Most jewelry designers have other skills besides making jewelry. They also have more time than money. You could trade your other talents for beads, tools, books, videos, equipment, metal, wire - you name it.
Here are a few ideas to help you starting thinking about ways you can barter for your jewelry making needs:
- Use your computer skills to help write a newsletter, type address labels, or create a web page.
- Use your time to help stock or count inventory.
- Use your elbow grease to clean up a store.
- Use your wheels to run errands.
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You probably have more skills you could use for bartering. Think about it for awhile.
Next, think of your target. Consider local bead stores, jewelry shops, and craft stores. Anyone in driving distance could be a place to start, and don’t forget about the Internet. A virtual bead store might be interested in starting a monthly newsletter, or it might need extra help with its web site.
Once you’ve determined the target, try to identify a need. If you approach a jewelry store, what could it use that you can provide? Could you give it a few Saturdays a month to help in the store (either by cleaning or selling) in exchange for access to some equipment it has in the shop or some soldering and fabrication lessons from the bench jeweler? Most shop owners can’t leave their shop. They may really appreciate someone who can pick up drying cleaning, go to the post office, go grocery shopping, or even just deliver lunch a few times a week.
Your time is worth money, and there are still a number of privately owned jewelry businesses, bead shops, and craft stores today that might be open to some creative financing. You might be able to barter for those beads.
