Best book / resource for a teen running a *very* small business?

[38carrots]

It seems that many books spend chapters on how to come up with a business idea. Or how to grow it bigger. I'm looking for something that would help with basic financial aspects (organization), ethics, inspiration. Something that would be more business savvy and not about how to grow it bigger, if this makes sense.

 

She's been selling a hand made product for about a year with her FB page. Recently she approached local stores. One took her items on consignment, and offered a better than typical rate, because she's a local teen. The other told her they wanted to support her, and bought the items out right at her selling price, telling her that they'd sell for the same price that she's selling. Then they messaged her and said they decided to raise the price by 15%.

 

So she's going to be approaching other stores, and dealing with all kind of "arrangements." She does not plan to grow her business much more--it is not something that she can easily make more of. It is a time consuming, hard to make item, which doesn't easily generate repeat customers (lasts a long time.)  Some growth is fine, but within reason.

 

She'd like to be more confident with her venture from the business perspective. More aware, I guess? To be able to set goals? To have encouragement.

 

What would you recommend?

 

[eternalsummer]

If she's doing handmade and you have an Etsy account, she can get a lot of advice on the Etsy forums.  Half of it will be terrible but you can usually tell the wheat from the chaff and the good advice there is really good.

 

The seller handbook: https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook is also pretty useful, although some of it doesn't apply as she's just consigning/wholesaling.

 

If she is interested, Etsy is really a pretty good platform for very small businesses, although there is something of a learning curve in terms of how to use the site effectively (and especially how to take good product photos).

[38carrots]

If she's doing handmade and you have an Etsy account, she can get a lot of advice on the Etsy forums.  Half of it will be terrible but you can usually tell the wheat from the chaff and the good advice there is really good.

 

The seller handbook: https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook is also pretty useful, although some of it doesn't apply as she's just consigning/wholesaling.

 

If she is interested, Etsy is really a pretty good platform for very small businesses, although there is something of a learning curve in terms of how to use the site effectively (and especially how to take good product photos).

 

Thank you, that's an idea. At some point she wanted to, but shipping will be really cost prohibitive...But I'll tell her to check out the forums.

[eternalsummer]

Are you in Canada?  There are a lot of Canadian sellers and many of them seem to do pretty well.

 

Unless we're talking about furniture - people do sell that on Etsy but shipping is a bear and I'd never do it.

[G5052]

Barbara Brabec has a number of books and a website. They're older books now, but really good on the basics.

 

Years ago when I was unhappy with my work, I seriously considered getting into craft fairs and such. I actually heard her speak once at a home business conference!

 

As it turned out, then I found out that I was pregnant, and I went another way. I still found her business advice very helpful though.

[Alte Veste Academy]

Two I am looking at for my DD are Craft, Inc. and Small Time Operator.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Craft-Inc-Revised-Ultimate-Successful/dp/1452101418/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&coliid=I2VAA5GGH3TR0B&colid=32SIAIER0O5KV&qid=&sr=

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/158979799X/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1YFVQYTR21RDS&coliid=I3Q7NLONJPTUVZ

 

She has others on her wish list that are more specific to art, just in case that relates to what she is selling.