We recently connected with Janel Rogers and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Janel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

In the Summer of 2019 my friend and I regularly attended Crafts and Drafts at a downtown eatery every Sunday (now defunct). We got to know the host really well and she overheard us chatting about macrame, at the time I was giving my friend private lessons. The host begged me to teach a class at one of her upcoming Crafts and Drafts but I initially declined. Teaching a group was not something I’d ever done before…where would I even begin? She eventually wore me down and I taught the very first Red Earth Knots macrame class on September 1st 2019. The class was awful!! We sold way too many tickets, the project was “easy” in my eyes but not for a brand new beginner trying macrame for the first time. The class struggled and I struggled but the food and drinks kept everyone happy while we figured things out, everyone left with a complete project and could not stop talking about how much fun they had. It was then I discovered a new passion; sharing my love of macrame! Seeing the delight and satisfaction that beamed from students is what got me hooked. Creating something with your own hands is just really rewarding and good for the soul. Soon I started reaching out to every local business I loved and proposed my pop up craft class idea! Breweries, clothing boutiques, plant shops and restaurants. Some places completely ignored me and some took a lot of convincing while others just went with it and were happy to support me in any way they could. There was a lot of rejection in the beginning and I also had to beg friends to attend classes but once the idea got around people were hooked and classes were consistently selling out. People love making things and trying a new to them local spot in the process is another plus!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Janel and I’m a fiber artist with more than 20 years experience. I first learned to crochet in the 90’s when I wanted to make my cousin a blanket for her new baby. In the last 10 years I have also taught myself to weave, knit, punch needle and macrame! I tried macrame because I saw a wall hanging on Pinterest that I loved and needed in my home; I knew I could create it myself, so off I went to teach myself macrame. I love macrame for workshops because it is an instant gratification craft! When it comes to most fiber crafts like crochet or knit, finishing a project in less than 2 hours is rare so that is why macrame is perfect.

Offering in-person workshops is not just about creating a functional piece of art that you can enjoy for years to come! It’s also about checking out a business you haven’t been to before, learning a skill, meeting new people and making memories.

Macrame is for everyone! There is no right or wrong in the craft which makes for an easy crafting experience. I take pride in being fun, patient and approachable in classes! No two students are the same so whatever type of experience you are looking for, I am happy to help provide that. The environment you can expect at a workshop is inclusive, comfortable and enjoyable. Repeat students are the biggest compliment I can receive and I have SO many repeat students!!

For those that are not local to Colorado Springs I also offer DIY Kits! They include everything needed to make your project plus step by step instructions and video tutorials, just need to grab scissors and you are ready to get knotty.

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?

I use Etsy to help my DIY Kits reach customers all over the US but Etsy definitely has its pros and cons! I personally love to shop Etsy and it’s one of the first places I check when looking for something handmade. Knowing someone can find my kits, regardless of where they are located, just by searching “macrame DIY kits” is why I continue to use Etsy. One of the downsides to Etsy is their fees, seems like their fees keep growing and have gotten so high recently!

How did you build your audience on social media?

I think the most important part of building an audience and presence on social media is being authentic and having meaningful relationships with both potential customers and other businesses. It’s not uncommon for me to know my followers personally as they are my past students, this makes it easy to have genuine interactions with them as we value each other mutually. For those I don’t know personally, I love to connect with common interests.

One of my Instagram Reels once reached someone in Chicago and she immediately booked a trip to Colorado Springs to attend a workshop and also check out other local attractions. That is one of the coolest things to ever happen to my business! The thought of someone visiting our town because of my presence on social media and these special classes that I work so hard to create still blows my mind!!

Contact Info:

• Website: redearthknots.com
• Instagram: @redearthknots
• Facebook: @redearthknots
• Other: https://linktr.ee/redearthknots