Expanding to Wholesale Jewelry with Pamela Bellesen

Be flexible is not something I expected to hear from a metal worker. It does make sense, after all, since metal work involves bending, shaping, forming. But as a philosophical statement and approach to business, I was pleasantly enlightened by my conversation with Pamela Bellesen who sells a successful wholesale jewelry line from her metalworking studio called Wide Mouth Frog Designs.Her story is one that I believe will help other makers and artisans who are starting to sell their creations. Like many makers, Ms. Bellesen creates something out of her passion and emotional connection to the work, in this case, metal. As she poured herself into the work, she reminded herself that she had to make a living with it and from it, to pay attention to the numbers and business side. As the saying goes, "Easier said than done."Rather than sell one design or original piece at a time, she started to branch out to craft a wholesale line of jewelry. She traveled around the Northwest to craft fairs, festivals, and taught a host of workshops and classes to share her passion. But she soon found that since she was the only one selling her line, it was more than a full time job and her company would not reach its true potential.She attended a wholesale tradeshow, met a successful sales rep, and things took off. She slowly added sales reps around the country as her name and jewelry line has become better known. Her work is now found in dozens of high end boutique galleries from coast to coast. The lesson is mainly this - you have to approach running a craft or trade or maker business with the same savvy as any business. If you don't have that savvy, you can get it just like Ms. Bellesen likes to say, "At the University of Barnes and Noble."The turning point really came when she realized she needed more feet on the street. You can't wait for people to come to you or fall in love with that one-of-a-kind piece. And you have to reach out to connected individuals, leverage social networks, and be part of the community fabric around you. She also hired local assistants for her studio in Poulsbo, Washington. You have to turn your shop into a mini-factory (one that honors people, though, she adds). You have to create a system in your shop so you that as you create demand you can keep up with it.Be flexible. Be ready. Be adaptable. These are just a few of the things I picked up from the energetic and enthusiastic giver, Pamela Bellesen, who runs Wide Mouth Frog Designs. Sometimes, you have to take off your artist hat and put on the business hat.