Archive for the ‘Top Tips’ Category
The Dream List
Pete Mosley, author, business editor for craft&design magazine and creative business coach, spends a big part of his working life with artists and makers who want to raise their profile and start working on a whole new level. Success, however you might define that, is all about developing the right frame of mind, making clear […]
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We all know that the makers at Cockpit Arts are a talented lot, not only are they gifted in craft and design but the recent Makers Do and Mend lunches began to uncover the breath of their skills and experience. We asked what could you offer and what would you like to learn? Especially strong […]
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Tags: training
Q&A with Abigail Brown
Abigail Brown makes hand made textile birds from her studio at Cockpit Arts and writes below about her inspirations, projects and the support she’s had along the way… Q: What three words best describe your work/style? Nature, texture, colour Q: Who, or what, inspired you to become a designer-maker? Initially I was made aware of the craft world […]
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Tags: awards, makers, profile, top tip
Q&A with Catherine Hammerton,
Q: What three words best describe your work/style? Eclectic, stylish, British Q: Who, or what, inspired you to become a designer-maker? I think I was inspired by the hours and hours of plasticine moulding and collage making with my Mum when I was small. From school homework, to nativity costumes to overseeing the production line […]
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Tags: awards, makers, Workshops
Making Eco Packaging
By Vanessa Swann, Chief Executive, Cockpit Arts Do you feel so overwhelmed by what it takes to make your business more eco-friendly that it stops you doing much about it? Focussing on packaging can really help to start the process, as six Cockpit designer-makers discovered when they met Clair McMullen from environmental charity, Global Action […]
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Tags: Environment, Recycle, Seminars, Workshops
Cockpit Arts hosted Q&A session with leading lights of the media world Grant Gibson, Editor of internationally renowned Crafts Magazine and Julia Hilson of cutting edge PR agency Kaper. They shared a wealth of knowledge on maximising the chances of securing great press coverage. Below is a summarised account of the session which was chaired […]
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Tags: press, profile, Seminars
By Ellen O’Hara, Head of Business Development, Cockpit Arts This week we’re talking about cashflow and solvency. How solvent you are is a measure of your ability to pay your day to day bills as they come in. Cash, as they say, is king. And keeping on top of cash flow is crucial, especially in the […]
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Tags: cashflow, Finances, financial health check
By Ellen O’Hara Last time we looked at analysing sales in a little more detail, by looking at sales breakdowns in relation to turnover. And you can repeat the same exercise for expenditure by asking yourself: What percentage of my turnover is allocated to production related costs such as materials, outworkers and packaging? Similarly, what percentage […]
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Tags: Finances, financial health check, sales
On the 29 of March 2011 we ran the Making It workshop Planning Your Product Range led by Rosey Blackmore, Head of Merchandising and Buying at Waddesdon Manor. The workshop aimed to uncover the mysteries of how major stores buy products, what you need to be aware of when developing a range and how to […]
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Author: Nigel Rust B.Sc (Eng) CEng MIMechE, Business Mentor, Coach and Manufacturing Specialist Finding a Manufacturer For designers in the creative sector finding a manufacturer can be a difficult and daunting task. Indeed, even for the more established designer, finding an alternative manufacturer can also be pretty difficult. Many manufacturers in the UK tend not […]
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