Rising Stars: Meet Michelle Hehr

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Hehr. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always been a Maker for as long as I can remember. My grandfather was a furniture maker and built the sets for Broadway when he came over from Italy and I believe my passion for creating came from him. I was a special education teacher for 20+ years, then became a mental health therapist where I used my “making” and creative gifts. Almost 4 years ago a seed was planted to follow my passion for people, creating and connection, and thus, Master Crafter DIY was born. 

I acquired a free-standing building in Twinsburg, Ohio in Sept. 2019 and transformed the space from a donut shop to a creative studio space, including a gallery of project choices, a paint splatter room, and a small artist boutique. Master Crafter opened in January of 2020 and was open just 6 weeks before the COVID-19 shutdown. During the 10 weeks MCDIY was closed, the business model became fluid and molded to what people needed. We created home craft kits and held social media LIVES to offer tutorials and craft classes to provide creative outlets for all ages. 

Once we were able to re-open, I sold all the samples on a FB live sale for income and continued to craft and make all week, all hours, to create enough items to sell every Friday on our new Handmade Happy Hour show. We featured a drink of the night and all the treasures created by myself, my friends, family, and other local makers in the area. The overflow from these sales created the artisian boutique in the front of the studio where we highlight local vendors and sprinkle in some handmade wholesale items as well. 

During the re-opening phase, the business model and focus evolved day by day. What once was a craft/project-focused space slowly became a place of experience through our paint splatter room, “The Splatter Factory”. The splatter room was a feature activity that was used only a few times prior to the shutdown to what now has exploded enough to transform my storage space into a second/large splatter space. It started with a family coming to pick up a craft kit and then deciding to splatter. I created a private appointment for the family due to the restrictions in place for COVID operations and they went home elated and had a wonderful creative experience which they shared on a Facebook group and it turned into 53 appointments in a month for small “bubble” groups. Family activities, celebrations, and even birthday gatherings. Almost a year and a half later, the Splatter Factory is booked almost 2 weeks out. 

All appointments for crafting/splattering are made by appointment to ensure an experience for each booking. There are still over 30 projects on our website to choose from, splattering, of course, and we just added 2 new paint experiences including, spin art and pendulum drip painting. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The obstacles and challenges have been many! Opening just 6 weeks before the shutdown, the need for a new business model which wasn’t very clear due to all the restrictions and questions towards the future. It felt as though each day held a new adjustment and possibility of focus, just trying to get my small creative space to survive. Thinking outside the box was an understatement, so I just built a new box! 

Because I was opened just a short time, I had no employees and did not qualify for any of the government assistance financially, so my Handmade Happy Hour was the mainstream of income. I’ve never crafted so many items! 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Master Crafter DIY and The Splatter Factory specialize in creative outlets for people to explore their inner creativity, connect with their inner self through self-care or create a memory with others. We really try to create an experience for each guest and encourage them to explore different mediums and techniques to discover new interests, master techniques, and leave refreshed, relaxed, and with a smile. 

I am most proud of the ability to bend, pursue, and drive towards success and survival. My faith has carried Master Crafter through a storm and clarified my goals, mission, and purpose more than ever! Our immersive paint experiences, our service, prices, and endless options to personalize a project set us apart from other studios. 

Our boutique offers one-of-a-kind items that are unique and includes our Positive Perks Coffee, which is our coffee company that we started in July 2020, in the midst of COVID. Our coffee is brewed and roasted in Ohio and is packaged and labeled locally. But this isn’t just any old coffee… each coffee pod lid has a positive message on it! Our intention is to take an everyday routine and add an uplifting thought to it. Each box comes with a token, a message can be taken from one of the pods, placed on the token, and then left for someone to find. A loved one, a friend, a co-worker, or a stranger… It’s coffee that’s brewed for the soul. 

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
My favorite book and the one that helps me do my best in life is the Bible! I have a strong pillar of faith and read several books to help me personally and professionally. 

Doing Business God’s Way has been very helpful to uphold my service to people and lessens the desire to worry about the path of my business. 

I am part of the Meta Business Network Group of Facebook which has helped me be successful with my online LIVES, social media presence, and exposure. 

I do have a business coach who helps me remain focused, set goals, and help me to be as efficient as possible while running 3 businesses at the same time (Master Crafter, The Splatter Factory, Positive Perks Coffee). 

Pricing:

• Splatter Session $27
• Drip & Spin Paint -$25-$65
• Crafting Projects $25-$65
• Coffee $8/8 pack

Contact Info:

• Email: mastercrafterdiy@gmail.com/positiveperksco@gmail.com
• Website: www.mastercrafterdiy.com, www.positiveperksco.com
• Instagram: master crafter DIY | Positive Perks Coffee co
• Facebook: master crafter DIY | Positive Perks Co

Image Credits
Earl Carlton