Handmade Artisan Baskets - Woven Handmade

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Amy Billinghurst, owner of Woven Handmade, located in Collingwood, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is called Woven Handmade, and it's an online shop that features complimentary, one-of-a-kind, slowly crafted goods for a thoughtfully curated home. It started with my cotton baskets that I personally make and slowly added other Canadian-made goods from there. My customers are people who enjoy a simple, timeless aesthetic, with a nod to Scandinavian design and quality in each unique piece. When you purchase from Woven Handmade, you directly support the small-batch Canadian makers, their passions, and their families.

Tell us about yourself

I am a thirty-something woman who is a mother to a little girl, a wife, a passionate maker, gardener, and athlete. My journey into motherhood forced me to slow down, and I found joy in creating things with my hands again. I have always been artistic, and it feels good to be able to sell my craft and that of other talented makers in my community to people who value them. I genuinely love getting up each day and working on my business. My studio in our backyard looks over my veggie and flower garden in the summer, and I find a great sense of tranquility and creativity there. The process of creating a finished product with my hands gives me so much satisfaction, and I love to share them with others through the process of photography, my social media, and my website. On occasion, I host open studio days as well.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Being recognized in a widely distributed Ontario magazine - LCBO Food and Drink, was a big milestone in my business. It put a lot of new eyes on my website and confirmed my brand was on the right track. I take great pride in being "creative" for a living.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

One of the hardest things about being a small business owner is that I wear a lot of hats and struggle to give any of them up. For both financial reasons and time restraints, I find it daunting to think about hiring others to help with certain aspects of my business. As I make all of the baskets myself, time is definitely one of my biggest struggles.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

I think we live in a very unique and exciting time to start a business. I often think about my business and how it would be different if I tried to start this 10, 20, or 30 years ago. Social media and online presence can be such an amazing and oftentimes free tool. It can also have its challenges, but it can quickly put many eyes on your business or products. In my case, I think that great visuals played a huge role in growing my business. When you run an online shop, your customers need to trust that the product will look exactly as they thought it would. Often, images I use in marketing material place my products into homes I think people are inspired by. Growing a business takes time, but your customers will find you if you have the passion and drive to keep building it.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.wovenhandmade.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/woven.artisan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wovenhandmade/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.