The beautiful reality of a calligraphy business: YouTube interview with Ingenious Gifts
I’ve grown my calligraphy business embracing one opportunity after another. The poems people send me, the ideas they share. The opportunities to run workshops, to meet people across Cumbria and beyond who share my fascination for calligraphy. And then this happened: I met with Andrew from Ingenious Gifts and we recorded an interview about my calligraphy business and the stories behind it.
A screenshot from my interview with Andrew from Ingenious Gifts
Until I watched this back, I hadn’t really realised how many stories are woven into my calligraphy business: because it’s not just my story, but the way my commissions weave from one calligraphy client to the next, from poems to family trees, wedding tables and more.
I had such a lovely, lovely time chatting with Andrew. We share an ethos, and a drive to help people: Ingenious Gifts and MadeBy Live are designed around artisans, craftspeople and makers with small, independent businesses. Of all the marketplaces and UK handmade gifts platforms, Ingenious Gifts stands out for understanding the people behind craft businesses. It’s very much like the work I do at English Wedding: supporting small businesses with online visibility.
A close up of my calligraphy (taken from the YouTube interview)
In my 20 years of having a calligraphy business, I’ve always known blogging and sharing my story are key to being seen and discovered by customers. Now we’re being overtaken by the robots (admittedly I use Claude and ChatGPT from time to time… and Gemini is unavoidable) it’s harder than ever to be visible online as a small craft business. I’ve been looking for a craft marketplace which stands out - and Ingenious Gifts is one I’m really proud to be a part of.
So when I commented on another maker’s brilliant video on Ingenious Gifts’ YouTube channel, and Andrew reached out for a chat, then to ask if he could interview me, it was easy (and exciting) to say yes. If I can help one maker, one craftsperson, one small business owner who is starting out - then I’ll be so happy. And because I see how passionate Andrew is about helping people, how committed he is to the makers using his platform, I want to do everything I can to support him too.
Andrew Spackman, founder and small business supporter at Ingenious Gifts and MadeBy Live
If any craft business owners are reading this blog - perhaps caught up in the flurry of makers leaving NOTHS this month - I recommend Ingenious Gifts without a second’s hesitation. It’s an ambitious, growing, curated and genuinely caring platform for crafters and makers, and the support and opportunities for visibility and content are second to none. This article explains how Ingenious Gifts and MadeBy Live works for sellers.
Frank Turner lyrics in my calligraphy studio - I’m definitely going to hell but I’ll have all the best stories to tell.
My calligraphy story on YouTube is one of resilience, survival, creative rollercoasters, Dreamies, mountains, learning a craft and making people happy. It’s an honest reflection on how a craft business can survive for twenty years - and more than that: being a calligrapher is something that’s carried me through dark times into a life that’s better than I could ever have imagined.
I hope other makers who see it will be inspired (and entertained). I saw it for the first time this morning and messaged Andrew: “your insights and questions and thoughtful comments are spot on - it’s a lovely video that celebrates the life I’ve made and I’m so, so grateful. I really hope it will inspire someone else to keep a handmade business alive.”
If you’d like to see inside my calligraphy studio, find out why there are more dragons in there than I thought there were, and why, meet one of my cats (Magic came for Dreamies; Nola was hiding but had some later) and watch me writing, make yourself a cuppa and tap on the video to play.
My happy place, with my happy person. Thank you Steve for being there for me always. I love you.
