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

Ruth, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?

I really care a lot about my customers. I see each and every single one of them as person who has chosen to spend their hard earned money on my artwork. I don’t do little things for them so they come back to buy from me, I do little things because I am truly honored they they have chosen me. One of my favorite recent interactions with one of my customers was with a child named Ruth. (That’s my name!) She was the first person that that I had ever met that was younger than me. I gave her what she wanted from my craft show booth for free just because I was so excited! I also feel so honored when they appreciate me too. I had to miss one of my big craft shows, and a few people came up to me at the next one and told me that they really missed seeing me there! Little comments like that remind me that my small business can make me and others happy too!

Ruth, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

When I first started making charms I did not intend to sell them. I was just making them because I wanted weird jewelry that was ethical and not $300. As I was wearing them around, I had a person ask me if I would sell them a pair of egg and bacon earrings. They said that I would do really well at craft shows if I decided to sell them more often. So here we are!!
A distinction that is very important to me is that my clay charms are the star of the show. I purchase attachments like necklaces, earring wires, and bracelets so that the customer can wear the art. However, I don’t just make “earrings”, I make tiny sculptures, that I find quite adorable! Something that I think really sets me apart is my weirdness. Some people are worried that I am insulting myself when I say “I am That Weird Art Girl”, but I find weird to truly be a compliment! Plus, as one of my favorite quotes goes “You have to be odd to be number one!”

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

When I was young I was always thinking about selling this thing or that thing. At the time Etsy was the biggest online platform. Still today, people don’t say “do you have an online store” they say “do you have an Etsy”. I was on Etsy for about 3 years. It is just this year that I am moving to my own website. I am using the Odoo platform with my own domain now as of a few months ago. Honestly, I really love how much flexibility that I get with it. I get to chose how my website looks and feels. I do have to thank Etsy though. It was a launching platform for me and my small business. I won’t ever forget it, but I am excited to be moving on to bigger and better things.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

I actually have lots of sources for new clients. One of my favorite ones is at craft shows. When people follow me on social media or click through my online store I don’t get to see their face or interact with them. However, when I can see the expressions they make as they discover a new charm it really fills my heart and keeps pushing me to make my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thatweirdartgirl.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatweirdartgirl/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thatweirdartgirl1/