Kryten the Kiln needs a friend!
Donation protected
Good day lovely people! This is a huge appeal from me in a bid to expand my business and keep up with the ever increasing demand for my glass work.
Crowdfunding is very new to me and something I find a little scary and quite daunting... however I've decided to give it all I have with my usual 'what do I have to lose?' attitude.
Let's do this!
Without further ado, let me introduce myself. I'm Suzie Lavender and I'm a glass artist. I graduated from Wolverhampton University a year ago and I immediately began building my glassmaking business in my home kitchen studio after buying my first faithful kiln, Kryten, Since then my work has featured in an exhibition and has been sold in four shops to date. I've taken on numerous commisions and I was also featured in a television interview.
People who know me will always agree that I work hard. 6 years ago, after training for several years, I established my first business, working as a mobile DJ and Children's Entertainer (DJ Suzie!). This business has gone from strength to strength and was the catalyst that enabled me to seriously consider attending university as I could study in the week whilst still earning at weekends. By this time my two daughters had both began secondary school and it was such a privilege to spend years studying in tandem with them and share the stresses of homework!
Fast forward to one year since my graduation and my venture is becoming a viable business. I continue to work every weekend DJing and also work 18hours a week as a manager of a local arts cafe (@thecodsallhive). In between and around these jobs I fit in the glass making, rarely taking a day off and regularly working in my kitchen based studio until the early hours.
So what now? Now I'm ready to push forward and step it up a gear. I have began teaching successful workshops which have been well attended and I have more booked in over the next few months. I have taken on extra rented space within one of my stockists which is already paying off and my sales at both of my current outlets are going from strength to strength. I plan to develop my online sales presence, improve my website and open an Etsy shop. I am determained to capture the Christmas market this year and will create a range of Christmas decorations and gifts. I intend to develop a wholesale range and get it out there into gift shops and coastal boutiques throughout the country.
Pivotal to all of these plans is that I have now taken on a studio space which I will be working in from the end of August; taking my production out of my home and into a dedicated workspace is an exciting move which I hope will focus my glassmaking and enable me to use my limited time efficiently (It will also allow me to reclaim my kitchen once again!).
So what do I hope to gain from Crowdfunding?
Kryten the Kiln needs a friend. He's lonely and overworked. I have the opportunity to purchase another second hand kiln that has recently come up for sale and I'm hoping that Crowdfunding will help me on my way to do this. A second kiln will double my output and enable me to maximise my potential in the new studio space. Many of my items require more than one firing so a dual kiln set up will create a studio production line. Many of my items require different firing schedules so having two kilns will enable me to work on two product lines simultaneously.
The new kiln will be christened 'Kochanski' and I would eternally appreciate your help in purchasing her as quickly as possible. The additional shop space rental and studio rental that I have taken on have squeezed my budget tight and I would like more than anything to continue making headway in this business. Without the help of Crowdfunding it will be at least another year until I can look at making a new large purchase of equipment such as a kiln yet the irony is that without the extra kiln I will struggle to grow the business further, which is what I would need to do in order to purchase the kiln. You see the predicament.
All donations of £10 and over will gratefully receive from me a thank you gift of a piece of glasswork I have created. I will tier the gifts according to donation amounts received and I promise to be generous! All donors over £20 will also have the option of requesting a voucher for my work rather than an actual piece of my glass straight away. You can then purchase at any time in the following year from my online shops (coming very soon!) and can even give away the vouchers received as gifts if you prefer. If you would like a voucher rather than a glass gift just let me know when donating.
If this campaign does well I also intend to pay it forward. I already regularly help charities by providing prize donations and also through my DJing by providing heavily discounted or free entertainment for charity events. I pledge that in the three years following this campaign I will personally provide services and goods to local charities and causes from my businesses that will match the total monies raised on this page.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I appreciate your interest in my campaign and if you decide to pledge then I can honestly say that you will make my day!
I just know that Kryten and Kochanski will have a great life with me in my studio....
Thank you so much!
Suzie xx
Crowdfunding is very new to me and something I find a little scary and quite daunting... however I've decided to give it all I have with my usual 'what do I have to lose?' attitude.
Let's do this!
Without further ado, let me introduce myself. I'm Suzie Lavender and I'm a glass artist. I graduated from Wolverhampton University a year ago and I immediately began building my glassmaking business in my home kitchen studio after buying my first faithful kiln, Kryten, Since then my work has featured in an exhibition and has been sold in four shops to date. I've taken on numerous commisions and I was also featured in a television interview.
People who know me will always agree that I work hard. 6 years ago, after training for several years, I established my first business, working as a mobile DJ and Children's Entertainer (DJ Suzie!). This business has gone from strength to strength and was the catalyst that enabled me to seriously consider attending university as I could study in the week whilst still earning at weekends. By this time my two daughters had both began secondary school and it was such a privilege to spend years studying in tandem with them and share the stresses of homework!
Fast forward to one year since my graduation and my venture is becoming a viable business. I continue to work every weekend DJing and also work 18hours a week as a manager of a local arts cafe (@thecodsallhive). In between and around these jobs I fit in the glass making, rarely taking a day off and regularly working in my kitchen based studio until the early hours.
So what now? Now I'm ready to push forward and step it up a gear. I have began teaching successful workshops which have been well attended and I have more booked in over the next few months. I have taken on extra rented space within one of my stockists which is already paying off and my sales at both of my current outlets are going from strength to strength. I plan to develop my online sales presence, improve my website and open an Etsy shop. I am determained to capture the Christmas market this year and will create a range of Christmas decorations and gifts. I intend to develop a wholesale range and get it out there into gift shops and coastal boutiques throughout the country.
Pivotal to all of these plans is that I have now taken on a studio space which I will be working in from the end of August; taking my production out of my home and into a dedicated workspace is an exciting move which I hope will focus my glassmaking and enable me to use my limited time efficiently (It will also allow me to reclaim my kitchen once again!).
So what do I hope to gain from Crowdfunding?
Kryten the Kiln needs a friend. He's lonely and overworked. I have the opportunity to purchase another second hand kiln that has recently come up for sale and I'm hoping that Crowdfunding will help me on my way to do this. A second kiln will double my output and enable me to maximise my potential in the new studio space. Many of my items require more than one firing so a dual kiln set up will create a studio production line. Many of my items require different firing schedules so having two kilns will enable me to work on two product lines simultaneously.
The new kiln will be christened 'Kochanski' and I would eternally appreciate your help in purchasing her as quickly as possible. The additional shop space rental and studio rental that I have taken on have squeezed my budget tight and I would like more than anything to continue making headway in this business. Without the help of Crowdfunding it will be at least another year until I can look at making a new large purchase of equipment such as a kiln yet the irony is that without the extra kiln I will struggle to grow the business further, which is what I would need to do in order to purchase the kiln. You see the predicament.
All donations of £10 and over will gratefully receive from me a thank you gift of a piece of glasswork I have created. I will tier the gifts according to donation amounts received and I promise to be generous! All donors over £20 will also have the option of requesting a voucher for my work rather than an actual piece of my glass straight away. You can then purchase at any time in the following year from my online shops (coming very soon!) and can even give away the vouchers received as gifts if you prefer. If you would like a voucher rather than a glass gift just let me know when donating.
If this campaign does well I also intend to pay it forward. I already regularly help charities by providing prize donations and also through my DJing by providing heavily discounted or free entertainment for charity events. I pledge that in the three years following this campaign I will personally provide services and goods to local charities and causes from my businesses that will match the total monies raised on this page.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I appreciate your interest in my campaign and if you decide to pledge then I can honestly say that you will make my day!
I just know that Kryten and Kochanski will have a great life with me in my studio....
Thank you so much!
Suzie xx
Organizer
Suzie Lavender
Organizer
