Wood Crafts for Beginners – from First Project to Insured Side Hustle
Original. Distinct. Stunning. Gorgeous. Durable. These are all words which can be used to describe every beautifully crafted handmade item. Wooden items, however, have a little bit extra; they offer a depth of story and longevity in their creation. Maybe it’s the completely unique grain of each piece of wood which, like our thumbprints, cause us to stop and wonder at the marvellous design in our natural world. Maybe it’s the texture of wood, the sensory input it gives us. It could be the fragrance if the product is created from freshly sawn timber. Or, maybe it’s the knowledge that the product is made from a once living tree and the space this gives us to imagine just what went on around that tree; which children might have played around it, what romance might have blossomed under its branches, which squirrels might have hidden their winter stores in its nooks and crannies and what chicks might have hatched high under its foliage.
Wooden crafts have an enduring appeal – that’s undeniable. Our question is, how to start a wooden craft side hustle from scratch and build a sustainable business model. The purpose of this blog is to discuss the steps that could take you from experimenting with some wood crafts for beginners to forming the foundation of a business.
As with any small business plan, you will need to find a gap in the market which you can fill, and then the general advice is to start small. Maybe choose a few high demand, low outlay items and begin batch production. Once you have sufficient stock, you could book yourself into a local fair or market and try your hand at selling your wares. This can be a good way to begin as local events usually only charge a small table fee, making it a feasible first step.
The variety of wood crafts for beginners is vast, and adding your own unique twist to a selection of products extends the range even further. You might consider home items, such as serving platters, picture frames, tea light holders, coasters or small decorations. Or you could look outwards towards the garden and create bird boxes, bird tables, wind chimes or wellie boot holders.
To keep initial costs low, you could consider using offcuts. As well as being cost efficient for yourself, this also appeals to customers who are conscious of treading lightly on our beautiful planet. Make sure you highlight your eco credentials in your marketing.
You will need to find a few finishes/paints which work well for you, and also take into consideration postage and packaging if you are selling online. It is easy to downplay your own time and skill when you are initially setting prices, but to be sustainable you will have to be realistic about these.
When it comes to marketing your products, try to think of a feature which will set your business apart from others. This could be in your logo, packaging and website (if you’re selling online), running a colour theme throughout. It could be that you develop your website and add a regular blog or videos offering your customers glimpses into your workshop and production. Or, you could focus on the wood itself, maybe showing a little about the method and process of growth, the management of woodland, the process or felling and the work of a saw mill to produce planks of wood. All from a tiny seed …
Once you have established some wood crafts for beginners, built your initial stock and either booked yourself into a fair or decided upon an online platform, you will need to consider insurance. Craft insurance can sound a little daunting, but it is really very straightforward. If you are just starting out and have no one working for you, the main two types of insurance you will want to consider are public and product liability insurance.
Product liability covers you for any claim made that your product has caused harm or damage to a member of the public or their property. Even if it is not your fault, the insurance will cover compensation and legal costs. It covers both online and in person sales. Public liability covers you at any event where you are selling, demonstrating or teach in your craft. If a claim is made that you are responsible for harm or damage to a member of the public, it covers legal costs and compensation. For example, this could be a slip or trip hazard at an event.
Both public and product liability cover you for incidents which are completely unforeseen and which no amount of risk assessment and careful planning can prevent. If you sell at a craft fair, organisers will ask that you have them in place. We call them our ‘sleep easy’ insurances, as they work quietly in the background and are there it you need them, ensuring you are free from worry and enabling you to get on with what you do best; creating gorgeous handmade products and building a business through which to sell them.
The third type of insurance you could look at is Stock Cover. This is particularly relevant as you expand and your store of tools increases. Without your stock or your tools, your business cannot run. So, it makes sense to insure it all. Craft Insurance Stock Cover can include a wide range of business items, tools, materials, stock, fixtures and fittings, display stands, card readers, laptops, iPads, etc. Basically, you can insure as much or as little as you want against loss and damage.
Have a look at our website and then either drop us a line or pick up the phone. As a family run business ourselves, we communicate directly with our customers… no long call queues. Either Sam or Naomi will be here to speak with you. We look forward to hearing about your growing business!