London Inc. May-June 2023 - 14

Upfront Startup
CRAFTING THE FUTURE
Born from a combination of craft and culture, a DIY studio
aims to build community through creativity
KIRSTIE LEEDHAM USED to work as a content creator for
a social media platform. As the company's do-it-yourself
specialist and creative director, her specialty was crafts.
" I basically came up with ideas and was filmed making
different items, then the tutorial videos were posted on our
social media channel, " she explains. " During the time I was
there, the channel grew from 300,000 to more than two
million followers. "
Leedham also recalls the most frequently posted reaction
to those projects: " The number one comment I got was that
people loved a project, but with the cost of art supplies it
didn't make sense for them to go out and buy everything to
make just one item. That made sense to me; I had a whole
studio full of supplies to draw from, but of course people
wouldn't have that at home. "
Launching a new business often begins with a problem in
need of a solution, and as Leedham thought about this one
she realized there was likely enough demand to set up a DIY
studio - a place where people would get a steady stream of
craft ideas, exactly the supplies they needed and a space to
create in the company of other crafters.
14|londonincmagazine.ca|MAY / JUNE 2023
Hello Maker founder Kirstie Leedham
As the concept evolved, she revised her business plan to
also offer support to established creative entrepreneurs to
grow their businesses, plus resources to entrepreneurial
wannabes who were selling their handmade goods as a side
hustle and were exploring the potential to make it their
main hustle.
Looking at how she could pull all of those pieces together
led Leedham to establish London's first DIY hobby-to-business
studio and market, Hello Maker (www.hellomaker.ca).
Hello Maker opened in March, in an open-concept studio
that overlooks the indoor courtyard at 717 Richmond Street
at the corner of Piccadilly Street.
There are DIY kits and DIY workshops for hobbyists of all
ages, from the Saturday morning " Little Locals " (children
ages three to six) to evening sessions for adults that run from
macramé to candle- or jewelry-making.
Some of the workshops are delivered by Leedham, others
are led by an assembled roster of local creators and
http://www.hellomaker.ca
London Inc. May-June 2023

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