This is the hardest episode I’ve written so far. A completely raw and open look at the mistakes I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned from being in business for 13 years. Being made to cry. The guy at the print shop did not appreciate being told he’d made a mistake. He got quite angry and made me feel small and inexperienced, like I didn’t know what I was doing. I went home and actually cried. I vowed never to cry in business again after that experience. Trying to appeal to ‘everyone’....

Do you struggle to get people to see your posts on social media? It can be hard to get seen among the masses of content being posted daily, but there’s another way to get your content seen. This week I’m talking all about sewing blogs and why you should have one for your dance costume business. Now, before you get uppity with me and say this episode is not for you, hear me out. There are so many advantages to having an online space that is 100% your own and you control what goes on...

How to dye and airbrush your dance costumes with Alex from Alexice Designs Have you always wanted to know how to get those really cool ombre effects on your dance costumes? There are so many fab designs on Pinterest and Insta, but how do they achieve those results? Where do you even start with finding out about what dye to use and how airbrushing works? In this episode I interview Alex from Alexice Designs about how she works with dye in her dance costume making. We discus the types...

How do you know what to charge for a custom dance costume? If you are not sure of the answer, then you are not alone. It’s the number one thing I get asked when working with dance costume makers to help them grow their business. I’m passionate about helping you get your pricing right so that you can enjoy doing the job you love, knowing that you are getting paid what you are worth. There are so many trains of thought on the subject of pricing. While I do respect others and their...

Are you struggling to know what type of content to put out for your customers while in lockdown? Do you feel unsure talking about costumes that your customers don’t need right now? In this episode I’ll give you a few ideas about how you can stay in touch with your customers and ensure they don’t forget about you. Lots of businesses are starting to think about how they might be able to start trading again once the lockdown restrictions are relaxed, but it’s hard to make plans when all we...

Are you nervous about customer complaints? Is it stopping you from taking your business forward? In this episode I’m going to share some practical tips that will help your business run smoothly and keep your customer happy and coming back for more. There are lots of reasons why a customer might not be completely satisfied. Customers can have objections at any point in the costume making process. It might be that they object before you get started or it might be that they have an issue...

Have you longed to be a professional costume maker? Do you often get asked to make dance costumes for other people? In today’s episode I’m talking about practical steps you need to take and the things you need to think about if you are looking to take the leap from hobby sewer to small business owner. In this episode I talk about what it’s like to go from sewing as a hobby to running a small dance costume making business. You might have been sewing for your kids or other people’s kids,...

Want to know how to keep your sewing business going during lockdown? Wondering what you can do to keep your sanity while everyone around you loses their shizzle?… I think we can all agree that the world is a strange place right now and there is a feeling of not knowing what to do. It’s easy to think while you’re not getting any new orders come through, that there isn’t much you can do, but there is. There is so much you can be doing right now. Now is the perfect time to do all those...

Welcome to the dance costume makers show.  A podcast all about making dance costumes. I’ll be tackling all kinds of sewing and business related topics, to get you inspired with new costume making techniques as well show you how to get the most out of your costume business. I’ve been a dance costume maker for several years, and I’ve owned and run my company, Pink Giraffe, for over a decade.  I hope that by combining my costume making knowledge with the business skills I have learned...