Episode 094: Building the Craft Industry Alliance with Abby Glassenberg

The SweetGeorgia Show

This week on the show, Felicia is chatting with Abby Glassenberg: a sewing pattern designer, craft book author, writer, and teacher. Since 2005 she's been writing a blog called While She Naps: which is about the home sewing industry and creative entrepreneurship with a focus on craft publishing, fabric manufacturing, feminism, and social justice. Ten years after she started the blog in 2015 she co-founded Craft Industry Alliance and now serves as its president.

Join Felicia and Abby as they chat about the crafting industry and the challenges makers have as they pursue the dream of turning their passion into a sustainable business.

"...I want to be where people are... and see what it's all about and not... live in fear... when I posted that there were a lot of people who were... really scared of Tik Tok... this is going to steal my privacy... and I understand the fear... about it but I just also feel like... get in there and play... see it with [your] own eyes... I would rather take a look myself than... believe the hype and... not make my own decision" - Abby Glassenberg on crafters being on the new social media app, Tik Tok

In this episode, we talk about:

• 1:29 Abby chats about when she began creating and how she stared her business
• 8:39 How Abby transitioned crafting from her hobby to a business and how it affected her audience base, and how business itself can be creative
• 13:58 Abby and Felicia discuss a common question in the industry: If you help other crafters succeed in their business, aren't you creating competition for yourself?
• 19:23 Abby chats more about Craft Industry Alliance and what it has to offer members
• 23:14 Felicia asks Abby what are the biggest challenges the craft industry and business owners are currently facing
• 26:53 The opportunities Abby is seeing in the creative industry space
• 29:44 Crafting and Tik Tok? Abby discusses the new social media app and how crafters could be a part of it
• 34:45 How Abby's business has changed now that her children are older
• 38:39 Abby discusses the team behind Craft Industry Alliance
• 41:03 What's coming up in the Craft Industry Alliance
• 45:33 Felicia's Final Notes and Special Discount Code for Craft Industry Alliance Membership

Here's Where You Can Find Abby:

Abby's Blog: www.whileshenaps.com

Craft Industry Alliance Website: www.craftindustryalliance.org

Abby's Instagram: @abbyglassenberg

Abby Glassenberg Design Facebook: www.facebook.com/pg/AbbyGlassenbergDesign

Get a Special Discount for Craft Industry Alliance Membership:

If you are a small business owner and are interested in joining the Craft Industry Alliance, Abby has created a special discount code for our listeners to receive 20% off the membership fee! Use the code: SWEETGEORGIA at checkout to receive your discount. Thank you so much Abby!

Thanks for Listening!

Thank you so much for joining us this episode! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your fellow fibre art friends. And if you like what we're doing here, please leave a rating and review on iTunes for the show. We read each and every email and bit of feedback, whether it’s on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, so we welcome your comments.

Thank you all so much for your continued support of our show! Until next time, enjoy colour!

Music Credits:

Playbook of Happiness – by RimskyMusic

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