I feel bad for Kelly Crawford's kids

[Hisey]

I am completely baffled why Kelly C. thinks her untrained kids can make successful businesses via their hobbies. It seems like she repeatedly sets them up for failure.

Most recently, Kelly made her daughter Alexa set up an etsy shop (as part of her "homeschooling"). Alexa made some coasters and stuff and is selling them. It's a public etsy shop but I won't post any other identifying information since she is a minor. I really dont' want to criticize Alexa at all, her things are nice, but she is a child competing with adults who have been crafting for years, and who have more tools and training than she has. She is at a serious disadvantage.

Alexa has had 1 sale since January. Poor Alexa, I feel bad for her. I have kids of my own.

Kelly did this with Bria, too, encouraging that unskilled, inexperienced teen to set up a "wedding photography business" which never seems to have taken off. And her son, who is talented in art but has had very little training (most recently, he watches youtube art videos). He has a portrait business.

I have a daughter who is artsy. Of course, we think she is brilliant. Once or twice, I have gone down the Kelly-road and suggested she open an etsy shop. She always sternly reminds me that she is not good enough. And when I peruse etsy, I can see that, true enough, there's far more experienced people out there and my daughter would be unlikely to have success. So I go back to my mom-job of providing her with supplies, driving her to art class, giving her lots of time to create. She does not need to be out there competing till she has a fair chance of success.

I feel bad for Kelly's kids. The lack of sales must be so discouraging to them. Why does Kelly do this to them?

[Mrs. Figg]

Who is this Kelly?

[ScarletStarlet]

Um, wrong forum.

[Hisey]

Omigosh, sorry, can the mods move me to Quiverful of Snark? Kelly C. is not a duggar

[GeoBQn]

I embroider, and I have been getting a lot of attention for it recently. I have won ribbons and prizes at contests, have stitched two original designs as silent auction prizes, and completed my first commission a few months ago. I still go into a full-body cringe when someone says, "You could go into business." I have already done the research, and it takes a LOT of hard and strategy to run a craft business, Etsy or otherwise. It has to become your life, and even then you might not succeed. Most of the profitable shops on Etsy can only be that way because the owners essentially become one-person sweatshops. Selling your items also opens you up to criticism from your clients. I am STILL having nightmares in which my first client calls me up and screams, "I hate this! Change it all!"

I don't want to completely rule out the possibility of a teenager starting her own business if she is genuinely motivated, but a responsible homeschooling mom would require her to do a lot more preparations for her project. She could write a business plan, read books on marketing, interview adults who already run similar businesses. My local university offers classes and summer programs for kids in entrepreneurship. But that will never happen with fundy families, because it would involve too much worldly knowledge.

[MisUndrstd]

I embroider, and I have been getting a lot of attention for it recently. I have won ribbons and prizes at contests, have stitched two original designs as silent auction prizes, and completed my first commission a few months ago. I still go into a full-body cringe when someone says, "You could go into business." I have already done the research, and it takes a LOT of hard and strategy to run a craft business, Etsy or otherwise. It has to become your life, and even then you might not succeed. Most of the profitable shops on Etsy can only be that way because the owners essentially become one-person sweatshops. Selling your items also opens you up to criticism from your clients. I am STILL having nightmares in which my first client calls me up and screams, "I hate this! Change it all!"

I don't want to completely rule out the possibility of a teenager starting her own business if she is genuinely motivated, but a responsible homeschooling mom would require her to do a lot more preparations for her project. She could write a business plan, read books on marketing, interview adults who already run similar businesses. My local university offers classes and summer programs for kids in entrepreneurship. But that will never happen with fundy families, because it would involve too much worldly knowledge.

I agree that the craft business is a really hard area of business to get into. I also do a lot of crafts, my favorite media is paper, wooden, vintage embellishments. But the things that I make are really well received and people are clamoring for my items (I'm not begging really), but what I find since my products are "homemade" people don't want to pay very much for them. So even though they are NOT made in China in a sweatshop that employs children for .25 cents an hour, people somehow believe that my item should be bargain basement in price. I put a lot of work and detail in what I do and a lot of time and I find after all the expense and what I sell items for I never really cover the time I put into them. So homemade crafts are very difficult thing to sell at a price that is profitable for the maker.

[sparkles]

I've been an Etsy buyer since shortly after it launched and it's no longer the place for the "loving hands at home" crafter. At this point, the site probably has close to 1 million active sellers. It's a big business. BIG. I think it's great to teach your kids about running a business but for cry-eye, start with something reasonable—family, friends, neighbors, church events. Then move upward and onward as you learn. Unless you're willing to devote hours to promoting yourself, Etsy will eat you alive. So unless Kelly wants to teach them a lesson in how to accept failure gracefully, I'm not sure what she hopes to accomplish. Now Etsy DOES have great resources for start-ups but I doubt Kelly had them take that route first. No, they probably jumped right in, just like hundreds of other failed sellers did. If you build it, they probably won't come.

My sister is a jewelry artist whose pieces sell anywhere from $500 to $5,000 and Etsy scared the shit out of her.

[FundieWatcher]

I seem to recall that Kelly had a bath product business and a book or music business too. They are going in too many directions.

I have been to her son's website. I agree he could have talent. But he needs to be under the instruction of a professional. Someone to tell him what he is doing wrong and how to correct it.

I went to the daughter's shop. I hope some family or friends order from her.

Kelly is trying to push owning your own business. The kids aren't developing their skills enough first. And selling crafts and art is an oversaturated market to start with.

I think a better idea would be to start a housekeeping business. The start up cost are low- they probably already have vacuum cleaners, products, towels etc..Even if they just clean 2 or 3 homes 2 or 3 times a week they can turn a profit.

[Hisey]

I think Kelly once mentioned that Bria cleaned houses, though I don't know if it was an actual business.

I forgot to mention that Kelly has an etsy shop too ("Printable Poetry"), selling inspirational sayings with pretty backgrounds. For $2.99 you get a download you can print up yourself. The shop opened in February and she has two sales.

edited to fix a tense

[crawfishgirl]

When kids are young, it might be easier to start with just providing simple services. I babysat a lot as a teenager, and my brother mowed the lawn for a few neighbors. My 10 year old daughter has been caring for dogs for a couple of neighbors - it started when some friends needed someone at the last moment to take care of their dog when they went out of town and their kennel plans fell through - they asked us since their dog was familiar with us. Since then, they have been asking for help on a regular basis (I frequently oversee the help, since my daughter is still young). They mentioned it to another neighbor who only works during tax season, so that neighbor asked my daughter to let her dogs out and feed them when she got home from school each day (just during the months she was working). They have remarked that she is really responsible for a 10 year old. None of this was planned, it just fell into our laps. My child loves to be paid to play and care for dogs, so it has worked out well.

[DomWackTroll]

I think Kelly once mentioned that Bria cleaned houses, though I don't know if it was an actual business.

I forgot to mention that Kelly has an etsy shop too ("Printable Poetry"), selling inspirational sayings with pretty backgrounds. For $2.99 you get a download you can print up yourself. The shop opened in February and she has two sales.

edited to fix a tense

Yeah, I saw that and was going to post about it here, but something stopped me. Like, it was almost too pathetic to snark on. Kelly is delusional about her own importance, and it's embarrassing, even to someone like me who... well, hates her.

[nokidsmom]

I agree that the craft business is a really hard area of business to get into. I also do a lot of crafts, my favorite media is paper, wooden, vintage embellishments. But the things that I make are really well received and people are clamoring for my items (I'm not begging really), but what I find since my products are "homemade" people don't want to pay very much for them. So even though they are NOT made in China in a sweatshop that employs children for .25 cents an hour, people somehow believe that my item should be bargain basement in price. I put a lot of work and detail in what I do and a lot of time and I find after all the expense and what I sell items for I never really cover the time I put into them. So homemade crafts are very difficult thing to sell at a price that is profitable for the maker.

Oh yes, I sew, have done some sewing for paying customers, but have pretty much stopped doing it because people want to pay Walmart prices. I will never forget the last time I told a prospective customer, when her eyes bugged out over what I would charge her, that she was getting a custom-made garment and yes, you pay for that. If you want Walmart prices, then go to Walmart. You simply don't get custom made for cheap. But that's not what people expect now. It used to be that when clothing was not made so cheaply, it was easier to do this work but now, it's not worth it.

I also knit and have considered selling things on Etsy but keep holding off because it's just gotten too big. I originally registered with them back in 2008 (when they were a lot smaller) but didn't follow through with setting up a shop because of other things happening. Now I go there and am shocked at how much I would have to lower my prices to even have a chance of selling, so reconsidering the whole thing. I don't know how anyone makes a go of it now.

[hoipolloi]

If you want Walmart prices, then go to Walmart. You simply don't get custom made for cheap. But that's not what people expect now. It used to be that when clothing was not made so cheaply, it was easier to do this work but now, it's not worth it.

I also knit and have considered selling things on Etsy but keep holding off because it's just gotten too big. I originally registered with them back in 2008 (when they were a lot smaller) but didn't follow through with setting up a shop because of other things happening. Now I go there and am shocked at how much I would have to lower my prices to even have a chance of selling, so reconsidering the whole thing. I don't know how anyone makes a go of it now.

Bought a handbag insert from an Etsy seller 2-3 years ago. It was good quality, made in the US (important to me), and I thought that the seller charged a fair price, which was neither rock bottom nor sky-high. Went back on Etsy 3-4 months ago to look for more of the same and was shocked at the huge number of vendors my search turned up. After applying the "made in US" filter, it became clear that there's been a major influx of Asia-based vendors who can undersell many if not all of the US-based home businesses. It's too bad because for many items Etsy could be a great source.

All this to say that anything Kelly or her kids try to sell on Etsy is going to face incredible, almost unbeatable, competition no matter what the product is. They are delusional if they think this would provide an income of any sort for a family, especially with the negligible research & preparation the Crawfords have done in order to sell in this marketplace.

[Burpies]

I knit and I love it. I have made many cute items for family and friends. So many people see my children in items I have knit for them and said I should sell my knit stuff. I always tell them no, and when they persist I tell them it's not worth it to me. The price of the yarn alone is more than what most people would want to pay for a knit garment, and that's not even counting my time. Especially since I am the slowest knitter in the world! What am I going to make? $0.10/hour? Nope, not worth it.

[Coco]

I seem to recall that Kelly had a bath product business and a book or music business too. They are going in too many directions.

I have been to her son's website. I agree he could have talent. But he needs to be under the instruction of a professional. Someone to tell him what he is doing wrong and how to correct it.

I went to the daughter's shop. I hope some family or friends order from her.

Kelly is trying to push owning your own business. The kids aren't developing their skills enough first. And selling crafts and art is an oversaturated market to start with.

I think a better idea would be to start a housekeeping business. The start up cost are low- they probably already have vacuum cleaners, products, towels etc..Even if they just clean 2 or 3 homes 2 or 3 times a week they can turn a profit.

Exactly what i was going to suggest. They could actually make a stable living like this. My youngest siblings did this before they married. They work (still do) for a rancher and also gradually built up a client base cleaning houses. It's good work, when done in a professional manner - as efficiently as possible. They used Don Aslett techniques, i think. But of course, cleaning houses can't be done from home. :lol: They also had their own transportation, and found most of their clients from the well-off congregation of the large church they attended.

[onlyme]

I've been an Etsy buyer since shortly after it launched and it's no longer the place for the "loving hands at home" crafter. At this point, the site probably has close to 1 million active sellers. It's a big business. BIG. I think it's great to teach your kids about running a business but for cry-eye, start with something reasonable—family, friends, neighbors, church events. Then move upward and onward as you learn. Unless you're willing to devote hours to promoting yourself, Etsy will eat you alive. So unless Kelly wants to teach them a lesson in how to accept failure gracefully, I'm not sure what she hopes to accomplish. Now Etsy DOES have great resources for start-ups but I doubt Kelly had them take that route first. No, they probably jumped right in, just like hundreds of other failed sellers did. If you build it, they probably won't come.

My sister is a jewelry artist whose pieces sell anywhere from $500 to $5,000 and Etsy scared the shit out of her.

Oh, yes it will. I have been there for a few years and there is waaaayy more than just knowing your craft well; social media, SEO, photography for starters. It takes a lot of time. A freaking lot of time. She might get a few pity sales, but she competing against some of the best in the world. The best knitters in Poland, Russian embroiderers, etc. Not to mention all the mass made crap that's been coming in lately.

[Johanna25]

Most home crafters can't make a profit selling to others. You would have to find an extremely low material cost and minimal effort product to make it work. My mom is an expert knitter, she contributes items to her church's annual Christmas bazaar and it breaks my heart to see what they sell for. That whole bazaar is an enormous effort for small reward, but I won't get started on that. It's the fellowship more than the profit, I guess.

[19 cats and counting]

As someone who has tried to sell handmade jewelry, it's very difficult. I make things out of glass beads (or gemstones) and price them very reasonably ($10 for a basic necklace). Before I priced anything, I looked at costume jewelry from chain stores and made mine competitive with their prices. I often used higher quality materials too (For example, I don't use plastic beads unless I'm doing something for a small child).

I've tried my hands selling at flea markets and TBH it's more trouble than it is worth. My first one (a church one) had a $25 entry fee and I didn't even break even. The craft fairs around here all have steep entry fees ($150+) and it's not worth it if I don't break even, let alone turn a profit. I've since set up a FB page and sell a handful a year there.

I looked at Etsy but their fees are way too steep.

[nokidsmom]

As someone who has tried to sell handmade jewelry, it's very difficult. I make things out of glass beads (or gemstones) and price them very reasonably ($10 for a basic necklace). Before I priced anything, I looked at costume jewelry from chain stores and made mine competitive with their prices. I often used higher quality materials too (For example, I don't use plastic beads unless I'm doing something for a small child).

I've tried my hands selling at flea markets and TBH it's more trouble than it is worth. My first one (a church one) had a $25 entry fee and I didn't even break even. The craft fairs around here all have steep entry fees ($150+) and it's not worth it if I don't break even, let alone turn a profit. I've since set up a FB page and sell a handful a year there.

I looked at Etsy but their fees are way too steep.

Considered going the FB route for selling in place of doing Etsy. At least I don't have to pay to list and I can keep listings up for as long as I want without worrying about relisting them again and paying for it again.

[Coco]

what about ebay? i buy almost everything non-expendable from ebay. Buy used, save the... you know. :lol:

but i've heard they recently changed their rules too.

[onlyme]

Oh, gosh ebay is a slew of junk.

Basically to make it in any of these venues, you have to promote yourself using social media. It takes months to see any kind of return and you have to have an identifiable style. There are people making tons of money on Etsy but it takes a lot of time and they are people that the public comes looking for, like The Black Apple (artist) or Blackbird Tees.

OR do wedding stuff. I hear the wedding category does really well.

[Coco]

Oh, gosh ebay is a slew of junk.

Basically to make it in any of these venues, you have to promote yourself using social media. It takes months to see any kind of return and you have to have an identifiable style. There are people making tons of money on Etsy but it takes a lot of time and they are people that the public comes looking for, like The Black Apple (artist) or Blackbird Tees.

OR do wedding stuff. I hear the wedding category does really well.

oh true. And stay relevant. It would kill creativity to have to keep deferring to the hot thing. For a while of course it was chevron stuff like baby burp cloths and diaper bags and now it's gold dots, arrows, feathers... giant baby hairbows made out of stupid things like whole peacock feathers. :lol:

[RosyDaisy]

I think Kelly once mentioned that Bria cleaned houses, though I don't know if it was an actual business.

She did. It was. It was a failure. This is per my cousins who live in the same town as the Crawfords. As to why it failed, they didn't know or care.

ETA: I don't feel sorry for them. As far as I'm concerned, this falls under "Karma's a bitch".

[Koala]

This is all part of Kelly's justification for not giving her children a proper education. It was just too much to school so many kids of varying ages and grades, so schooling= cruel and stifling and hobbies=career. Presto. Now she can devote her days to finding ways of keeping her kids from sneaking food.

[klynn]

I sell architectural salvage/re-purposed pieces. I don't do etsy. Tried it once, decided it wasn't for me. Too much, too many sellers jacking up the prices. Things that should be able to be purchased at $100 (in my field) are upwards of $500, and it's ridiculous.

Good luck to the Crawford kids on Etsy. You'll need it.