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Student Examples: Brainstorm Ideas for Bread + Butter Line

Lesson 10 from: Art School Rehab: Finding Success Without Selling Out

Megan Auman

Student Examples: Brainstorm Ideas for Bread + Butter Line

Lesson 10 from: Art School Rehab: Finding Success Without Selling Out

Megan Auman

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Lesson Info

10. Student Examples: Brainstorm Ideas for Bread + Butter Line

Lessons

Class Trailer
1

Class Introduction

02:48
2

Reprogram The Art School Mentality

05:35
3

Roadblock 1: Art School Makes You Feel Guily about Making Money

09:22
4

Exercise: Get Comfortable Charging More

18:41
5

Q&A: Pricing

13:42
6

Student Examples: Pricing

23:33
7

Roadblock 2: Art School Gives You the Luxury of Working Slowly

12:34
8

Exercise: Develop a Process for Getting Past Decision Paralysis

15:08

Lesson Info

Student Examples: Brainstorm Ideas for Bread + Butter Line

I am going. Teoh, have you introduced yourself to tell us who you are and what you do? Sure. My name is Lucia Mishra, and I am a seam stress, but I'm exploring fiber arts as well. So right now I'm focusing on home decor accessories like pillows and, uh, table runners and things like that. And also women's accessories, handbags and now lunch bags. Okay, things like that. So let's talk about what you have been designing and where those new price points fall. That's gonna tell us about maybe where we need to think about them from a bread and butter standpoint. Okay, So the most recent line that I that I've been working on are some clutch handbags, and they're all one of a kind because I'm using recycled materials. There's not a lot of fabric to replicate to me, you know, duplicates or multiples. Um, they're all similar in shape and size, but they're each unique. Okay, um, after doing the pricing work, I realized that I probably need to, um rethink maybe what makes them extra special. So w...

hat? So you're making everything yourself right? And then what? What's the new price point at the clutches $250. You seem so about that way, actually. Hot seat you during pricing. I'm gonna jump back for Just tell me. Can you think of a comp for that? Let's just start off with that. I not quite OK, but I don't know if I've been looking in the right places. Yes. So where have you been looking? I've been looking online, but I looked at places like anthropology and, um, those types of those types of stores. Okay, so you might need to be looking at a slightly different market, right? To try to find things. Okay, So I think with that, I think there is some important in developing a bread and butter line because $250 is not an impulse buy price point for most people. And so we wanna have things that can actually maybe sell a slightly lower price point that can help. Kind of balance that out while you're trying to sell those. And for the record, I do not think that is an impossible price point at all. So and I would actually even say that you could maybe even I didn't look at your numbers, but I'm thinking that you could even think about going up a little bit. Maybe scooting closer to 300. Just something to think about. But so let's talk about what else you could add into the line. That would be a little bit more bread and butter. So I want to start with these kind of questions here. What is it that draws you to the work? What is it That's most exciting for you about the clutches? Um, I like party. I like the process I like kind of finding the because each of them are lines. And so I look at my collection of of textiles, and I match. You know, what's kind of fun and whimsical in my aesthetic from the exterior and the interior. So I do. I do enjoy the process of that. So for you, it's really about, like, the juxtaposition of multiple fabric and texture and textures. Okay, So what else could you make that still shows off this juxtaposition, but requires maybe a little less labour time? Um, well, you know, I I used to have a line of fabric coasters. Okay, that, um could probably the labour time could probably be reduced a little bit. The labor on those on those handbags aren't actually, it's not that. So what's causing what's bringing the price point? It's just my labor cost. So and then you know, then adding in the, um, overhead about profit. So how long did it take you to make one of those handbags? If I'm doing assembly line fashion, which I usually do for my sewing takes about half an hour. Okay, so that's really not bad. So in your case, it's maybe thinking about right, so nothing that maybe it's lower our pastor, but maybe something. It's just a little bit faster. What other ideas can you think of that would involve those juxtaposition that maybe also would hit like the same customer, right? So pillows are actually also fairly guy easy to make their actually a little bit less labor intensive. What's interesting about that is that I think depending on the scenario, you may be able to get a higher perceived value out of pillows. One of the things to think about with bread and butter line is that a pain not end up paying any cheaper, but it solves that like higher profit margin problem. So that's certainly something to think about as well. And then, you know, just kind of the road map of where I want my business to go. I've been I've been also thinking about kids line, and there's some things I think kids aprons, air really fun that I want to get into. And I haven't haven't spent the time to figure out what the labor causes are. But one of the things that I have been considering is outsourcing some of the labor. I've been connected with some local manufacturers, and, um and I think that that might offset some of my labor costs. Yes, and that's absolutely a good solution. The other thing, I think you could think about two. So any time that you're selling one of a kind work, one of the challenges is that every single piece Are you saying online? I m in person, okay. And so, like, if you're selling online, every single one of a kind piece has to be food exactly and edited. So since you are sourcing materials that are very limited, one of things you could think about it Is there something that requires less material so that out of one piece of fabric. You could maybe make it three or four of the same thing. So that means that you can sell three or four of them off of one photograph instead of one of them off one. For there's There's something that that I've been toying with and it gets to one of the other roadblocks of selling out one her on. And I know people who are very into creating their own textiles. And when one of the things that they do with their scrap textiles, they make little key fobs and I just can't see myself doing it because I just don't I don't find it valuable, right? And so I have I'm struggling with that, you know, Should I do it? Because apparently they sell and people want them and they like the uniqueness of them. But, um, you know, I'm not sure I haven't haven't really thought it through in terms of what else could I make that requires less material. And so I mean, I'm gonna tease us a little bit. So one of the things that you're actually making, like the biggest mistake about reacting to the marketplace way talk about which is this idea that you're reacting to. What? You're seeing other people selling and reacting to what is selling for you. So how are you getting in the work out there a lot. Now, are you getting a lot of feedback from people? Are you not because you're still like I'm kind of in this getting started. Mother restarted on DSO I recently participated in a pop up shop. Okay, And I got some feedback. I wasn't present. It was more like a consignment back set up. But the organizer of the pop up gave me some feedback on on the handbags that I was making. And they said, you know, they'd really like them with a zipper if it was like a zipper pouches head. And so I took that back and I was thinking, you know, it's not actually going toe. Make it any faster for me to produce the If I did that and I don't know if I want to make a zipper pouch okay, on DSO. And so that's really good to knowledge. And then you may be able to kind of move forward over time and hear more of those things. But I think continuing to think about like how you can, um, how you can take, like what you love about the process and development. Other ideas. I actually do have one other idea that I've been that is in my queue, which is with this with the scrap pieces of fabric. Actually, just stitch them onto a blank card and make a make a note card. Okay, that if you were giving the item is a gift, right? Something is just it's a coordinating. It doesn't have to be coordinating it. And that's that's something that if I was to do a photo shoot or something, maybe I could leverage the photo the pattern, right? And use that again and again. So, yeah, I think that has a potential to So we're gonna keep thinking on that one for you, cause I think they're still possibilities out there. But it's a good kind of train of thoughts to start getting yourself. You out all right. Ok. All right. Thank you.

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Art School Rehab Class Workbook

Ratings and Reviews

Usha
 

This class was so good - it's not just for people who went to art school, but anyone who has (or wants to have) a creative-based business. Megan's lessons break down the overwhelmingness of roadblocks and gives you tangible tools to get past them, shift your mindset, and shows you how to focus. There were so many elements to this class that were helpful, but overall I think if you feel like you're stuck, you overanalyze every decision, and feel like you want to move forward but don't know how, this class is for you. Thanks Megan, for helping me work on a plan to move me past my hurdles.

Kiki B
 

What a great class! Megan has helped me to really understand what my business goals are and how to achieve them, and has given me heaps of confidence to boot. This is going to be a great year for my creative business!

Kim S. Joy
 

I have owned this class for awhile and just decided to start it.... well I should have watched/taken this class years ago! I did not go to art school but follow that mindset. This was amazing. So much to learn and unlearn. The pricing and raising your prices what just what I needed. Thank you Megan for another wonderful class.

Student Work

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