Q: Tell us a little bit about your business.

Colleen says:

Sunrise Reverie Studio is a little business where handcrafted goods bring beauty, warmth and creativity into everyday life. My style can be described as calm, creative, colorful and focused on quality. Some of the products I sell include cold process soaps, beeswax candles, hand sewn pillows and table runners, handcrafted sterling silver jewelry and greeting cards.

Q: Why are you a good candidate for the Robin's Roses Entrepreneurial Scholarship?

Colleen says:

I believe I am a good candidate because I am a mom of two little boys who has always dreamed of making a living selling my art. I finally told myself in June that I would make it happen and there's nothing more important to me than being successful so I can show my kids that it is possible to follow your dreams.

Q: How can we connect with you and your brand online?

Colleen says:

Website
Instagram
Facebook

IBN: Welcome Colleen!

We are super excited to welcome you, Colleen! Your soaps and jewelry are indeed beautiul.

As a mom, I totally understand where you are coming from as I had much the same mindset when my children were young. Congratulations on taking such definitive steps to making it happen and designing success on your own terms. Your children are watching, and believe me, they are taking it all in. You are giving them an education they cannot get anywhere else, and it matters. I am thrilled that you want IBN to be a part of your journey!

Apply for IBN's Robin's Roses Entrepreneurial Scholarship

The Indie Business Network offers a valuable and transformative entrepreneurial experience to artisans and small business owners nationwide. We recognize that not everyone has the resources to access our suite of entrepreneurial mentoring, coaching, and training services, especially when they are first starting out. To help offset the challenge for as many as possible, each quarter, we offer a scholarship for a year of membership.

At the Indie Business Network, we believe that every woman can provide for herself and her children because she can sell something she made with her own hands. If you have started your business, but lack the resources needed to grow, you can get information on how to apply for next quarter's Robin's Roses Entrepreneurial Scholarship Award at this link.

The post Meet Colleen Franke: Indie Business Network 4Q 2026 Robin’s Roses Entrepreneurial Scholarship Recipient appeared first on Indie Business Network®.

In this book, Pofeldt profiles nearly 60 microbusinesses that have all reached seven figures in annual revenue without losing control or selling out.  She also includes the results of a survey with the founders of 50 seven-figure microbusinesses that got to seven figures with no payroll or very small teams, which provides deeper visibility into their shared principles of success that you can apply to your own small business.

Here are three powerful takeaways we'll uncover together:

• Find your niche: identify the specific buyer you serve and build everything you do around them
• Email marketing: build the one channel you truly own, with a welcome sequence that converts from day one
• Multiple revenue streams: position your business to benefit from digital downloads, workshops, and memberships
• and more!

If you want to learn about micro-entrepreneurship from real-life case studies and examples, this is a great book to read and study. As always, we’ll apply what we learn directly to your business so you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Reading Plan

The reading plan progresses in our private group. If you are a member but not participating there, you can request an invitation at Indie Business Network Entrepreneur Member Community.

The graphic below displays our easy reading schedule.

About Elaine Pofeldt

Elaine Pofeldt is an independent journalist who specializes in small business, entrepreneurship and careers. Her books are a collective crash course on the best practices of entrepreneurs who are running seven-figure businesses with tiny teams. Her work has appeared in FORTUNE, Money, CNBC, Inc., Forbes, Crain’s New York Business, Millie, and many other business publications. She has also contributed to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Visit Elaine's website.

Purchase Craft Business Made Simple

Buy this and other Indie Business Book Club picks at IBN's Amazon shop.

This book is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. It is not available on Audible.

Of course, you can also purchase the book at your favorite local book store or check it out of your local library.

Are you ready? Let's do it.

Join us!

If you're not familiar with the Indie Business Book Club, you can click here for more information.

If you're not an IBN member, what are you waiting for? Join now and enjoy the book club and tons of other benefits to help you and your business become better every day.

The post October 2026 Indie Business Book Club: Tiny Business, Big Money by Elaine Pofeldt appeared first on Indie Business Network®.

Roberta Perry of Scrubz Body in New York has set up her business to accommodate the ebbs and flows of her personal life. She never has to retrofit her life around her business because the business is built around her life. If that's what you want, then don't miss this candid deep-dive into Roberta's experiences revealing how to resist the traditional entrepreneurial standards and create your own. If you want to build a business that suits your needs and not someone else's, this episode is for you, so listen NOW!

Click the arrow to enjoy the Indie Business Podcast

On this episode of #IndieBusinessLifestyle, you'll hear

• Why it is critical to build your business around your life, and not the other way around
• Tips to help you build your business around your life, and not the other way around
• How to set up your business so you can have more time doing things you want to do
• Examples from Roberta's personal experience to help you embrace serving yourself before you serve others

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode

In this episode, Roberta and I mentioned the following resources.

1. Learn more about Scrubz
2. Follow Scrubz on Instagram
3. Learn about the benefits of the Indie Business Network – for makers and artisan entrepreneurs

Listen to Roberta's First Appearance on the Podcast!

If you really want to enjoy a deep dive into Roberta's journey and methods, you won't want to miss my first interview with her from a decade ago. Putting the information together from both episodes is a great way to get the mindset and execution tips you need to build the lifestyle business for you!

Listen to that episode here.

Thanks for Listening!

Thank you for being part of this community. I'm honored to walk alongside you as you build your best business, live your best life, and create a meaningful legacy.

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a review, and share your favorite episodes with a fellow entrepreneur. And if you'd like to connect with thousands of makers and product entrepreneurs who believe business should support life — not the other way around — be sure to click here learn more about how you can take advantage of the benefits offered by the Indie Business Network.

More Evergreen Podcast Episodes

If you want to binge listen to previous episodes, you can do that on Youtube.

Subscribe to Indie Business Podcast

If you enjoy the Indie Business Podcast, please subscribe so you can get each episodes as it is released. You can subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Pandora or your favorite podcast platform.

Rate Indie Business Podcast, Tell Your Friends and Comment

If you enjoy the Indie Business Podcast, please rate the show on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to subscribe there to receive automatic episodes as they are released.

The post “Build Your Business Around Your Life” with Roberta Perry – Indie Business Lifestyle Podcast Episode 343 appeared first on Indie Business Network®.

Written by a maker who built a thriving multi-channel craft business from a kitchen table, this guide shares every hard-won lesson, proven framework, and practical system that the most successful Etsy sellers, craft fair vendors, and Instagram-driven makers use to build businesses worth building.

Here are three powerful takeaways we'll uncover together:

• Find your niche: identify the specific buyer you serve and build everything you do around them
• Email marketing: build the one channel you truly own, with a welcome sequence that converts from day one
• Multiple revenue streams: position your business to benefit from digital downloads, workshops, and memberships
• and more!

As always, we’ll apply what we learn directly to your business so you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Reading Plan

The reading plan progresses in the Indie Business Network Entrepreneur Member Community.

The graphic below displays our easy reading schedule.

About Sophie Hartwell

Sophie Hartwell built a thriving multi-channel craft business from a kitchen table, and this guide shares every hard-won lesson, proven framework, and practical system that she and others have used to maximize platforms like Etsy, physical shows and markets, Instagram and more!

With decades of operational expertise, Sophie delivers actionable insights for entrepreneurs and leadership teams. Her writing simplifies complex systems into practical, timeless business principles you can all learn and benefit from.

Visit Sophie's wesbite.

Purchase Craft Business Made Simple

Buy this and other Indie Business Book Club picks at IBN's Amazon shop.

This book is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. It is not available on Audible.

Of course, you can also purchase the book at your favorite local book store or check it out of your local library.

Are you ready? Let's do it.

Join us!

If you're not familiar with the Indie Business Book Club, you can click here for more information.

If you're a member of the Indie Business Network, make sure to join us in our private Entrepreneur Members Facebook group to get started.

If you're not an IBN member, what are you waiting for? Join now and enjoy the book club and tons of other benefits to help you and your business become better every day.

The post September 2026 Indie Business Book Club: Craft Business Made Simple by Sophie Hartwell appeared first on Indie Business Network®.

This book is great for any small business owner, but we are reading it so you can ensure that the business you have is the right one for the lifestyle you want. As you know, one powers the other. A business can only be sustained so long as it fits your life well. A life running the wrong business is another definition of “misery.”

Here are three powerful takeaways we'll uncover together:

• Unlock the creative possibilities that will help you run a business that truly enhances your life
• Learn how to spot and correct areas of your business plan that are unnecessarily infringing your life
• Understand the connection between your life plan and your business model, so you can improve both
• and more!

As always, we’ll apply what we learn directly to your business so you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Reading Plan

The reading plan progresses in the Indie Business Network Entrepreneur Member Community.

The graphic below displays our easy reading schedule.

About Daniel Priestley

Daniel Priestley has built and sold multiple businesses. He's the Founder of Dent Global, one of the world's top business accelerators for entrepreneurs and leaders to stand out and scale up. He’s the cofounder of ScoreApp, a marketing software platform, as well as AI startups BookMagic and AwardsApp.

Visit Daniel's website.

Purchase Grow Your Product Business

Buy this and other Indie Business Book Club picks at IBN's Amazon shop.

This book is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. It is not available on Audible.

Of course, you can also purchase the book at your favorite local book store or check it out of your local library.

Are you ready? Let's do it.

Join us!

If you're not familiar with the Indie Business Book Club, you can click here for more information.

If you're a member of the Indie Business Network, make sure to join us in our private Entrepreneur Members Facebook group to get started.

If you're not an IBN member, what are you waiting for? Join now and enjoy the book club and tons of other benefits to help you and your business become better every day.

The post August 2026 Indie Business Book Club: Lifestyle Business Playbook by Daniel Priestley appeared first on Indie Business Network®.

3 Reasons to Listen and Subscribe to Indie Business Lifestyle

When you subscribe to Indie Business Lifestyle, you'll discover how to:

• Design your life first—and build a profitable business that supports it.
• Lead and grow a sustainable business that complements your lifestyle instead of competing with it.
• Apply proven business principles and practical strategies in ways that align with your unique goals, values, and vision for success.

Whether you're making candles, soap, skincare, jewelry, specialty foods, or any other handcrafted product, you'll find practical ideas, honest conversations, and lasting encouragement to help you grow with confidence.

Click the arrow to enjoy the Indie Business Podcast

Thanks for Listening!

Thank you for being part of this community. I'm honored to walk alongside you as you build your best business, live your best life, and create a meaningful legacy.

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a review, and share your favorite episodes with a fellow entrepreneur. And if you'd like to connect with thousands of makers and product entrepreneurs who believe business should support life — not the other way around — be sure to click here learn more about how you can take advantage of the benefits offered by the Indie Business Network.

More Evergreen Podcast Episodes

If you want to binge listen to previous episodes, you can do that here.

Subscribe to Indie Business Podcast

If you enjoy the Indie Business Podcast, please subscribe so you can get each episodes as it is released. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or your favorite podcast platform.

Rate Indie Business Podcast, Tell Your Friends and Comment

If you enjoy the Indie Business Podcast, please rate the show on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to subscribe there to receive automatic episodes as they are released.

The post Indie Business Lifestyle Podcast: the Podcast of the Indie Business Network appeared first on Indie Business Network®.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your business.

Justice says:

I am a veteran licensed multicultural stylist and certified cosmetic formulator with 25+ years in the beauty industry. I specialize in curly and healthy hair transformations and have a wealth of knowledge and experience working with hair of all textures. I have created and brought 4 haircare formulations to market, and I use and test my formulations on actual clients, as well as myself and family.

Zehra says:

I am a psychologist by trade, and today, I use my experiences to formulate natural skincare products that use halal ingredients, and contain no color or alcohol. I also make cold process soap, lip balm, and body oils, and five percent of the proceeds from my company's sales go to making soap for my local homeless population. I want to grow so I can give a soap every time someone buys a soap.

Q: Why are you a good candidate for the Robin's Roses Entrepreneurial Scholarship?

Justice says:

I am an alumni of Joan Morais Cosmetics School, which is where I originally learned about Indie Business Network. I could really use IBN's mentorship and support. It’s been a rough ride, but I still keep hope alive, even through the many challenges I’ve faced over the years. I’m passionate about the work I do, have had many highs and lows, and am currently rebuilding. I am looking forward to encouragement, support, and resources. I have created some really amazing haircare formulations and I’m confident IBN's program can help me achieve my goals.

I also want to build community as I grow my product business.

Zehra says:

I have tried taking courses, but something is missing. Being a part of a community where there is 1:1 support available may be the missing piece for me. I want to grow this business and employ others, and I am excited that IBN can help me do those things … and. more! I want to earn new clients, learn to grow wholesale, and increase yearly sales.

Q: How can we connect with you and your brand online?

Justice says:

Website: https://justiceriverahaircare.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justiceriverahaurcare/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justiceriveracurlpro

Zehra says:

Website: https://www.rosebest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosebestllc/

IBN: We've got all that for you, and more. Welcome!

Apply for IBN's Robin's Roses Entrepreneurial Scholarship

The Indie Business Network offers a valuable and transformative entrepreneurial experience to artisans and small business owners nationwide. We recognize that not everyone has the resources to access our suite of entrepreneurial mentoring, coaching, and training services, especially when they are first starting out. To help offset the challenge for as many as possible, each quarter, we offer a scholarship for a year of membership.

At the Indie Business Network, we believe that every woman can provide for herself and her children because she can sell something she made with her own hands. If you have started your business, but lack the resources needed to grow, you can get information on how to apply for next quarter's Robin's Roses Entrepreneurial Scholarship Award at this link.

The post Meet Justice Rivera + Zehra Kapasi: Indie Business Network 3Q 2026 Robin’s Roses Entrepreneurial Scholarship Recipients appeared first on Indie Business Network®.

What makes this book super valuable is the interviews, Q&As, insider tips, and lessons from 25 working creative entrepreneurs across a variety of maker businesses. including ceramic artists, leather goods designers, weavers, painters, textile designers, woodworkers and more. Here are three powerful takeaways we’ll uncover together:

Here are three powerful takeaways we'll uncover together:

• Proven actions and strategies that makers use to build a profitable brand
• Behind-the-scenes glimpses into how other makers lead their businesses
• Apply some of their most valuable tips to build not just a business, but a brand
• and more!

As always, we’ll apply what we learn directly to your business so you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Reading Plan

The reading plan progresses in the Indie Business Network Entrepreneur Member Community.

The graphic below displays our easy reading schedule.

About Erin Austen Abbott

Erin Austen Abbott is is a freelance writer and photographer who has been included in dozens of publications. She is a travel blogger and publishes The Field Trip Newsletter that introduces culture, food, design, art, and nature to children.

Visit Erin's website.

Purchase Grow Your Product Business

Buy this and other Indie Business Book Club picks at IBN's Amazon shop.

This book is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. It is not available on Audible.

Of course, you can also purchase the book at your favorite local book store or check it out of your local library.

Are you ready? Let's do it.

Join us!

If you're not familiar with the Indie Business Book Club, you can click here for more information.

If you're a member of the Indie Business Network, make sure to join us in our private Entrepreneur Members Facebook group to get started.

If you're not an IBN member, what are you waiting for? Join now and enjoy the book club and tons of other benefits to help you and your business become better every day.

The post July 2026 Indie Business Book Club: How to Make It by Erin Austen Abbott appeared first on Indie Business Network®.

In this book, small-business retail expert Catherine Erdly shows you how to apply tools and strategies developed by large brands to YOUR business. Here are three powerful takeaways we’ll uncover together:

Here are three powerful takeaways we'll uncover together:

• Tips and strategies to build a profitable boutique brand that is both profitable and fun
• How to solopreneur brands can create predictable income
• The importance of creating your own unique financial system so your business becomes a financial health tool for you and your family
• and more!

As always, we’ll apply what we learn directly to your business so you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Reading Plan

The reading plan progresses in our Entrepreneur Member Community.

The graphic below displays our easy reading schedule.

About Catherine Erdly

Catherine Erdly is an award-winning small business retail expert, podcast host, speaker and writer, recently named one of the top 100 retail influencers in the world by Rethink Retail. She has over two decades experience in the retail industry, including 17 years managing budgets up to £400 million for some of the largest names in the high street in the UK and USA.

Visit Catherine's website.

Purchase Grow Your Product Business

Buy this and other Indie Business Book Club picks at IBN's Amazon shop.

This book is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. It is not available on Audible.

Of course, you can also purchase the book at your favorite local book store or check it out of your local library.

Are you ready? Let's do it.

Join us!

If you're not familiar with the Indie Business Book Club, you can click here for more information.

If you're a member of the Indie Business Network, make sure to join us in our private Entrepreneur Members Facebook group to get started.

If you're not an IBN member, what are you waiting for? Join now and enjoy the book club and tons of other benefits to help you and your business become better every day.

The post June 2026 Indie Business Book Club: Grow Your Product Business by Catherine Erdly appeared first on Indie Business Network®.

Over the past several months, I have been working thoughtfully and intentionally behind the scenes to create something new for our members. Today, I’m pleased to share that we will soon open a new Indie Business Network community on a dedicated platform designed to better support your growth as an entrepreneur. This marks an important step forward in how we gather, learn, and build together. Our member Facebook group has played a meaningful role in connecting us together members over the years. While it will remain in place for now, it will become public and it will serve different purposes than the new Indie Business Community.

Why IBN We Are Transitioning From the Facebook Group

The digital landscape is constanty evolving. Platforms like Facebook (Meta) continue to make changes that, while beneficial for their business model, are not always aligned with the needs of our members who want to learn, grow and share in private as they cultivate deep and meaningful relationships and collaborations with other members. Increasingly, on platforms like Facebook groups, community leaders face challenges such as limited visibility due to lack of trust and privacy, algorithmic control, a constant stream of distractions, and fewer tools to create structured, intentional member experiences.

As a result, many business owners are rethinking where and how they build community. IBN is one of those businesses.

A Better Member Experience

The new Indie Business Network community is built with clarity, focus, and your ease of use in mind.

It will provide:

• A cleaner, distraction-free, truly private environment that allows for deeper learning, relationship-building, and engagement
• Centralized access to training materials, insurance resources, business news, tips, and events
• Organized spaces and dedicated sections to make it easy to find support, guidance, and connections

Rather than relying on fragmented tools and scattered conversations that depend on a platform we cannot control, our new space brings everything together in a way that is both intuitive and purposeful.

A Strategic Shift to Support Modern Entrepreneurship

This move is not simply about adopting new technology. It reflects IBN's broader strategic priorities.

I believe that small business owners must increasingly take ownership of their audience and their relationships by building communities they control. These should be spaces where brand leaders can connect directly with customers, facilitate meaningful interactions, and create long-term value beyond any and all public social media platforms. While these platforms have their place, they are severely limited when it comes to providing opportunities for the kind of personal interaction that supports creative maker and artisan businesses.

In the months ahead, you will see a deeper emphasis within the Indie Business Network on:

• Building and leading brand communities
• Strengthening customer relationships and boosting sales through connection and engagement
• Creating sustainable business ecosystems that support recurring revenue and long-term growth

Our new community will serve not only as a gathering place, but also as a working model of these principles in action.

Our New Community is Built on Circle

After careful consideration of several options, I have personally selected the Circle platform to host our new home.

Other platforms, including Mighty Networks, Heartbeat, Slack, Discord, Skool also offer strong options for community building. Circle, however, allows for the highest quality member experience for the Indie Business Network.

It's not perfect, but it is the best option we've seen for our valued members.

As part of this transition, I will be incorporating more teaching and coaching around how to evaluate and use these tools effectively within your own business. I'm very excited about that because I am persuaded that the future of every business depends on large part on the brand community that supports it.

Looking Ahead

The new Indie Business Network community is now open, and you can join us by opening this page and typing in your name, email address and the word JOIN in the space provided.

I'll See You in the New Indie Business Community!

The post A New Chapter: Announcing The New Indie Business Community! appeared first on Indie Business Network®.