Creative Business

Indie business owners have to keep lots of plates spinning at once, and staying productive and organized is essential to your success. Check out these productivity tips from artist and entrepreneur Willo O'Brien in Lisa Anderson Shaffer's resource article on staying productive — second in a three-part series on productivity tips.

The presentation I recently gave to the members of Independent Writers of Chicago really applies to entrepreneurs trying to understand how to use social media and defining a social media strategy.

Ever wonder how to create a website? Or what to put on your website? Jennifer Rapp Peterson will be presenting a session at Creative Chicago Expo that covers learning about your audience, creating a brand, and supporting all if it with the right content and social media communication.

Need some productivity tips to keep your indie business on track? What business owner doesn't, right? In this first part of a three-part series, Lisa Anderson Shaffer talks to a certified professional organizer who shared lots of productivity tips for artists and crafters who need a system to help stay on task.

When you're selling at craft shows, it's important to choose fairs that are right for you and your art or crafts. Of course, you can never know for sure whether a show will be awesome or horrible, but there are always signs that can help you decide whether a fair is worth your while. Visit our resource article, Selling at Craft Shows: How to Choose the Right Fair for You and Your Products, for our tips on how to tell whether to say yes or no to a show.

Can a craft business owner with a serious aversion to math master the inventory management and financial tools of Stitch Labs? Craft correspondent Lisa Anderson Shaffer tries out this all-in-one application for her own craft business.