Make It and Sell It

This podcast is about how to start a small-scale production business—a low-risk career option with low upfront costs but huge potential benefits—that can be done from home. Whether you are home because of the Coronavirus or family care responsibilities, limited mobility or transportation, or are just more of a homebody, you can still earn a living on your own time and at your own pace. And best of all, you can MAKE something to share with others. Whether you are a baker, a maker, a crafter, an artist, or even a mad scientist, you can turn your hobby into a living. This series will explore all aspects of this kind of business, sometimes called a “cottage industry,” from brainstorming new product ideas to perhaps one day making enough income to quit your day jobs. Episodes will include interviews with home-based entrepreneurs at different stages of their business development and from a broad diversity of fields. Who are they? Why do they do what they do? What have been the major challenges as well as the secrets of their success? What would they recommend to others?For more information about the movement behind the podcast, visit our Facebook Group, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/350301745982098

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Make It and Sell It

015 Deep Dive, Making It Real

November 17, 2020 • Cory Heyman, Cottage Cupboard Cooperative • Episode 15

This episode is a further deep dive into one of the most frequent questions we hear about home-based production, “How can I get over the initial hump of starting a home-based production business?” The second of three episodes, this segment discusses the nuts and bolts of the start-up process. It includes preparing the space as well as sourcing equipment, supplies, and ingredients.

There are two ways to start a new venture. One is to jump right in—building the proverbial plane while flying it. The other is to plan and organize. This episode argues that organizing and planning ahead is a much better way to go. It gives you the headspace to experiment and improve the quality and efficiency of production.

This is the principle that podcast host, Cory Heyman, has used to prepare his own home for his new production business. He describes how he organized his limited space and the special issues he considered while preparing to make food and personal care products, especially decisions about separating personal and business items, food and chemicals, and food with allergens from food without allergens. Cory also discusses how he has sourced new items and the challenges of buying the right amount of supplies and ingredients to get good pricing but not have too much product on hand.

Next week’s discussion, the last of the mini-series, will focus on research and development, branding, ecommerce, and the big reveal about the launch of Cory’s first products!

For more information about the movement behind the podcast, visit our Facebook Group, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/350301745982098; follow us on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/cotcup/, check out examples of our guests’ creations on Pinterest, https://www.pinterest.com/cotcup/boards/, and subscribe to our email list (https://cotcup.com/lp) and receive our living document, the Eightfold Path Plus One Guide to Success for Home-based Producers, and future updates.