the Six-Figure Sewing
Business Checklist
Selling things you made at random is SO FUN, but no one tells you just how much is involved when you want to make the leap from side hustle to boss. You can go at it alone.. and fumble through figuring it all out - or start with a more structured approach.
If you want to launch a sewing business (or simply sell your own handmade products, I whipped up a checklist that outlines the key steps you need to take to launch your business, and get you well on your way to building a full-time salary from sewing.
It's all fun and games until you've bought way too much yardage for a product that'll never sell. Too many people produce things (or worse, pay other people to manufacture for them) that they never spent time researching for market demand. Investigate if there is a demand for your product or service. You have to first identify your target audience... define who your ideal customer is, and then, what it is they need. Use surveys, social media polls, and market analysis to gauge interest. Don't ask your mother.
You have to first find out if the name is available - I would start with your Secretary of State's website, then find out what domains you'd need to buy so that you own the business name, and the web address for the business too.
I would then choose a Business Structure: decide whether you want to operate as a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation, and file the paperwork. Most people, the answer is LLC. After we got a bit established, an S corp was the way for us. You can read more about this step here!
Then apply for a trademark with the USTPO to protect your brand name.
Then choose accounting software or hire an accountant to manage your finances.
Now that you're legit on paper, it's time to become legit behind closed doors. This is the part where you frontload the pain - that is - do all the hard process-building now, so you can sprint later. Build a process for everything, because the moment things get crazy, your workflows will save you when you need to delegate.
Not only do you need a process to get the actual work done (whiteboard colors for your calendar, supply chains & estimations for creating your product, and an invoicing workflow to make sure nothing gets missed). It's also great to break projects down into manageable tasks (cutting day, serging day, sewing day, etc.), so that you can accurately estimate time and materials.
Turning a profit has less to do with gaining a massive following and everything to do with accurately estimating the work you have to do. If you can't estimate how long it's gonna take you to create so many products, I can guarantee you that you're going to lose money in the net. The most important thing here is breaking down every project or product into one-sentence, actionable tasks, and assigning time values to each sentence. Once you can beat the timer, you can trust the estimate, and trust the price that you set for it will cover the cost of your time and overhead.
If you have rock-solid estimates, all that's left is calculating costs: Factor in materials, labor, overhead, and profit margin... yes, even if you're the one doing all the sewing. I start with the number I want to end the year with in profit, and work backwards from there. It's great, too, to research what sort of pricing is competitive, as well as finding your project-based hourly wage, and non-project based hourly wage.
It may not feel important upfront, but understanding contracts surrounding creative & craft-based work is mission critical in protecting the brand you're trying to build. From vendor contracts & NDAs, to manufacturing contracts when you scale, you've got to understand limit of liability clauses, payment and delivery terms, and how exactly deals should look on paper. Bonus points if you sell a product and have a pre-prepared contract for selling wholesale in stores as a vendor.
The fun part! Start with finding the right archetype (Do yourself a favor and Google Brand Archetypes) that fits the brand you want to build. Developing a brand identity isn't just about creating a logo, color scheme, and overall aesthetic that reflects your business - it's about giving your business a voice - complete with accent, tone, and personality. Choosing a good archetype makes it easy to write everything from web copy to social media captions, but from there, get after that website creation!
Creating a good marketing strategy isn't about saying 'post to social media more'. This is about finding the most strategic ways to share your archetype with the world. Right now, I'm a HUGE fan of building an email list (pssstt are you on mine yet??) and sharing content on Pinterest, Facebook, Tiktok, and Instagram (in that order). Leveraging visual platforms to showcase your work is a fantastic way to connect with potential customers, but an email list? That's one beautifully algorithm-proof way to land directly into the inbox of people who want what you create!
This should do the trick on the basics! Follow the checklist, and you'll lay a solid foundation for your sewing business and increase your chances drastically of lasting that last . Remember, each step is crucial, so take your time to ensure you’re setting yourself up for long-term growth and sustainability.
FYI, if you want every step in detail, like hands-on in-depth mastery of how to step through every single element of starting a sewing business, I hold your hand through the process in the self-paced course called the Six-Figure Sewing Pattern.