Retail-Ready Upskill Workshop

A generous display of community, creativity and strategy.

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The MTNS MADE Retail-Ready Workshop was held at RoseyRavelston Books on a quiet Tuesday morning in March. Participants were local creatives, all eager to bridge the gap between creator and retail-ready small-business owner. The panel was made up of decades worth of collective experience – all there to inform and inspire the retail readiness and success of those in the audience. It truly felt like a gathering of like-minded people, all of whom had each other’s best interests at heart.

We were greeted at the door with the simple, yet powerful question: ‘coffee or tea?’. Hot drink in hand, participants made their way to their seats, avoiding the first row for as long as possible. Business talk is often associated with PowerPoint presentations and sterile rooms – not this workshop. There is something undeniably welcoming and relaxing about an event held inside a bookshop, even if the topics are to include invoicing and GST. Floor to ceiling spines crossing genres and generations set the scene for hearty discussion – whatever the subject.

In this case, it was local makers learning how to get their creations, whether that be illustrated cards, hand-dyed garments or jewellery into the hands of buyers. Scenic World, BMCC Information Centres and the Cultural Centre were represented, alongside makers Vincent Turner, Alison Rose and Ian Brownlee, all with advice that was pragmatic and clear. This workshop was designed to deliver the nuts and bolts of becoming retail ready. Invoicing, pricing, delivery times, visual merchandising, packaging and target markets were all covered by the panel – each bringing personal and professional experience.

The beauty of an intimate event like this – where buyers and sellers are in the same room – is that a panel and audience structure quickly becomes a generous and easy conversation where everyone is willing to share. It doesn’t take long for someone to recognise someone else’s work and to recommend a possible retail outlet for them, or a local craftsperson who could construct their dream product stand. The Mountains is like that.

Intimate settings also have a way of bringing out a kind of vulnerability and honesty that is often elusive in the business world. Vincent from Yoku Belts was generous in his list of mistakes, not only detailing the hurdles he has overcome, but offering to personally assist participants with similar problems in their own process. Similarly, Alison Rose, of Alison Rose Ceramics came equipped with sample invoices and no-fuss advice about the dos and don’ts of being a small supplier. This kind of unfiltered skill-sharing is what makes a community of creatives stronger.

Strength and resilience can also be found in networking and frank conversations about the realities of retail and getting your products seen. The workshop was rounded out with an invitation to share ideas and contacts with the buyers in the room – a rare and precious opportunity in the busy retail world. The back deck of the bookshop took on a pop-up café feel – thanks to Mandy from Golden Days Hampers – allowing connections and product pitches to be made over nourishing grazing boards.

In the face of AI, manufacturing giants and multinational corporations, skill sharing on a community level is essential. This workshop was in no way marketed as a call to arms against The Big Guys but it’s almost hard not to feel that when you’re surrounded by talented people who believe in their art, their creations and their community, and when there are dedicated events that wholeheartedly support them, such as this Retail-Ready Workshop.

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