Could your hobby help you quit the 9 to 5? Discover 10 ways to turn your craft into cash
In recent years, having a job that you love has been increasingly superseded by just having a job you can do, which is pretty disheartening.
But in reality you have the power to change all that and go to work with a spring in your step and love in your heart! It’s time to feel empowered, be your own boss and turn that frown upside down…
In some ways employees have never had it better. According to the Flex Index, structured hybrid working has been adopted in the UK by 44% of employers, and in the US by 28%.
Employers are much more switched on to their employees’ mental health, while many HR policies have been updated to tighten the gender pay gap and increase diversity and inclusivity. In these areas we’re moving in the right direction.
But up and down the country, companies are looking for ways to restructure and become more efficient. This is resulting in job losses and ramped-up workloads for remaining staff who are already feeling swamped.
However, there is a glimmer of good news… it has been reported that the UK economy grew by 0.6% between January and March in 2024, and interest rates are the highest they’ve been for 16 years. This is encouraging for savers, but bad for borrowers. Recovery is happening all too painfully slowly though, and sometimes when you’ve really had enough it’s important to listen to your gut and do something positive!
Start a side hustle and figure out if this is a direction you want to go in. Then, when you’re ready to stand on your own two feet, you can say goodbye to office life, spread your wings, and fly!
Find your USP
If you’re already creative and love nothing better than spending an afternoon hooking a rag rug or making a new lampshade, then this could be your turning point at the career crossroads.
But even if you don’t have a natural skill to lean into, it could be time to discover one! You can start simple, like stringing bold, funky beads to make statement necklaces or painting wooden kitchen utensils with mood-boosting patterns.
Or you could customise clothes bought on the likes of Depop and Vinted by sewing pearly buttons on collars and cuffs, or adding patches to a denim jacket. One-off pieces are what many shoppers want these days – homogenisation is well and truly over!
Where to sell
Once you’ve settled on your USP and come up with a business name (or simply trade under your name for one less thing to agonise about) it’s time to decide where you’re going to sell your precious handmade wares.
Signing up to a trusted online marketplace like Etsy or Not on the High Street takes the hassle out of managing your own transactional website.
Craft fairs and local markets are great for getting in front of potential customers and catching those spontaneous purchasers.
But it’s also important to have a means of buying at a later date if they wish to go away and have a ponder. Signing up to a trusted online marketplace like Etsy or Not on the High Street takes the hassle out of managing your own transactional website.
Once you’re more established you can consider creating your own website instead, thereby keeping hold of all that lovely profit.
Pricing up
Which leads us on to setting a price for your work… how the heck do you go about it? This is one of the hardest things to get right, but this is no time to undersell yourself.
You might be surprised by the figure you come to, but it’s really important that you don’t undervalue your work.
A good start is to calculate the hours you put into each item and price this just above the minimum wage (currently £11.44 an hour in the UK, and $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage in the US). Add on any materials you paid for on top to reach your price point. You might be surprised by the figure you come to, but it’s really important that you don’t undervalue your work.
“Pricing is based on the quality of your work and materials, your profile and branding, where you position yourself in the market, what others charge in your market, what clients are prepared to pay and what they value – there’s no standard answer!” explains business adviser and coach Patricia van den Akker of The Design Trust (thedesigntrust.co.uk).
“If you undervalue yourself and undersell your work though, you won’t make a living, or be taken seriously.”
Keep at it and see the bigger picture
When you’re first starting out, you’re likely to have wobbles along the way and the ugly head of imposter syndrome may well poke up at intervals. But trust your instincts and be proud of your talents.
“Being able to make something from nothing is one of the best things in the world."
Katie Jones, Designer
Your free time will inevitably take a backseat for a while as you juggle a job and a side hustle. But it will even out, and the hard work you put in now will reap its rewards if you really want to make this work.
We’ll leave you with some powerful words from designer Katie Jones (katiejonesknit.co.uk) that you can return to whenever you’re feeling a bit despondent. “Being able to make something from nothing is one of the best things in the world. Producing an item yourself makes it a luxury product. It’s bespoke! It’s couture! Embrace your power to create beauty.”
Now you get out there and smash it!
10 ways to stand out from the crowd
1. Create a signature style – Channel Christian Louboutin and make your wares memorable by creating bespoke pieces that are all connected in some way. Think patterned lampshades with brightly coloured fabric linings, pots with a distinctive pattern that is carried throughout the range, or soaps stamped with a motif that’s individual to you.
2. Keep an eye on upcoming trends – Pantone always reveals its colour of the coming year in early December, while Dulux is even earlier, announcing the paint shade du jour in September. Responding to this quickly with your products means you’ll feel edgy and on top of your game.
3. Be your own biggest fan – Passion is so important in this arena and fully embracing your craft will show the wider world how much you love it. If you’re a jewellery designer, always wear your own work with pride. If you’re an artist, make sure your prints are prominently displayed in your home for all to admire whenever they visit. Potential customers are everywhere!
4. Never skimp on quality – There’s nothing more annoying than loving something that breaks after a few uses, so make sure you choose the best quality materials you can afford. People appreciate care and thought, and you’re more likely to attract repeat customers if you’re a maker they can trust.
5. Give great customer service – Let’s face it, even if you have the most gorgeous products, no one’s going to touch them if delivery times are too long and emails go unanswered. Keep your dealings with people prompt, polite and precise so you’re in the forefront of their minds next time they want a gift in a hurry! It’ll also mean you’re more likely to get those five-star reviews, which will boost your brand.
6. Offer gift wrapping – Don’t you love it when gift wrapping is offered with online purchases? Use prettily coloured tissue paper and branded stickers to wrap those goodies so they look even more enticing. You can also add a decent mark-up for this, further boosting your profits.
7. Practise your pen skills – Include a handwritten note with every purchase, thanking them for choosing you and hoping they enjoy their new treasure. Make it look as pretty and professional as you can by writing it in a calligraphy style. It’s easy to learn – and will earn you plenty of extra kudos points.
8. Add a seasonal treat – Pop a little easy-to-post extra inside each purchase to pack a generous punch. This could be chocolate coins at Christmas, Easter biscuits, or a sliver of scented soap on Mother’s Day.
9. Let’s collaborate – Got your eye on another maker whose work you covet? Reach out and ask if they’d consider a collaboration! Make sure you do your research and offer them ways your talents could give their range a pep up. Come armed with answers to any questions they’re likely to ask. If now isn’t the right time for them, just keep it on the backburner and hope that sowing the seed will get them thinking in that direction.
Take a stall in celeb-magnet places – Trends editors are always on the lookout for original pieces they can say they sleuthed out first. Celebs are obvious ones to watch, and if you can get someone famous to buy your stuff then you’re onto a winner! If you can afford it and travel isn’t an issue, get yourself on the list for an artisan fair where you know the great and the good are likely to hang out. We’re thinking hotbeds like Frome, Bruton and Brighton…
Find the craft that's right for you
If you need more inspiration for your crafty side hustle, we've got you covered! Read our article on easy and addictive crafts and discover the perfect craft for you.
