Tips for Starting Your Own Glass Blowing Business
Glass blowing is an art that has steadily increased in popularity in recent years, and if it’s something you enjoy, you may be thinking about setting up your own business. But before you open your doors, there are a few things to consider in order to ensure that you’re ready to enter the glass blowing market successfully.
Business focus
Some people make their living by producing art, while others focus on teaching their craft. This is one of the first things to consider if you’re planning to start any craft-focused business. Whether you want to focus strictly on producing/selling your own work or teaching glass blowing to others will impact a lot of the other decisions that you make. Not everyone is suited for a career as an instructor, and a different set of skills and resources are needed for each.
Great space and great tools
Any glass blowing business will need key tools to operate, such as ovens. In the interests of safety, you may want to find a building constructed from fire-resistant materials. Your needs will also depend on your business emphasis: a production/resale business may be better suited to a warehouse area with easy access for deliveries and transport of materials.
Those who plan to have a studio where individuals can come and learn to blow glass may want something in a commercial area that’s accessible via public transit or nearby parking, and you’ll want a welcoming storefront that brings in foot traffic.
Regardless of your focus, you need equipment. One of the most important things you need to do is purchase quality tools, such as griffin glass tools, and develop a relationship with a reliable supplier who can meet your ongoing needs for materials. It’s beneficial to find a company that can provide all of the things you require, so that you have one-stop shopping for restocking supplies.
Money matters
Every business needs to have insurance. Since glass blowing involves working with fragile materials at high temperatures, there are specific risks for those in this industry.
One way to help prepare for opening day is to hire an injury lawyer to do a risk assessment of your physical location and (if you’re going to teach) a review of your legal disclaimers. It’s also a good idea to get a legal opinion on your insurance policy to make sure that you’ve thought of everything.
There are a lot of tedious things that must be taken care of when you run your own business. Not only must you collect payment, but you must also ensure that you pay your bills on time. It’s important to negotiate a good contract with your supplier, so that you get reasonable discounts and set up billing and payment terms that are manageable for your business needs.
Be honest about your strengths and determine whether or not this is one of the things that you should hire a professional to do. Bookkeepers have specific skills that you may not have the time to learn, and they can save you money in the long run if you aren’t equipped to handle the books on your own.
Promotion
In order to compete in today’s business market, you need to make sure that people know about your business and the services you provide. While your marketing needs will once again differ based on your focus, you need to have a good website that provides essential details about your location, contact information, and services.
Promotion may be another facet of your business that you want to bring in a professional for. One way to do this is by hiring an advertising service, and if your business emphasizes teaching, then you may want to consider services marketing. Services marketing is a specific type of promotion that includes selling experiences, such as learning a new craft.
