Careers With Toys, Hobbies and Crafts Shops

CAREERS WITH

TOYS HOBBIES AND

CRAFTS SHOPS

Institute Research Number 223 ISBN 1-58511223-2 DOT Number 277.357-026 O*Net SOC Code 41-2031.00

CAREERS WITH

TOYS, HOBBIES AND CRAFTS SHOPS OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FEW THINGS IN THIS WORLD BRING AS MUCH JOY TO OUR LIVES AS TOYS, HOBBIES,

and crafts. Who doesn’t love the look on a child’s face as he or she excitedly unwraps a new plaything. Who hasn’t experienced firsthand the rapture caused by losing yourself in a favorite hobby or pastime? Who can look at a handmade craft without seeing the effort and love that went into shaping it and giving it life. Collecting, playing,

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creating, shaping, and enjoying these crafts, hobbies, and toys are often the source of those utopian moments that living life is all about. Those individuals who seek employment in hobby, toy, and craft stores are the lucky people who facilitate all this joy. They are the ones who help parents find that perfect new doll or action figure for their children. They assist the collector in tracking down that ultra-rare card or issue. They provide the model builder, woodworker, or sculptor with the tools needed to create a masterpiece. It may sound sappy or cliché, but by working in the hobby, craft, and toy-related retail sales field, you will be charged with helping bring a little extra sunshine into people’s lives. People who choose a career in a toy, craft, or hobby shop can either join the staff of an existing store, or they can choose to open their own business. In nearly all cases, they are responsible not just for selling merchandise, but for running many other aspects of the business as well. They will need to help customers find products that match their needs and are at times expected to provide some degree of instruction as well. They may need to complete paperwork, evaluate and hire employees, and handle advertising and accounting functions. It is a challenging career, especially for those who decide to open their own store. However, those who take the plunge will also find it to be an intrinsically rewarding career.

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ASSIGNMENT: WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW IT IS SURPRISINGLY EASY TO EXPLORE CAREERS IN TOY, HOBBY, AND CRAFT STORES.

There are numerous trade associations for you to contact and publications for you to explore. Also check out your local library for books on toys, hobbies, crafts and business. A couple of books you might want to investigate include Selling Your Crafts by Susan Joy Sager and You Can Make Money From Your Hobby: Building a Business Doing What You Love by Martha Campbell Pullen. Many high schools offer vocational study programs, which can help you better understand the work environment. Studying hobbies and crafts is all well and good, but doing them is even better. Another way to explore this career option would be to attempt and practice as many different hobbies and crafts as possible. Clearly, if this is the field of employment you are currently exploring, you must already have some form of interest in toys, hobbies, or crafts. However, you can easily expand that interest. For example, stamp collectors should consider exploring the hobbies of coin collecting and baseball card collecting. Those interested in magic may want to check out similar pastimes, like juggling. Likewise, quilters and wood workers may want to attempt to make similar, hands-on, creative-type crafts. This will help you establish a solid foundation of knowledge and skills that will open your eyes to the world of other hobbies and crafts while making you more employable down the road. The best thing you can do right now, as a high school or college student? Get a part-time job – after school, weekends, summer vacations. Not many small toy, hobby, and craft stores require previous retail sales experience. There are numerous retail outlets constantly searching for part-time workers, and most are open to hiring students. Securing employment at one of these venues will not only allow you to add to your résumé, it will give you hands-on experience with the many aspects of retail sales. You will learn how businesses run, what types of responsibilities you will have, and even how managers perform their leadership duties. Take care to note all of the things you will see and do and listen to your employers so that you can learn what is expected of a good employee. Experience is far and away the most valuable asset a future retail hobby, craft, or toy employee can bring to the table.

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HISTORY OF THE CAREER IT IS HARD TO TARGET EXACTLY WHEN PEOPLE DECIDED TO FIRST SELL TOYS,

crafts, or hobby-related items. The history of these items is quite probably as long as the history of civilization itself.

Beginnings of the Toy Industry One of the first truly successful toy entrepreneurs was Morris Michtom, the inventor of the Teddy Bear. Michtom got his inspiration for the cuddly little stuffed animal from a somewhat-fictionalized account of a 1902 encounter between President Theodore Roosevelt and a bear cub. As the story went, Roosevelt refused to shoot the helpless cub. While the story was not entirely true (it was, in fact, a trapped full-grown bear that Roosevelt spared), it spread like wildfire and captured the imagination of the country. In 1903, Michtom, who owned a small novelty shop in New York, and his wife stitched together a handful of toy bears. These were intended to be replicas of the cub spared by Roosevelt. They were instantly popular. Michtom then obtained permission to use Roosevelt’s name on the toys, and thus the Teddy Bear was born. As a result of its success, Michtom was able to establish the Ideal Toy Company and become one of the first truly successful toy makers in America. Many other great toys first found success around the beginning of the 20th century as well: The Lionel Train, the first seriously successful electric locomotive, was released in 1901. Binney & Smith started selling the first packs of Crayola crayons in 1903. Die-cast cars were introduced by Charles Dowst in 1906. Charles Darrow invented the immensely popular Monopoly board game in the 1930s and sold the rights to Parker Brothers following the 1935 Toy Fair. The oldest of all toys appears to be the yo-yo, which is believed to date back to 500 BC, although it received the name from Pedro Flores, the founder of the first yo-yo manufacturing company in the United States.

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Then there’s everyone’s favorite walking metal spring, Slinky. It may be hard to believe, but Slinky was discovered by accident by naval engineer Richard James in 1945. James was working on a ship’s suspension system when a tension spring accidentally fell and started, for lack of a better term, walking. By Christmas of that year, James had tweaked the toy dubbed Slinky by his wife, and produced 400 of them for a department store in Philadelphia. Within hours, the little wonder had sold out, and the nation’s love affair with Slinky had officially begun.

The Origins of Hobbies Several of the most popular hobbies in the world today all share a common thread – collecting. It seems that people never tire of building a collection of their favorite items, be they cardboard likenesses of favorite athletes or paper-thin illustrated storybooks or currency from across the world. Collecting and its many variations may be the most popular of all modern-day hobbies. The first nationally distributed set of sports cards were released in 1887, relates Chris Stufflestreet, author of A Short History of Baseball Cards on his website: www.geocities.com/chrisstufflestreet/history.html The set was a collection of baseball cards produced by New York-based Goodwin & Co. and were little more than thick pieces of cardboard with player photos affixed to them with glue. Goodwin & Co. packaged the cards along with their tobacco products, which eventually led to the time-old practice of including bubble gum or candy with packs of cards. The hobby died for a short time in the 1890s, but returned to life in 1909 and has been going strong ever since. Comic collecting is not quite as old as its cardboard counterpart, with sources crediting the July, 1934 first issue of Famous Funnies as the first ever monthly comic book. Famous Funnies was founded by a gentleman name Max C. Gaines, and was published each month for the next 21 years (a total of more than 200 issues). Three years later, in March of 1937, the first issue of DC’s Detective Comics hit newsstands. Detective Comics is still published today, making it the longest-running comic book series of all time. Marvel Comics, arguably the most popular publisher of comics today, started publishing under the name Timely in 1939. Their first comic, oddly titled Marvel Comics No. 1, is one of the most valued issues among collectors today. 6

Coin and stamp collecting have far deeper roots than comic or baseball card collecting, however. According to the wonderful website John Darling of Barry & Darling Ancient Coins(www.bitsofhistory.com), the first coins were forged in the late 7th century BC. They instantly became popular among ancient Greeks, who set out to make them more visually appealing by creating them with a bust obverse (heads) and a full figure of an animal or person/deity or some other symbol reverse (tails). One of the first philatelists (stamp-collectors) was England’s King George V. His collection was said to be legendary, and was maintained by a variety of curators after his death, before finally being sold in the 1920s. Of course, collecting is far from the only hobby commonly practiced these days. Hobbies can take many forms, all of which have rich histories. For example, juggling has been traced all the way back to 15th century Egypt by Professor Arthur Lewbel of Boston College. Photography started gaining popularity in the mid-1800s. Model building traces its roots back to the late 1700s, though experts claim that it did not gain popularity until after 1820. Finally, according to site Magic and the Science of Illusion: http://www.magicexhibit.com/, a 4000 year old document called the Westcar Papyrus makes reference to magicians practicing the art of illusion in the courts of Egyptian Pharaohs.

A Historical Look at Crafts Industries Many of the crafts now created for pleasure or profit, sold to enthusiasts around the world, originated out of everyday necessity. Throughout history, woodworking, sewing, blacksmithing, masonry, and countless other modern-day crafts were practices simply because they were needed. Sewing and quilting were ways to keep warm during the pre-central heating era. Woodworking was the common way people created their homes and furniture in early times. Life in ancient civilizations depended on the work of blacksmiths and masons as well. It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention. Likewise, the craft industry can also trace its lineage back to necessity. So when did these activities stop being vital to existence and start becoming a pleasurable experience? That is hard to determine, as details of the beginning stages of the craft industry are scattered and sketchy. 7

Quilting as a hobby became popular by the early 20th century, and one of the first successful businesses was owned and operated by Marie Webster. The demand for her quilt patterns led Webster to found a mail-order business out of her own home. She also wrote the first published book on American quilt making, Quilts: Their Story and How to Make Them. The art of blacksmithing has only recently caught on as a pastime. A vital art from the time of the Iron Age through the early 1900s, blacksmithing for enjoyment gained popularity in the 1970s. Some of the first known art created from wood came from hobos and tramps in the early 1860s. This tramp art, as it came to be know, was first fashioned from cigar boxes. According to the authors of From Hobo and Tramp Art Carving: an Authentic American Folk Tradition, as told on the website Artisans’ Gallery (www.folkartisans.com), this art form gained popularity, “because it allowed the tramp artisan to use the materials he had at hand to produce a great variety of things. Picture frames, gift and jewelry boxes, and full-size chests of drawers were created not only to fill his empty hours but so that they could be used as a gift for a friend, a barter for food or lodging, or an exchange for money.”

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WHERE YOU WILL WORK IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR EMPLOYMENT IN A TOY, HOBBY, OR CRAFT STORE,

then odds are that is where you will find employment. These shops vary greatly, ranging from small, cozy Mom and Pop style corner stores to huge, corporate owned emporiums commonly found near shopping malls. You may be one of hundreds of employees, or you may just be one of a half-dozen or so. The environment and atmosphere of hobby, craft, and toy stores can vary greatly, just like any other retail sales outlet. Some may be relaxed and personal, while others may be strict and rigid about their policies. Some may allow casual dress, while others may assign a uniform. In this career, there is some flexibility as to where you will work. You will likely have the opportunity to choose your own work setting, based on your own personal preferences. Decide for yourself what style of hobby, craft, or toy store would be best for you. In addition, a significant percentage of those seeking careers in craft, hobby, or toy sales will start their own business. Those who are self-employed people in these industries will have many workplaces. First, there will be their business office, which at startup is often a spare room or area in their current residence. Hobby and craft workers may also need to have a studio, or an area of their home that is used to build or create merchandise. From there, you will be expected to work at several different locales while selling your goods, including but not limited to a detached storefront, a co-op shop, gift and trade shows, farmers’ markets, street fairs, your home, and the Internet. It is important to keep zoning laws in mind when establishing a business, as there may be limitations as to what types of business you can or cannot do in your home. You will find more information and tips on how to start your own toy, craft, or hobby business, in C. Andrew Beck’s Turning Your Hobbies Into Cash.

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YOUR WORK DUTIES Working for a Retail Store Employees at hobby, craft, and toy stores share many of the responsibilities as workers in other forms of retail sales. You will need to assist customers with finding merchandise and completing the sales process. You will need to be able to keep the merchandise and the store environment neat, attractive, orderly, and organized. After your training, you will need to be well-versed in the opening and closing procedures, and you must be able to complete all such duties (including paperwork) in a timely fashion. You will have to handle money and, as such, you must be able to quickly perform simple math. Also, you will likely be asked to maintain a kind and pleasant demeanor and an attractive appearance at all times. Heavy lifting may be required during the stocking of some merchandise. Management positions require taking on additional responsibilities. You will have to be a leader, meaning that you must motivate your employees and quickly resolve any disputes among employees and customers. You will have to evaluate, hire, and train quality personnel to work at your store. You will have to delegate duties and supervise all aspects of the work process. You must oversee sales, customer service, and inventory to ensure that the operation is running at maximum efficiency. Often times, you will also have to act as the liaison between store workers and upper corporate management, making sure that both sides are reasonably satisfied without compromising the well-being of the business. In some cases, you will be asked to travel for a variety of reasons, including training individuals at other stores or attending trade shows or educational seminars. However, since hobby, toy, and craft shops are usually specialized in nature, anyone seeking to work in any of these fields will undoubtedly have to field a lot of detailed questions from customers. You will have to be exceptionally well education in the specific merchandise areas of your store. This is especially true with employees of hobby or craft stores. In hobby shops, you will have to know the terms and techniques of a variety of pastimes, including the many different types of modeling and collecting. Craft store employees will have to know at least the basics of sewing, quilting, woodworking, and a number of other crafts. Workers at each type of store will undoubtedly, at some time, have to provide answers or advice to curious customers. They will need to complete a hobby or craft-related project, either at the request of a customer or a supervisor. This holds 10

especially true for craft workers, who often have a hand in creating the actual products they are selling.

Starting Your Own Toy, Hobby, or Craft Business “Careers in the hobby industry often revolve around self-employment,” says William T. Lasley, the expert on arts and crafts business at www.artsandcrafts.about.com,“While there are places that hire people to create, they are few and far between.” Here is good advice for careerists considering starting their toy, hobby, or craft-related business. Learn to Keep Accurate Accounting Records Most small businesses fail due to poor bookkeeping. Whether because of inadequate pricing, not watching expenses, or a variety of other issues, you must have a record keeping system for income and outgoing expenses. If you are not familiar with accounting, take a course in accounting to learn the basics of good record keeping. Don’t Neglect Uncle Sam’s Burden You will never succeed in business without paying your taxes. When you create an income, you must take care of tax responsibilities. Take a small business tax class in order to learn the ropes of filing and paying taxes as a business owner. After that, it never hurts to hire a good CPA to help you properly execute the tasks. Get the Word Out About Your Business Marketing is one of the most important overlooked elements in maintaining a business today. Without effective marketing efforts, your business will not grow. While setting up a table at a craft show used to be an adequate way to sell your creations, there are many other ways to obtain new clientele for your work. Take a marketing class. Read books on the subject of marketing. Watch your competition to see what seems effective for them. Don’t forget the potential of online marketing! The advent of the Internet has opened a whole new outlet for selling handmade products. With proper techniques, your online entity can become the most powerful and least expensive tool in your business arsenal. Keep Debt Low or Nonexistent Do not borrow thousands of dollars to begin your business, and likewise do not borrow to expand your business as things begin to 11

grow. Debt payments rob your business of profit. Start slowly and grow your venture with its own capital. If you must have expensive pieces of equipment in order to produce your product, lease until you can afford to pay cash. Then, as your business grows, let it expand on its own. It can sometimes take a few years before your business begins to generate a positive, steady cash flow. Do not put your early efforts in jeopardy by becoming so top-heavy in payments that it takes even longer to achieve profitability. The most successful companies in the US keep overhead minimal by operating debt-free. Harley-Davidson and Microsoft are two highly successful, debt-free businesses. They did not become debt free after achieving success; they became successful, among other reasons, because of the firm foundation set by not borrowing.

Selling Crafts (and Toys, and Hobby-Related Items) Online There is no denying that the Internet has become a staple in all of our lives. People who at one time never dreamed of touching a computer are now using them to write reports, to check their e-mail, and to shop. That last one is of the utmost importance to anyone considering a career in hobby, toy, or craft sales. Shoppers are turning to the Internet in record numbers, and whether you plan to open your own toy, craft, or hobby business or simply join the staff of an existing retailer, you need to be prepared to deal with e-commerce. Karen Goodale, owner of two successful sites, Crafters Bazaar (www.craftersbazaar.net) and Heaven Scent Candles & Bath (www.heaven-scent.com) offers this advice for those looking to pursue a career in this field. Save Money by Learning Web Design Take the time to learn Web design on your own if you plan to run your business online. This will not only save the huge cost of hiring it out originally, but you will also want to be able to update your product line prices, photos etc. often as your prices go up, or anything changes. For more information on basic HTML and Web design, check out A Beginner’s Guide to HTML at this website from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign: http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimer.html

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Discover the Secrets of Meta Tags You will need to learn how to apply the best keywords, and meta tags to your Web pages in order to get a fairly good ranking with search engines for the types of craft or other merchandise you plan to sell. The better your site’s ranking with a search engine, the better the odds that customers will be able to find you on the Web. For more information on meta tags, visit www.SearchEngineWatch.com and read their article How To Use HTML Meta Tags. Study Your Advertising Options You will also need to carefully plan what you can afford in advertising costs. Many of the search engines now offer pay-per-click advertising. This means you pay a set amount for each click on your URL that a customer has found by searching for the keywords you bid on. This can get very expensive, but can also be very worthwhile if you bid on less popular keywords that are still related to your products. Don’t Overlook Hidden Costs When Setting Prices Be careful to consider all costs when pricing your crafts. Are you able to buy most materials wholesale, and buy the materials locally? Or do you pay large shipping costs to order them sent to you? Be sure to consider shipping into your costs, it makes a huge difference in the profit you make on your products. Failure to compensate for those hidden costs, like shipping, has sent many a fledgling operation to early graves. Choose Your Shipping Provider Wisely Shipping your finished products also requires some detailed planning. You will also need to decide whether charging a flat shipping rate for orders within a set dollar amount works for you, or whether you need to have your shopping cart figure accurate shipping costs for you. This requires much more time in setting up and maintaining your shopping cart system. Don’t Rush Into Online Auctions Online auctions like Ebay can be a great way to sell, depending on what you offer. Not, if there are hundreds of people selling something almost like your item. Essentially, without something special to set your product apart, you might just be another face in the massive online auction crowd. How can you tell whether or not this potentially lucrative market is right for you? 13

STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVE IN THIS BUSINESS I Am the Owner and President of an Ohio-Based Toy Store “My background and training are in social work. I have my master’s degree in social work and post-graduate work in psychotherapy. I left a great paying job with flexible hours and upper class clientele. I wanted to have my own business and make some money. I have two employees: My mom and another woman. They are both totally reliable and would do anything for me. They both have their flaws, but when you have employees you have to pick your battles and recognize their worth. My employees are paid well and they work part time (about 25 hours). I get paid practically nothing. I have been open one year in June of this year and I just started giving myself $50 paychecks a few weeks ago. My husband and I have loaned the company about $10,000 from our personal funds that we are hoping the company will be able to pay back eventually. I have learned that it is important to hire professionals for such things as payroll and bookkeeping and ad designs. I shop around for everything. Never go with the first offer anyone gives. See what else is out there and then counter-offer. People expect this from you so they inflate their original offer anyway. Don’t run your business finances the way you run your personal finances. I have taken much more risk and gone into much more debt than I would ever do with my personal finances. What keeps me going? Total faith in my idea. I believe that if I stick it out then my company will be a huge success and really make a difference in my community. At minimum, my kids will have learned a ton about being a small business owner, things that they can’t learn in a classroom. Things like sacrifice, commitment, faith, self-confidence, negotiation, human relations. Another thing that can’t be bought or learned in a classroom is the support of those who care the most about you. My husband and friends and mom were totally supportive and have been there all the way, even when I’m lying on the dining room floor in a 14

moment of doubt about whether or not this was a good idea. I couldn’t do it without them. I’m sure that a single mom without someone else’s paycheck to depend upon and minimal family support can begin to run a successful business, but that’s a bigger person than me. I couldn’t do that. The rest of the family was totally not supportive and tried to talk me out of it and complained about the waste of my education. This really hurt my feelings and took me by surprise. You have to believe in your idea when others don’t. I read two important books: Rich Dad, Poor Dad and The Millionaire Next Door. I also read that book that the founder of Subway food chains wrote. I got my loan through the Small Business Administration. I found out which bank in my area had the highest approval rate for SBA loans. I totally underestimated the amount of money I would need. Something that I now know is a common mistake. A mentor would have really helped. I did research, research, research on how to write a business plan and cash flow projections – stuff that I knew nothing about but taught myself. I also did tons of research on incorporating a business and drew up and filed the paperwork myself. I also have excellent personal credit. If I could start over, I would open up my first store right next door to one of my competitors. I know that my product is better, and their big advertising budget would be bringing the customers to my front door or at least close. That is just the kind of thing that is not recommended by those who think they know how business works.”

I Have Just Opened My Own Craft Store “First of all, I am sorry to say that I do not have a lot of time to discuss my crafts business. The simple fact is that I am exceptionally busy. Currently, I am working nine hour days at my regular job (with an accounting firm), then going to the craft shop afterwards for three to four more hours of work. In addition, I have hosted booths at craft shows each weekend over the past month. It is difficult, but I need to maintain my current

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employment for income until my craft business gains momentum. That’s the price you pay when you start up a new business. I have already met and worked with dozens of craft artisans during my career, and if there’s one thing that I’ve learned from them, it is that there is no single, correct formula to achieve success in the industry. Some established craft workers recommend at least a two-year, studio-based certificate program. Others suggest obtaining a college degree in the arts followed by an apprenticeship. In my case, I had a love of making crafts and a strong knowledge of how businesses work, so I decided to put the two together and see whether or not I could successfully market what I created. I received one key piece of advice before I started, and that is to avoid isolation. A friend of mine, who also happened to be a seasoned craft seller, told me that it was essential that I take the time to attend shows, visit museum galleries, check out magazines, and so on. She said that I had to network to help my business succeed. One other thing that I have tried, with great success, is to keep a journal or notebook of my work. This allows me to keep a record of observations and influences, as well as successful and failed projects. I would strongly recommend that anyone interested in making or selling crafts at least try it out.”

I Have Been Creating and Marketing Crafts For More Than 20 Years “I am a mom with two children and a wonderful, supportive husband. I have been making and creating art for more than 20 years now, and with each passing year I expand into a new and more creative aspect of my work. I began crafting as a child. It began as a hobby and continued until I finally made the decision to make it my career. My days begin very early by managing my website shop, then filling orders and keeping up with potential orders by making my products. When the regular business day begins, I field phone calls from customers and other businesses placing orders or making 16

inquires. I also have customers arriving at all hours during the day to shop in my store. I am the shopkeeper, sales representative and customer service representative as well. I generally work from 5am to 8pm daily, many more hours than my shop is actually open. My educational background is actually in Art and Social Work. How did a social worker turn to crafting or art? Well, primarily because the stress behind social work was affecting my life, and I felt far more inclined to pursue what made me happy as well as what made my life more fulfilling. My educational background in the arts is in general arts and woodcrafting. However, the majority of what I make and craft results purely from my natural ability to create art. I have had this natural ability since childhood and have continued to develop my talents over the years. My education in the arts did facilitate a much greater strength in some of the areas of my work, and I am very glad that I did get this educational component. I would have gone further into the arts in college had I known I was going to end up in this field professionally. The type of education or training you should pursue would depend on the type of craft/art you wished to create and sell. Woodcrafters, for example, would benefit from woodcrafting courses learning all the techniques that pertain to that field. Floral crafters may benefit from florist training and the detailed techniques involved with that line of work. Whatever line of craft, art, or hobby, the benefits of some training are immensely helpful. Writing is also an area of training where one should attain some expertise. This comes in very handy when writing ads and drafting brochures containing information about the product you create and sell. I enjoy the freedom of being my own boss and the flexibility I have in my creative work. Creativity is actually the focal point of all my enjoyment and self-satisfaction in my field. What are the negative factors? Long hours, of course, would be at the top of the list, along with developing advertising ads. It makes me wish I had taken some course work in advertising. My recommendation is to discover what you like to do and what you are good at doing. Get training in that area to refine your abilities and then just practice, practice, practice! If you prefer to work for an organization already in the business then I 17

would recommend you research the company and what they are looking for in an artist/employee. I would strongly recommend discovering what makes you happy in the field. What aspect of the art or hobby really excites you and build on that. If you don’t enjoy your work you are less likely to be successful and it will show in your art. I hope you all choose your careers keeping in mind that money doesn’t bring happiness, nor does it necessarily mean you won’t make good money doing what you love. Good luck to you all.”

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS ASK ANYONE WITHIN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY WHAT TRAITS THEY MOST LIKE TO SEE

in potential employees, and undoubtedly the answer would be responsible individuals who are hard workers. This is no different in the hobby, toy, and craft field. Employers at these small shops count on their employees to show up during their scheduled hours and perform their required duties in a pleasant and efficient fashion. They also expect workers to give 100-percent at all times; anything less would be cheating the company and the customers. Careerists seeking employment in the craft, hobby, or toy fields should be dependable and possess a strong work ethic. Successful candidates, especially those seeking management positions, must have a genuine interest and thorough insight into the industry in which they plan to work. They must care about the welfare of the company. They must be able to learn and adapt. They must be self-starters and excellent motivators. They must be able to juggle a number of responsibilities at one time. They must be flexible, able to work a variety of shifts, and have knowledge of the industry they represent. They must also have retail experience and be able to perform a variety of store-related tasks, including staffing, scheduling, and opening and closing procedures.

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Communication is another vital skill for toy, hobby, and craft store employees. They must be able to hold a dialogue with their coworkers, superiors, and subordinates. They must be able to listen to and understand instructions given by superiors, and they must be able to communicate results and problems regarding various store tasks. Managers must be able to give detailed, easy-to-follow instructions for delegated assignments. All employees, at every level, also need communication skills when dealing with customers. Not only are they vital for sales and other customer service activities, but employees at toy, hobby, and craft shops will also find them essential when answering questions or offering merchandise-related advice. Workers at these stores are quite often asked to share hints, tips, or other insights into various aspects of the product or hobby involved. To be successful at their jobs, they must be able to do so in a clear and concise manner. Starting your own business is definitely more challenging. Would-be entrepreneurs must have all of these traits and more. They must be skilled at running all aspects of the business, including marketing, accounting, pricing and managing. They must know how to promote their business, how to keep the best and most popular merchandise in stock, and how to deal with tax and zoning laws. They must have a keen business sense and a solid grasp on the pulse of the industry. They must have twice the work ethic of a normal employee, because when you own your own business, there is no time off or inattention without a direct decrease of income. They must be willing to take calculated chances in order to help their business succeed, while not exposing the shop to unnecessary risks. They must be tough under pressure as well. They must be leaders during the lean times, and they cannot falter at the first sign of trouble. It takes a special breed of person to own and operate a business. It isn’t for everyone. Evaluate yourself fairly and impartially using these criteria to see if you have what it takes.

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ATTRACTIVE FEATURES PROBABLY THE MOST ATTRACTIVE FEATURE OF WORKING WITHIN THE TOY, HOBBY,

or craft industry is just that – you get to work within the toy, hobby, or craft industry. You are doing something you love, and meeting and bringing joy to the customers who share your interests. Nothing beats the gleam in a child’s eye upon finding that hot new action figure at your store, or the joy on a hobbyist’s face when you offer the ultra-rare item that a collection has been missing. Whether you choose to open up your own toy, craft, or hobby business, or choose to become an employee in a store, you will find this to be an exceptionally fulfilling and self-actualizing career. Martha Campbell Pullen writes in her book You Can Make Money From Your Hobby: Building a Business Doing What You Love, “Success is doing what you enjoy doing! To love what you do or do what you love. I adore my business, my employees, my customers, my business colleagues, and my lifestyle. If someone offered me a seven-figure salary to run another company, I would not take it. Now I don’t go to work; I go to play.” This feeling, the feeling of sheer passion for the work that you do, may be the best of all reasons to pursue a career in the craft, hobby, or toy sales industry. There are also numerous other benefits to working within the toy, hobby, or craft industry. Individuals who find employment in this field, especially within hobbies or crafts, often find that they are far more able to express themselves creatively than workers in other professions. Those who start up their own businesses will likely find the control they have over their operations and the hours they work refreshing. Those who enter the industry as an employee will find competitive salaries and benefits such as paid time off, pension plans, insurance, employee discounts, flexible hours and tuition reimbursement.

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UNATTRACTIVE FEATURES MANY PEOPLE WILL APPRECIATE WORKING IN A FIELD THEY ENJOY, BUT NOT

everyone will find a career in the toy, hobby, or craft field to be the joyous experience they assumed it would be. For some individuals, turning a hobby or other similarly pleasurable experience into a source of income can suck the pleasure out of the activity. These people will find that being employed to work in the toy, craft, or hobby field will transform something that they once loved into a tedious and ordinary experience. From You Can Make Money From Your Hobby: Building a Business Doing What You Love, “Today you and your hobby are friends. Fun! Entertainment! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could find a way to make it pay for itself and bring in a monetary profit as well? Everything has a price. The price of turning your hobby into an income source is that it is no longer a hobby! It’s work. Before you go further, ask yourself, do I love it that much?” Tread carefully if planning to start your own business. Being your own boss is a big responsibility, and the simple fact is that not everyone is cut out for it. You will have to micro-manage every aspect of the business’s operations, from inventory to marketing to the hiring processes and beyond. It will take an immense amount of time and effort to successfully launch the business. If you are seriously thinking of starting your own company, ask yourself questions such as “Am I prepared to make financial sacrifices for several years or more?” and “Do I know how to sell my product?” Be honest with yourself when answering. If you can’t handle it, it is better to find out now instead of a few years and thousands of dollars in failed investments down the road.

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EDUCATION AND TRAINING THE MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR A CAREER WITH A TOY, HOBBY,

or craft store, according to a recent survey, is a high school diploma or equivalent. Some positions require at least some college, although few employers seem to specify that they require a degree in any particular discipline or course of study. However, note that these are considered to be the minimum requirements for applicants. A college education is strongly recommended for anyone interested in pursuing a career in craft, toy or hobby sales (either by starting a business or as part of an existing firm). What type of post-secondary education should you pursue to help find a solid foothold in the industry? “I generally steer people like this towards small business administration if they want an associate degree, and a major in management if they want a bachelor’s degree” recommends Deborah Ginsburg, Enrollment Advisor for the University of Alaska-Anchorage (www.uaa.alaska.edu). UAA’s Career Services director, Michael Reeves, elaborates, “What is sought here is a ‘catch all’ degree or training program, which would enable a person to design, sell, and manage a crafts outlet. I would counsel a high school graduate on majoring in business marketing or business management with a minor in vocational education (for the crafts part of it). “Specializing in a small field such as toys would generally require experiential learning, an internship, for example. The smart thing would be to do an internship in both the third and fourth year of an undergraduate college program with a company specializing in this field.” Jeff Lochowicz, Assistant Dean at Marquette University (www.mu.edu), recommends that students looking to pursue a career in hobby, toy or craft sales major in marketing. At Marquette, the undergraduate marketing program requires courses in marketing research and management. Other courses stressed in this university’s major include marketing communications, logistics and distribution strategies, product and pricing strategies, consumer behavior, sales or retailing management, and core business courses such as economics and accounting.

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Most universities offer a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in a variety of business disciplines. Common concentrations include marketing, economics, organizational administration, production, finance, management science, international business, supply chain management, management information systems and entrepreneurship-small business management. Keep in mind that in this career, there are no firm rules when it comes to educational requirements. All that is usually required is a high school diploma and some common sense. However, the more a careerist knows, the better. While the exact courses will vary from major to major and from university to university, some of the courses you should expect to take in college might include the following: Basic Marketing Financing Small Business Development Fundamentals of Finance Introduction to Operations Product Management Macro and Micro Economics Management and Organized Behavior Marketing Research Professional Selling Small Business Consulting Business sense is essential to running any enterprise, but in this case, so is knowledge of the toy, hobby or craft industry. There are various ways to gain this knowledge. The first is self-study. Careerists can learn much by reading books and periodicals that cover the specific area they wish to become involved with. Contacting associations or individual professionals can also help by giving you an opportunity to speak with experts in the industry. By contacting these organizations, potential employees in toy, hobby or craft stores can learn much not only about the business aspects of the industry, but also about the consumer aspects. Association members and professionals can provide insight into trends in the industry, and might even teach you new techniques that will ultimately make your business that much stronger.

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Another avenue is through formal education, or community-education or hobby classes. Some workers choose to pursue a degree relative to the area they plan to work in. For example, a craft artist may choose to earn an advanced degree in fine arts. Hobby courses also cover topics that will appeal most to individuals pursuing employment in either the craft or hobby sales fields, and usually do so at a much more affordable cost. Such classes vary widely in range and can cover topics such as oil painting, creative embroidery, photography or stamp collecting. It is also worth noting that these community-education programs also often feature business classes, most of which will be of special interest to those looking to go into business for themselves. The topics can range from general information on starting a small business to more specific classes on tax strategies or store keeping. Hobby courses are regularly offered at community colleges and universities throughout the country, and indeed throughout the world. They are also available online though services like Education To Go at this website: http://www.ed2go.com Perhaps most rewarding to those looking to break into this business is an internship. These internships will be invaluable as you near the end of your studies, especially if you can obtain a position with a highly successful toy, hobby or craft company. Volunteering your time at the type of store you are preparing for a career in gives you something that no other form of education can – hands-on experience. You will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals, and you will be able to observe how they handle their responsibilities. You will also gain firsthand experience in dealing with customers and in preparing and maintaining merchandise (particularly helpful for those looking to create crafts or handle collectibles).

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EARNINGS MANY OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE WITHIN CRAFT, HOBBY AND TOY stores

are considered to be retail positions. Considering the average earning potential for a variety of retail employees, you have to take two different figures into account. The first, base salary, only includes how much guaranteed income the individual makes. Total cash compensation also takes into consideration bonuses and various annual incentives. It is usually the higher number, and a better indicator of earning potential for the truly motivated. So how much can you make as an employee in the retail toy, hobby or craft sales field? It varies by position. An assistant retail store manager earns between $30,000 and $35,000 in base salary, and as much as $40,000 in total compensation. A cashier/clerk earns between $15,000 and $20,000 in salary, with the median being around $17,000. An individual in retail sales earns a median base salary of nearly $30,000 and can earn upwards of $35,000 in total compensation. A customer service representative can earn as much as $30,000 in total compensation, but typically brings in between $20,000 and $25,000 in base salary. Store managers are typically the highest-paid workers in the retail world. They can earn between $35,000 and $45,000 in base salary and $40,000 to $50,000 in total cash compensation. Retail employees often receive benefits as well, especially at the assistant management level and above. For individuals who open their own businesses, there are no guarantees. They are not limited in their earning potential. They may far out-earn even the highest paid retail toy, hobby or craft store employee. Then again, there is no guarantee that the owner of a hobby, craft or toy store will earn even as much as the lowest paid retail worker. How much a self-employed careerist earns varies due to a variety of factors, not the least of which is the effort put into running and promoting the business. According to a recent survey by the Craft Organizations Directors’ Association (CODA), the median income for owners of craft-related businesses is about $25,000. However, some gifted entrepreneurs have been known to bring in as much as $100,000 to $250,000 or more per year with their small businesses. There is no limit for toy, hobby or craft shop owners – as long as they are willing to work hard enough to make their small business a success. 25

OPPORTUNITIES THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE HOBBY, TOY, AND

craft sales fields. There are many opportunities with some of the leaders in these fields, including: FAO Schwarz (toys), Frank’s Nursery & Crafts, Hobby Lobby, Hobby Works, KB Toys, Jo-Ann Stores (crafts), Toys “R” Us, Treasure Island (crafts), Wizards of the Coast (hobbies) and Zany Brainy (toys). The positions are available at locations across the country, and range from clerk and sales openings to management and team leader opportunities. If you are looking for employment with a toy, hobby, or craft store and you possess the proper qualifications, you should have little or no difficulty achieving that goal. There is a large sustained demand for toys and hobby- and craft-related items. Items like these are always in demand, especially around holidays such as Christmas. Children will always want and need playthings, even in times of economic downturn. Hobbyists will almost always be on the lookout for the tools and supplies to practice their pastimes. Handmade and carefully fashioned crafts will always appeal to those with an eye for their craftsmanship. In all, those looking to launch a start-up business in one of these areas should find the chance for success to be better than average.

GETTING STARTED YOU ALREADY HAVE THE EDUCATION. YOU ALREADY HAVE RETAIL EXPERIENCE.

You’ve already done the research, read a handful of useful books and periodicals, and contacted relevant groups and associations. Obviously, you also already have the desire to pursue a career with a toy, hobby, or craft shop. So, how do you get started? Here are a few ideas that should get you on the right track. Do some legwork Odds are high that there is a toy, craft, or hobby store located near where you live. At some time, either now or later, they will need to hire a new employee. Why not take steps to make sure that new employee is you? There are a few different ways you could try to approach them. You could place a phone call and ask to speak with the manager, introducing yourself and inquiring as to the store’s need for employees in the process. Or you could prepare a résumé and stop in personally for a visit, which would likely give the management a better idea of your skills and provide them with a face to go along 26

with the name. The point is that the best place to seek that first job in the hobby, craft, or toy sales fields might be closer than you think. Check on the Internet Another good way to seek out that all-important first job in the craft, toy, or hobby industry is to hunt for openings online. There are different ways to approach this. First, you could look for employment by visiting the websites of individual companies such as Toys “R” Us (www.toysrus.com) or Hobby Lobby (www.hobbylobby.com). You could venture out into the dense and convoluted world of employment websites. There are literally thousands of these types of sites on the Internet, and odds are searching them all would take a massive amount of time while producing sparse results. However, two that do seem to provide a good number of help-wanted ads in the craft, toy, and hobby sales fields are Yahoo! Careers (careers.yahoo.com) and Monster.com (www.monster.com). Take matters into your own hands Finally, if neither of these options looks appealing to you and you don’t feel you are ready to open your own store, you could get started on your own, ideally on a small-scale, part-time basis. Hobby and craft enthusiasts could create and then market their creations. Those seeking future full-time employment could either create or invest in merchandise to be sold for a profit. There are shows you could attend to sell the merchandise (check with one or more of the associations), or you could market your goods through an online sales or auction service such as eBay (www.ebay.com). This method is particularly recommended for individuals considering starting up their own hobby, toy, or craft-related business, as it is the only way to gain true hands-on experience in day-to-day entrepreneurial operations.

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ASSOCIATIONS n American Craft Council www.craftcouncil.org n American Quilter’s Society www.aqsquilt.com n American Sewing Guild www.asg.org/store/ n American Specialty Toy Retailing Association www.astratoy.org n Arts and Crafts Association of America www.artsandcraftsassoc.com n Association of Stained Glass Lamp Artists www.asgla.com n British Association of Toy Retailers www.batr.co.uk/batr2k/main.htm n British Toy & Hobby Association www.btha.co.uk n Business Committee for the Arts www.bcainc.org n Canadian Craft & Hobby Association www.cdncraft.org n Canadian Toy Collectors Society www.ctcs.org/specnote.htm n Craft Emergency Relief Fund www.craftemergency.org n Crafts Council www.craftscouncil.org.uk n Handweavers Guild of America www.weavespindye.org n Hobby Industry Association www.hobby.org 28

n Home Sewing Association www.sewing.org n International Council of Toy Industries www.toy-icti.org n International Plastic Modelers’ Society USA www.ipmsusa.org n Marble Collectors Society of America www.blocksite.com/mcsa/index.htm n National Craft Association www.craftassoc.com n National Model Railroad Association www.nmra.org n National Wood Carvers Association www.chipchats.org n Toy Industry Association www.toy-tia.org/index.html n United Federation of Doll Clubs www.ufdc.org

PERIODICALS n American Style www.americanstyle.com n Antique & Collectables Newsmagazine www.collect.com n Autograph Collector www.autographcollector.com n Bead & Button www.beadandbutton.com n Blade Magazine www.blademag.com

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n Ceramics Monthly www.ceramicsmonthly.org n Classic Toy Trains www.classtrain.com n Collectibles Canada www.collectiblescanada.ca n Collector’s Mart www.collectorsmart.net n Collectors News www.collectors-news.com n Craftrends Magazine www.craftrends.com n Craft Digest www.craftdigest.com n Crafts www.craftscouncil.org.uk/Crafts.htm n Crafts Report craftsreport.com n Craftworks Magazine www.craftworksmag.com n Critical Ceramics www.criticalceramics.org n Crochet World www.whitebirches.org n Doll World www.dollworldmagazine.com n Fiberarts www.fiberartsmagazine.com n Fine Woodworking www.taunton.com

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n Finescale Modeler www.finescale.com n Home Shop Machinist www.villagepress.com n Inquest Gamer www.wizardworld.com n Knitting Digest www.whitebirches.org n Lapidary Journal www.lapidaryjournal.com/index.htm n Linn’s Stamp News www.linns.com n Model Railroader www.trains.com n Model Retailer www.modelretailer.com n Modeler’s Resource www.modelersresource.com n Piecework Magazine www.interweave.com n Popular Woodworking www.popularwoodworking.com n Quilting Today Magazine www.quilttownusa.com n Rock & Gem www.rockngem.com n Showfinder www.showfinder.net n Sports Collectors Digest www.krause.com

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n Stamp Collector www.stampcollector.net n Sunshine Artist www.sunshineartist.com n Toy Cars & Models www.toycarsmag.com n Toyfare www.wizardworld.com n Toy Farmer www.toyfarmer.com n Toy Shop www.toyshopmag.com n Wizard www.wizardworld.com n Where The Shows Are www.artandcrafts.com n Wood Magazine www.woodmagazine.com n Woodshop News www.weekendwoodcrafts.com

WEBSITES n About Hobbies & Games www.about.com/hobbies/ n ACE Toy Co. UK www.toy.co.uk/home.htm n Action Figure Times www.aftimes.com n Beckett.com www.beckett.com n Becky & Becky Collectible Price Guide www.beckyandbecky.com 32

n John Darling of Barry & Darling Ancient Coins www.bitsofhistory.com/ n Coincollector.org www.coincollector.org n Collecting Rocks and Minerals www.essortment.com/rockcollecting_rhzs.htm n Craft Smarts www.craftsmarts.com n Crafter’s Web Development Center www.craftsfaironline.com/CWDC/ n Garry’s Guide to Auction Prices for Antiques and Collectibles www.lawas.co.nz/garrys n Artisans’ Gallery http://www.folkartisans.com/index.html n Hobby-Tips.com www.hobby.lifetips.com/OurGurus.asp n i-craft www.i-craft.com n Internet Center for Arts and Crafts www.xmission.com/~arts/index.html n Magic the Science of Illusion http://www.magicexhibit.com/ n Mycraftshow.com www.mycraftshow.com n Popular Crafts www.popularcrafts.com/pages/index.cgi n Studium www.studium.com

COPYRIGHT 2007 Institute For Career Research CHICAGO CAREERS INTERNET DATABASE www.careers-internet.org 33