IE Tip 49: Woman Owned: Business Networks For Women

A wonderful resource for women entrepreneurs, WomanOwned.com started in 1997, and through word of mouth has grown to serve over 1.5 million women business owners all over the world. Offering "no nonsense" business advice, the site provides straightforward business information, as well as networking opportunities and resources for women.

IE Tip 47: Craft Revolution: Helping Creative Business Owners Navigate the Waters that Lead to Success

Run by a group of talented crafters, designers, and entrepreneurs, Craft Revolution provides business tips, craft news, and other helpful musings targeted to the indie craft community. They also started podcasting this past August-check out their initial episode here.

Craft Inspiration

Designer's block? Books and other resources that inspire you to create.

Craftivity: Innovatively cool projects by author Tsia Carson, the force behind Supernaturale.

Scribbles Giant Coloring Book: Coloring book for the young and young-at-heart.

Wreck This Journal: Who says journals have to be pristine? Keri Smith encourages, no, requires you to go all out and wreck your journal-step on it, throw it against the wall, splatter paint---all in the name of unleasing creativity.

IE Tip 38: AnnualCreditReport.com

As entrepreneurs, you may need to someday get a loan or a line of credit from a bank. Keep your finances in perfect health by keeping close watch on your credit history and catching minor problems before they turn into financial disasters. With AnnualCreditReport.com, you can request a free credit report, once every 12 months, from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

IE Tip 37: Art Business Institute: Get Educated

The Art Business Institute is an educational organization the provides artists with real-world knowledge of business. It offers workshops on product development, pricings, public relations, accounting, and more. The organization partners with regional arts and economic development organizations in the U.S. and Canada.

IE Tip 36: The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Get Out of the Cube

Itching to get out of your cramped cubicle and into the freedom of entrepreneurship? Tune in to Michelle Goodman's Anti 9-to-5 Guide, which contains tips on taking the plunge into self-employment, entrepreneurship, or freelancing. Michelle herself took the plunge in 1992 and is now a freelance writer for publications such as Salon, Bitch, and Bust.

IE Tip 32: United States Patent and Trademark Office

Interested in protecting your business trademark or copyrighting your work? Head to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which contains basic information on the process, definitions on what qualifies for a trademark or copyright, as well as official forms you need to get started.

IE Tip 29: Co-op America

Co-opAmerica is a non-profit organization that promotes green and fair trade business principles as well as build sustainable communities in the U.S. and abroad. Entrepreneurs with "green businesses" (and they have their specific guidelines of what a green business is) can join the Co-op America's Business Network, which is dedicated to helping socially and environmentally responsible businesses emerge and thrive to form a global green economy. Some membership benefits include free listing in the National Green Pages (like the Yellow Pages), special discounts, media expoure, and advertising opportunities.

IE Tip 28: Indie Beauty Network

The Indie Beauty Network is a business organization founded in 2000 by Donna Maria Coles Johnson to serve indie businesses manufacturing beauty products such as soaps, cosmetics, fragrances, candles, and aromatherapy products. Although you have to be a member to participate in some of the benefits that they offer such as products liability insurance, it is still fun to browse the website, which is chockfull of information on product suppliers, beauty recipes, and entrepreneur success stories.

Also check out Donna's blog, which offers insightful personal stories and anecdotes and how they relate to running an indie business.

IE Tip 27: Craft and Hobby Association

The Craft and Hobby Association (CRA) is a trade organization that has been serving the craft and hobby industry since 2004. For entrepreneurs in the craft and industry market, the CRA is an invaluable resource for industry research material, seminars, and workshops relating to running a crafts business. In response to the increased interest in crafting over the years, the CRA has released a number of research projects, including information on popular craft activities, consumer buying habits, crafts and education, and other information pertinent to the crafts industry. Check out the RESEARCH section of the website - some articles require you to be a paid member, but some interesting articles such as The Impact of Hispanic Crafters on the U.S. Craft Industry is free to the public.

IE Tip 24: Box.net-Access Your Files Easily

You're away from your home office and realize that you need your important files from your computer? With Box.net, you will always have access to your files from anywhere where you have internet connection. Once you've uploaded your files to the box, you can safely store them online, or even share it with others.

IE Tip 20: BusinessPundit.com

BusinessPundit.com brings your daily dose of entrepreneurship and competitive advantage news and articles, and contains topics on finance, leadership, and decision making as it applies to business.

IE Tip 17: Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration is an invaluable resource for those wanting to learn the ins and outs of starting and running a small business. Take their boundless free online classes in topics like finance and accounting, business management, or e-commerce.

IE Tip 13: Better Business Bureau: For Better Business

Not sure about dealing with a particular business or merchant? Go to Better Business Bureau, and find out about a company's history, contact info, and complaints that were filed. For example, I recently searched for Fire Mountain Gem Beads (a bead mail-order and catalog company) and found that it had a satisfactory record and had two resolved complaints within the last 36 months.

IE Tip 6: Upcoming: Be Informed

Upcoming is a great website to learn about upcoming scheduled events all around the country. Search for craft/shopping shows, entrepreneur and networking events, and keep yourself informed. My favorite feature is the ability to export the details of your events to your own Yahoo!, Outlook, or Google calendar.

IE Tip 4: IShip.com: Comparison Shipping

Shipping packages and want the best deal? Comparison-shop through IShip.com and find the best rates and services among carriers like DHL, Fedex, UPS, and USPS. After that, you can ship, track, and manage shipments online.

IE Tip 2: LadiesWhoLaunch.com: Ladies Who Inspire

Read up on fellow women entrepreneurs at LadiesWhoLaunch, as they share their tips, business challenges, and success stories. Also has a schedules of Ladies Who Launch Live, one-day events in different cities featuring inspiring speakers and educational workshops.

Crafter's Paradise

For you lucky crafters in Brooklyn, the Etsy lab is now open, complete with supply swaps, tea parties, and other event to tickle your crafting fancy. For us anywhere else but in Brooklyn, we can only hope that Etsy brings a lab to our hometown.

Open Studio, Open Creativity

As indie entrepreneurs involved in creative pursuits, we are always looking for new ways to improve or expand our craft. I am always looking to learn a new skill or knowledge, and if you’re like me, you’ve discovered how expensive the pursuit of knowledge could be! Half-open supplies and barely used tools have taken over my hobby room, hoping to be used in my next project.

That’s why places like Craft Gym and the soon-to-be-opened Ekcetera studio are the perfect practice boards and playgrounds for the creative types. With prices ranging between $10-20 for daily use or $50-60 for a monthly membership, you can (inexpensively) play at you’re heart’s delight, with jewelry tools, photography equipment, ceramic kilns, and other goodies ready for your disposal. Many of them also offer workshops and classes. These places allow you to try a new project or create product prototypes without the initial investment of new tools and equipment.

If your community does not have these craft-type places mentioned above, you can also check out art studios at local colleges. While these studios are usually reserved for their students, some of them may allow non-students use of their studios and equipment for a minimal fee. Certain cities also have recreation centers with open studios for both residents and non-residents.

Here are some to get you started:

Irvine Fine Arts Center: has a ceramics studio equipped with wheels, kilns, slab roller, wet storage and a complete glaze room.; a photography darkroom; and a jewelry open studio. Located in Irvine, CA.

Lakeside Pottery: a pottery school, gallery, and open studio. Located in Stamford, CT.

The Workspace: an open studio through the Iowa State University offering jewelry, screenprinting, photography, woodshop, printmaking, and glass making. Located in Ames, Iowa.

Atlanta Art Worx: jewelry and metal arts open studio. Located in Marietta, GA.

Grammar is your friend

So you’re typing away and writing your press release/website contact/business plan and you’re stuck. Where do I put the apostrophe? Is it affect or effect? Do I use your or you’re?

But who cares, you say, I have my glossy pictures and my eye-catching graphics. I will wow my customers with my logo, my format, and my profound knowledge of Adobe Photoshop. But that’s not enough. To present an image that projects professionalism, it is necessary to look at how your words are presented on paper.

Here’s Grammar Girl to the rescue! I listened to her podcasts and I was hooked. They’re short, witty, easily digestible, and most importantly, fun. A much better way than going through your tattered elementary school grammar books (if you can still find them!) or pouring over thick boring textbooks. Now who says grammar can’t be fun?