Category — Home Based Business

Why make average rugs, when you can make unique rugs that stand out from the crowd?

This is one of the many benefits that you will be offering to your clients. That is, having the ability to integrate a design into any unique shape. Think about it, how cool would it be to make a rug that features a unique shape that most people have never seen before? These shapes can range from the more common shapes like oval, round, and octagonal to the more uncommon free-form or organic shapes. It can be as simple as this example of a Palm leaf breaking out of the standard rectangular shape (center version).

Or as elaborate as a unique geometrical-like shape that you rarely see in a rug design. Something like this design below. [Read more →]

I’ve written a couple of articles on ‘wall to wall insetting’ here and here and I wanted to expand on this because there’s more to say on this subject. Here I’ll discuss a few points that haven’t been covered yet. The first point that comes to mind:Is this a revenue stream that you are interested in pursuing?

It doesn’t have to be on your list of business services that are offered. There are plenty of other avenues to make money in custom rug making. So you need to ask yourself… “Is this for me? Do I want to be tackling the added challenges inherent to this service?”. It may or may not be ‘for you’. If it’s not, that’s fine, you’re better off focusing your attention on areas that interest you - maybe you would rather produce Fine Art Tapestries or focus on the Logo Rug Market or just make smaller scale area rugs that reflect a popular theme. [Read more →]

We recently produced this extraordinary logo rug for a client. Can you guess where he worked? Yep, you guessed right. While I’m not a big fan of enormous military budgets and our current definition of foreign policy, I’ll do what I can to boost our troops moral. Anyway I look at it as a way to get some of my tax money back from the government! How warped is that?

This was one of two commissioned rugs for this client. We used a top quality commercial grade carpet that was heavy enough in weight 36-38oz so we could bevel and sculpt some of the details. The rug size was 8′ diameter. We also captured video footage of this project being produced. We will be uploading the videos in our secret online vault for trainees to study - this is for trainees only. Within the vault you’ll find some excellent ‘real time’ video footage that gives a clear perspective on how we tackle projects like this one.

UPDATE: Here are the links uploaded over at youtube - you can even select to view the demos in ‘high quality’ mode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRSvCoMeCuk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3EVQvWSKSU

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As a Custom Rug-Maker, I have operated out of my garage as well as a light industrial workshop (pictured here). Let’s take a closer inside look at working from home.

Ok, first things first: it’s time to clear out that garage and have a garage sale. The hour has come to rid yourself of all those dusty treasures that you’ve been stashing away for years.

Here’s the logic: Why not generate some income with this space?

If you just worked part-time as a custom rug-maker and you really focused your efforts you can easily earn enough income from a 2 car garage space (usually 20×20 in size) to cover your mortgage / rent payments. If Hewlett and Packard could start an empire from their garage, then so can you!

Now that the garage is cleared and neatly organized, it’s time to build a few work tables. If you don’t have the tools, then call up a friend who does and get some help. You can always negotiate a trade, because the rugs you’ll be making will certainly be on everyone’s wish list, you’ll have to trust me on this last statement. Of course, you can buy prefabricated tables too; it’s just going to cost you more money. [Read more →]

By Russell Webb

Broadloom Tapestry
“Ancient Buddha”

Size: 48″ x 132″

Colors: 13

Estimated Value: $33,000

We all know that tapestries are rich in history, but did you know that tapestries date back as far as 3rd century BC in Greece? This form of textile art has a modern counterpart in the form of Carpet Sculpture. With recent advances in technology Carpet Sculpture has emerged as an attractive option for tapestry collectors and admirers.

Unlike woven tapestries, the medium of a carpet sculptor is broadloom carpet. The differences between the two methods are akin to a comparison between a flat 2 dimensional plane and a depth oriented 3 dimensional plane.

The common two dimensional tapestries are produced on vertical looms, whereas the three dimensional broadloom tapestries are produced through a sophisticated inlay process on horizontal table-top surfaces.

The 3-D effect is only established when the details of the tapestry are carved and beveled by a well trained carpet sculptor who uses a special high speed carving tool. This carving style can reflect simple clean lines or more advanced bas-relief like effects.

There are numerous carpet styles that can be integrated into a broadloom tapestry, these range from short dense pile heights to the thicker plush styles. Furthermore the style can have a loop element or even a patterned design. Often a tapestry will reflect a few broadloom styles within the whole composition. [Read more →]

By: Russell Webb

There are literally thousands of rug designs that can be found online. I will show you where to find them and how to convert them into a usable asset for your own rug design collections. Our Secret Vault will also be an important resource for you. The first batch of rug designs that we have created for you is our Designer Series Collection.

We start with a few classic designs and shapes - featured below - and complete the 50 design collection with a more complex design format. These designs can be used as a foundation to launch your own design collection. Your goal should be to build up a comprehensive design collection that you present to your clients.

All of our designs are available in a Portfolio-like display that you can easily add to. The designs are also available in .pdf format so you can quickly and easily download and print out if necessary - right from our Secret Vault. [Read more →]

Excerpts taken from “Top 9 Revenue Streams and Market Research“

Astute market watchers have noticed the continuing exuberance of the luxury marketplace. With Americans getting richer by the hour, the demand for luxury products seems insatiable. Carpet sculpture certainly reflects the definition of ‘luxury’.

The custom rug fabricator who offers a versatile selection of rug designs and has a commitment to quality craftsmanship will prosper in this environment.

“In the last decade it has been the most robust market of perhaps any business sector. If you look at the regular retail mass market, its gross revenue growth over time, the increases have been in the range of 4%-6% annually. For the last decade, the luxury category has grown anywhere from 20% - 32%. In the U.S. alone, luxury is a $400 billion market. Authorities estimate that it will grow at a rate of 15% a year and will become a $1 trillion market by 2010.

On the consumer side the numbers for the U.S. are staggering. There are 1.2 million households with a net worth of over $5 million, up from 300,000 in 1983. Real household income for the top 20% of households is up 70% in the last 20 years. 215 million people will be over 50 by 2010. As a result, $12 trillion in inheritance will change hands in the next 20 years. The top 5% are richer. In the early 1980s they accounted for 16% of the income earned. Today they account for 27%. The rich are definitely getting richer.” Greg Furman, Founder and Chairman of the Luxury Marketing Council.

This is reassuring when the economy takes a downturn because the luxury market is not so easily swayed by recession. My personal experience when I launched my rug making business in the early 90’s was a prime example. The economy was in a recessive period and I set my focus on the affluent luxury market. I had no problem making sales. Obviously these consumers have the disposable income to make expensive purchases and when there is a problem to be solved, like a needed rug, they will generally make the purchase.

By Russell Webb

Excerpt from our exclusive report: Top 9 Revenue Streams in Custom Rug Fabrication - available only to our trainees

In this report I am revealing the insiders track to marketing your custom rug business. Here you will find dozens of potential markets that I have identified over the years. Some of these markets are untouched at the time of this writing. And yes, eventually there will be some savvy rug fabricators that stake their claims in these markets. Maybe it will be you? I hope so, because there’s a lot of money on the table in these markets, and if you’re ambitious enough to succeed then I believe you deserve some of it.

I can’t stress enough the importance of marketing. It’s really the core skill that any entrepreneur must embrace if they are going to succeed. While the term ‘marketing’ lacks a little luster (after all it’s just a market right?) it’s best to shift your thinking and imagine that it’s the life blood of your business. Understanding how to market yourself, your product and your services is akin to survival. It’s raw, it’s primal and if you don’t learn it, or you think it’s not important, then I assure you that you will struggle.

Struggling is a drag… I’ve been there, done that.

If I can get this one message across then I have been of service. My suggestion is to get cracking and do your homework. Read some good books on marketing yourself. A good place to start is with any of the Guerrilla Marketing books by Jay Levinson. He’ll teach you how to think outside the box so you can swoop around your competitors and get your share of the market. It’s not that difficult because you need to understand that the big companies really don’t know how to be adventurous in their marketing. They generally play it safe and bore the hell out of their audience.

You on the other hand can take decisive action that surprises and generates good will from your prospects. You can be fresh and alive with your marketing. You can show them a face and a personality. After all they’re really buying YOU more than they’re buying a product. The best teacher in marketing that can show you how to be alive and unique is Dan Kennedy, check out his book ‘No BS Direct Marketing’ plus any of his other numerous books on marketing.

Both of these authors have seen it all, they get it. Take them on as your mentors and do what they tell you to do, then take action and market yourself with abandon.

By Russell Webb

When you first get started in this field of carpet sculpture, it may appear that the sculpture part takes some time to master. Think about it this way. As you learn how to use the carver, you will be learning to bevel the designs. With a few weeks of practice you will notice that you can do more with the carver than just bevel. You will begin to create different layers of sculpture within the carpet.

I teach you several bevel cutting techniques that will be the foundation of your sculpture skills. It’s easy once you get into it. Then it gets fun when you start to see the potential of what you can do. It’s literally wide open!

This design is a good example of how we have fun with carpet sculpture. Now imagine what’s possible when you look at all the different combinations of colors and themes that can be captured in a rug design. When you look at it this way you might just get that AHA moment that I felt when I got started.

Is it possible to earn a good living while creating fun projects like this? Absolutely.

By Charlie Cook

“Advertising doesn’t work.” I hear it from my clients all the time. One client was about to file for bankruptcy because she wasn’t getting a good response to her radio ads, and the cost was killing her. But she knew her target market was listening; she knew she needed to get her name out there to generate more business. What should she do?

Owners of small businesses and professionals like yourself realize that to take your business to the next level, you need to get your products and services in front of a larger audience. You want to generate more leads, get more prospects to contact you and buy from you. Advertising is essential but how do you get more out of your advertising dollars? [Read more →]