We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jen Enck. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jen below.

Jen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

My company started off as a home craft party. My concept began from having monthly watercolor classes in my home. We would have some cocktails and paint under the direction of a watercolor artist. It turns out painting is pretty stressful for those that do not think they are artistic but crafting was much more enjoyable for them. Thus the home craft party was born and Drinks and Crafts became my official company name.

Jen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I joke I am a creative trapped in an accountant’s body. I went to school for art but have worked in the automotive accounting field since high school. Although I enjoy what I do, I have always needed a creative release. Crafting turned out to be an excellent stress reliever for me and I was able to turn that into a profitable small business selling my handmade items at local arts and crafts shows and doing home craft parties. I have since dropped the home craft parties and focus mainly on making funny coasters, tote bags and zipper pouches to sell at local events. I choose to make items that make people laugh because I love to share a laugh with my customers and make people happy. There really is nothing more rewarding for me as a handmade maker. In 2018 I launched a spin off of Drinks and Crafts called Dandy Like Candy in an effort to expand my reach and share a little bit of humor outside of my area. Dandy Like Candy is a mostly e-commerce and wholesale business selling my sassy zipper pouches. This addition has allowed me to expand my business and my product line greater than I had ever imagined. I am proud to say my little sassy zipper pouches are now sold in just over 200 stores/boutiques around the country!

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process./

As a crafter, I make all of the goods I sell. Most of it starts out as trial and error. My best selling items are my coasters that I make by decoupaging funny cocktail napkins to ceramic tiles. Making the coasters started off really just as a way of preserving all the funny napkins I have accumulated throughout the years from having an annual party at my home. I always loved them and thought making coasters would be a great way to repurpose them. I had no idea how popular they would become! One of the biggest lessons I have learned is to always use the best glues and sealants. Crafting can be very expensive but you definitely get what you pay for. Don’t skimp!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Selling my wares at local events/art shows has been the main revenue stream for my business for over 10 years but to be honest it is hard work physically! Imagine having to build your work location from the ground up every day before you start work and then having to take it all down before you can punch out for the day.

As I get older and life gets in the way or throws things at us like a pandemic for example, I have had to add other revenue streams to offset the number of events I can realistically participate in. It has been a good challenge though!

The spiff off of my business in 2018, Dandy Like Candy, in hindsight saved my business during the pandemic and the shut down of live events. I was able to still make and sell products and offset the loss of income.

I recently added a subscription box component to my business called The Snark Box. It is a quarterly themed box filled with snarky and sassy items that are handmade by myself and also features items made by 3 or 4 other maker friends in each box. It has been well received and subscriptions are growing daily. I love being able to make some new products and also introduce my loyal clientele to some of my favorite fellow makers/small business owners.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/drinksandcrafts