10 Reasons Why Being A Maker Boss Is The Ultimate Side Hustle!
Looking for the ultimate side hustle while making a huge difference in the lives of others? Wanna get paid to paint furniture or teach crafts? Well you've found it! Here are 10 reasons why you should consider becoming a Maker Boss with A Makers Studio!
So what is a "Maker Boss" anyway and who is A Makers Studio (AMS)? Well, A Maker Studio is a social sales company started by the uber talented interior and furniture designer, Amy Howard. A Makers’ Studio is the culmination of Amy’s decades-long commitment to providing everyone the opportunity to craft a beautiful life.
Well, what does that actually mean... crafting a beautiful life? This might mean creating the home of your dreams, owning your own business or using your love of making to develop others’ crafting skills and ability to provide for their families. They believe that you have the creativity and drive inside you to design your own version of a beautiful life… and lead others to build both meaningful community and creative businesses.
So, yes, you may be convinced that getting paid to make stuff is a great gig, and I'd agree, but what is it exactly that you'd make and "sell" anyway? Well, A Makers Studio sells DIY and craft project supplies ranging from super high quality chalk-style paints, ChalkArt, mesh stencils and gel inks to gilding foils, craft surfaces, paint brushes and much, much more. Plus they're adding new products all the time. With these products, you can make just about anything you can imagine or you can borrow ideas too.
In short, here's the way it works...their mission statement says it all. It is to MAKE projects with JOY, TEACH others with PASSION, MENTOR with LOVE, and SERVE with GRACE.
A Makers Studio isn't all about "sell, sell, sell". As their mission states, their heart is about creating community through a person-to-person relationship while doing something you love - crafts and DIY projects!
Creating is a fabulous opportunity around which to share life together. All you really need to do, is do what you already love doing (creating!) and the rest falls into place. No "selling" involved!
Ok, so now that you know what A Maker Studio is, let's cover the 10 reasons why you should become a Maker Boss!
10 Reasons Why You Should Become A Maker Boss!
1) Anyone Can Do It! Are you a creative type? If yes, then great! You'll absolutely love making money creating beautiful things. However, if you don't think you are creative, then no need to worry! No creativity is required to do this side gig.
A Makers Studio creates projects kits both you and your customers can use for in-person class instruction, on-line tutorials or just for fun. Kits come complete with all supplies, and instructions. Additional project ideas are also available for Makers in the form of recipe cards, which includes a full list of instructions and a supply list and allows the maker to pick and choose projects they'd like to make/teach. Finally, Amy Howard, our CEO and "Mother Maker" demonstrates project ideas every week in weekly Facebook LIVE's in our private Facebook group. Between formal project ideas and the inspiration we received from each other, there is definitely no shortage of creative ideas for you to use.
2) Outstanding Products: I want to be adamant and extremely clear that I would or will never sell or promote a product I don't stand by or believe in, and that is why I proudly use and sell A Makers Studio products.
While no product line is 100% perfect, I sincerely believe Amy's product line comes close. She constantly tries to improve her products, listens to feedback and works hard to make them the best quality out there. There are too many products to list here, but you can refer to my website to see them all or read this post (coming soon) for an overview of my favorite products and why they are the best.
3) Build a Business Your Way - Sell What You Make! The great thing about working with A Makers Studio is that you can do as much or as little as you want. No boss, your hours and work from home. The best part? Any Maker Studio products you use can be resold for your own artwork/crafts.
For example, there are some companies that sell similar stencils, but they have been copyrighted, so you are not allowed to re-sell any products you make with them. Amy Howard is passionate about empowering female entrepreneurs, so in-line with that, she's made everything single one of her products transferable and usable for your own use. She encourages you to sell your creations at craft fairs and on ETSY etc.
4) Paid to Create: Umm, did I already mention that you get paid to create? Well, it's worth mentioning again!! I mean how much better does it get than that, seriously? For me, I started by just getting a 25% discount on furniture painting supplies that I was already using. Of course, people started asking me what I was using, so I told them and they followed suit. People see what you make and want to do the same. It's as easy as that!
As a Maker, you start out with a 25% commission of everything you sell whether you or a customer use it. You also earn commissions from any Makers you recruit to work on your team. There are no monthly sale quotes or minimums.
5) First Class Training: Starting your business can be a bit daunting, especially in the world of social media. I have to say, I am so super impressed with the free training and support given to Makers once they join. Upon becoming a Maker, you will have training made available to you immediately which includes Maker Studio University, social media training, website set up, product demos and weekly world class leadership coaching. All of these tools will get you set up to start out and stay strong.
6) Marketing Materials and Support: In addition to immediate training, A Makers Studio provides an immense amount of top notch marketing materials to use on Facebook, Pinterest, websites and in classes and email campaigns. This includes things like professional product photography, written copy, elevator pitches, speaking points, videos, and Power-point presentations. The value of having these things at your fingertips for free is unimaginable! Do you know how much it would cost you to do this yourself or how much time and skill it would take to create it? Seriously, this is such an amazing asset, as a marketer in my former life, I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it is to have this available to you.
7) Community: Now, this has been one of
the most surprising perks of joining a Makers Studio. Seriously. Even though their headquarters are in Memphis and I am all the way out here in Seattle, I have an amazing community of women and now new friends all over the country.
You see, we have several private Facebook groups to which I belong that have allowed me to meet other woman and develop real relationships (yes, through Facebook if you can believe it). Because we all have our own networks and make our own things, we are able to support each other's success without all of that catty competition.
Also important to me, is the foundation of faith that most of us have. It's allowed us to pray for each other in times of great need. This I can personally attest to. Just a few months into my life as a Maker, another maker and I both fell on the same day on opposite ends of the county. We both ended up in the hospital and we both needed surgery. Not only did I receive personal prayer support from Amy and many other makers, but I made a great new friend in this other Maker. We were able to walk through our circumstances together and now remain friends! For that I will forever be grateful.
8) Faith Building Opportunities: So, I saved my last two favorite reasons for last. This reason is particular is one of my favorites because it aligns so well with my personal passions and values. It is also one that differentiates A Makers Studio for any other company I know.
Now while AMS is not a Christian company or non-profit per se, It was created and operates on Christian values. Specifically, Amy Howard, the founder wanted to find a way to get women together in meaningful ways that facilitated discipleship and relationship developing opportunities. Most of all she wanted to give women the opportunity to point to Jesus in a way that was safe, non-confrontational, comfortable, non-judgmental and loving. What better way to do that than in your home around a craft table?
To that end, AMS has created a opportunity to have meaningful, heart-centered conversations around topics such as restoration, friendship, parenting and marriage using a DIY project as an event centerpiece. They're called "Heart Gatherings". Each Heart Gathering chooses a topic and explores that topic over a three session time frame using a DIY project, video curriculum, workbook and weekly emails to explore that topic.
Heart Gatherings can he held with as little as few people in your living room to a few hundred at your church or community center. The whole idea is to give people an invitation to have open, honest and authentic conversations while having fun in an effort to build relationships and demonstrate the love of the Lord.
9) Making A Difference: This is mentioned in the first paragraph of this post, but I left it to the last because its one of the best. Thank you for waiting until the end to read why!
I really don't have room here to adequately explain my past career and passion for certain needs and causes in the non profit sector, so I won't try, but just know that it's my background in this area that has given me a huge heart for helping alleviate human trafficking, especially those trapped in the sex trafficking industry.
That's why - when I found out that AMS's founder, Amy Howard, not only also had a heart for this need, but also dedicated her company towards the same goals I did - I ran, not walked to sign up with them. Like this company could get any better?!
Again, too much to tell here in detail, but a portion of profits from all sale of AMS products go to several non profits in this need area both on the local and national level. In addition to that, Amy knows that the best way to bring hope and healing to women rescued from this industry is to give them meaningful, gainful employment. So, she did just that by providing rescued women jobs at the AMS studios, creating hand-poured candles. These candle are called "Re-New-All" candles and they provide income for women to put in a nest egg for use upon completion of their 2 year recovery program. You can read all about the candles and the program here.
So, seriously guys, how amazing is this! Not only do you get to sell high quality candles and products, but you get to be a difference maker in the process. It's pretty freakin' awesome!
10) It's Cheap! There are a few ways that you can get started with AMS. All you need to do though, is sign up and order yourself a starter kit. There are a few options to choose from depending on how quickly you want to jump in,but know that the cheapest is only $99, and it'll give you everything you need to demo your first project.
So, are you convinced yet? What more do you need or want to know before becoming a Maker? How can I help you make potentially, one of the best decisions of your life?
If you are interested in learning more before signing up, I can get you an invite to a weekly opportunity call that goes over everything and gives you the chance to ask questions. Just shoot me an email, and I'll send you the call info. I am also happy to answer any questions you have too. My role is to support you in this journey, so let me know how I can do just that.
Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to consider becoming a Maker Boss!
XOXO,
Heidi
