So before we get into talking about time and other resources...

Think about why you want this.

Are you like Marinella and want to confidently say “no” more often?

Are you like Claire and Melissa and want a bigger, more predictable income?

Are you like Laura and looking to get your creative business out of survival mode?

Take a minute to ask exactly how things could be better for you. It’ll come in handy in a second.

In the meantime, let’s come back to that question - besides high quality products, what do you need to put into your wholesale business to be successful?

Well, let’s see.

The first resource you need to put in is time.

It takes time to start and own a wholesale business, especially because you're most likely continuing to sell your products to regular people. You can't suddenly let them down.

Depending on how big you want to go and how fast you want to get there, the time you need to give varies. I can't give you a precise number of hours.

But I will say that if you don't have at least 5-10 hours a week to dedicate to building your wholesale business, then now is probably not the time to begin. Obviously, the more time you have, the better, assuming that you're working on the right things in the right order.

For now, let's just say that you need time to make this work.

The second resource is energy.

It takes a great deal of energy, or motivation, to get your wholesale business up and running.

There's definitely a learning curve and you need a spark inside that keeps you going. You need to be motivated and know what you're doing this for - just like we talked about a moment ago.

And the third resource is money.

If someone says they can teach you how to start a business without spending any money, you probably should back away slowly. There has to be some investment to get any business off the ground.

But the good news is this time you're not starting from scratch. If you’re already selling the lovely thing you make to the public, you actually already have 95% of the infrastructure you need to sell to shops. We'll talk more about that in the "What's The Work Like In Wholesale" Beginner's Guide.

The things you don’t have yet are low cost.

That’s stuff like a simple catalogue or line sheet, a persuasive introductory email and accessible terms and conditions. You don't need a fancy trade website or an expensive stand at a trade show to get started.

A few simple documents, the lovely thing you make and an understanding of what retailers want from you is all that's required.

So you need time, you need energy, you need a bit of money. Those are the three currencies of business we talked about in the previous guide.

But there’s actually one more resource I want you to think about.

It's support.

Now, listen to me on this. It's essential that you have the support of those who are closest to you - support at home. If you're married or in a relationship, we want your spouse or partner to be on board with you selling to shops.

If someone close to you is telling you they don't think this is a good idea, that's a clear sign that you should pause and find out why. You need to listen to them and work through why they're saying this.

Also think about the specific kinds of support you need in order to give wholesale your best.

Could you do with someone to pack Etsy orders for you a couple of mornings a week, to free you up?

Or take the kids on Saturdays so you have a full day to work on your wholesale business? Most makers are looking for a combination of practical and emotional support from their friends and family. So give that some thought and have those conversations.

Here's why support matters

Getting your wholesale business up and running is hard work. It's a short term sacrifice for a lifetime of benefit. And those close to us are going to have to sacrifice a little bit too.

If they're not on board, that puts you at a disadvantage. We want you well-supported before you start down this road.

In addition to your friends and family, you also need the support of other creative people who sell to shops. As you may know, owning your own creative business can be lonely. There's no chain of command. You're the employee and the boss so it's all up to you.

That's why you need a community.

When you have a good day or a bad day, or a situation comes up that you don't quite know how to handle, you can turn to this family of fellow makers and artists who understand where you're coming from.

They’ll celebrate your success, help you navigate tricky moments and chip in with helpful suggestions. If that sounds good to you, come join my Sell Like An Artist community on facebook. They’re a great crowd and will be pleased to support you.

So those are the resources you need to put in to get started in wholesale. Next up, let’s talk about something that holds lots of makers back - fear of selling.