Monique has been crocheting for 20 years and started her business in 2010 making hats. She then branched into dolls, and now mainly makes dragons. It’s a niche market, but she loves that what she makes brings joy to people. Her enthusiastic fans/friends inspire her and motivate her to keep doing what she does.
We chatted over a mocktail Tequila Sunrise about business, making, and ourselves. Grab your own drink and listen now!
Mock Tequila Sunrise
3 parts orange juice
2 parts peach juice
1 part lemonade
1 part grenadine
Pour into a highball glass in order. Garnish with a twist of orange or with cherries, if desired.
- Misha’s journey through hats, dolls, and dragons
- Using sale dates instead of making to order
- Building a community for fans
- Getting inspiration from looking at artists working in different media
- Meeting Misha’s pet rats
Connect with Misha:
People and resources mentioned in this episode:
Hiccup and Toothless:
This is episode 8 of my Cocktails & Chat series, a community-building project for makers and artisans to share the highs and lows of business and making and make it a bit less lonely.
- 0:52 – Introducing Misha
- 3:28 – Misha’s journey through hats, dolls, and dragons
- 6:58 – Misha’s claim to fame
- 8:38 – Why did you start selling your hats?
- 9:46 – Did you always want to run your own business?
- 10:55 – What do you wish you had known when you started your business?
- 13:56 – Products that surprised Misha by selling well and sitting around unloved, which led into a different way of selling: sale dates instead of making to order
- 17:00 – Misha’s thoughts on custom makes
- 18:29 – Dragon inspiration
- 20:10 – Misha’s adventures in crocheting and pattern-writing
- 25:01 – What is the difference between crochet and knitting?
- 25:47 – Underrated indispensible tool
- 26:46 – Other making that Misha does
- 29:00 – Misha’s micro dragons – just 1″ tall
- 32:13 – What do you like most about running a business?
- 34:15 – What do you like least about running a business?
- 35:58 – Building a community for fans
- 39:03 – Meeting Misha’s pet rats
- 44:33 – Favourite genres
- 45:26 – Some practicalities about the elusive work-life balance
- 48:02 – What fellow artists inspire Misha?
- 51:30 – Misha’s amazing around-the-world in 80 days trip
- 54:33 – Misha’s favourite dragon that she’s made
- 56:27 – How do you know when a work is finished?
- 57:29 – Misha’s exciting Easter dragon plans
