The Merriweather Council Podcast

Ever been scrolling Etsy or Instagram and felt annoyed by the other makers in your niche who are severely underpricing their items and wonder how you could ever stand a chance when people are so willing to sell so low? It is very likely that you have. I hear it so often, from so many people that they simply 'can't compete' and feel discouraged about it. You likely know enough to spot a ridiculously low price in another shop, so even if you aren't completely positive of someone else's costs, or even of your OWN prices, you know enough to know when there is just no possible way that a price THAT low is worth the work. SO what to do about it? That's exactly what I'm talking about in today's episode. I think the answer might surprise you! For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/98   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast   Disclaimer:   *This content is published by The Merriweather Council. The Merriweather Council is n

This season i had the great pleasure of speaking with so many amazing people. Many of them are people i have followed on the internet in one way or another for quite some time. Ruthie is one of those people! Ruthie and I go way back. I'm not sure how far back exactly but, trust me, it's pretty far. When I invited her to be a guest I told her I wanted to cover a few things: being a mom in business (something I can't speak on but that I know is so valuable and interesting for other moms and parents in business, particularly parents who work from home) and being a military spouse in business AND living abroad while running your business. Amazingly enough Ruthie can speak on all of those things. I know there are quite a few moms/ parents who are also small business owners who listen to this podcast, and also quite a few military spouses! I, too, am a military spouse! It doesn't come up a lot, but i figured let's give this topic some love while we have the opportunity! I would love to hear from you if you are also

Since we are on a boyband kick recently, i figured let's just top it off with this fabulous episode in which i spoke with PR professional Brittney Lynn about the magic that is the Jonas Brothers' recent documentary "Chasing Happiness." What is so magical about it? Why is a PR professional THE one to speak on it? Gather round, kiddies, these and many other questions are about to be answered. Here's how this episode became a thing... I am one of those people who only used Amazon Prime for the free shipping benefit until like, three months ago. And around the time I started watching Amazon Prime Video, the Jonas Brothers released this documentary. Being the pop music super fan that I am, i checked it out. And I actually loved it and started down a bit of a Jonas Brothers black hole. The next day, I saw Brittney on Instagram talking about how awesome their documentary was from a PR perspective and, well, here we are. Brittney shares some key insights in this episode about how and why Chasing Happiness was a brill

This might surprise some of you but i actually did NOT plan on having two episodes about the backstreet boys and how they marketed their latest album release: DNA. I swear! I recorded my solo episode on the matter and was satisfied with it. But then something magical happened and the powers that be (Facebook) showed me some highly targeted content (JK... i saw it because I am in a BSB related fan group.) Picture it: i'm scrolling casually through on the BSB fan groups I’m a member of on Facebook and all of a sudden I see Brianne's post... OMG?! Is this real life?! I emailed her immediately and we both squealed like the fangirls that we are and promptly scheduled a time to record this episode. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/95 For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

Is there a subject I enjoy speaking about more than the Backstreet Boys? Honestly, no. Will I take any opportunity to discuss them at length? Absolutely, yes. And that is what I'm doing on this episode- but for a very good reason: there is so much to learn from the launch of their most recent album. You've heard me talk about Taylor Swift and her marketing genius, and you've heard me talk about Gilmore Girls and the business lessons they illustrate perfectly. Now we can add BSB to the list of pop culture entities we can learn business lessons from. For their tenth studio album, DNA, the Backstreet Boys pulled out a lot of marketing strategies that not only created widespread buzz but also triggered deep emotional connections in their existing fan base. And as we know, that is a recipe for success. So what did they do? Why did it work? What specific things did they do to activate their existing fan base's emotional response? Listen to this episode to learn all about it. It was FASCINATING. Certainly, yes, I am

Paid advertising seems like a really good option and it is likely you have considered it. You've probably seen it work really well for others. You have also probably seen or heard of experience that others had with paid advertising that were not profitable at all. Today's episode includes several things. It actually could have been two separate episodes but the ideas really piggy back on each other so I kept them together! For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/93   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

Ohhh, snap. Some of you are not going to like this. How do i know? I speak about this quite a bit and every time I do, a handful of people reach out to say they disagree. I'm cool with that. I'm perfectly fine with disagreement. I just still really believe in this message. It's my truth... but it doesn't have to be yours. My job is not to twist your arm about something you're not into. I don't find any joy in convincing people to do things they really do not want to do. My job is to share insights that i believe you could learn or benefit from. If you happen to find something I say valuable and worth trying then i've done my job. So listen to this episode with an open mind, and decide for yourself based on DATA. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/92   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

Ever been scrolling Etsy or Instagram and felt annoyed by the other makers in your It's always a thrill for me to be able to chat with my students about their businesses and how they have grown and changed since working with me. When I reached out to Dani, I told her I wanted to have her on season 5 of the merriweather council podcast to chat about how she has turned her two creative passions into businesses and overall, her creative business trajectory. What we ended up speaking about did cover that, but also included so much more! I can't wait for you to hear from Dani about her music career, her thriving jewelry business and the incredible power of Etsy. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/91   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 trademark of Etsy Inc. We write about E

If you Google “Etsy success" a bunch of articles about tips, hacks and tricks will likely show up. Some of that is probably helpful (particularly if its from merriweathercouncilblog.com wink) but these things actually are only useful or relevant AFTER the FIRST, TRUE and surprising keys to Etsy success. It's true that being successful on Etsy DOES include strategy in listings, photos, etc. (We can teach you all of it in our Etsy Training Course merritrainingcourse.com ) But that stuff won't get you very far if you haven't gotten on board with thed first essential 3 keys to Etsy success. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/90   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 trademark of Etsy Inc. We write about Etsy, from our own experiences, not for Etsy.

It was so wonderful to chat with Grace of Maker Mountain Fabrics about hew sewing shed. What is a sewing shed you ask? Well, for Grace, it is her workspace - a separate structure she built on her property to run her business from. But it is also a symbol of all the things she hopes and works hard for in her business. The shed is literally a physical representation to the dedication Grace has to her business and her commitment to the work she does - also to the confident decision she made to invest in herself. For Grace the decision to build the shed was a "now or never" moment. I spoke with her about how she felt facing this large investment, what her motivation was, how she overcame the fear and what's happened since she has had the shed! This episode addresses something all business owners will face at one point or another: having to decide to go all in or stay status quo. In Grace's case, building her sewing shed meant saying yes to her business and its future. I'm excited for you to hear from Grace about

What an honor to have the incredible Sarah K Benning as a guest on season 5 of the Merriweather Council Podcast! I have admired her work as an embroidery artist and small business owner for years now and she is so inspiring. On this episode we are chatting about so many things. I loved hearing her journey from art student to business owner and now, co-author! And you will hear all about it as well. If you have spent any time on Instagram or in maker communities you are likely familiar with Sarah's hand embroidery work. It is details and intricate and whimsical. Of course, we spoke all about her work, her inspiration, process and struggles not only with her work but with social media and running a small business. We also spoke about her incredibly successful pattern program and why she's decided to end it (for now!) There is so much to learn from in this episode. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/88   For more free handmade business advice, visit merriwe

I work with amazing creative people every single day - yay for me! - and i'm so incredibly lucky to know Audrey from Hey Be Fab. Audrey's tag line is so wonderfully crafted: Embrace your Inner Spunk. And I think Audrey has done, and continues to do, an excellent job helping her followers and students do just that. She is a true free spirit and a creative powerhouse. When she agreed to be on the show, I yelped with delight. Literally, if memory serves me correctly. Audrey is a textile artist who believes that you can find freedom from the mundane with one stitch at a time. She hosts art workshops (or parties) where (mostly) women come together to build friendships and connect with each as they create art. I asked Audrey if she would be willing to share more with us about how she got to where she is in her creative career. She is running such a fun, diverse and dynamic handmade business that includes a subscription box, workshops and finished pieces. The story Audrey told me during out chat was so real and raw

Welcome back to season five of the Merriweather Council Podcast! Thank you so much for being so patient while we prepped this EPIC season for you! On this intro episode I’ll be reintroducing myself to those of you who’ve been around a while - clarifying some things, updating you on who I am and what we do here at the Merriweather Council! I’ll also be sharing a bit about season five and what’s to come but no spoilers. I know that your business is one of the most important things in your life and so I do not take it lightly that you trust us to advise on it. That’s why I always like to introduce myself and the Merriweather Council at the top of each season - so you know who the heck I am and what the heck we do. For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/86 For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast To learn about our handmade business community visit the jointhecouncilnow.com

Ahh we have reached the end of another season of Merri Podcast! I cannot believe how fast that went. I truly hope you enjoyed this season. It’s a real honor and privilege to be able to come on here a couple times each week for a couple chunks of the year and deliver these episodes to you. I know that many of you find inspiration, motivation and education here and that thrills me. I can’t wait for season 5. There were some really special episodes this season, and some really IMPORTANT episodes. It’s not all fun and games but, we try. Ha. Today I’m giving you a little wrap up of the season and big thank you! I’m also sharing some of the places we can stay connected in the off season. If you enjoy the podcast, a tangible way to say “thanks” is to share it with your maker friends, leave a positive iTunes review, and/ or subscribe to the show!   I appreciate you so much.   -Danielle   For the full show notes please visit: http://merriweathercouncilblog.com/85 For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweat

My Business Fairy Godmother + Something Amazing she’s Providing Right Now   As your handmade biz bestie, I want to make sure you know about the fun stuff I am doing that could benefit you. But, I ALSO want to be sure to share with you when there are other amazing things out there that you should know about. Especially if those things have been impactful to me!   Many of you have heard me speak about Marie Forleo and her brilliance before and I wanted to take some time today to do it again because… she’s awesome and she has something amazing to share with you that I don’t want you to miss.   Here’s the link to Marie’s free business training >> http://merriweathercouncilblog.com/2019bschool this is my partner link! If you haven’t met her yet, there is no better time than right now. Because while Marie does publish amazing videos and interviews and podcasts throughout the year, her free business training series that starts today is one of the best things she puts out!   In this episode I’m telling you a bit more

Sometimes I read things on the internet that really bum me out (as I’m sure you do, too.) One thing I see consistently in the handmade communities i am part of is this idea that product sellers wouldn’t, couldn’t or shouldn’t learn from certain people or implement certain strategies because they wouldn’t apply.   In some cases, that is true. There is basically no reason for a person who sells handmade products to go and take a cookie course with the expectation that it would directly influence their product business. But then again, that is not usually what’s being floated as a possibility that people are knocking.   No, instead, what I see is comments like “that’s for service based businesses” or “this is for marketers” or similar sentiment. Basically alluding to the idea that if you sell a product, you wouldn’t / couldn’t / shouldn’t pay attention to certain things… they don’t apply to you.   WHOA, NELLY. Not cool, y’all. Not cool.   Business is business. At the end of the day - it doesn’t actually matter w

It’s always a treat when I get to chat with people who I’ve known for years online but never actually SPOKE to. How crazy does that sound, really?   On today’s episode I am speaking with Amy Richards of Amy Richards Illustration. She is one of my Etsy Training Course students AND she is a Council Member. Most importantly she is a super talented artist with a lot of passion.   Amy’s used her personal experiences to identify a gap in the market and create a product that will speak to others who feel that gap. I think this is something all small business owners should constantly be trying to do - this is where small businesses come from. I hope you feel inspired by her story!   For the full show notes please visit: http://merriweathercouncilblog.com/82 For more free handmade business advice, visit merriweathercouncilblog.com/podcast

Can I be honest for a minute? Hope so because I’m going to be. I really debated whether or not to publish this episode. I recorded it. I sat on it. I thought about it. I decided not to post it. Then i had second thoughts. Then I spoke to a few people about it. Then I decided to edit it and see how I felt. Then I decided not to publish it. Then I spoke to the people again. Then I decided to publish it.   So. 2018 … not a great year, honestly. 7/10 would not repeat.   In this episode I’m discussing one of the tools I used to cope. I truly hope that someone who needs to hear this, hears it today and feels a little bit more confident or motivated to get help if they believe they could benefit from it.   You can find the TalkSpace App in the App store and on Facebook.   You will hear me talk about a dark time I experienced in 2018, albeit vague as I chose to spare you the nitty gritty details and my experience with digital therapy. Since that took up sufficient time, I did not extrapolate on what happened next in

The last time Kimber and I spoke about Taylor Swift you all LOVED it. You loved it a lot. Not as much as I love the Backstreet Boys, but still a respectable amount. It was one of the most listened to episodes last season! (In case you missed it: http://www.merriweathercouncilblog.com/2018/05/taylor-swift-marketing-lessons/ )   I think the reason you loved it so much is because it’s really fun to look outside your industry for inspiration - and because, really, who doesn’t enjoy a little Taylor Swift from time to time?   Regardless of where you stand in your feelings about her music, there is almost no denying the Taylor Swift is a marketing maven. The marketing power and inspiration of Taylor Swift is what Kimber and I spoke about last time and it’s what we are talking about again on today’s episode.   Last time we focused on her Reputation album release - the things she did ahead of it’s release and the way she got everyone’s attention each step of the way. This time we are talking about her Reputation Stad

Any other die hard Gilmore Girl fans out there?! If so, you’re going to love this episode. If not … well, it’s only a matter of time! Today’s episode, and the lesson within it, is drawn from an example in the quirky and fantastic world of the Gilmore Girls, but even if you’ve never seen the show, you’ll understand!   I love looking for, or simply discovering, little business lessons in pop culture. Gilmore Girls is riddled with them! This is probably in large part due to the fact that nearly every single one of the main characters is a small business owner and the entire premise of the show is set against a backdrop of small, local business. It’s such a great show for many reasons, this is just one of them.   One lesson I’ve seen played out on the show is that of attracting ideal customers - the kind of people who are raving fans for life. The kind of customer we want to cultivate as often as possible in our businesses. Full show notes: http://merriweathercouncilblog.com/79 For more free handmade business adv