Do you make and sell products to a loyal following online or at shows like Urban Air Market but dream of owning your own store?
Learn from an awesome panel of current store owners who started off as Urban Air Market vendors. Come hear what it takes to open your own store and get answers to your burning questions about creating a business structure, hiring employees, location tips, and more. This speaker panel event will allow attendees to hear the good, the bad and the ugly of store ownership firsthand.
Bring your questions and business cards as there will be time for Q&A, refreshments, and mingling.
WHAT: Behind the Scenes: Opening Your Own Store
WHEN: Thursday, September 3rd, 7-9pm
Please be aware of city traffic and neighborhood parking issues to arrive on time for refreshments, networking with your peers, and to meet the Urban Air Market team.
WHERE:
gather
541 Octavia St.
San Francisco, CA
RSVP to reserve your spot!
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A bit more about the panelists:
Daisy and Christian (that's us!)- gather
Husband and wife team Christian & Daisy opened their shop, gather, in 2014 in Hayes Valley. Daisy is a jewelry designer who sells her designs online and in various boutiques around the country and Christian’s background is in providing legal advice to small businesses. Combining their unique experiences and skills and embarking on a new journey, they are now living their dream of owning a brick and mortar store in the heart of San Francisco to sell their goods as well as the goods of other local and indie artists.
Jonathan- heliotrope
JP is an alchemist, a dog lover, a porketarian, a grammarian, a martini aficionado, and Nice Jewish Boy from The Bronx. He’s worked for Bay Area retailers for over 25 years, including Williams-Sonoma/Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Good Vibrations, and Bare Essentials. He co-founded Heliotrope five years ago.
Jenn- local take
Jenn co-owns Local Take with Kyra, who she had often shared a festival booth with to sell her own designs in the past. They worked so well together that they decided it was time to open their own brick and mortar store. Jenn and Kyra chose the Castro for their business as it lacked a main retail source for independently designed and crafted personal items and gifts. Local Take now showcases over 130 independent designers and artists, helping them gain public recognition to jumpstart their careers.
About the Moderator:
Danielle is the owner of Urban Air Market. She has been an event producer and artist representative since 2005 when she founded Missing Piece Productions. She has won a San Francisco fashion award in each of the following categories: Best Event Producer, Best Fashion Event, Best Artist Rep, Best Fashion Collective, and Best Trunk Show. She enjoys success stories about small businesses that participate in Urban Air Market events that involve collaboration, growth, and change.