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Successful people start before they feel ready.
Don’t wait until you’ve got your ducks in a row. Dive in now.
Have you ever asked a friend who’s an aspiring artist or entrepreneur how they’re doing on a project they’re excited about?
More often than not you get the answer, “I’m getting ready to start on it.” Or, “I’m working on the outline.” Or how about, “I’ve got a little more research to do.”
My guest for today shares how she has written best-selling books, become a sought after public speaker, and grown a highly successful company in the handmade business niche by taking risks and starting before she was ready.
Kari Chapin is the author of The Handmade Marketplace and Grow Your Handmade Business. Both books are designed to help people get closer to making their creative business dreams come true. Kari’s inspirational style and ability to break down daunting information into understandable content have also made her a popular speaker at conferences and events across the US.
It is Kari’s stated mission to “do all she can to help people do work they like and to make a life they love.”
Enjoy to this game-changing episode as Kari shares her story about building an unconventional business by trusting her gut and doing the work she loves.
Here are some of Kari’s favorite things:
Most Influential Book
- Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck
Best Conference or Industry Event
- Craftcation Conference – a combination of learning handmade skills and business classes.
Most Effective Strategy For Growing Your Business
- Having an end goal or destination in mind and a strategy for getting there.
Favorite Business Tool or Resource
- Other people – specifically an accountability partner. Co-working is her second favorite resource.
Most Recent Exciting Adventure
- Driving across the country from Vermont to Portland in an old Volvo station wagon with her husband, two dogs and cat.
Show Highlights
- Kari talks about her unconventional start as a creative entrepreneur.
- The importance of building a community around your business.
- Kari discusses the importance of knowing your community and learning how they like to engage and connect.
- The power of letting go of the stuff you don’t enjoy doing.
- Learn how Kari deals with ‘idea paralysis.’
- Hear what Kari loves most about her business and how this influences her growth and success.
- Kari shares a powerful story about taking risks and how this eventually led to her first book deal.
- Why starting before you’re ready is a common trait of all successful entrepreneurs.
- Kari talks about how she dealt with the stigma of dropping out of high school and not attending college.
- How to deal with your excuses of not following through on your best ideas.
Interview Links for Kari:
- KariChapin.com – Check out Kari’s website to find out about her books, blog, courses and more.
- Start a Handmade Business – Take a look at Kari’s CreativeLive course where she will teach you everything you need to know to break into the online marketplace and share your work with the world.
- Say hello to Kari on Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
Mentioned in this show:
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Ask yourself: How can I apply this to my business? Add your answer to the comments section right now. I read and respond to every comment.
