The business of Quilter is doubled in three years with membership
Rebecca Bryan is a quilter, author, and entrepreneur behind Bryan House Quilts. Rebecca Bryan has revolutionized the world of materials by creating a distinctive fabric line as well as a thread assortment, all while teaching in-person quilting workshops.
In the beginning of her adventure, she was searching for the best way to provide for her family as well as make the time for her work. Find out the ways in which the switch to an online subscription membership has brought Rebecca the financial success and the peace of mind that she wanted.
Why did you decide to enter the world of knowledge-based commerce?
My quilting business started with the publication of my first book, Modern Rainbow Quilts. From there, I began traveling to give classes at guilds and quilt shows across all over the United States. I continued to grow my workshops with the release of my book 2: Modern Triangle Quilts.
After that, my husband got his new job and relocated our family, which included four children of school age over into the Netherlands. Being in the Netherlands made it impossible to travel back to the US for a classroom visit!
I'd thought about the possibility of offering my workshop online. However, this change gave me the boost I was looking for.
What was the very first digital service you released? What was the reason you chose it?
At the time I started my journey my journey, I decided to start one of my classes taught from the Contemporary Triangle Quilts book, "Design Improv using Triangles". In the workshop, I instruct the student through a series of interactive activities that lead to them creating their own Modern Triangle quilt blocks. This class was chosen because it was the first time I had taught my latest book, and I was able to see how much more in depth the online course can be in comparison to a 3-hour or six-hour in person workshop. (See my Equilateral Sampler quilt, which is pictured in Rockport, Mass.)
Could you provide more information on the results of your workshops that came with a one-time transaction?
I really enjoyed the whole experience of digital for my students. First, I was pleasantly surprised. the experience to be awe-inspiring in that I thoroughly enjoyed working with cameras and using Zoom. I can't overstate the extent to which I was (painfully!) camera shy I used to be. However, stepping up with my students was so satisfying. In addition, I came to get to know them as we got to know each other even though it was virtual. It was delightful!
Thus, I decided offering more online courses that began with a plan of the year program. When we quilt, we refer to these "Blocks of the Months": each month we create an entirely new set of quilt blocks and then at the close of the year we join all the blocks for a complete quilt. Woohoo! (See Rainbow Remix, my 2018 BOM.)
What inspired you to offer a subscription based product?
As my catalog of "Block of the Month" programmes grew from three to and I realized that I could offer my students greater value and support by housing all of my "Modern Triangle" projects in one membership. Therefore, in the month of March in 2020 I officially opened the doors to the "Make Modern Triangles" Official club for helping quilters create, make, and finish blocks that are blockbuster contemporary triangle quilts.
Inside the club, members have the option of choosing exactly which quilt they'd like to work on They also get my guidance and advice, and stay motivated in their quest to "bust those blocks" through working in a community of like-minded quilters from all over the world. It's amazing "Triangle Chatter" community is an absolute delight! Everyday I am completely amazed over by the work and progress photos shared by our members.
What was the way your customers react to your subscription?
Favorably, I'd say!
These Block of the Month products are such fun programs to put together from my perspective as the educator. However, the whole experience is truly a part of the group; the excitement of the next stage and the anticipation of watching blocks grow; the commiseration when something goes wrong; the satisfaction of completing each step and saying "ta Da!" together! The whole experience is amazing and part of the bond which we share as a group.
What have you learned about your subscription, which you can apply to your company today?
Oh my. The most valuable lesson I've learned, the hard way was that I do way too much tasks for myself. So, I'm constantly looking for ways to streamline.
When I started my business, one of my primary goals was to be capable of contributing to the family support and not have to look for the "real" occupation. I started when my four kids were infants with the hopes of increasing my income so that it could be comparable to that of a "real" occupation.
I was looking to start a business where I could spend about 25% of my time on the computer, and spend the rest of my time working in my sewing space.
But as a creative person who is passionate about teaching, I'd get sidetracked by taking everything quilt I designed and then creating a new product that was based on it. As you can imagine, that gave me a lot of work to do! This actually led me from my sewing room and away from the goal I had set.
For simplicity to keep it simple, I am now focusing (mostly!) on my membership. I've pared the entire thing down to a single service.
What effects did the introduction of a subscription based product have in your business?
In focusing and simplifying my approach to the development of my membership, my business has doubled for the past 3 years (thanks for those delicious, sweet analytics!). I've met my goal of building a business that will provide for my family and one where I'm no longer tied to my laptop: I can create and create art.
I'm much less stressed. I am happy with what I'm offering my clients. I lovewatching my members' creations. And I have more time. I'm at ease. This peace of mind clears up my bandwidth. Although it's not perfect, I am aware of what I'm creating and how I can improve it, and I can see how it will grow and develop within the next couple of years.
As a member, I have less pressure. Most of the time I have a clear picture of my business' revenue per year. And I don't feel like I need to educate myself on the latest thing I'm working on or create a new product that I can sell. I can focus on creating amazing content and connection for my followers, but also creating for myself. Additionally, I am active and flexible in taking good care of my loved ones.
What helped you get those results?
My aim was ever going to be simplicity, and this has made total sense. It's so easy for businesses online to become complex in just a few minutes. It's a way to simplify things, and I'm here to help with it. All I require is included in , and aside from the other tools (from earlier times, which I didn't use ) I have a strict use of.
What suggestions would you provide anyone else looking to begin a subscription-based business?
You should be able to push yourself hard in the "Beta" version, and make it "Beta" for a longer time than you believe it is necessary to. I wished I'd kept mine in beta mode longer. In your beta, discover what works, do more of that. Spend time and energy polishing and improving what's effective. Be simple, and remain focussed on the simpleness. Begin with your first beta today; the longer you sit, the more complicated it is!