On the Naughty List!

 I already put myself there, because I’m starting to feel like being a bad girl again!

Why? Well let me tell you boys and girls, I’m sick and tired of people not getting that the world is changing.

It has  changed and holy fuzz monkeys, nobody knows how it will end up! That being said here’s what I see in our great world change. You don’t have to agree, and feel free to give me your opinion. The funny thing about opinions is that they are like… NOSES! Everyone has one and they all smell. (You thought I was going to say something else, didn’t you?)

The Facts:  

  The Internet has changed everything and nothing at the same time.  What it has done for those of us who have specific interests and hobbies, and even goals to serve a specialized niche in our professional lives has allowed us a democratized market place.

In simple terms, we have a level playing field.

Here’s the rub though, just because the playing field is level doesn’t mean everyone knows how to play ball, or if they do they may only know one position on the field. (Pardon my sports analogies.) Even worse, sometimes you aren’t capable of playing ball without a lot of help from your team. I should know, I’ve been there; I was a right fielder. Yup, that’s right; I was not talented  in playing the sports of  baseball and softball. I was great at supporting my team though, I was the morale booster and I could analyse the other side’s playing style and tell my coach what I saw and how best to play against the opposing side, not bad for a gangly 9 year old kid. She thought that was pretty valuable, it made it less of a rub that I couldn’t catch or throw straight.

In our crochet world this is a great time! We can create patterns for sale, and make beautiful crocheted items to vend in on-line stores. We may be fabulous writers, crocheters, seamstresses, but we may not be good at web building, email writing, publishing, graphic design, or photography. Maybe we are good at one or two things, but all of it?

Even if you’re a triple threat of crochet maker-land and on-line sales, you will find out pretty darn soon it’s hard to do it all by yourself  and keep going. Doing it all, having to be good at it all, seeing the world as full of competition? That my friends is the old school way of doing business.

You have to collaborate. You have to have small trusted teams of professionals with whom you can work. There is no way you can make it, not in business and not socially without help. Well, this part isn’t new, this part has always been true.What is new, is that you and I, the little guy, can actually make a living. But we need to see past the end of our noses and learn how to get ahead.

That’s what CLF 3.0 is about. It’s not about breaking into an existing market, it’s not about getting the yarn companies to sponsor us and give us handouts or goodies.  I do want to hit up some larger businesses for membership benefits, but you’ll be shocked at who I’m lining up! Nope, I want to see us blaze trails and make Independent Crafters and Artisans strong, and THE market place.  Can we do it? Oh hell yes we can.It will take time, it will take getting professional, and it will take getting educated.

That’s why I’m telling you to hold onto your hats for CLF 3.0. We’re going to start 2012 in style!Wait? You don’t want to be a pro? You don’t want to sell your work? That’s OK, CLF 3.0 will offer you access to the pros and their wares in a way that has NEVER been done before. And of course I’ll always be offering unique information for crocheters right here on the blog, so sign up now!

Like many of you, I never saw how I could put my real world expertise into this industry.

My past life as a sales trainer and executive for multinational corporations and large import/export companies in the Middle East, Africa and Europe shall be YOUR boon! A decade ago, I got tired of making the rich richer; I want to help you grow.When we all do better, we do better. End of story.

Now go ahead, tell me how it can’t be done. Tell me how it’s too hard. Tell me I’m crazy. Tell me I’m a nobody. Go ahead, do you think I’ve never heard that before? I sure have, and I heard a lot of it this year.NEWS FLASH: CLF 3.0 is happening, starting in January.

You can get in on the ground floor or you can join later or not at all. In fact, this info will be so awesome that even if you don’t want to sell your hand made goods, you may find the skills tranferrable and you can use them in any professional arena!

Yeah, I’m bad. The world is changing, the playing field is level for us all; It’s time we did more than rail and scream at the wind. It’s time we did something about it, and like always, I’m putting my money where my mouth is!!