Are you running your own creative business by yourself? Feeling overwhelmed by all the different jobs that need to be done – from doing creative work and marketing, to keeping up to date with new technology and doing your own finances … People are often surprised to learn that The Design Trust is actually a [...] Read more »
The Design Trust favourite social media tools and how we use them successfully
Are you getting confused and overwhelmed by all the different social media that you can use? Spending far too much time on twitter or FaceBook? Many of these free social media tools are fantastic for small businesses, but they can take up a lot of your time and not add a lot to your bottom [...] Read more »
The Design Trust Guide to Start & Run a Successful Craft Business
I wrote this guide to help creative people get clarity and direction in how to start and run their own small craft business. It gives lots of practical advice and information, but also looks at the big picture. Setting up as a freelancer or sole trader can be really daunting. There are so many things [...] Read more »
The Design Trust 59 favourite contemporary design trade fairs and craft shows
Here you will find our recommendation of 59 (!) UK and international design and craft trade fairs and shows. They are based on our own extensive experience in this field, plus compiled from a business development research study done at the end of 2011 for The Design Trust and our sister organisation Design Nation. Below [...] Read more »
The Design Trust 5 favourite books on business planning for design & crafts businesses
Writing a business plan is most people’s idea of hell …. I actually really love it! It can be a very creative process, mapping out the journey ahead in a visual way, imagining what you want to do, and then to check on a regular basis if you are still on track. Here is my [...] Read more »
The Design Trust favourite places in London to meet clients
If you work as a freelancer from home or in an office that is not really suitable for visits by clients. From our own experience there are some great free and private membership places in the capital that you might like to check out too: Free spaces: Tate Modern Members’ Room was voted on The [...] Read more »