Lessons We Learned From Our Top Events of 2016

“Crossover Moments Connect Us.”

@Sourcing at MAGIC

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Every year we attend the largest fashion trade show to lead a row of booths in the Made in USA section in the SOURCING at Magic side of the show. In addition to attending the show, we hosted a mixer at the SLS for brands and American factory owners to network. During the night, we took a moment to ask for crossover moments – the time you knew you had to take the jump towards your dreams of entrepreneurship. We heard incredible stories on taking risks, and were even able to get Ami, founder of Dolyn Bags,  and Alex Snyder, Project Runway Contestant, to share theirs on the blog.

“Feeling like you know what you’re doing when just getting started is the hardest – but helps you feel prepared to fight fraud and save time.”

 @Sourcing 101

Sourcing 101 took place in the famous Garment District in Manhattan. Our sourcing expert, Liz, started the night with an overview of what it takes to get started on the right foot. The second half of the event was open for attendees to ask questions. Common questions includes included pricing, minimums, conflict resolution, contracts and agreements. Liz was able to answer all questions with real ranges and examples – check out the top answers here.

“Learn from experts and experiences.”

@American Manufacturing Bootcamp – Boston

After NYC, we decided to host an American Manufacturing Bootcamp in Boston to help local entrepreneurs jumpstart their businesses and meet local factories. Liz taught on Sourcing 101 and Quality Control laying a foundation for entrepreneurs. Then, a factory panel allowed entrepreneurs to ask questions and learn more about what is available and happening in their area. Finally, entrepreneurs took the floor to talk about how they got started and why they love producing locally.

Related Reading:  Lingerie, Made in the USA

“The strongest ownership in Made in America happens locally, not nationally.”

@Made in Philly: Product Development

Made in Philly was truly a community effort. Our biggest lesson was in the preparation for this Product Development event. As we were reaching out to the community, we quickly discovered how connected and informed leaders in design, making, and business were in this city. Patricia from The Merchant’s Fund not only shared funding resources for local business during the event, but also recommended our keynote speaker Professor Andrew Dahlgren.  Co-founders of the environmentally responsible jewelry line Bario Neal not only joined our panel discussion, but also shared their expertise on product development in an exclusive video. The list goes on of individuals and organizations that worked with us to host this night of networking and manufacturing.

“How to increase your American-made product’s reach internationally.”

@Exporting and Logistics

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UPS hosted our Exporting and Logistics Seminar at Industry City in Brooklyn last April. For businesses that are ready to expand their reach beyond just the United States, they offered great advice on creating multilingual websites, researching price and demand in other countries, and knowing trade control rules. Catch up on what you missed here.

“What it takes to build a platform that works for factories.”

@Factory Dinner

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We are constantly thinking about how we can empower local manufacturers to better reach small businesses and entrepreneurs. Our factory dinners are an important tool in accomplishing that mission. Every couple of months we sit down with factories to listen to their concerns, ideas for a better Maker’s Row product, and recent accomplishments. This is a great learning experience for us, helping us to dive deeper into the industry, our product, and our customers’ needs.

Related Reading:  Eco-Friendly Manufacturing: Using Vegetable Tanned Leather

Join Us For Our Next Event: Gold Happy Hour

Join the Maker’s Row team and a curated group of Maker’s Row factories in celebrating the launch of the Gold Plan for Brands in our Brooklyn office! Mark your calendars for Thursday, January 19, 2017 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST.

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