PGC wishes to offer to a small group of our members, who seek to become professional or semi-professional artisans, the opportunity to receive mentorship in a one year Fine Craft as a Business (FCB) program. The Mentor – Mentee relationship will be reinforced through professional development workshops offered by the PGC. We intend to match a PGC Master Artisan who is willing to commit to active involvement with a Mentee who has minimal experience as an exhibiting or selling artisan. The intent is to facilitate a transfer of the business knowledge and skills learned over a period of years to someone just beginning the journey of turning his or her craft into a successful and enjoyable business.
As a Fine Craft as a Business Mentor you will:
- Initiate contact with assigned Mentee within 30 days of acceptance of the assignment
- Meet with Mentee at least 5 times – may be in-person (at least once), email or via phone
- Reach out to Mentee from time to time
- Provide positive and constructive feedback
- Share networking suggestions
- Provide marketing advice and support for Booth design, publications, gallery contacts, Internet, etc.
- Act as a role model – artist and business professional
- Demonstrate good communication skills
- Provide ongoing feedback to FCB committee chair when requested
- Be willing to serve as a Mentor for 12 months after being matched to a Mentee
Criteria to Become a Fine Craft as a Business Mentee:
- New to the craft circuit with less than 2 years of selling craft/art . . . no maximum age limit
- Seeking help with promoting and selling craft/art
- Interested in making a profit selling craft/art
- Seeking information on how and where to sell
- Seeking feedback from Mentor and other craft artists to improve such business elements as inventory tracking, financial processes, booth design, product photography, product display
- A PGC member (if not a member, must join before being paired with a mentor)
Only craftsmen members in good standing may apply to be in the Mentor/Mentee program. If you are a craftsman member and you would like to be a part of this program, please click here to login to the site and return to this page.