else: her mailing list. Vashti created an email newsletter, Vashti’s Crochet Inspirations, in late 2010, and she shared what she has learned about email marketing and how her newsletter impacts her business. About Vashti Braha Vashti Braha is the crochet designer...2015-03-0259 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 26: Eco Conscious Knitting & Niche Marketing with Lindsay Lewchuk from Knit Eco ChicThis Week’s Episode This week I share an interview with Lindsay Lewchuk, the owner of Knit Eco Chic. I invited her to talk about her business, which is entirely focused on using organic, natural, or sustainable yarns. She shares her insights on both managing an eco-conscious business and on marketing to a smaller niche of knitters and crocheters, knit-a-longs, social media, and more. About Lindsay Lewchuk Lindsay is the knitting designer and maker behind Knit Eco Chic. She began knitting in earnest while hospitalized about a decade ago. Her medical condition limited her to the use of or...2015-02-2330 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 25: 8 Tips for Contracting with Your First Tech EditorThis Week’s Episode In this week’s episode, I share 8 tips for contracting with a tech editor for the first time for your indie patterns. Even if you have worked with tech editors in the past when your work was third-party published, you may find the experience of finding and hiring a tech editor for your self-published patterns daunting. 8 Tips for Contracting with Your First Tech Editor Ask yourself why are you getting your patterns tech edited and what you expect from a tech editor Always check references Find out what the rates mean Choose someone who respo...2015-02-1622 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 24: Using Live Facebook Chats to Connect with Your Audience with Lorene Eppolite from Cre8tion Crochet and Kathy Lashley from ELK Studio Handcrafted Crochet DesignsThis Week’s Episode In this week’s episode, I interview Lorene Eppolite from Cre8tion Crochet and Kathy Lashley from ELK Studio Handcrafted Crochet Design about the weekly Crochet Business Chat Live event they co-host on Mondays at 12 noon Eastern in the ELK Studio Crocheters Facebook group. We also talk about connecting with your audience and the crochet industry as a whole. About Lorene Eppolite Lorene Eppolite is a crochet designer, blogger, and owner of Cre8tion Crochet. In addition to her website, you can find her online on Facebook, Pinterest, Ravelry, Twitter, and YouTube. Lorene started as a maker...2015-02-0941 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 23: Diversifying Your Income and Boosting Your Blogging with Tamara Kelly from MooglyThis Week’s Episode In this week’s episode, I share an interview with Tamara Kelly from Moogly. Tamara’s crochet and knitting business is quite varied, and I talk to her about how she got her start, how she diversifies her income, and her tips for blogging and time management. You can find Tamara online on the Moogly website and blog, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Ravelry, Tumblr, and Twitter. I previously interviewed her on the Underground Crafter blog here. About Tamara Kelly Tamara started crocheting when her oldest child was young. After her other children were born, she...2015-01-2742 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 22: Google+ Hangout with Forensic Coach, Carlota ZimmermanOn this week’s show, I share a recording of the second live episode of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show! During this Google+ Hangout, I talked with Carlota Zimmerman, a forensic coach, author, blogger, social media expert, and entrepreneur. We shared our thoughts and answered questions on time management, productivity, budgeting, and social media. About Carlota Zimmerman Carlota Zimmerman is the forensic coach, social media expert, blogger, and writer known as the Creativity Yenta©. Carlota helps her clients articulate their professional goals — from writing a book to starting a small business — and then helps them create the opportunit...2015-01-221h 07
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 21: 10 Habits for Successfully “Owning” (or Working) from HomeThis Week’s Episode Happy New Year! In response to feedback from the listener survey I shared with the email list, I’m sharing 10 habits for successfully ‘owning’ from home. I’ve been a full-time solopreneur for about 15 months, and I had to learn some new habits and modify others. Owning a home-based business has some interesting challenges and isn’t quite the same as working from home. 10 Habits for Successfully “Owning” (or Working) from Home Shower and dress Prioritize weekly (or more frequently) Establish work areas for different tasks Structure the schedule Minimize distractions Find and use appropriat...2015-01-0841 min
She Podcasts031 Lessons Learned in Podcasting, Advice For Podcast Newbies and over 60 Hardware and Software Podcasting ResourcesSee how easy it is to send voice feedback? Go ahead and email your thoughts to feedback@shepodcasts.com!
Show 031 Quick-Guide Featuring 37 She Podcasters!
Anne Samoilov from The Fearless Launching Show
Jule Foucht from Ms. Kickass Biz
Dr. Nancy Berk from Celebrity Podcast Whine At 9
Marie Segares from The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show & NY College Chat
Maggie Patterson from The Marketing Moxie Show
Kelly Connor from Sunrose Yoga
Donna Papacosta from The Trafcom News Podcast
Pilar Orti from 21st Century Worklife
Vickie Maris from Heartsong Fit With Vickie Maris
Krystal O’Connor from Libsyn Live
Donna Fit...2014-12-291h 37
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowBonus Episode: Interview with Knitting Designer, Ashwini JambhekarBonus Episode I’m sharing an interview today with Ashwini Jambhekar as a bonus episode! I temporarily misplaced the recording (gasp!) while organizing files and, since I also skipped a week of podcasting this year, I thought I’d add this interview back into the fold as a bonus. About Ashwini Jambhekar Ashwini Jambhekar is a part-time knitting designer with a background as a scientist and ballet dancer. Ashwini has designed her own projects for years, but she got her start as a published designer back in 2011. She frequently shared her finished knit projects on Facebook, and a fr...2014-12-2145 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 18: 8 Best Investments I Made In My Business This YearThis Week’s Episode In this week’s episode, I share the 8 best investments I made in my business in 2014. While the topic may seem oddly personal, I talk about why each investment added value to my business and what you might take away from the list to support your yarn-related business in 2015. 8 Best Investments I Made in My Business in 2014 (Improved) Web hosting A (more reliable and faster) computer Comfort tools Monthly massage therapy A (multi-functional and higher quality) tripod (New) tools and training for business expansion Conference (or face-to-face event) attendance Time for networking with other solo...2014-12-2040 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 17: 5 Tips for Hosting a Successful Crochet-, Knit-, or Make-a-Long OnlineThis Week’s Episode In this week’s episode, I share five tips for hosting a successful crochet-, knit-, or make-a-long (also known as CALs, KALs, or MALs, respectively). For ease of communication, I’ll refer to these as C/KALs hereafter in the show notes. 5 Tips for Hosting a Successful Crochet-, Knit-, or Make-a-Long Online Test or tech edit the pattern before the event Engage sponsors and supporters Seek out a co-moderator Choose an appropriate length Share the projects Why Host a C/KAL Online? There are many great reasons for hosting a C/KAL online. First off...2014-12-1025 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 16: Turning Your Passion Into Your Business with Carlota Zimmerman, the Creativity YentaThis Week’s Episode On this week’s show, I share a recording of the first live episode of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show! I talked with Carlota Zimmerman, the forensic coach, author, blogger, social media expert, and entrepreneur behind the Creativity Yenta©. We shared our tips for starting or expanding your business in the New Year and responded to questions from the audience. About Carlota Zimmerman Carlota Zimmerman is the forensic coach, social media expert, blogger, and writer known as the Creativity Yenta©. Carlota helps her clients articulate their professional goals — from writing a book to starting...2014-12-041h 20
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 14: Self Care for the Indie Business Owner with Vanessa LavenI interview Vanessa Laven, who has been using knitting, sewing, and her love of mixed martial arts to kick cancer’s butt and grow her own indie artisan business, Survival Organs. Vanessa shares her simple rules for self care for the indie business owner. Although this interview was recorded in September, I held it until the late fall because I know this is a season where many business owners in the yarn industry (and crafters in general) stop taking care of themselves and focus on production for the holiday rush. Vanessa’s Tips for Self Care for the Indie...2014-11-1637 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 10: Time Management Tips: An Interview with Lindsey Stephens from Poetry in YarnThis Week’s Episode In today’s episode, we talk all about time management. As creative business owners, we all struggle with time. Many of us “juggle a lot of balls” by balancing multiple revenue streams and roles in our business. My guest on this episode is Lindsey Stephens, the owner of Poetry in Yarn. Lindsey juggles her roles as a crochet designer, tech editor, crochet and knitting teacher, and web designer for Poetry in Yarn with her part-time job as a math teacher at a Yeshiva elementary and middle school in Connecticut, and her responsibilities as a mother and...2014-10-1550 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 9: Selling on Etsy, An Interview with Ijeoma Eleazu from the Etsy Conversations PodcastThis Week’s Episode I’m excited to share an interview with a fellow podcaster this week. Ijeoma Eleazu is a calligrapher who is also the host of the Etsy Conversations Podcast. You can also find Ijeoma on Facebook, Twitter, and BlogLovin. I discovered Ijeoma when she spoke on a panel at the Podcast Movement conference in August, and I invited her on the show to talk about selling on Etsy. After the interview, I share my experience selling crochet and knitting patterns as instant downloads on Craftsy, Crochetville, Etsy, Kollabora, and Ravelry. Ijeoma’s Tips for Etsy S...2014-10-0852 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 8: Affordable Crochet and Knitting Fonts with Adriana HernandezThis Week’s Episode This week, I’m interviewing Adriana Hernandez from AdriPrints. Adriana is a creative entrepreneur whose business includes knitting design and font design. Adriana can be found online on the AdriPrints blog, Adri Makes a Thing or Two, Ravelry, Twitter as @adriprints, and Facebook. Her font collections, including StitchinCrochet, Stitchin Crochet Pro, and three variations of StitchinKnit, can be found on her MyFonts page. We talk about her multi-faceted business, her crochet and knitting fonts, and Adriana’s tips for using her crochet fonts. About AdriPrints When Adriana relocated to Germany in 2008, she couldn’t br...2014-10-0142 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 7: Intellectual Property for Indies with Danielle ChalsonThis Week’s Episode This week, I’m interviewing Danielle Chalson from Makewise Designs. Danielle is a knitting designer, as well as an intellectual property lawyer. Danielle can be found online on Ravelry (as makewise, on her designer page, and in the Makewise Designs group), her website, and Twitter. Key points from this episode: Develop an intellectual property mindset. Take advantage of free and low cost resources. Review your contract. Speak to an attorney when appropriate. Postpone a rush to judgement. Treat your business as a business. About Makewise Designs Danielle operates Makewise Designs as a part-time...2014-09-2554 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 6: Free and Low Cost (Visual) Branding ResourcesThis Week’s Episode The inspiration for this episode, free and low cost branding resources, is Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa. (Read on for details!) In this episode, I talk about free and low cost resources related to color, font, and logo design that you can use to visually brand (or rebrand) your yarn-related business. Background I’m hosting my third annual Hispanic Heritage Month series on the Underground Crafter blog, featuring interviews with 14 crochet and knitting designers and bloggers. I decided to add a free pattern to my series this year, and chose a one-skein projec...2014-09-1827 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 5: How to Grow Your Facebook Following: An Interview with Lauren Brown from Daisy Cottage DesignsThis Week’s Episode I’m very excited to share my first interview this week, with Lauren Brown from Daisy Cottage Designs. Lauren is a crochet designer, blogger, and maker, and you can find her on Etsy, her blog, Facebook, Ravelry, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and BlogLovin. (Lauren also has a great series of posts with tips for new Etsy sellers called Etsy 101.) Lauren and I are in a crochet blogger group together, and I invited her to share her tips for increasing Facebook engagement. Lauren’s Facebook following grew by over 27,000 (!) in just 6 months, and she has had the...2014-09-1031 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 4: 6 Ways to Engage with the Blogging CommunityThis Week’s Episode Before I launched the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show, I sent out a survey to a few online friends for feedback on show topics. Kathy Kelly from the Crochetbird blog asked about ways to engage with blogging community. Thanks for the suggestion, Kathy! In this episode, I share 6 suggestions for engaging other bloggers. 6 Ways to Engage with the Blogging Community Commenting Participating in challenges Joining link parties & blog hops Finding blogger groups Attending blogger events and meetups Connecting with bloggers on other forms of social media Each of these different ways of engaging has its...2014-09-0326 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 3: 8 Tips for Organizing Your First Pattern TestThis Week’s Episode Are you considering organizing your first pattern test? Even though this topic is aimed at designers, there are many other indie yarn-related businesses that might want to do a market test for a new physical or digital product who might find these tips helpful. 8 Tips for Organizing Your First Pattern Test Decide what you want from the pattern test Choose the right online or offline setting(s) Format your pattern Set the guidelines Create a survey Incentivize your testers. Organize and use your feedback Track the test It goes without saying that you’ll ne...2014-08-2847 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 2: 10 Ways to Use Pinterest to Grow Your Business (In Just Minutes A Day)This Week’s Episode Whether you’ve struggled to maintain a presence on Pinterest without indulging in hours of procrastination, or if you just haven’t dived into Pinterest yet, this episode has 10 great tips for staying active on Pinterest in just minutes a day. 10 Ways to Use Pinterest to Grow Your Business (in Just Minutes a Day) Establish a small number of pins per day Pin as you’d like to be pinned (The Golden Rule) Alternate between pinning new content from other websites and re-pinning Use “Also on” to find new people and boards to follow Join group bo...2014-08-2828 min
Creative Yarn Entrepreneur ShowEpisode 1: How to Identify the Right Magazines to Target for Your Article, Tutorial, or Design SubmissionWelcome to the first episode of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show, hosted by Marie Segares. About The Show This podcast is focused on the unique challenges and joys of being a creative indie business owner in the yarn industry. Whether you’re a crochet or knitting designer, blogger, maker, podcaster, publisher, tech editor, or author; or a yarn spinner or dyer; or you make crochet hooks or knitting needles or accessories; this show will be all about how you can grow your business while hopefully staying productive, creative, and sane! The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show format combines solo s...2014-08-2832 min