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Launching a Lampshade Making Business: Expert Advice from Professional Makers

Thinking of starting your own lampshade-making business? There’s no better way to get inspired than by hearing directly from those who’ve already walked the path. We’ve gathered top tips and useful advice from our talented professional makers, featured in our popular Meet the Maker interviews.


Whether you’re figuring out how to price your lampshades, pack them safely, work with a mentor, or get noticed online with SEO - this post covers it all and will help you kick-start your creative business lampshade making business with confidence!



We love getting to know our talented lampshade makers better, peaking behind the scenes to discover more about their inspiration, methods and motivation! In each Meet the Maker interview, we ask what advice they would give to a new lampshade maker in business and here's what they said, along with useful links to our Business Expertise and Advice for Makers - BEAM- blog posts.


I have the luxury of a dedicated space but lamp shading takes up A LOT of space! Be prepared for that. Work out how you will post and what size of shade works with standard box sizes – corrugated card is your BEST friend for lampshades!  I’ve posted out nearly 2000 and only one was damaged – flattened, nothing would have saved that one!


When I first started, I wrote a blog and tried to do it a couple of times a week. I think that still helps with the SEO on my website so it’s a good thing to do when you’re just starting out. It keeps you motivated too.


I guess my main advice would be not to undervalue yourself. If you don’t value your own work and time, why should anybody else?
The way you price your work needs to be sustainable, otherwise you won’t manage to stay in business. If your lampshades are of a high quality, people will pay accordingly, and will appreciate having something which is made to last rather than mass produced. 



I think my biggest tip would be to work on getting your creations seen. There are some really talented lampshade makers now, both here in the UK and abroad, making beautiful high-quality lampshades. Whilst the look and quality of the shade are extremely important, what is possibly even more important is getting visibility for your creation. This can be via marketplaces such as Etsy and Amazon, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, or a stand-alone website.
It can all be a bit daunting at first but the hard work of making, photographing, listing and posting via social media all pays off in the end and creates a successful business.


I would say work hard at getting your name out there once you have decided which direction your business is going in. So choose local shops to approach which are in keeping with the style of shade you would like to make and promote yourself on social media. Also, be prepared to be patient as it takes a while to build up a client base.


Definitely to practise making. The process is fairly straightforward, but I've made lots of mistakes in the past which have obviously cost time and money. Select the right fabrics, test the patterns against the size of the lampshades you offer (owing to maximum fabric widths), and don't be afraid to play around with your ideas, something as simple as using wallpaper on the outer of a lampshade can really change the aesthetic.



Make sure that with every piece you create that your happy with it. Always test the lampshade lit up before sending out.  If in doubt, out - is my mantra! Pop it in the seconds pile and go again. You are only as good was your last job. Try and be unique and find your own style/USP!


Get creating wherever your imagination takes you, don’t be afraid to experiment, and if something isn’t working, reach out and ask for help with solutions and alternative methods. Join the groups, chat with customer services at Dannells, they’re all there to help you and many have been in a similar boat starting out.

 

Try out new things – different fabrics, materials and think outside the kit! The kits are great of course, but if you buy the lampshade making components separately you can choose the height of your shades and save money too.


Even though I’d run my own company for 15 years and before that I’d had a career as a Project Manager, when I began focussing on lampshades I felt a little out of depth in some facets of the business.
I received a series of free mentorship sessions through a regional business support organisation which was such a positive contribution to have that ‘second opinion’ and suggestions to improve. If you do have similar opportunities locally then make time to grab them! 
Through the same grant funded organisation I attended workshops in social media, writing press releases and iPhone photography. I saw the effects of the latter within days … never under-estimate how important good product photos are!

And finally...

I’d say first and foremost you’ve got to have passion for making lampshades as running a business has its highs & lows - it’s never going to be a smooth road. Have your own USP or niche so that you stand out from other lampshade businesses. Don’t be a copycat - there’s room for everyone and enough customers to go round!

Discover our BEAM Post Library

For more detailed advice on a breadth of topics that will help you set up your own lampshade making business, visit our BEAM section on the dannellsblog.com. From safety standards to how to offer refunds, we've covered everything you need to know for setting up a successful lampshade making business.




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