Quilter doubles business within three years thanks to membership
Rebecca Bryan is a quilter writer, author, and business owner who is the creator of Bryan House Quilts. Rebecca has revolutionized the world of fabrics with a unique range of fabrics and thread and also teaches in-person quilting workshops. She began her journey and quest for a more efficient method to support her family, she also found time to pursue her passion for art. Learn more about how changing to an online subscription gave Rebecca the financial stability as well as the peace of mind that she was looking for.
Why did you decide to be involved in the field of knowledge commerce?
My professional career in quilting started with the publication of my first collection of Contemporary Rainbow Quilts. Then, I started teaching classes at quilt shows and guilds all across the United States. The classes I taught coincided with the release of my book 2: Modern Triangle Quilts.
After that, my husband took an opportunity to work in another location and relocated our family, which included four children of school age to the Netherlands. Being in the Netherlands made it impossible for me to return to the US to teach in person!
I had thought of hosting my classes online. However, this change was just the push I needed.
Was the first digital product you created? What made you decide to make it available?
As I was beginning my journey, it was my choice to begin the very first workshop that I that I taught using the Modern Triangle Quilts book "Design Improv with Triangles". For the class, I guide the participants through a sequence of interactive tasks that ultimately lead them to creating their very individual Modern Triangle quilt blocks. This class was chosen because it included my latest book, and I was able to see the length of how an online class could be compared to a 3-hour or six-hour live workshop. (See my Equilateral Sampler quilt, which is pictured at Rockport, Mass.)
Could you provide more information about the outcomes of your workshop which was a one-time purchase?
I truly enjoyed the whole online experience that I provided to my students. First, I was pleasantly amazed. it completely surprising the amount of fun I had teaching on camera and via Zoom. It is impossible to overstate how amazing (painfully!) camera-phobic my past experiences have been, but stepping out in front of my students' cameras was so satisfying. In addition, I came to meet my students while we enjoyed a moment of friendship even though it was virtual. It was all wonderful!
Thus, I began to offer additional online classes that started with a plan of the year program. When we quilt, we refer to these "Blocks from the Months" Every month we create an entirely new quilt block. At the end of the year, we put all blocks of quilt together in order to make a quilt. Woohoo! (See Rainbow Remix, my 2018 BOM.)
What was the motivation behind your decision to launch a subscription product?
As the number of my "Block of the Month" programmes grew from three to in a row, and I was able to provide my students more value as well as assistance by integrating all of my "Modern Triangle" initiatives in the same membership. Therefore, in the month of March 2020, I officially began the process of opening the doors to "Make Modern Triangles" The official club that helps quilters design the designs, create, and construct blocks which are blockbuster-style contemporary triangle quilts.
The members can choose which particular projects they wish to make. They will also receive my help and direction in their pursuit of their desire to "bust the blocks" when they collaborate within a community of similar quilters around the globe. This "Triangle Chatter" community is wonderful! Everyday, I'm blown over by the progress and work pictures that members share.
How did your intended readers think of your email?
Favorably, I'd say!
They Block of the Month products are fun to put together in my experience as an educator. The whole process will be much more fun in the community; the anticipation of the next step and watching piles of blocks grow; the regret when something goes wrong and the satisfaction of completing each step, and then the joy of saying "ta da!" together! The whole experience is amazing, and part of the bond we have as a whole.
What did you learn about the subscription you received, and how it are able to apply to your business?
Oh my. The most beneficial lesson I've learned, through hard work, was that I'm doing way far too much for myself. Therefore, I'm always seeking ways to decrease my work load.
When I began my own business the first thing I wanted to do was to have enough money to afford my family's support without having to search for an "real" job. My first venture started in the age of four as my children were still infants with the hopes of growing my income to the same level as the salary of a "real" work.
I wanted to create an online venture which allowed me to work maybe 25% of the time at the computer as well as spend the rest of my time creating within my sewing space.
A person of astonishing imagination who is passionate about teaching it was easy to lose myself by the quilts I'd designed and then creating a new product for sale. You can imagine that I was incredibly busy with work! The stress of this actually drove me away from my sewing space and away from my objectives.
In order to keep things simple simplify things and simple, I'm now focusing (mostly!) on my membership. I've pared the entire thing down to a single offering.
What impact did starting the subscription-based services have on your business?
By simplifying and focusing on the growth of my membership and income, I've seen my earnings increase by 50% over the past three years (thanks for your sweet analysis!). I've fulfilled my goal of creating a company that can support my family as well as one one in which I'm not dependent on my computer. I'm able to work from my home office and make work of art.
I'm so relieved. I feel great about what I'm providing my fellow members. I enjoywatching my members' work. Plus, I'm able to spend more time. I feel at ease. The peace of mind frees up my bandwidth. Although it's not perfect, I'm aware of the things I'm building and how I can improve it. I also know what to expect from future growth and developments within the next couple of years.
My membership has given me ease of mind. A majority of the times, I'm able to see the totality of my business' revenue annually. It's not like I'm expected to showcase my latest work I'm developing or create products to market. My focus is on creating incredible content and connecting with my readers, and I also create my own content. Plus, I can be agile and flexible when it comes to taking good care for my family members.
How could you help you to achieve the results you wanted?
My objective was and always was simplicity. it has been a complete success. It's easy for an online business to get complicated real quick. It is a tool that makes life easier and I'm all for it. Everything I need is in it, which is in addition to the other programs (from earlier times, which I didn't use ) I make a specific usage of.
What tips would you give anyone who's looking to launch a subscription-based business?
Lean hard into the "Beta" version. Then maintain your version "Beta" for a longer time than you think is necessary. I wished I'd kept mine in beta mode longer. In your beta, discover the things that work, and take it further. After that, you can spend your time and energy polishing and perfecting those things that work. Keep it simple and stay in the present moment and focus on simple. Start your test right now. The longer you wait longer and the longer you wait, the more difficult test you will have to take!
is the simplest way to turn your knowledge into income
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