The Merriweather Council Podcast

Welcome back to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast. Today’s episode is about why even the best marketing advice in the world doesn’t work for you! If you’ve implemented really solid marketing strategies but they didn’t generate results for you - I’ll tell you why that probably is! It’s usually one of two very specific reasons - or a combination of both. ► In this episode you will hear me explain why the above situation is NOT caused by an oversaturated market. You’ll also hear me say that over saturation in a market is not even a real thing. That is a rumor that’s very easy to believe though. If you sell on Etsy you’ve heard it before: “Etsy is too saturated” and “if you sell THIS PRODUCT or THIS PRODUCT, you can’t be seen on Etsy because it’s too saturated.” ... lies, lies and more lies. There are some other very specific rumors that run the Etsy seller circuit that we would like to clear up for you!  For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/117  

Welcome back to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast. ► If you are listening to today’s episode, screenshot and tag us on IG @merriweatherc! Does Taylor Swift do anything without us paying attention? No. So here we are again! Last year, Taylor released her Lover album in a completely different way than she released her previous album, Reputation. The differences in approach to the marketing of these two albums was extreme - night and day! Both were hugely successful. And that is one of the key lessons in today’s episode: an abundance of marketing can be awesome and work well, and so can a lack of marketing. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/116   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast   To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com  

Welcome back to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast. ► If you are listening to today’s episode, screenshot and tag us on IG @merriweatherc! Today’s episode features four things you DO NOT want to do when pricing your work. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/115   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast   To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

Welcome back to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast. ► If you are listening to today’s episode, screenshot and tag us on IG @merriweatherc! Today’s episode was a real treat for me to record! You’ll hear me chatting with Etsy Training Course student and Council Member, Jenn of Jenn D Handcrafted. I’ve been so honored and humbled to be a small part of something so important to Jenn and something that is so fun, inspiring and community driven. Jenn shared some really great insights and experienced from her 6 years of running her handmade business - I truly hope this inspires you to stick with your goals! For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/114   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast   To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com  

Welcome back to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast. ► If you are listening to today’s episode, screenshot and tag us on IG @merriweatherc! Last year I went on an epic journey to see the Backstreet Boys five times in concert. On my journey, I popped in on Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Did you know that Milwaukee is the home of the Harley Davidson Motor Company? Neither did I! But the friend I was traveling with did and she suggested that doing our non-BSB hours we visit their museum. Not one for museums, I wasn’t hyped about it but we had already been to every brewery in town so, we went! I LOVED IT. Surprising, considering i don’t care much for museums or motorcycles. But this museum was basically a shrine to entrepreneurship and you know I can get hyped about that. In this episode I’m sharing some of the key things I loved and learned at the HD museum that relate to business and entrepreneurship.  For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/113   For more free

Welcome back to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast. ► If you are listening to today’s episode, screenshot and tag us on IG @merriweatherc! Today I want to discuss the difference between milestones and purpose. I think we are inundated with HASHTAG GOALS and the word ‘goals’ feels a bit nebulous sometimes. So i thought we could break it down to understand these all a bit better. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/112   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast   To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

Welcome back to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast. ► If you are listening to today’s episode, screenshot and tag us on IG @merriweatherc! This episode is for Etsy sellers who feel like they HAVE to offer free shipping - specifically because it is the “only way to be seen on Etsy.” If you are offering free shipping for no other reason than because you feel like it’s a huge part of being visible on Etsy, this is a must listen. Free shipping on Etsy is still a huge hot button issue, I hope this episode will help you reframe how you’re approaching it if you are doing it just because you feel like you have to! Please share this episode with your Etsy seller friends to spread the word! For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/111   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast   Disclaimer:   *This content is published by The Merriweather Council. The Merriweather Council is not affiliated with Etsy Inc. Etsy is a trade

Welcome back to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast.  ► If you are listening to today’s episode, screenshot and tag us on IG @merriweatherc! Today’s episode is about three things that are boring, overdone, or useless in email marketing, especially for product sellers.  There is a lot of resistance to email marketing even though it is very effective - I think, perhaps BECAUSE of the things we are covering in this episode, people feel like “meh, no thanks” about it.  Particularly if you feel exhausted by social media, which I know so many people do, you might really like email marketing. So tun in to hear about the mistakes you’ll want to avoid and hopefully feel reinsured to explore email marketing in your own business! For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/110   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast Disclaimer:   *This content is published by The Merriweather Council. The Merriweather Council is not affil

Welcome back to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast. Today’s episode is something of a follow up to my most recent episode - these two go hand in hand! (BUT IN A SOCIALLY DISTANT HAND HOLDY WAY.) Speaking of social distance, I know many people are spending more time at home, and with that, some things have gotten really popular kind of out of nowhere like puzzles. Puzzles are having a huge moment right now. And puzzles are what inspired today’s episode. Tune in to learn more about creating your big picture strategy and what puzzles have to do with it! If you are offering free shipping for no other reason than because you feel like it’s a massive part of being visible on Etsy, this is a must-listen. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/109 For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

Welcome to season 6 of The Merriweather Council Podcast. I wasn’t sure what to do about the timing of season 6 and then pandemic 2020 happened and I thought to myself, “self, just do it.” So here we are! Thanks for being here with me today. If you struggle with productivity, this one is for you! For the first episode of season 6 I wanted to chat about something we hear SO often from makers in business - daily, in fact! People always tell us they struggle with PRODUCTIVITY! “Danielle, i really struggle with productivity!” I hear it every day from makers in business. I am not exempt from this either, of course, I have to remind myself the truth of productivity pretty regularly, too. One note i do want to make: for me, i think time management is DIFFERENT than productivity. Just to provide some context on this going forward, I believe they are two separate things. Time management is an essential skill - not just for business but in life as well. It is REALLY hard to nail down specific time management tips - beca

Hey friends, Popping in out-of-season with a special message for you during these uncertain times. COVID-19 has thrown us for a bit of a loop but WE are well positioned to deal with it. YOU are capable of rising to this challenge. As entrepreneurs, we are capable of rising to this challenge and weathering this storm. We will do it better if we do it together and support each other. You are inherently up for a challenge - being an entrepreneur requires it! I know you have the creativity, drive, and determination to move through this. I also want to remind you that the value of what you do is unchanged. Your work is still needed, wanted and valuable. Are things a little mixed up right now? Yes. Are people sorting out a new normal? Yes. Are you still allowed to market your product and not feel guilty doing so? Also yes. Keep showing up, people are still looking for you. It will not do anyone any good for you to recoil at this time. Keep showing up. If you can continue to do your work - do it.   Let’s all give ea

I cannot believe we are at the season finale of season 5 already! What a magical season this was. We heard from SO many amazing makers and professionals who shared their wisdom and insights on a variety of topics. I really hope you enjoyed them all and gained a few pointers or felt inspired. I have one final surprise!! There is a super-secret bonus episode of Merriweather Council Podcast that you can access right now by visiting http://merri.party/bonuspodcast - this episode outlines 4 powerful marketing strategies and mechanisms you can implement starting today (NOT including email marketing or anything having to do with Instagram! Shocking, right? Check it out!!) Thank you so much for all of your support for the podcast and for looking forward to every episode in season 5! Best, Danielle For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/107 For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

This episode is a note to new sellers - those of you who are just getting started, those of you who haven’t found your footing in the big picture yet. In episode 99, I spoke about what makers who get to a steady spot are most at risk for. That episode is worth a listen no matter what stage you are at. So is this one. But this one is specifically for those of you who are just getting started. Spoiler alert: you have so many opportunities right now!! Let’s discuss the many virtues of being a “newbie” - and how you can enjoy and embrace this time better! Thanks so much for listening today! Enjoy! For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/106 For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

Is it possible to overstate how influencer Kate Spade was? I don't think so. So we did not refrain on this episode. Today we are chatting all about Kate Spade, her legacy and influence and her HUSTLE. I don't really like the word hustle but, she definitely worked super hard to get her business off the ground in the early days. This was a really interesting discussion, i did not know all that much about the history of Kate Spade or her brand but, Kimber did! You know Kimber as our go-to Taylor Swift expert, but she was able to regale us on the fascinating story of Kate Spade as well. And we WILL get around to recording an episode about TS7 but today we are talking about Kate. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/105   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast   To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

I know how frustrating it can be to see business advice that doesn’t seem like it relates to YOUR business. (As you hopefully know by now though, almost all business advice is just that: advice about business. And at the end of the day business is business and no matter what you’re selling, you’ve got to market it. So keep an open mind as you hear things! You can listen to an episode I did about that here: https://www.merriweathercouncilblog.com/2019/02/product-sellers-are-marketers/ One thing that often gets a lot of traction in service based businesses is CHALLENGES. You’ve probably seen some of your favorite bloggers run challenges for things like growing your email list, or batching content. And if you’ve ever participated in one you saw how it works and how it does engage the community that blogger is trying to reach. Which of course, is awesome. So how can something like that translate to a handmade business owner? That’s the question we are answering on today’s episode featuring my friend and fellow m

As an embroidery person myself, I am naturally attracted to other fiber artists - and Michelle Staub of Stitching Sabbatical creates such incredible work, it's hard to ignore. But also it totally catches my eye and I love it so much every time I see it. Michelle has an insane talent - she stitches photo realistic pet portraits. YES, STITCHES THEM. With thread. It's insane. So it's easy to see why people would love following her to begin with, but Michelle wasn't going to rest on her laurels when it came to Instagram. She went about approaching her account in a very specific and intentional way (it might surprise you!) and she created an atmosphere where people could EXPECT something from her. She made herself a reliable party and people kept showing up! What Michelle has done with Instagram might surprise you in a lot of ways. A lot of it was really refreshing to me and served as a good reminder that what we see and what we infer about what we see isn't already ... well, correct. After chatting with Kim of Da

Imagine going through the motions of checking your instagram and suddenly realizing there is a problem. Imagine your instagram account simply isn't there ... and there is no indication of why and no one really at all to ask. This is exactly what happened to Kim Chapman of Daisy Faye Designs in January 2019. And as you can imagine, this created a real sense of worry and concern. This episode is going to make you SO uncomfortable but it's also going to help you so much. If you can get past the discomfort, you're going to learn that being proactive in your business is one hundred percent essential. I asked Kim if she would be willing to share more about her experience with her Instagram account being shut down with us and she graciously agreed. Kim experienced this first hand and was able to shed some light on the mysterious world of instagram, the process of trying to recover her lost account and what to do if your account is closed without reason. In this episode you'll hear from Kim about her experience with

When I was in college I always felt a little weird around my classmates because most of them were insanely talented fine artists who had already decided they were dedicating their lives to being artists. This was NOT me. I loved being creative, but then what? What do I do with this creativity? I spoke about that and more in this episode with my friend Erin of Cotton and Flax. I've known her online for YEARS! We only had the opportunity to meet briefly once in NYC at the Etsy Up Conference. But it was magical nonetheless. Erin has done so many incredible things in her time as a creative entrepreneur and we spoke at least a little bit about all of them and how she got to where she is now: the owner of a small brick and mortar space in San Diego, California. If you've ever dreamed of having a physical retail location or studio, you will love this episode. Erin told me that she is working toward nurturing more community in her space through trunk shows and workshops and I told her THANK YOU. because it was people

One cool thing about the ridiculous amount of time it took to get season 5 of the merriweather council podcast out the door is that we are publishing episodes a bit later in the year. And that means it's timely and relevant for me to share holiday related dialogue with you! And you know that discussing the many things that are involved for handmade business owners at holiday time is one of my most favorite things. If you've spent any time around here, you know that I regularly remind makers throughout the holiday season to refrain from getting too caught up in the comparison game when other makers start posting about how many orders they've got going out. You can actually hear that pep talk here // https://www.merriweathercouncilblog.com/2018/12/holiday-pep-talk/ Just as important as not going around the internet comparing yourself to others is being really honest with yourself about how much is realistic to YOU. This is a metric that can only come from you. That's what today's episode is about and I genuine

I hope this episode is more of a motivator than a bummer. Because truly, that's what it is. And those of you who most need to hear it: hopefully you're more likely to feel motivation than anything else! This episode is for those of you who feel like things are going great! Sales are steady, or business is going smoothly, or you have finally 'arrived' where you wanted to be... generally, this episode is for you if you are feeling really satisfied with your business at present. First, if you are that person, i want to say a huge congrats! Not only is it challenging to get your business of the ground and to a point where things are really truly working for you (business ain’t always easy!!) its even harder to actually recognize and fell that things are going well! We tend to be our biggest critics. So if you are feeling awesome, AWESOME! Congrats. Now i want to help you keep it that way. That's what this episode is for: helping you stay UP. And the biggest hurdle to that is actually none of the things you think