“Just Believe in Yourself,” Advice from a small business owner
Mélina Bernhardt is an artist, “maker,” and small business owner whose products are sold at Makerfolk, among other local shops. While her business, Melina Be Creations, is known for its handmade woven and knit products, she is also making a name for herself in the educational field, teaching classes such as weaving, sewing, and leather work. Busy schedules left only enough time for a phone interview, so Mélina called in from her home office here in Fort Collins. In her joyful, animated way, she described how her business came to be, shed some light on her working relationship with Makerfolk, and shared a few aspects of small businesses that aren’t very well-known.
Q: So your website mentions that you’re from France/Germany. How did you end up in Colorado?
A: I came to Fort Collins, Colorado 22 years ago because I was an exchange student at CSU. I met my husband shortly after I arrived, so I just never left. I was born in France, and that’s where I learned to knit and crochet from my family. It was always just a fun thing to do, never a job.
Q: Since you’ve been knitting and crocheting for so long, when would you say that you officially started your business?
A: I started my business in 2007.
Q: Most small businesses often hit snags when they’re first starting out. Do you remember having any obstacles when you started your business?
A: I don’t know about big obstacles. I was always doing crafts on the side while I was working at Lambspun, but I think the only obstacle was being “financially” independent in the beginning. I think that’s what took me so long to start, because I could have started the business two or four years prior. The other obstacle was getting used to making more than one of something. When I was crafting for myself, I only made one of something. When I started selling my work, some people wanted two or more of the same product, so I had to turn on this switch in my brain to make multiple of the same product. It’s not as much fun as making one-of-a-kind things, but it’s just a transition that I made.
Q: I know that you sell your products at quite a few places in town. Will you list all of the places where customers can find your products besides Makerfolk?
A: I sell some things at the Be Free Healing Center and Wolverine Farm & Publick House. I also sell through my website, online.
Q: And then you teach classes as well, right?
A: That’s right. I haven’t gone back in full swing, the way I was doing it before Covid quite yet, but I would like to in the next year or two. I realized, after I stopped teaching for a while and then started again, how much I missed it.
Q: So you’ve been a “maker” at Makerfolk pretty much since the beginning. How did you get started with Makerfolk?
A: Well, I’ve been connected to Wolverine Farm in the last several years, so that’s where I met Beth, who is a co-founder of Makerfolk. She used to work at Wolverine Farm, so when she and Melissa went to open Makerfolk, they invited me to have my work there.
Q: Do you like that Makerfolk is like a community/collective of other small business owners?
A: Yeah, I love it. That’s actually what I’m most drawn to; it’s great that they work with so many local businesses that are based in Fort Collins and Colorado. I love that local aspect of it.
Q: Okay, so I know that you make a wide variety of products, but could you list a few of the ones that you’re making currently?
A: Sure! I seem to go in a cycle, but I do occasionally add a whole new thing that I’ve never done. Three or four years ago, I learned to make little twine baskets, so I taught my nephews how to make those and teaching has made me want to make them again. Knowing me, it’s not going to last that long, so I’m just telling people to take advantage and buy them now because I don’t know when I’ll make more. I do weaving all the time, but big projects take a few weeks or months to finish. I also do jewelry, like beadwork or earrings made out of leather. I’ve recently started using my leather scraps to do leatherwork like purses and clutches. I do sewing too, but the first things I mentioned are the ones I focus on more and sell more of.
Q: You said that you learned to knit and crochet at a young age, but you didn’t mention knit or crocheted products that you sell. Why don’t you sell things that you knit/crochet?
A: I’ve pretty much stopped doing those for retail because it just takes too much time and people don’t recognize the work, plus a lot more people do it themselves so they don’t want to buy already finished products. Sometimes I do those for commission work, so people pay half in advance and then I make the piece for them.
Q: You talked a little bit about pricing. Is that something that you wish more customers knew about small businesses or handmade products?
A: Maybe. I feel fortunate enough that I’ve been able to put my foot down and say my rate, which is $35 to $50 an hour. That’s just my rate. I do a sliding scale as well, if I feel like someone really loves a piece, because it’s easier for me to let a piece go for less if I know it will be loved. Putting my foot down can be a little scary because if I start at $35, that takes out a lot of people. But I’ve been fortunate here with the community of people who understand the worth of making something with your hands.
Q: That is good. I think we pretty much covered everything about your business story, but I just had one last parting question for you. Do you have any advice for aspiring small business owners?
A: Yeah. If they can, with or without taking out a loan, just believe in yourself and put your foot down. If you don’t want to make something or sell something for “less than” because of the work you’ve done, just believe in yourself. It might take a little bit of time, but don’t be afraid to assert yourself. I feel like I have good reasons, so if you feel like you have good reasons, you can explain to people why you’re putting your foot down. It works and it’s possible, so just have faith in your own abilities.