The reality of doing a makers market when you don’t sell a thing.

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This week’s post is a little more honest and a little less about the pretty side of being a small business owner.

Sometimes, you can spend hours preparing, pack up all your creations, invest in a stall, pay for the petrol, turn up with so much hope and excitement… and go home without selling a single thing.

And honestly? It’s demoralising.

It makes you question your art, your products, your pricing, and sometimes even yourself. You start wondering whether what you create is good enough, whether you’re doing something wrong, or whether all the time, energy and love you pour into this is going to pay off.

Because it isn’t just about not making a sale. It’s the cost of the event, the petrol, the hours of preparation, and the money you’ve invested, only to come home having actually lost money.

And when this is now your only source of income, that feeling is even heavier. It’s not just a hobby or a little side project anymore. There’s so much riding on it.

I’ve invested my money, my time, my hopes and my dreams into building this business. I believe in what I do, and I’m determined to make it successful. But I’d be lying if I said it was easy to keep showing up when you have days like these.

I think sometimes we see the lovely side of small business — the beautiful stalls, the sales, the happy customers — but we don’t always talk about the days when nothing sells, when you question everything, and when you have to dig deep to find the motivation to do it all again.

But I’m reminding myself that every event is a learning experience. I can take what I’ve learnt, look at what I could change, try new things, keep improving and continue investing in my business where I can.

I don’t expect every event to be a huge success, and I know building something takes time. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt when you put your heart into something and it doesn’t work out the way you hoped.

So, if you’re a fellow maker or small business owner who’s ever packed up an untouched stall and wondered what you’re doing wrong, please know you’re not alone.

I’m still here. Still creating. Still learning. Still trying.

And even on the hard days, I’m not ready to give up on the dream I’ve worked so hard for.

Here’s to learning, adapting, and finding the courage to keep showing up.