I’m often asked how I manage to juggle so many different endeavors at once: in short, organization, and the complimentary qualities of each. I can design something for a book, demonstrate making it on TV, sell a kit for it in my shop and then license the rights to another artist or manufacturer just as easily as making one item and stopping there. Carpenters “measure twice, cut once”; I design once, then sell multiple formats and rights. It’s the only way to thrive as a creative entrepreneur, and it’s something writers have done for years.
My businesses and the other organizations/events below all share a common purpose: creating, promoting, protecting and championing creative content of all kinds.
Stitch Cleveland
I am a founder and co-owner of Stitch Cleveland, a brick and mortar studio/workshop space with an online shop and offerings. My responsibilities include mentoring interns, developing and maintaining our web presence, PR and marketing strategy, and creating new class offerings for individuals, as well as material for corporate HR teambuilding and philanthropic exercises.
anezka media
After my book Knitgrrl had been sold, I was asked to do freelance acquisitions for a major publisher. They wanted to tap my mental Rolodex to find talented new authors — I get this from TV craft show producers, too. I truly love doing acquisitions, but I’ve noticed that some publishers are notoriously innovation-shy. They don’t want to publish the first book on a topic… they want to see how books 1-3 sold first!
I’ve had projects languish while the marketing department tries to “figure out how to sell” them. (In one instance, the project was revived as soon as a major bookstore chain specifically asked the publisher for a book like the one I’d pitched months earlier!)
Tired of waiting, I took matters into my own hands and founded anezka media to publish authors I knew would sell well to the right audience. Innovators, not imitators. Our first title, Jonelle Raffino’s Purls Forever was published in 2007.
We’re not trying to take business away from the big publishers; on the contrary, if they want to use us as a “farm team” and buy projects from us at various stages of the production process, that’s fine… we just want to see these books in print!
indie promotions
indie promotions is a full-service firm that specializes in smaller independent businesses, with an emphasis on artists, authors, musicians and other creative industries. We have experience in not only “traditional” PR work (such as writing press releases and contacting the media on your behalf) but also cutting edge, technology-friendly methods.
While related to traditional PR services, online media and customer relations are not something every firm does well. We understand the power of the internet, and the responsibility that goes with using it. For example, we don’t — and won’t — spam huge purchased lists for you, but we will help you set up and use an opt-in customer contact system, or develop your social media network.
Bazaar Bizarre
I organize the Cleveland edition of Bazaar Bizarre, a national series of DIY-focused arts fairs founded in Boston. Events take place in Boston, Cleveland and Los Angeles; in 2006 we added San Francisco to the roster.
Stitch Cooperative
I founded Stitch Cooperative to solve multiple problems in the needlearts industry. Shop owners didn’t want to deal with multiple independent designers (although they did want to stock their patterns, given their online popularity), and designers wanted to distribute into yarn stores, but without losing control over their intellectual property rights or editorial standards. Stitch Cooperative brings the two together via a designer-owned and -operated cooperative for pattern and related educational media distribution.
Fiber League
I’m a founding member of the Fiber League, whose tagline is “Shielding the world from evil. With yarn.” That may be slightly overblown, but we are leading by example for fiber artists and businesses, addressing everything from pattern piracy to to creating a speakers’ bureau where guilds and booksellers can find just the right workshop or lecture presenter to developing a directory of qualified technical editors, test knitters and more.
anezka handmade
anezka handmade was my online shop that sold handcrafted accessories, jewelry, knits and other items in pre-Etsy days. Independent artists and designers (over 170 in rotation since its founding) consigned their work to be sold on its website. We handled all site maintenance, selected offline retailing (at various DIY events, art walks, etc), promotions, advertising, and other routine tasks. This left the artisans more time to focus on their work, while providing both a sales outlet and community of like-minded individuals. anezka handmade distinguished itself from its competitors through innovative use of technology and content. The site offered a subscribable event calendar, e-cards, and more. anezka handmade is currently closed pending site renovations, but selected artists’ work continues to be sold at Stitch Cleveland.