Episode 2: Alana Rivera: Etta and Billie: Indie Business Podcast

Once you know you make a good handmade product, how do you know what to do next? According to Alana Rivera, you hone your skills before “jumping over the edge.” Alana started her handmade bath + body company, Etta and Billie in San Francisco, while she still had a traditional job. Today, not only has she quit the job, but she's opened a new studio, hired employees, and landed her products in several popular online and brick and mortar and retail stores around the country. Among the well known retailers that have carried her line are: Banana Republic's pop up stores, Urban Outfitters online, and most recently, Terrain, Anthropologie's new garden brand. Alana shares a few of her secrets to making it all work in this episode of Indie Business Podcast. Click the arrow to listen “ Hone your skills before jumping over the edge. ” Alana Rivera, Etta + Billie Season 1, Episode 2: Show Notes Here are few of the things Alana and I discussed in this episode. 1. Honing your entrepreneurial and leadership skills before jumping over the edge. 2. Staying connected locally. 3. Focusing on doing what you love and what you're good at, and hire people to do the rest. 4. Using social media wisely … and which tool is Alana's personal favorite these days. 5. Embracing (instead of fighing against) how large retailers work if you want to “scale up your game.” 6. Hiring employees and virtual assistants to help you grow. 7. Opening a new manufacturing studio, and choosing a location. Alana found hers on Craig's List. 8. Alana's top challenge and how she overcomes it daily. Here are links to the resources mentioned in this episode Manufacturing: San Francisco Made (http://www.sfmade.org/) Business help: Small Business Administration (http://www.sba.gov) Online handmade product sales platform: Etsy (http://www.etsy.com) Online craft product sales platform: Brika (https://www.brika.com/) Online American made product sales platform: Martha Stewart American Made Ebay Market (this site has moved to Amazon, at this link (https://www.amazon.com/Martha-Stewart...) ) IBN: Indie Business Network (http://www.indiebusinessnetwork.com/join) #IndieCruise Mastermind: #IndieCruise (http://www.indiecruise.com) Renegade brand of craft fairs: Renegade Chicago (http://www.renegadecraft.com/chicago) and Renegade San Francisco (http://www.renegadecraft.com/sanfranc...) Trade show: San Francisco International Gift Fair (http://www.sfigf.com/Content/344.htm) Garden store: Terrain (http://www.shopterrain.com) Connect with Alana and Etta+Billie Etta + Billie's website (http://www.ettaandbillie.com) Etta + Billie on Facebook (  / ettaandbillie  ) and Twitter (  / alanarivera  ) and Instagram (  / ettaandbillie  ) Ask a Question! I love hearing from you and helping you solve your most pressing business problems NOW. If you have a question, use the app below to leave it on our voice mail. If I use your question on an episode, I will link to your site as I provide complimentary advice to help you use your business to create the life you love. Your feedback please! If you have an idea for an Indie Business Podcast episode topic or guest, send your feedback through our Contact Page (http://www.indiebusinessnetwork.com/c...) . If you enjoyed this episode of the Indie Business Podcast, please subscribe and rate it on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/i...) and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out! Thanks. Best and success, The post Episode 2: Alana Rivera: Etta and Billie: Indie Business Podcast (https://indiebusinessnetwork.com/hand...) appeared first on Indie Business Network® (https://indiebusinessnetwork.com) .