How can I make the newest technological developments work for me?
What technology is important for me?
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Let’s have a look at some examples of successful businesses in the crafts sector. These will give us a clue on what is important to be thinking about when starting a new business.
Here are the main success factors:
Let’s have a look at some examples of successful businesses in the crafts sector. These will give us a clue on what is important to be thinking about when starting a new business.
Here are the main success factors:
- Identify my technology
- Optimise my technology
- Use technology to expand
- Combine old and new
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What is technology?
Before you start to take advantage of the existing technology, it is important to know what is technology and how you use it in your business.
Technology refers to the collection of techniques, skills, methods and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation.
What technology can you identify in your business? Let us look at the case of Vitrail Saint-Georges company.
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Vitrail Saint-Georges
This French company is a stained-glass restoration, production, and creation workshop. They focus on providing a quality product to customers, and to do so they need to have the right tools and techniques to be able to make that happen. With experience, it becomes clear which technology is absolutely necessary and which is preference-based by the artisan. In addition, this company also has a website, facebook page, etc. and needs to control the technology necessary to participate in the virtual realm of their business.
Check out more about this company on their Facebook page here
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So how can you identify what technology you need for your business?
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Hints inspired by our case studies
What is technology?
Before you start to take advantage of the existing technology, it is important to know what is technology and how you use it in your business.
Technology refers to the collection of techniques, skills, methods and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation.
What technology can you identify in your business? Let us look at the case of Vitrail Saint-Georges company.
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Vitrail Saint-Georges
This French company is a stained-glass restoration, production, and creation workshop. They focus on providing a quality product to customers, and to do so they need to have the right tools and techniques to be able to make that happen. With experience, it becomes clear which technology is absolutely necessary and which is preference-based by the artisan. In addition, this company also has a website, facebook page, etc. and needs to control the technology necessary to participate in the virtual realm of their business.
Check out more about this company on their Facebook page here
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So how can you identify what technology you need for your business?
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Hints inspired by our case studies
- Consider all the technology you will need – from tools to computers to set up a website.
- Also think about what social platforms you will use (if you plan to use any).
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Once you have identified the technology that you need to be successful in your business, figure out how you can optimise its use. To be able to do this, you might have to test out different options or ask an expert for advice.
Let's have a look at the case of GUR company.
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GUR company
The handmade rugs produced by GUR are designed by young artisans, fitting into a unique market niche somewhere between functional and art. This business uses classical techniques and technology to make their product, but optimise how these tools work to be able to reach maximum performance while maintaining their special qualities.
See a short video showing how artisans work here
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How can you optimise your tecnhology to fit your needs?
How can you take advantage of tecnhology to produce a better product?
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Hints inspired by our case studies
Once you have identified the technology that you need to be successful in your business, figure out how you can optimise its use. To be able to do this, you might have to test out different options or ask an expert for advice.
Let's have a look at the case of GUR company.
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GUR company
The handmade rugs produced by GUR are designed by young artisans, fitting into a unique market niche somewhere between functional and art. This business uses classical techniques and technology to make their product, but optimise how these tools work to be able to reach maximum performance while maintaining their special qualities.
See a short video showing how artisans work here
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How can you optimise your tecnhology to fit your needs?
How can you take advantage of tecnhology to produce a better product?
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Hints inspired by our case studies
- Explore your options.
- Consider upgrading traditional tools and tecnhology without totally replacing them.
- Ask experts for their opinions and advice about how to move forward.
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Using technology to expand can have several meanings for your business. First, you can use technology to be to produce more efficiently. Secondly, you can use technology to reach a larger market, selling your product all over the world.
These two expansion options can be used together to achieve optimum results. However, remember that in a previous module we talk about healthy business expansion – be sure to take into account that you are not expanding too quickly or too slowly.
Let's have a look at the cases of Âme Moi company and INNOTRANSFER@mueble project.
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Âme Moi
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INNOTRANSFER@mueble
This project focuses on creating a platform for people in the wood and furniture trade, with the intention of improving the competitiveness of the Spanish wood industry. Their platform brings people with similar interests together to be able to take advantage of available technology and grow.
Other types of artisans can look for different platforms that might help them grow, such as Etsy as seen here
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So how can you use technology to help grow your business?
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Hints inspired by our case studies
Using technology to expand can have several meanings for your business. First, you can use technology to be to produce more efficiently. Secondly, you can use technology to reach a larger market, selling your product all over the world.
These two expansion options can be used together to achieve optimum results. However, remember that in a previous module we talk about healthy business expansion – be sure to take into account that you are not expanding too quickly or too slowly.
Let's have a look at the cases of Âme Moi company and INNOTRANSFER@mueble project.
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Âme Moi
A Portuguese luxury brand, Âme Moi, understands the importance of using technology to their advantage. First of all, they use a mixture of traditional techniques and tools with newer technology to produce a high quality product. Secondly, they export their goods all over the world, using internet technology to reach their potential customers.
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INNOTRANSFER@mueble
This project focuses on creating a platform for people in the wood and furniture trade, with the intention of improving the competitiveness of the Spanish wood industry. Their platform brings people with similar interests together to be able to take advantage of available technology and grow.
Other types of artisans can look for different platforms that might help them grow, such as Etsy as seen here
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So how can you use technology to help grow your business?
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Hints inspired by our case studies
- Optimise the technology used in production to be able to improve this process.
- Consider ways you can expand on the web – consider creating a web page to tell your story, social media pages to interact with clients, etc.
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Experience and tradition lend to creating solid products, while new perspectives and technology can improve classic ways of working. Blend old techniques with new technology or mix experienced artisans with entrepreneurs and see how innovation happens.
What factors to consider?
Combine what you know that works well with what you want to improve. Getting a fresh perspective on the situation can also important insight to help resolving difficulties.
Let's have a look at the case of Grandi Maioliche Ficola company.
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Grandi Maioliche Ficola
Grandi Maioliche Fiocla is an Italian company that works with handcraft ceramic pieces and volcanic stone. The need to be innovative becomes apparent when we see the high levels of technical and artistic expression. This company must invest in its materials to be able to produce the best final product possible. By mixing traditional techniques with newer technology, they are able to produce something extraordinary.
Check out this article about other artisans worldwide that are adapting new technology to traditional techniques here.
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Hints inspired by our case studies
Experience and tradition lend to creating solid products, while new perspectives and technology can improve classic ways of working. Blend old techniques with new technology or mix experienced artisans with entrepreneurs and see how innovation happens.
What factors to consider?
Combine what you know that works well with what you want to improve. Getting a fresh perspective on the situation can also important insight to help resolving difficulties.
Let's have a look at the case of Grandi Maioliche Ficola company.
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Grandi Maioliche Ficola
Grandi Maioliche Fiocla is an Italian company that works with handcraft ceramic pieces and volcanic stone. The need to be innovative becomes apparent when we see the high levels of technical and artistic expression. This company must invest in its materials to be able to produce the best final product possible. By mixing traditional techniques with newer technology, they are able to produce something extraordinary.
Check out this article about other artisans worldwide that are adapting new technology to traditional techniques here.
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Hints inspired by our case studies
- Revitalise traditional techniques and tools with new technology.
- Be open to new ideas without losing your roots.
- Consider the benefit that having a young, not completely traditional, perspective could have on your production.
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Are you ready to try it on your own?
Here are some questions for you to think of (assignments).
Do you have a business blog? If you do, what do you use it for?
Is it beneficial to your business? How?
And how and you improve it?
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Are you ready to try it on your own?
Here are some questions for you to think of (assignments).
If you do not already have a business blog, why not try a free platform (such as wordpress) to add a blog to your website.
Understand that your blog should have a purpose.
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More information on this topic (additional material)
Are you ready to try it on your own?
Here are some questions for you to think of (assignments).
Do you have a business blog? If you do, what do you use it for?
Is it beneficial to your business? How?
And how and you improve it?
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Are you ready to try it on your own?
Here are some questions for you to think of (assignments).
If you do not already have a business blog, why not try a free platform (such as wordpress) to add a blog to your website.
Understand that your blog should have a purpose.
- What is your blog’s purpose? What do you do to achieve this purpose?
- What goals are you hoping to achieve with your blog? How do you plan to do this?
- Make sure you connect to your audience. Who are they? And what are they looking for?
- Decide on a posting frequency, and stick with it. You don’t have to post every day, but forgetting to post for weeks on and allows people to forget about you.
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More information on this topic (additional material)
- Understand how business has been and is constantly being changed by technologies. Check out Forbes article explaining how previously successful companies can fail if they are not keeping up: “4 Ways In Which Technology Is Transforming Business”, available here
- If you are trying to figure out what new technologies can do for you, consider short articles such as “33 Ways to Use Technology In Your Small Business” from Small Business Information Magazin, available here
- Looking for more inspiration on how to start your blog? Check out Kim Garst (social entrepreneur)’s post about “5 Steps to Take to Start Your Small Business Blog Today”, available here