Hi everyone, I’m Laura, the owner of The Handmade Resin Art Company & this is me with my glamorous assistant, Mia🐾
I’ve always loved interior design and unique home accessories & this is what I dedicated my small business to. Basically, I’m super fussy & couldn’t find any drink coasters in shops to match my kitchen, so my husband challenged me to make my own during lockdown and that’s how I discovered resin art and fell in love with it.
I started to share online some pieces that I had made from epoxy resin & the positive feedback and interest that I received encouraged me to set up The Handmade Resin Art Company.
When I started with resin I was working at a Secondary School, which had been my career for the last 11 years, I picked up resin at the start of the first lockdown and since then it’s turned into my full time role which has had many benefits, most notably that the flexibility in working hours allowed me to better care for my Grandmother, who I was very close to, until she sadly passed away earlier this year.
I work from home in beautiful County Durham and all of the items I sell are handcrafted with love in my workshop. I create a range of items including coasters, cake stands, display plates, serving boards, jewellery, key rings, bookmarks and Christmas decorations.
My business has flourished over the last couple of years into a thriving resin business that I couldn’t even imagine before I started and I feel incredibly grateful to have the resin business that I do today.
I love sharing my tips for turning the hobby of creating with epoxy resin into a business with others, if I can do it then everyone can have the opportunity to create a successful resin business too. Here are my top tips:
Online following:
I have a page on many platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok where I have slowly built up to a following of 21,000 which I’ve done through regular posting, creating relevant content for each platform and creating content for all types of followers - potential customers and other resin artists. Consistency is key, as is building relationships with your followers.
Attending craft fairs:
I find that getting out and showing my products to local people who want to support small local businesses is a great way of making sales and meeting other local businesses. People typically attend fairs with the intention to purchase, so attend fairs that are relevant and showcase stock that you think will sell best at that event. For example, if it’s a local school fair, you’re more likely to have a high number of children attending so have smaller, affordable items that appeal to children such as resin jewellery, bookmarks and stationery.
Speculate to accumulate:
This is a piece of advice I hear often and it’s true! If you’re hoping to make a living from a resin business, buying in bulk will save you in the long run. Many craft supplies are cheaper in bulk so whilst it’s an initial expense, your profit margins will be higher in the long term.
Brand identity:
Your brand logo, packaging, advertising and social media posts should all have a clear brand identity. Create a unique logo - something different from the rest -then use that logo and the colours from it in your posts to help build up strength. I had my step daughter who is a wonderful artist paint my logo so it’s unique as it was designed especially for me. Being recognisable in a popular area is very important so always bare that in mind. I use stickers with my brand logo on within my packaging, had business cards printed out with my logo and I use my logo as my profile picture.
How to cope working alone:
I run my business alone and this was the hardest change for me to adapt to. I went from talking to many staff members every day and over a hundred students, to being in the house alone all day. As you’ll see from my pictures, my lovely little dog Mia keeps me company whilst I’m working. If you work alone, find ways to communicate with others to ease the loneliness. This group is great for people to talk to - I’ve made so many friends here who I know I can message during the day for a resin related chat!
Hold talks, events or workshops:
This is another great way to increase sales, following and ensure you’re meeting new people. A couple of my pictures show me holding a talk to a local group of ladies where I discussed all aspects of my business, from my niche area of working with ashes to the fundraising I’ve done through my business. It was such an enjoyable evening and was something that helped me build confidence and introduce my work to a whole new group of people. Resin workshops are always in huge demand too so if you can utilise that avenue I highly recommend doing so!
Price accordingly:
I’ve mentioned this before so won’t go into detail, but you can’t run a business as a charity. You HAVE to price accordingly to cover resources (including the PPE used, percentages of the cost of mixing cups, stirrers, electricity etc) and most importantly, price for your time. The skills you’ve developed have taken time and have a worth. Don’t be afraid to charge for that.
Have a business plan:
Business plans give you guidance and an aim, but they dont have to be set in stone! Set small goals and targets to achieve and work towards those - it helps with motivation too. One of my targets was to stock my handmade items to a local shop ... I’m now stocking to 4! Don’t overstretch yourself but making stock for shops gives you creative freedom away from completing bespoke orders if you offer those.
Online sales:
Again, something I’ve discussed before. But choose relevant market places online. There’s many to choose from, such as Etsy, EBay, personal websites, Instagram shops etc.
What’s your niche?
My business accepts bespoke orders, but my niche area is cremation ashes work. Once you’ve decided what yours is, ensure you promote that. Specialising in one area will help you stand out. If I pay for advertising, I always advertise work from my niche area to help build up a brand identity.
I hope there’s some valuable information in here for you all.
You can find pictures of my work via my Instagram (@thehandmaderesinartco) and Facebook page The Handmade Resin Art Company.
Laura x
