Going Solo

Have you ever gone out with a group of friends and gotten this really...really...really awesome idea to go do something? I'm sure you have, or maybe everyone was just sitting around having lunch together and looking for something to do out of boredom. Either way, when you presented your idea or suggestion to the group, nobody but you were interested.

It's like signing up with three friends for karaoke and then when it's time to step up on stage, you find yourself all alone.

Well, not exactly. But you get the idea, right?

That's usually how it is in the craft business.

In most cases, selling your craft involves a one person solo act or a duet partnership. Often you'll find partnerships between siblings, mother and child, spouses, or best friends. Having an extra hand in keeping up your online shop, selling, and craft creation is has both it's pros and cons. Yet, today, we're just going to approach the subject of going solo, since that is what most artists, writers, and crafters present themselves.

So what does going solo mean?

You're a one man/ woman show. What you sell is your craft and nobody elses. You alone are the boss of what you do. You handle what goes into your work and what you get out of it.

Financially speaking, going solo puts all the financial risk on you. At the end of the year, you simply file a SCH C for your business on your 1040 with the IRS.

As a sole proprietorship, the IRS treats you as an individual, they recognize your name, they send you tax notices, and they expect you to pay on time.

However, going solo doesn't mean that you don't have a support system in place. Perhaps it is your family, friends, or even hired professionals. The two basic things you must accept when going solo is that 1) you can't do everything yourself  and 2) Nobody's perfect.

You may need to relay on others to help you keep up the financial end of your business. This may require hiring a bookkeeper or having a spouse help you enter invoices and help package product to go out the next day. It could require having someone watch your children for a  few hours while you catch up on orders or work to meet a deadline. It could simply be supportive customers casting word of mouth advertising to get you started.

You're never alone, no matter what craft you choose to sell. It's okay to step up on the stage alone, just as long as you've got your friends standing near by to cheer you on.

Are you flying solo or soaring over the wings of your support system?