I'm having trouble managing my time. I sell on ETSY and at three stores in the area. I'm also planning on attending a festival in August.

When I go into my studio, I often don't know what to work on first. Originally, I worked on items where I collected 100% of my fees (ETSY items), then on the items that I take to the stores. My thinking is that I do what makes me the most money first. Since I have to split fees with shop owners, those items make me less money so I work on those items last. Now that I have to create items for the show, I don't know how to allocate my time.

How do you guys manage your time? Is building a local following via selling in stores, important?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,

Jenn

Once you commit to a show, I would make that first priority until you are fully stocked. But in general, do you sell pretty much the same items at each place?  If so, why not build an inventory first and then pick which items to sell at each place?  And then you replace whatever sells.

They say that advice is usually worth what you pay for it.
so you can send me a check if you would really like to..... 

Anyway..... pay some attention to what Len, Mike and John have said. Whichever way you go, don't let it overwhelm the joy you get from turning... even if it might be your main source of income. If you are not enjoying what you are doing then it just is not worth it. I guess what I am saying is that you should turn the items you enjoy, when you feel like it. Nothing says you can't sell on-line and locally at the same time but I personally would not let it become something I had to worry about "allocating my time". The only exception to that, I guess, would be if woodturning is your sole (or main) source of revenue.

Jennifer Hasan wrote on May 4^th, 2014 at 2:36pm:

Sounds like youv'e already made a choice. ETSY is out cause it takes time away from fun turning. And will you ever have enough money?