We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erin Zwigart a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Erin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I came up with the concept of “Georgia Crafted” 9 years ago, all in an effort to help people & companies not only have a simple solution to purchasing a gift, but to help support the local Georgia economy in the process.

9 years ago, “shopping local” was not really something people talked about – not like they do today – and it became my mission to help local makers get their products into the hands of people they may not be able to typically reach. If one person needs a gift, they will typically order a gift box filled with 4-6 items, which in turn helps several small local businesses (including ours). If a company needs to send out 100 corporate client gifts, they are then helping to support even more local businesses and have a bigger impact on our local economy!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Erin Zwigart and I am the owner & founder of Georgia Crafted, the largest online one-stop shop for products made in Georgia. I came up with the concept of Georgia Crafted one evening in May 2013 over a glass of wine and a great discussion, with my husband, about my passion for shopping local. Recognizing that most people love the idea of “shopping local”, but don’t necessarily know how to find true, local Georgia-made products, I officially launched Georgia Crafted in September 2013. We curate anything from food to bath/body products, home goods and more. Nearly 9 years later, we now offer a number of themed gift boxes (for those who need a gift and need it fast) and an online store with over 250 Georgia-made products.

Our goal is to not only help you have a great gifting solution, but for you to get to “know” the makers behind these products. These are moms, dads, farmers, crafters…people trying to fulfill their passion and make a living on their own. Every time you order a gift box, you know that not only are you giving a great gift, but you are helping to support so many small local businesses in the process.

We are extremely proud of our level of customer service. We strive to give you the best shopping experience, as we know that these days finding good customer service is challenging…we try to communicate to our customers that when you shop with Georgia Crafted, you will not only have a great experience, but you will want to come back time and time again.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Prior to launching Georgia Crafted, I worked for a small woman-owned marketing agency in Roswell, GA. One of their top core values was “RELATIONSHIPS”. Being in an Account Management/Project Manager role, my job was to build strong long-lasting relationships with our clients and vendors.

When I launched Georgia Crafted, I wanted to have the same top core value. Relationships are the foundation of everything, in my opinion, and I have found great success and happiness by focusing on building relationships with my clients and vendors. If I go to a networking event, my goal is not to walk out with orders, but instead to walk out knowing that I have met a few great people and try to build those relationships moving forward.

I approach every corporate client with the idea that I can act as an extension of your team and am here when you need me. My clients have trust in knowing that a) I will be here and b) I will always offer the most outstanding customer service and that is what keeps them coming back for more.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Passion. My passion for shopping local. My passion for our makers and helping them grow their businesses. My passion for telling their stories.

Prior to launching Georgia Crafted, I had zero experience in owning a business. I didn’t know the one thing about starting a business, but quickly developed a solid reputation of being an expert in my field because of my passion for all things local.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.georgiacrafted.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/georgiacrafted
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/georgiacrafted
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/georgia-crafted-llc
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/georgiacrafted
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyq3I5jIgySaRX-4eTR-Q
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@georgiacrafted

Image Credits
All photography by Neisha Wagner.