A Day Off - Life as a Maker
I gave myself permission to have a day off yesterday, and it was about time.Fair warning, this is a long post. You might think it's about pretty pictures of the fells where I spent my time yesterday, but for some reason it became something else...
Being self-employed has its advantages, but more often than not these days we're working longer hours for less. It's a reality many small businesses are facing — the turbulence in the world impacts us first, postage and tariff increases are a real threat, and the constant rise in running costs is a nightmare to navigate. With all that negativity, we still have to find our inspiration to create — the beating heart of a creative business is its inspiration, without it we can't make our unique, individual designs.
Unlike those who take other people's ideas and mass produce them abroad using cheap labour, we care about the provenance of our tools and materials, and we respect our customers enough to provide our goods with integrity.
That day off gave me clarity — how much harder it is to run a small business now than it was 10 years ago, and how many of us will still be here in years to come if there isn't a shift in how people buy, and in governments that actually give a damn about small businesses and the real Life as a Maker.
What made you choose handmade the last time you bought something? I'd love to know.
