Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jessica Untch. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jessica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.

When I was first starting out, I was terrified that my plan wouldn’t work or that people wouldn’t like my product. This is normal for new entrepreneurs, from what I hear! My solution was to start with fundraisers so that if it didn’t go well, the customers’ money would still support a good cause.

Having worked in nonprofit for years, I knew a lot of organizations that could use the money. I started with The LD Edge Network, an organization that helps adults with learning disabilities, because I respect their mission and had utilized their services many times with my high school equivalency students in my career as an adult educator. It was the height of the pandemic, so we planned a “virtual art night” where we delivered supply kits to participants and I led the craft instruction online. All proceeds minus supply costs were donated to the LD Edge, which was deeply satisfying to me because I was able to give back to such an amazing organization, and also because I gained relevant feedback as well as my first customers who returned for other events that I hosted in the future.

I continued with this model and hosted similar fundraisers for breast cancer research and Alzheimer’s care until I built my confidence and technique. I still love doing fundraisers for the joy it brings to me as well as the organizations who work hard to make a positive impact in the community.

Jessica, 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 grew up on a farm in Carroll County, Ohio, which is very rural. I loved making nature crafts out of things I found, such as pine cones, corn husks, and wildflowers. Creative activities have always brought me so much joy. When it came time for me to go to college, however, the prevailing advice at the time was not to do anything artistic because “what would you do with that in the real world?”

I ended up getting a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies and a Master’s in Adult Education and have actually had a very fulfilling career. Working with adults enriches my life every day and I have also gained many transferable skills that I have been able to apply in my entrepreneurial venture, so I really have no regrets.

But when the pandemic started and my organization shut down for a few months, I seized the opportunity to nourish my creative side by starting a business. My thought was to combine my love of doing creative projects with my skills in teaching others by hosting craft classes. Working with your hands to create something brings a feeling of pride and provides an opportunity to have a meaningful experience with others that you will always remember by having a piece of handmade art to take home, and I wanted my events to bring that type of joy to participants. This is why I chose the word Revelry for my business name – a synonym for joy.

I started with craft kits and virtual classes because at the time, in-person gatherings were not allowed. Later on, I developed partnerships with local businesses and started hosting events in their venues using a profit-sharing model. Some of our strongest local partners are The Winery at Wolf Creek in Norton, Bella Moxie Boutique in Medina, and Cool Beans Café in Medina.

My creative classes still tend to have a nature vibe to them; we do grapevine wreaths, small space gardens, reclaimed wood art, and slate paintings. We are also able to offer a larger variety of classes because I have three other instructors that bring their own skills and ideas to the business, and we have added artisan bread making, jewelry making, and upcycling projects.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Relationships are the cornerstone of word-of-mouth marketing and building a loyal clientele. This is the reason small businesses can compete with large ones and charge the prices they need to to be sustainable. They are offering a high-quality experience that makes people feel valued.

When I communicate with customers or potential customers, the message they get is that I care about them – their experience, their ideas, their budget even. When I receive a phone call about a private party, I ask questions about the group and really listen to what the customer is saying. Then I customize some ideas for the party that fit into their budget range and ask them to provide input.

All of my instructors understand that quality instruction and interaction is fundamental to the mission of the business. We capture a lot of emails for our mailing list at each event, and then I send out mailing list specials with discounts just for them. I respond to every question, social media post, and Google review. If I see a customer in public somewhere outside of a workshop, I engage with them with a smile and ask how they’re doing. I do these things because I truly care, but also because it’s what I’ve seen other successful local entrepreneurs do and recognize it as the reason I patronize their business instead of a big box store or chain restaurant.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I have become an “intrapreneur” at the library I work for because I started a free entrepreneurship class series as a result of my own entrepreneurship experience. After teaching several cohorts, I found that many of the students in my classes are as terrified as I was in the beginning; terrified that their product won’t be well-received, that they will fail, that they will lose the money and time that they invested.

So in the first week of class, we read the article “10 Fears You Must Overcome When Starting a New Business” by Te-Erika Patterson, which can be found at https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/10-fears-you-must-overcome-when-starting-a-new-business/240592. The article gave me the determination I needed to keep moving forward in the beginning, and it still brings a tear to my eye every time I read it. It’s that powerful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://revelrycreativeworkshops.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revelrycreativeworkshops/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/revelrycreativeworkshops
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-untch-42860318/