Makers Together

Meet Candi Teachman — artist, co-founder, and member of our community.

“Years and years ago, I took a metalsmithing class not knowing what to expect, and it was like learning magic. I got to try melting, hammering, etching, drilling, sawing, and filing metal into new and exciting shapes.

Now, I have a workshop in northeastern Wisconsin where I “magic” my way to pieces I am proud to share. I’m learning new things every day, and the best part?

I get to meet and work with lovely people who share their stories to create a keepsake they, or a loved one, will cherish.”

Want to try something new for your artistic business, but don’t know where to start?

We offer opportunities for Makers Together members to get hands-on with website maintenance, social media, show booth set-up, committees, and learn in a low-pressure, supportive space. It’s like ‘practice for your business’ — but also really fun and fulfilling.

Plus, you meet amazing people along the way.

**What’s a skill you’d love to try without any pressure?

When you buy something that you absolutely adore, or you gift something that transformed the recipient as they cried happy tears, don’t you want to shout out how grateful you are that you were able to find that special something?

Some of your customers would like to do that for you!

The next time that you hear a story from a customer about how much they loved a piece of your work or how much fun you made the process of ordering a customized work, ask them if you can post a quote on your website or in social media. Or give them a link to post a review for you.

This is literal promotional gold that you EARNED by creating incredible work and supporting it with authenticity.

| Tip Tuesday | Art Business | Small Business Tips | Maker Business

Celebrating National Nonprofit Day by honoring the power of connection.

Our communities thrive when we look out for one another. Nonprofits create safe spaces for learning, sharing, and growing together—turning isolated individuals into a resilient network. For artists, that peer support can be the difference between quitting and achieving more.

At Makers Together, we cultivate the very community that helps artists and makers navigate the business of being creative. We believe that when artists succeed, the whole neighborhood wins. By volunteering with us, you become part of a circle that values both the art and the artist, helping to preserve our cultural heritage while building a stronger local economy.

Your story matters, and so does the story of the artists in your town. Help us write the next chapter. Become a volunteer today and help us build a thriving creative community: email us at [email protected] to talk about what you can do to help.

| National Nonprofit Day | Creative Community | Volunteer Life | Small Business Love

We’re setting up at the Appleton Downtown Farm Market this weekend, and we want to see you there. Whether you’ve just started selling your work or you’re ready to take your business to the next level, our team is here to chat.

On August 22nd, September 12th and October 3rd, we’ll be:

* Answering questions about what it’s like to be an artist selling their work

* Checking in with local artists to hear your success stories (and challenges).

* Connecting you with fellow makers who are on the same journey.

If you’re passionate about art and want to know how to build a sustainable business around your craft, come swing by our booth. Let’s grow your creative empire together!

| Farm Market Finds | Small Business Learning

Makers Together is where artists learn the business side of creativity and define success on their own terms. We’re looking for voices like yours to guide our community!

We specifically need people who can share their experience or their own journey as:

* Luxury Brand Experts marketing artistic or artisan-made goods.

* Makers & Tradespeople who have successfully scaled from a kitchen table startup to a sustainable business model.

* Local Owners & Service Providers willing to share their tips and explain how small business owners can save time.

Our goal is to provide real-world advice from those who’ve walked the path, helping members feel confident and connected. We also love spotlighting local businesses for our community to collaborate with.

Email us today. [email protected]

| Creative Community | Guest Speaker | Local Support

Brand recognition is knowing instantly what product or company an ad or box belongs to because that brand has followed rigid guidelines in color, type and messaging.

You can be half way there by creating some templates you use for common post themes (work-in-progress, finished piece, studio tour, quote), and save yourself 15 minutes or so!

| Tip Tuesday | Small Business Tips

If you’re building an art business/side hustle, you can’t sell what you haven’t finished. And missing a retail show deadline means missed sales.

To stay on task and build income, you need to know your own best method of getting things done and lean into it.

*The Deadline Driver: You wait until the show date is close, then you power through the final pieces in a sprint.

*The Relationship Builder: You stay productive by networking, joining artist collectives, or collaborating on booth plans to keep the energy high.

Which one gets your work out the door in time for the next show? Drop a comment with your strategy! Let’s optimize our production lines so we can all focus on selling.



| Small Business Journey | Artist Side Hustle | Make Art Sell Art

Join us for a relaxed, in-person meetup with Makers Together® members and friends! Whether you're here to talk shop as an artisan or maker, share ideas, or just enjoy a good drink and good company, you're welcome at the table.

• Friday, August 28 | 12:00–1:30 PM
• Commodore Club and Cafe, 233 E College Ave, Appleton, WI 54911

RSVP on our website to let us know you're coming! https://www.makerstogether.org/events/meet-greet-commodore-club-and-cafe

We all love a good workshop, right? But the tricky part is actually using what you learn.
At Makers Together, our presentations come with follow-up workshops so you can take what you just learned and put it straight into practice — with other people doing the same thing alongside you.
Plus, if you don’t need this topic today, you’ll at least have familiarity with it when you do need it. Then you can watch the recorded presentation to learn what you need.

No guesswork. Just learning + doing + growing.

| ArtIsWork | Creative Business Journey | Small Business Learning