Week 4:
Meeting Clients!

July 21, 2018

Guest Artisan Market

This week has been, by far, my favorite week at Ventures.  It was the week of the Guest Artisan Market at Pike Place Market.  A new covered pavilion was added to the Market last year and this summer it has been used to invite guest artisan vendors who don’t usually sell at the market to come for special pop-up events.  This is a wonderful opportunity for our clients to access exposure for their products in both an iconic and busy marketplace. It was my first time getting to meet Ventures’ clients and to be able to see their products in action.  I have been working hard the past few weeks in anticipation for the Market, and I had a lot of fun working it.

I was able to help a few of our clients beforehand to design signage such as pricing sheets for their products (to avoid handwritten signs).  I worked with them to figure out the tone of their brand and create signage that was both effective and aesthetically pleasing. It was really cool to see them using these during the market.

I enjoyed the diversity of products too – from jewelry to energy drinks, each client had something so unique to sell.  One of my favorites is a client of ours who makes jewelry from seeds, coffee beans, dried fruit, nuts and coconut shells.  She came to the US from Spain and wanted to start her own business. With limited resources and connections, Ventures provided her with the tools to start her own business selling her unique jewelry. Inspired by resources which her family in Columbia sends to her, she creates some of the most unique pieces I’ve ever seen.

It was inspiring to see such talented individuals who Ventures has helped start their own businesses be so successful at the market. It made me proud to be a part of the team at Ventures and work with people who are helping others change their own lives through small business ownership.

Less Paper, More Productivity  

This week was also exciting as I finally implemented the email receipt system which the Ventures Marketplace has been trying to start for a while now.  Last week I created a graphic for the email receipt marketing the Guest Artisan Market, so I figured this week before the market started was the best time to start using it! It’s been an excellent way to save paper in the store, and it also allows for an alternative for when the printer breaks (which is, surprisingly, much more often than you’d imagine).  I helped train staff on how to use it, and I’m proud to say that we’ve all gotten the action of “swiveling” the iPad toward the customer for a signature down! I’m excited for the store to be able to not only save paper but to also simplify the receipt process, all while marketing Ventures through the social media links and event section on the receipt. I think the Ventures Marketplace is a wonderful place to introduce Ventures and its mission to the world (Seattle and beyond), but to be able to share it even after one visits the Marketplace is a huge goal of mine this summer.  Spreading awareness about Ventures and its clients’ ties into both my social media playbook project and my vendor profile project. I’m hoping to hear back from more vendors about their own social media handles and websites to share those on their physical in-store profile as well. The more connections to Ventures and its clients one can make after leaving the store – the better!