Today we’d like to introduce you to Lesley Woods and Miranda Osterman.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Our business was actually very much unplanned, but we could not be happier with how it has evolved in just two years. As friendly acquaintances, we knew we both had a love for DIY everything. In trying to help a friend build her local consignment shop business, we hosted a DIY craft night at her shop. Suddenly we found ourselves hosting several craft nights a month, and realized we had “found a gem.” We quickly made a decision to dive in on this exciting new adventure. Just a few short months later we rented a small space on the third floor of a building where we had the ability to host 20 guests per event. With the growing interest in Pinterest and DIY movement, our business began to boom, we went from hosting 3-4 events per month to over 12 craft nights a month including birthday parties. Back in April we set our eyes on a new bigger studio and made the move! We now have the capability to host forty customers in our 2,500 square foot studio with space for a retail section as well.
Fortunately, our community has been extremely supportive of our business which has made building our business a very pleasant experience.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, we are not sure any business owner could say that. At the same time, fortunately, we have not experienced any major struggles. We are both moms of young children, so juggling the balance of starting a new business as well as providing for our families as “stay at home moms” was quite a learning curve. We are beyond blessed to have great husbands, families, and friends who have and continue to support us one hundred percent on our journey. They have been thrown into our DIY’ing dreams, more than they wished to be but have done it with full smiles and encouragement!
Our advice to all of the young women starting their business endeavors is; if you truly love what you do, the rest will fall into place. You are sure to hit some road blocks along the way but don’t give up, keep your head high, push thru and learn from the hiccups. We have truly benefited from our partnership. Having the opportunity to bounce ideas back and forth has been beneficial for us and our business. Having a partner through your exciting journey is definitely something we would recommend.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Crafty Nest DIY – what should we know?
We are a unique DIY studio that hosts expert-led workshops with a continuously growing catalog of handmade crafts with an artisan flair. We guide our customers through the step-by-step process of staining, painting, dry brushing, customizing, hammering and drilling, all within a 2 to 3-hour workshop that is both interactive and fun. We are a full-service DIY studio, we teach people to create Pinterest worthy home decor and we give them all the tools, supplies and guidance to make it their own.
We pride ourselves in offering a place where women (and men) can have a fun night out, complete a start to finish product and build confidence in their DIY skills. All level crafters leave our studio feeling confident in their Pinterest worthy pieces. We have heard countless times “my family will never believe that I actually did this!” That makes us feel so great about what we do.
Often as wives, mothers, friends, etc. we don’t have time or allow ourselves time to create and complete projects and visit with friends. At The Crafty Nest they can do both!
We feel the ever-changing menu offered at our studio is what sets us apart from other similar businesses. There are numerous “paint night” type studios as well as some sign making studios throughout New England, but we pride ourselves on the extensive variety of home decor we continue to offer.
What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Do what you love! When work doesn’t feel like work that’s when you know you’re doing the right thing. Promote yourself, brag on yourself, if you don’t nobody else will. Meet with other women entrepreneurs in your business area, find a mentor, and collaborate with them as much as possible. Always strive to find new ways to make your business better, never settle.
Contact Info:
- Address: 116 church street
Whitinsville Ma 01588 - Website: Www.thecraftynestdiy.com
- Instagram: the_crafty_nest_diy
- Facebook: Thecraftynestdiy
Image Credit:
Thecraftynestdiy
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
