The Big Takeaway:
Learn how Jill used the powerful pull of community and customer input to build a thriving business from hobby side hustle to strong, heart-centered creative business.
Episode Summary:
Bedsprings and Burlap in Topeka, KS will celebrate 8 years in business this November.
Jill Beam had always loved making things but realized there was only so much she could make for herself and friends or family.
Jill was a full-time teacher when she started the business and worked it as a small hobby hustle for four years. She consistently put money back into the business and bootstrapped as she went along.
Drawing on her years of teaching experience, Jill has made it her mission to be truly kind and encouraging to build her customer community.
Now Jill offers a variety of painted furniture, interesting products, and classes to offer her customers what they want while also maintaining profitable revenue streams.
Listen in to get truly inspired by Jill’s journey, I promise, it is an incredibly relatable one.
Topics Discussed:
- The importance of making your business partnership legal
- How to build an incredibly supportive customer community
- The ways that Jill got creative to keep business moving during the pandemic
- How Jill works to assess a new product line to add to her offerings
Follow Jill Beam
- Bedsprings and Burlap – https://bedspringsandburlap.com/
- FB – @bedspringsandburlap
- IG – @bedspringsandburlap
About your host, Wendy Batten
In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business.
Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence.
I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.
When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/
For more support from Wendy
Retailer’s Inner Circle – Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community
Free resources for shop owners
Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG
All of Wendy’s programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE.
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