Craft. You. Interview: Heather Mann

Heather Mann

Craft. You. Interview
Heather Mann

Heather Mann is one of those creative, resourceful, smart and savvy women who have figured out how to turn their passion for creativity into a viable career. Her Dollar Store Crafts site receives over 1 million hits a month, which is absolutely mind blowing! She’s joined forces with similarly minded women to create a crafty consortium promoting a variety of sites including Décor Hacks, CraftFail, Mod Podge Rocks and Crafterminds. Heather is a genuinely warm and engaging person and it’s easy to see why she’s been so successful, it’s also easy to see why she’s so well liked. She’s not only created her own success, but she pays it forward by helping others do the same.

* Heather, welcome to Craft. You.! You’re a shining example of what this site is all about. I’m thrilled to share your story with our readers. So tell me, Ms. Mann, what did it take to get from blogging for fun to blogging as a viable income source? What were the obstacles along the way and how did you navigate them?

Well, I started blogging for fun. I have always been a prolific writer, from childhood and beyond. When blogging happened in the early 2000s, my paper journal took a hit, but I started digitally publishing and never stopped. My enthusiasm for blogging finally paid off after a few blogging attempts. When I started Dollar Store Crafts in 2008, people really responded to the topic, and the website took off.

Balancing Family and Work with Heather Mann!

* You’re a mom to three little kids, which is a full time job without days off for good behavior. What advice do you have for moms who are trying to pursue their passion in the ‘spaces in between?’

You have to be willing to let something go. You can't do it all, so if you are going to devote time to pursuing your passion, something else is going to fall by the wayside. Frequently, it's the laundry!

Make sure your family is on board, and don't sacrifice their quality time with you. The laundry can wait. Your kids still need you!

* Where did the idea for Dollar Store Crafts come from? It’s so brilliantly simple. I could kick myself for not thinking of it first! How did you get from concept to brand and how has it all unfolded?

Well, it's been a process. It started as a funny idea that wouldn't leave, so I acted on it. Then I just kept writing about it because the topic entertained me enough to keep going with it. After months of writing it, I started to really understand the brand. I didn't make any money on it until more than a year after I started it.

Batman Mask...Craft Fail copyright Heather Mann

* At Craft. You. we’re all about turning lemons into super tasty raspberry fizzy lemonade, what’s your recipe for turning obstacles into opportunities?

Shine a light on your obstacles. For instance, I am an experimental crafter. I am always trying something weird and random to see if it works. Frequently, it does not. Instead of being frustrated with an unsuccessful project, I started a site called CraftFail where I just post my failed projects and write about what went wrong. It has become cathartic to fail and then be able to share my botched crafts with others, and people have really responded to that as well. In fact, I kind of look forward to craft fails because that means I have another item to post about!

*What’s next for Heather Mann? Where can my readers find you?

Hosting a web show on My Craft Channel.com – Get a Little Creative

On Mondays at 4pm E on Twitter chatting with #crafterminds.

Helping craft companies reach out to bloggers with The Blueprint Social Agency.

and of course, at Dollar Store Crafts!