Crafting with Intention: How to Create a One Page Strategic Plan for Your Handmade Business

by Cheri Skipworth May 8, 2025

Let’s be honest…

Running a craft business without a plan can feel a lot like glitter in the carpet—messy, hard to clean up, and no one’s really sure how it got there.

You’ve got talent. You’ve got vision. You’ve even got a few sales under your belt. But if you’re waking up every day wondering what to focus on, constantly reacting instead of directing… it’s time to get your business some structure.

You need a strategic plan.
Not the corporate kind. Not the ten-page, investor-ready kind.
Just a simple, powerful, heart-aligned plan that tells your business where it’s going—and how it’s gonna get there.

Why Crafters Avoid Strategic Planning

Look, I get it. You didn’t start this business to be knee-deep in spreadsheets or goal-tracking tools. You started it because you love creating.

But if you want that passion to pay you consistently—and not leave you feeling scattered or stuck—you’ve got to treat your creativity like the business it is.

Here’s what a strategic plan does:

Gives you focus
Helps you prioritize what matters
Makes decision-making easier
Tracks real progress (not just “busy” work)
Builds confidence because you know what the heck you’re doing

Step 1: Start With Your Vision

Before you dive into goals, ask yourself: What kind of business am I building?
Are you trying to turn this into your full-time job? Make extra income on the side? Create a boutique brand? Grow into wholesale?

Write it down. Be specific. This is the north star that guides everything else.

Step 2: Choose 1–3 Core Goals

Let’s keep it simple. For the next 3–6 months, choose up to three clear goals for your business. These should be measurable, time-bound, and aligned with your vision.

Examples:

Grow email list to 500 subscribers
Launch a new product line by June
Make $2,000/month in consistent sales
Get 10 new reviews on Etsy
Book 2 in-person vendor markets this season

You don’t need 20 goals. You need a few that matter.

Step 3: Break Each Goal Into Action Steps

Take each big goal and reverse engineer it.

Let’s say your goal is to grow your email list to 500 subscribers. Your action steps might be:

Create a freebie/download to attract signups
Add email sign-up link to Instagram bio and website
Promote the freebie on social 2x per week
Collaborate with another maker for a giveaway
Set up automated welcome emails

Now you’ve got a roadmap—not just a wish.

Step 4: Schedule the Work

Grab a planner, digital calendar, or even sticky notes—whatever works for you.
Assign action steps to actual weeks or days. This is how you stay consistent instead of reactive.

Tip: Try a theme for each week. Ex:

Week 1: Build the freebie
Week 2: Promote sign-up link
Week 3: Launch giveaway
Week 4: Engage with new subscribers

Time-block your creativity with intention.

Step 5: Track and Adjust

Once your plan is in motion, check in weekly or monthly:

What worked?
What didn’t?
Where do you need to pivot?

This is the part most creatives skip—but it’s so key.
Don’t just plan and pray. Review and refine.

Action Step: Write Your One-Page Strategic Plan

Take 20 minutes to map this out:

1. Vision: What do I want from this business in the next 6–12 months?
2. Goals: What 1–3 outcomes do I want to hit in the next 3–6 months?
3. Action Steps: What are the next steps I can take to get there?
4. Timeline: When will I do these steps?
5. Check-in Schedule: When will I review and adjust?

Print it. Post it. Refer to it every week. Let it guide your moves, not your mood.

You’re Not Just Making Crafts—You’re Building a Business

And businesses don’t grow by accident.
They grow when intention meets action.

You don’t need a business degree. You don’t need a 12-month Gantt chart.
You just need clarity, focus, and a willingness to keep showing up for the dream you started with.

So stop winging it. Start planning with purpose.
And remember—you’re not just crafting with your hands. You’re crafting a future.