I’m a serial entrepreneur — and apparently I always have been. My first side business started when I was about four years old, picking dandelions and selling them to neighbors who were more
Tips, tricks and best practices for vendors.
The Booth Boss is here to guide you every step of the way, whether you’re a seasoned seller or stepping into your first show. This resourceful hub is part advice column, part how-to manual — written by a vendor, for vendors. From display tips and pricing strategies to weathering slow sales days and handling last-minute surprises, this page is packed with real talk, practical tools, and a little bit of vendor-to-vendor tough love. [more]
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I’m a serial entrepreneur — and apparently I always have been. My first side business started when I was about four years old, picking dandelions and selling them to neighbors who were more
Made in Iowa markets are curated events, not first-come, first-served vendor shows. Our goal is to create a balanced, high-quality shopping experience for customers while also protecting vendor success. If you’ve ever wondered
One of the most common reasons vendors are declined for Made in Iowa markets isn’t the quality of their work — it’s the quality of their photos. You may have poured countless hours
We don’t love writing posts like this—but it’s necessary. Over the years, we’ve made the decision not to invite certain vendors back to our markets. It’s never personal, and it’s rarely about the
One of the most important (and often expensive) lessons vendors learn is this:Not every market is right for every vendor. That doesn’t mean the market is bad.It doesn’t mean you failed.It simply means
This isn’t just about markets. The same behaviors that get vendors invited back to events are the ones that get freelancers rehired, artists recommissioned, and small businesses recommended. Whether you’re selling at a
A great question was asked today, and it’s one we hear often from vendors preparing for tax season. If you sell at markets, fairs, or juried shows, you’ve likely paid booth fees and application
Today we answer a reader question: Q. My question is what is the best way to handle those people who slide up to my booth and snap a sly photo of my crafts, but
This past weekend—Small Business Saturday AND Artists Sunday—we held our market with 177 registered vendors.Despite the winter weather, 155 vendors showed up from across Eastern Iowa.27 canceled, and we fully supported their decisions.
While November and December are widely recognized as the biggest shopping period of the year, thousands of home-based entrepreneurs across Iowa have traditionally been left out. Without storefronts, most bakers, crafters, artists, and
