Growing a craft business: A guide for makers and designers

Running a craft business involves many of the same fundamentals as running any other business. You still need to price your work properly, manage cashflow, find and keep customers and make decisions about growth. However, craft businesses often operate under different constraints. Production is usually limited by time and skill rather than machinery. The maker is closely connected to the product, and growth decisions can affect the nature and quality of the work itself.

Generic business advice does not always account for these realities. Guidance that assumes rapid scaling, automation or high-volume production can be difficult to apply in a craft context.

This guide is designed to provide craft businesses with practical, realistic advice that reflects how the sector operates. It aims to help you define your craft brand, choose the right sales channels and navigate common challenges. It also explains how retail partnerships work and why growing your craft business sustainably is important to avoid overextending or losing what makes your work distinctive.