Artisan: 'Creatives' must commit to marketing

In last week’s column, Mark Burwell, national director of E-Hub, talked about a new program that is being developed to help creative people start businesses. Working alongside him will be Cheri Larson of Green Bay, a successful artisan and one of the “creatives” that Burwell spoke of.

Larson has had a varied career. From as young as age 7, she was selling “art” from a stand in front of her home. It started with painted rocks but was expanded over the years to include beaded jewelry.

“During this time, I would ask myself, ‘Why would I ever go to work for someone else?’” Larson said.

After being trained in marketing, she started an ad agency when she was just 25. Although the business was successful and allowed use of her creative talents, the love of artistic creation stayed with her.

“I had been in marketing so many years and was getting burned out, and looking for a whole different venue," Larson said. "I love doing creative things with my hands and had been making jewelry for about two years and selling it to friends, and they would say they wanted to have a few friends over and show it to them.”

Direct sales, marketing and selling of products directly to consumers, had begun to evolve in the 1950s with the advent of home parties. Larson saw the potential, and looked at this as a way to not only sell jewelry, but to also empower women. Azanti Jewelry was born.

Larson started with trunk shows, and moved on to the home events with representatives throughout the country. She hired women to make the designs she created, and the business took off.

During this time, she often had customers encourage her to open a bricks and mortar location. She quickly found out that wasn’t a profitable option. Then, in 2008, the recession hit.

“With the recession, I realized my product line and business model would be hard hit and rather than try to wait it out, I used my marketing and business background to evolve into another product that was trending at the time,” Larson said. “Earth-friendly products were growing, and I had an interest in creating a new line.”

In 2008, she started Green Girls Market. The line included reusable shopping bags, and as business increased, grew to include all-natural and organic products such as insect repellent and essential oil roll-ons. (www.greengirlsmarket.com)

She now runs that business and works part-time with disabled adults, helping them to get into the workforce. In addition, she is an avid volunteer and wants to share her experiences with other entrepreneurs; especially those who are trying to make money as artisans.

“Many creative people only like to work on their art and don’t have an interest in the actual running of a business, including marketing and selling their work," Larson said. "They have to make a decision of what they want to do and have fun, and what they need to hire others for. We will link them to those resources.”

Artisans need to be committed to the work it will take to market their work and create a business.

“If they only want to paint and not run a business, they may be better off looking at their creative endeavor as a hobby and not a full-time career,” Larson said.

In volunteering, she hopes to help creatives make that decision. She has volunteered with E-Hub for about a decade and is eager to share her experiences as a “serial entrepreneur.”

“Mark likes to call me that, but I just think of myself as someone who is interested in creating products or services that fill a need and satisfy my creativity,” Larson said. “Being an entrepreneur can be very overwhelming and I love it if I can make that journey just a little easier for someone else.”

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.