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If you're hustling for new clients all day, and working as fast as your little fingers can fly all night, you've probably been walking the fine line between self-employed and business owner for a while now.
Krystal has a couple ways to tell if it's time to make the changes you need for long term stability, as well as a little advice for what's going to be expected of you when you change.
Regardless of whether you want to scale your business, or remain a one-person operation, Krystal has tips for what to look out for along the way.Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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Do you ever feel like people are lapping you? Like everyone else is moving forward, and your current status is... well... stationary?
Episode 27 of Pull the Thread podcast is for the perpetual planner who just can't seem to pull the trigger on launching or is stuck without any growth. Because you only ever really have two choices - you can evolve or remain. Are you willing to do what it takes?
Krystal guides listeners through a series of practical questions to get unstuck a move forward - what's it gonna be?
Questions to answer for your business to move forward:
1. What do customers want?
2. Can I get them what they want?
3. How do I deliver it to them?
4. Where can we find pockets of target customers who are frustrated with our competition?
5. Where is the competition weak or deficient in delivering the outcomes, solutions, and the value the market demands?
6. What should we be doing to communicate to potential customers that a
we are the aspirin for their pain?
7. What are the three primary problems (pains) my target market has?
8. Where have I substituted my judgement for what I want to deliver, for what the customers actually want to receive?
9. How could I check in with our customers to find out what new pains they’re experiencing or gains they want to achieve?Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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September marks my assistant, Natalyn’s one-year anniversary of working at our brick-and-mortar sewing business. I finally dragged her behind the mic to share about the past year, all the hard work she’s put in, and things she’s learned along the way.
If you’re considering fashion school, or a career in the hands-on side of creating fashion, this episode is one not to miss. We talk about how she scored her opportunity, what it took to prove herself, things she found surprising, and how she would go about it if she did it all over again. We also delved into my management style, and shared some behind the scenes of our favorite projects we’ve worked on together.
Keep up with Natalyn’s journey by following her on Instagram at @natalynkaser.Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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These nine (mostly free) tools have changed the game for me in terms of automating and delegating tasks. My goal as a business owner is to not waste any human brainpower whatsoever dong things computers can do more efficiently, and in return, keeping our valuable hands busy doing work that matters for people who care.
Lucky OrangeChatGPTTrelloAnswer the publicHemingway appArtful agenda FlodeskSlackSheets
My top 9 tools for a more productive, profitable handmade business:
As promised, get 50% off your first year of Flodesk using this code: https://flodesk.com/c/XNKSAJ
Head to KrystalDouglas.come to hop on the mailing list!Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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Derek Thompson says that to sell something familiar, you have to make it surprising. To sell something surprising, you have to make it familiar. "It is in this interplay between familiarity and surprise where the strongest appeal lives.
And isn’t that just it? Customers are either torn between their curiosity of new things, and also, a fear of anything too new.
Hop into this episode to learn how to walk the line between familiarity and surprise, and to hear a really cool story about how a Russian Jewish immigrant named Rose Blumkin went from buying used clothes for 10 cents to selling her company for $60 million.
pullthethreadpodcast.comInterested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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Did you know Steve Jobs was so upside down on starting Pixar that he was personally funding payroll for months on end before Toy Story was released? He couldn’t secure backing from anyone, but truly believed in the creative underbelly of what was going on inside of those ordinary offices that sat next to an oil refinery.
Jobs was $50 million in the hole, but still knew he was onto something in what they were creating. He brought in Lawrence Levy to be his CFO, who documented the tale of tension, creativity, and lunacy, in bringing Pixar to what it's known as today.
A five star life requires margin. YOU need breathing room - you need margin in your craft or fashion-based business in order to survive and keep creating. These 10 tips will inject a little more oxygen into your survival helmet from month to month.
50% off your first year code for Flodesk (my preferred email service provider): https://flodesk.com/c/XNKSAJ
Subscribe to the mailing list to get more free content like this at krystaldouglas.com.Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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The largest art theft in history happened nearly 33 years ago, in Boston, March 18, 1990. Thieves stole 13 pieces of art valued at over $500 million, from Isabella Gardner Museum.
One of the pieces stolen has been valued at $250 million… A reward of $10 million is still being offered for the return of this art.
Have you ever stolen from yourself? If you’re a creative trying to do business by selling the things you make, or your services themselves, most likely, I’m sorry to tell you, you have.
This episode is all about the ways you’re stealing from yourself, and how to stop.
Dig into other episodes by visiting pullthethreadpodcast.comInterested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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This episode highlights the pain points of well-intentioned aspiring fashion designers.
If a sketch were all one needed, then anyone could be a fashion designer... But it isn't.
You don't need to know how to pattern or sew - you just need to communicate with those who do.
There are a lot of steps between making a sketch, and having it manufactured into wearable clothing...
I built you a staircase.
Fashion lines are expensive, but they cost even more to start if you don't know what you're doing.
The majority of the work happens before you ever approach a factory for manufacturing.
You can hire out the skills you don't have, but understand that your adventure buddies (i.e. pattern makers, seamstresses, manufacturers) expect you to at least bring a map before they climb onboard.
You've got work to do.
Tap into the industry knowledge needed to have a fashion design manufactured.
https://projectfashionforward.comInterested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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The most expensive dress in the world was valued at $30 million dollars, and was created by Faisal Abdullah in 2009 - an incredible designer that doesn't even have a website. That speaks volumes to me - First, that someone can do $30m without a website & second, the consistent reminder that making things is expensive.
The sobering reality of what launching a clothing line actually costs is only topped by these five secrets that small batch manufacturers quietly wish new fashion designers knew about launching a fashion line.
References mentioned within the podcast:
0:20 the Nightingale of Kuala Limpur
16:07 @mamaontapInterested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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The color chartreuse has a bit of a boozy background. It was named after a French liqueur called “chartreuse” which has a greenish-yellow hue.
The liqueur was first produced in 1605 by the Carthusian monks of France.
François Hannibal d’Estrées discovered a secret recipe that allegedly helped its consumers ‘live a long life.’ He brought the recipe to Monks near Paris, who ultimately sent it down to La Grande Chartreuse abbey. The recipe was eventually tested in 1737, and about 60 years later, was tweaked to create Green Chartreuse.
This new and improved Chartreuse boasted a more mild flavor profile and is the recipe still used today. 75 years later, Frère Bruno Jacquet crafted another tweaked version of the recipe, which became the Yellow Chartreuse that we know and love today.
It takes 130 botanicals macerating for eight hours in copper to create Green Chartreuse. The final product’s ABV? 55% - and it’s flavor lands herbal/slightly medicinal on the palate. On the contrary, Yellow Chartreuse is a bit lower in alcohol (40% ABV) and leans sweeter on the flavor profile.
Green Chartreuse gets its color from chlorophyll, whereas Yellow Chartreuse gets its pigment from saffron. Both colors are naturally occurring, but the steps to this beverages outcome are nothing short of extraordinary.
Having your own clothing manufactured is a lot like brewing, the perfect chartreuse liqueur. In my years of running both a fashion design incubator and small batch manufacturer, I’ve come to find three common themes among the issues new fashion designers experience. This episode reaches deep into those issues and provides two different examples of each three.
Manufacturing too many colorways, or contrast stitching details.Manufacturing too many designs at a time, or too much product in generalSigning a manufacturing contract before the design is sale-ready (stitching, fit, supplies)
Three mistakes new fashion designers often make during manufacturing:Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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Leonardo daVinci wasn't the best painter of his time - in fact, he was better known as an engineer. The only reason the famous Last Supper painting was painted - at Santa Maria della Grazie, was because daVinci had some time to kill.
Nearly every fashion designer I've worked with over the past few years has been conceptualizing their fashion lines on the side... in their free time. Here are four ways to know if you're ready to start your clothing line.Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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My exact steps for algorithm-proofing your following. If you lost your social media accounts tomorrow, would you lose your only way to communicate with your audience? If your answer is yes - you do not have a business, you just have a following. It’s time to get those followers onto a platform you control. These are my exact steps for quickly building a website that I used to generate thousands of prospective customers every year.
Show links:
Krystal’s affiliate link for a ready-to-use privacy policy contract: https://thecontractshop.com/?ref=[krystaldouglas]Free writing up for blog editing: Hemingway app.com
Free SEO keyword finder: Moz.com/explorer
Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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Have you wondered why you can’t seem to break a pay ceiling in your own business?
The things that we did to get us to our current level in business will not get us to the next level. For that, we need to expand and learn next level capabilities. I share with you a tool I use in my business to see what’s truly moving the needle, and what’s just taking up space.Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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everyone starts at zero sales... Bill Bowerman started out as a high school track coach, became a WW2 vet, and managed to find time to cofound the household name Nike. But what about if you're just starting out? What advice is sound for where you're at in the life cycle of the business?
Whether you're just south of the $30K mark, or you'r terrified to start at all for fear of not doing it right, we've got all the tips you need.Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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In 1777, On America's first Fourth of July celebration, fireworks were only one color: orange. There were no elaborate sparkles, no red, white, and blue stars -- nothing more than a few glorified (although uplifting) explosions in the sky.
Like many inventions, fireworks were created by accident… but this invention, came about during a search for immortality.
Oftentimes, in business, entrepreneurs - creatives especially - feel the need to come with tons of flash.
They could be the loudest. Or the brightest online.
Or the most dramatic, like being the person jacking up their sales numbers and leading every call to action with astronomical results-focused numbers, like ‘millions sold!’ or ‘thousands of happy customers!’ Or ‘five-figure months!’.
Ugh.
It’s fatiguing. But if you wanna sell product… or book clients… you have to be that way. Right?
Actually, I’m here to tell you, you really don’t.
In fact, over time, you’ll do more in sales and bookings, by whispering to the few rather than screaming to the masses about your craft-based (or creative) work.
Most people's fear, is that the moment they get quieter in their marketing, their sales will trickle off. But in my opinion, getting quieter can mean being way more strategic.
Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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Success is only success if it feels like success - so how do you know you're setting the right goal of what success looks like?
Jenna and I explored so many beautiful thoughts as we approached the conversation surrounding "How Are You, Really?" - Jenna's first book, which releases June 28th, and since I've already read it cover to cover, I can confirm- it's every bit as powerful as she is.
The true topic of conversation here is boundaries, i.e. the line between breakthrough and burnout. We cover defining success, grief and loss, and what it means to truly have peace in our businesses. And how does peace ever really have a place in the life of a busy, energetic, high-achieving entrepreneur?
Jenna believes it's possible.. because she lives it. I love the example she's now setting as a business owner - one filled with peaceful, rest-filled momentum.
To check out the book, visit howareyoureallybook.com!Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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By the late 1920s, Coco was just in her forties, and the Chanel industries were reportedly worth millions- employing more than 2,000 people, between the couture house, the perfume laboratory, a textile mill, and a jewelry workshop. Chanel’s designs stressed simplicity and comfort and as you know, revolutionized the fashion industry.
Coco knew corsets were tired, and chose to be the one to offer something new and risky. It was technology, but with fabric and thread. She also knew what the perfume industry was lacking, and wasn’t afraid to pivot and be scrappy as she stepped into an entirely foreign industry.Remember when people said Facebook is just a trend? And then it grew up to shape Web 2.0? And now you can login to just about any website or platform using your Facebook account? Change is coming. Web 3.0 is just around the corner.
This isn’t about digital artwork. This is about understanding that as a creative, being quick to sample and test new technology will shape the way you get and do business. This episode covers:
- What is an NFT?
- How does it work?
- Who’s using NFTs?
- How can I respect the tech in a way that feels authentic to me?
Upload your own ad for your favorite charity or non-profit here: https://www.dropbox.com/request/wM45Zv4TkbpOgO5jbaFzInterested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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I talk to boutique designers and owners of small fashion labels on a regular basis. Conversations start to all look the same, and patterns in their branding behaviors begin to emerge.
The most common painpoint always points back to the friction they experience in getting the right customers in the door.
They’re making a great product, but things just aren’t clicking with the sales numbers. Everyone can relate (as they repeat the same behaviors), and oftentimes they even learn bad branding/marketing behaviors from each other.They all experience the same pain, and band together to form a well-tailored echo chamber, but fail to realize in doing so that it causes them to go blind to simple mistakes... branding->marketing mistakes they’re making. We dive into these mistakes so that you can avoid them, and fast track your success around them.
Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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In July of 2020 I was interviewed by a dear friend, Koos Klooster on his podcast, Confused Confucius. This episode is an exciting one for me because most entrepreneurs never pull back the curtain on the psychology behind their businesses, and the emotions behind managing the methodologies. We cover:
| How Krystal Got Into Sewing
| Her Career Coming Out of College & Changing Her Career Path
| More On The Transitioning Period
| The Mindset of Charging for Your Work
| Spontaneous & Calculated Pivotal Moments On Money Mindset
| Balancing Logic & Emotion In Creative Work
| The Value & Pricing of Creativity
| How Money Affects Doing What You Love
| Setting Boundaries For The Projects You Take
| Time Allocation - Creative, Production & Business
| Krystal's #1 Tip When Starting Out As A Creative Business
| Working "For Love" or "From Love" Process vs. Outcome Focus
| Learning To Love All Parts of The Process
| Lessons From Scaling The Business
| Feedback & Communication
| Perspective On Leadership - Commanding v.s Serving
| Three Key Components of Motivation
| Delegating Creativity & Micro-Managing
| Moving Forward Regardless of Your Pace
| Mental Fatigue & The Power of Recovery
| Krystal's Favorite Mental Tools
Check out Koos's podcast Confused Confucius on Podcast Guru, or wherever you like to listen to podcasts!Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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Doing this one thing before ever hiring help will:
prevent you from repeating yourself keep you from wasting time fixing mistakesset clear expectations for quality & desired outcomemap out exact order of steps needed to make garment the exact way designer would do itcreate a repeatable standard for your product as it is createdprovide a catastrophe-proof guide should you have to step away unexpectedly
By building a tech pack, you set your designs up for peaceful, organize growth.Interested in learning from Krystal? Hop on the mailing list on krystaldouglas.com.
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