Work fun

[merrileemakes]

I really resonated with an Instragram post the other day by the Fiber Business Collective about the difference between a hobby business and a "business" business. Both are totally valid, important and necessary, but a "business" business values selling things and a hobby business values making joy.

Brindabella Yarn Craft is definitely a hobby business. I sell things that I love, and do things that aren't the best "business" decision but bring both me and my customers joy.

Part of that is bedazzling! I bought a hot set crystal wand a few years ago and now make freebie stitch markers that go will all orders. I really enjoy the process and love playing with the crystals.



So cute!



If I didn't include these cards with gift stitch markers in each order I'd scrape together a bit more money... but I just love giving them away and I hope the people who recieve them have a smile on their face too.

Comments

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> the difference between a hobby business and a "business" business. <<

Huh, around here it's more about proportion -- whether it is your main job or a side gig.

>>If I didn't include these cards with gift stitch markers in each order I'd scrape together a bit more money... but I just love giving them away and I hope the people who recieve them have a smile on their face too.<<

Things like that help customers realize you are a real person. As AI takes over more and more, that becomes increasingly valuable.

Every once in a while I get a hand-written note or an extra thing tossed in, and it makes me smile. One of my favorite seed companies always adds a random extra packet. It matters.

Sometimes, what makes good business sense isn't obvious. For me, with crowdfunding poetry, I found that giving away something I hope to make into a series is an effective tactic because it lets readers see the content.

Re: Thoughts

[merrileemakes]

Yeah, main gig vs side gig is another way to break it up. I've never been brave enough to give up my "real" job and work for myself. I think I'd crumble under the pressure, especially feeling guilty around doing hobbies or anything fun that wouldn't turn a profit.

That human connection is definitely becoming more important. AI is making everything worse.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>I've never been brave enough to give up my "real" job and work for myself. I think I'd crumble under the pressure, especially feeling guilty around doing hobbies or anything fun that wouldn't turn a profit.<<

It does take a certain self-awareness and planning skill. Me, I'm a wordsmith -- pretty much anything can be research or inspiration for me. That's useful. And I'm not well suited to the conventional job market, so self-employment suits me better.

>>That human connection is definitely becoming more important.<<

Yep.

>> AI is making everything worse.<<

Mostly. There are a few things it does better than humans, like gauging the results of certain medical or quality-control tests. But that's not a big list.

Re: Thoughts

[merrileemakes]

Yeah, it's not a big list. So far I've found it useful on Storygraph, a book tracker like Goodreads. It has an optional AI analysis of a book that compares and contrasts the book to the themes and style of books you've rated highly. I quite enjoy that.

There's a huge push at my "real" job to use AI and I feel like such an old curmudgeon but I just don't see how the benefits outweigh the downsides for most applications.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> It has an optional AI analysis of a book that compares and contrasts the book to the themes and style of books you've rated highly. I quite enjoy that.<<

If you enjoy it, then by all means use it.

A couple of creative applications people have mentioned:

* Use AI to create a scene which the digital artist then uses as an underpainting.

* Use AI to generate plot ideas, then write the most interesting story.

>> There's a huge push at my "real" job to use AI and I feel like such an old curmudgeon but I just don't see how the benefits outweigh the downsides for most applications. <<

They probably don't. Someone mentioned a study that showed employees take longer to use AI then troubleshoot all its mistakes, than if they just did the work themselves. I haven't seen the study but am watching for it. Happily, this is test that anyone can do. Take two similar tasks. Have a team of employees do one by hand and one with AI. Then count which is faster and which has a lower error rate -- or whatever other metrics you want to compare.

It amazes me how many people will just do shit because it's trendy without testing it first. But then I grew up near an Amish community so I absorbed their rule: "Before adopting any new piece of technology, first determine whether it does more harm than good. If so, do not adopt it." We draw the line in different places, but that rule has saved me a ton of money and headaches.

Re: Thoughts

[merrileemakes]

Hrrrn, I have ethical issues with using generative AI to make art or other creative uses. They're trained on mountains of work done by actual people, with no credit, compensation or even acknowledgement. Not to mention the biases that would creep in. We need creative humans to be breaking the harmful tropes, not using computers to perpetuate them.