Etsy Dallas has always been about encouraging and mentoring new artists and entrepreneurs. Before we were members of the leadership team, we were new business owners learning how to take our passions and turn them into, maybe not even profitable companies, but just things that other people wanted to buy. We all remember our first craft show and remember that person or people who helped us get through it. Community over competition. This is what Etsy Dallas is all about.

As we approach the “new normal”, with its in-person events, but while things are still slower than they used to be, we decided to run a beta test of a new program, one that focuses on the next generation of entrepreneurs. This spring, we launched a trial of our Etsy Dallas Youth Entrepreneur Program!

The goal of the Etsy Dallas Youth Entrepreneur Program is to educate and inspire the next generation of artisans. The program includes seminars and workbook exercises that teach basic business principles, such as setting up an Etsy shop, pricing, marketing, and inventory, all designed to lead up to their first craft show.

At the 2021 Jingle Bash, we met a young girl who was so excited about the earrings she was making and hoped to be in a future Bash. We decided this would be a great opportunity to bring the first person into the new program.

Liana, of LoveYourDelivery, has gone through the beta program (and I think we learned as much as she did) and has done all the prep work for her first show, the 2022 Spring Bash. She has been working hard all year making lucky star earrings, mocking up her booth layout, and planning how to make sales and take credit cards.

We are very proud of how well she is doing and hope that you visit her at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash on Saturday, April 30, in booth #23. If you are a vendor or have ever been a vendor at any show, give her some words of encouragement. We all remember that first show we did. Imagine preparing for it while still having to do your math homework and study for tests too.