Rise Up Designs

One thing markets have taught me is that growth is not always about bringing more. More products. More displays. More signs. More things packed into every available inch of the table. Sometimes growth looks like learning what to leave behind. When I first started doing markets, I wanted to bring everything. I thought the more choices I gave people, the better chance I had of making a sale. And honestly, that made sense to me at the time. But after doing markets for a few years, I’ve learned that too much can become overwhelming—not only for the customer, but for me too. A crowded table can make it harder for people to understand what I sell. Products can get lost. My best items may not stand out. And instead of creating a warm, inviting space, the booth can start to feel like I simply brought everything I own. Now I try to be more intentional. Before I pack for a market, I ask myself: Does this product fit the direction of my business? Does it work with the rest of my displ...

​ This week reminded me of something I think every small business owner learns eventually. I’ve stopped asking myself, “Was this market worth it?” Instead, I ask, “What did this market teach me?” That’s a very different question. 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’ve had incredible markets where I sold well, and I’ve had markets where the weather had other plans. Rain. Wind. Slow foot traffic. Wet signs. Products that needed to be covered in a hurry. None of those things are fun, but every single one has taught me something. Maybe it’s to laminate my pricing signs. 💲 Maybe it’s to pack extra towels.🧻 Maybe it’s to bring another set of clips or rethink my booth layout. 🤔 Maybe it’s simply a reminder that I can’t control the weather, but I can control how prepared I am. ⚡️💨 The funny thing is, the markets that challenge me are usually the ones that make me a better vendor. - Every event becomes info.  - Every conversation teaches me something about my customers. - Every mistake becomes a chec...

​ As small business owners, we’re always hearing the same advice: “Launch it.” “Done is better than perfect.” “Don’t wait.” And while I think there’s truth in that… I also think there’s another side. This week reminded me that sometimes a product simply isn’t ready yet. I’ve sold my Blind Date with a Book collections at markets for a while, but I kept holding off on listing them on Etsy. Not because I was afraid. Not because I didn’t believe in them. But because something kept telling me they still needed a little more. Over the last several months, I’ve listened to customers, changed the packaging, added accessories, improved the clue cards, created different themes, and slowly built the experience I wanted people to have. This week I finally listed them online. And they started selling. Looking back, I don’t regret waiting. Sometimes waiting isn’t procrastination. Sometimes it’s preparation. This week was also exciting for another reason. I introduced Charmed by Gra...