Newark Kicks Off Etsy Entrepreneurship Program

As the unemployment rate remains steady, crafty low-income artists now have a place to turn to capitalize on their wares.

Brick City Development Corporation announced yesterday that it has paired with Etsy, an online retailer that allows individuals to sell their handmade products, in launching its Craft Entrepreneurship program in Newark.

The program offers a number of classes to help craft-savvy people start their own business immediately to create supplemental income through micro-entrepreneurship.

“Traditional economic development programs focus on courting large employers to a region and teaching the community job skills. Micro-entrepreneurship programs, however, offer opportunities for immediate income while participants are training for and seeking those jobs. This income can bolster the job seeker’s beleaguered confidence,” said Dana Mauriello, Etsy’s Director of Human Scale Labs. “At a time of hand wringing over low-paying jobs and a vacuum of opportunity, supplemental income through micro-entrepreneurship offers a viable solution.”

The course runs for six weeks, and interested persons may fill out an application by following this link. The program's maiden course began June 10.

The course covers five distinct topics essential to jump starting a business, including: Becoming an Entrepreneur: opening an Etsy shop and time management; Building and Marketing a Craft Brand: brand values, discovering target market and introduction to social media; Photo Workshop: using photos and product descriptions to sell your product; Pricing and Shipping: accounting expenses, pricing for profit, calculating shipping costs and customer service policies; and Strategies for Growth: tracking expenses, taxes, legal structures and alternative ways to sell a product.