Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Dixon.
Hi Kristin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
They say not to go into the biz with your bestie. Well, we think they’re totally wrong. With over two decades combined in the multifamily industry – from competing Leasing Agents to Marketing Directors on the same team to self-proclaimed unicorns outside the “office” – we’ve been to countless events. These gatherings are typically treated as an afterthought, thrown together with minimal resources, support, direction, or purpose.
In co-founding Craft Happy, we aimed to solve that problem by providing a menu of workshop-style events to apartment communities looking to spice up their ho-hum resident events – and just as we started to pick up steam a few months after starting the company mid-2019… BAM. COVID. Goodbye events. Goodbye business model.
So we obviously cried as we canceled dozens (and dozens!) of IRL events scheduled for the spring and summer of 2020. And when we were done crying, we put on our most comfy big girl pants (I mean, we work from home sooo it’s part of the uniform) and re-strategized. The answer? Virtual.
We embraced the Zoom and Teams and Google Hang Outs and everything else that would have our faces to launch our virtual workshop menu. AND we expanded into different industries. Why should multifamily have alllll the fun? Whether it’s a resident event in a clubhouse, wine night with neighborhood moms, or team building for the remote workforce, we had a craft for that. AND we had a mailed kit for that!
As a small, women-owned business, we are proud to bring our network of other small, women-owned businesses to a greater audience. Every order makes us do a literal happy dance in our living rooms, which generally disturbs our husbands, dogs, and babies. We think it’s a fair trade-off, don’t you? They’ll be fiiiine.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No adventure is without a bump in the road (or two… or three… dozen). COVID obviously hit our event biz hard, but it also made us differentiate ourselves from other event companies. “Pivot” was our word of 2020 (cue the Ross meme).
With the challenge of switching from in-person workshops to virtual and now to a hybrid offering of either, we pushed ourselves to be better, work harder, drink allll the wine. Well, maybe not ALL of it because we both decided to have BABIES among all of the chaos. What. Were. We. Thinking?!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Craft Happy™, we believe social distancing never meant social isolation. ((We also believe a good Schitt’s Creek gif can be applied to every situation.)) Our unique approach to virtual and IRL workshops brings a talented artist into your “home” for an Insta-worthy evening.
Pour some bubbly + reconnect with friends, fam, neighbors, co-workers, and more with a private workshop designed especially for your group. Or opt to join an open-to-the-public experience where you’ll meet other like-minded crafters looking to change up their “new normal.” Or – yes, there’s more! – let’s do it like the good ole days and get together in person!
Our most popular workshops include cheeseboard design, floral arrangements, watercolors, and cocktails. We feature local artists that foster small biz supporting small biz vibe that makes us sooo happy – pun totally intended. My personal fave workshop? Chunky blankets and chunky pillows! And yes, I also TEACH this workshop so I’m incredibly biased. Hosting a virtual workshop where we mail all the supplies to students ahead of time, and learning something new together is so fulfilling.
It’s amazing to watch co-workers connect over a shared experience, or strangers make besties for life in our open-to-the-public workshops. And we make it totally easy on everyone by shipping ALL of the materials to their homes! Literally, just push JOIN and grab a glass of wine. I’ll talk you through the rest! (Love that journey for you.)
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
My co-founder and I are totally and completely obsessed with How I Built This! There is a nugget of inspiration that is applicable to our business model in each and every episode. Listening to these amazing entrepreneurs share their stories helps us get through the tougher self-employed days. Misery loves company, right?! We can’t wait to be interviewed by host Guy Raz #bigdreams!
We’re also big fans of The Goal Digger Podcast by Jenna Kutcher. She’s so relatable and it feels like we’re just grabbing a glass of wine with our super successful bestie! It’s great to see other women empowering women.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@crafthappyco.com
- Website: www.crafthappyco.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/crafthappyco
- Facebook: facebook.com/crafthappyco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEgXnbtlpIrkmv-4dNjlXNQ/featured
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShopCraftHappy?ref=profile_header
