Take your love of chairs from personal hobby to
thriving business
With the Business of Chairs Collective with Chair Whimsy
“The Collective helped me start and sustain my chair business. I’ve raised my prices and sold 24 chairs this year! Without this, I might have given up.”
Patricia K.
“This group has given me the confidence to step into my role as an upholstery teacher. The deep dives into branding and social media have reshaped my business and given me direction.”
Nancy S.
“The support and real solutions provided have guided me every step of the way in building my business. From dealing with customers to taking high-quality photos, the Collective has been invaluable.”
Susan R.
“The camaraderie here is incredible. Practical and emotional support from like-minded creatives has allowed me to take risks, learn new skills, and grow my business beyond what I thought possible.”
Ria N.
Master the art of turning a profit as a Creative and sell your custom chairs to clients who will love them forever.
Create a real business that not only brings you joy as a designer but also money that supports your lifestyle and family.
The Business of Chairs Collective combines expert guidance, real-world strategies, and the supportive peer community you need to build your business selling chairs.
Inside the Business of Chairs Collective you will…
Collective Members receive:
Two monthly calls (recorded) centered around a topic
Guest speakers
Hotseats for pressing issues
Active Private Facebook Group for the Collective
Yearly in-person meetup
Access to our premium Lesson Library
Lesson Library
Pull up your favorite chair and tap into these foundational video lessons and worksheets exactly when you need them. Each lesson is designed to help you ramp up your online chair business. Watch, re-watch, and access everything in this library at your own pace alongside our ongoing monthly support calls and community.
The Secrets to Selling Online
Learn how to make money by selling your hand-crafted chair online.
How to Take Design-Worthy Pictures
Master the art of taking pictures of your product so they attract clients who will buy.
Customizing Chairs for Clients
Discover how to successfully customize chairs for clients and why it is the only way you ever turn a profit.
Social Media
Master your social media presence and hone your unique message and story.
Your Ideal Client
Understanding who this person is and how to talk to her.
Email Marketing
Learn the steps to building your email list and how to make offers.
Client Relationships
Explore ways of successfully dealing with all kinds of clients who come your way.
Pricing, Shipping, and All the Little Details
Harness the business details that enable you to make you a profit.
Taxes, Sales Tax, & Money
Understand how to keep a watchful eye on your money management.
Mindset and Believing in What You Have to Offer
Gain tools to overcome self-doubt and transform your fears into the right attitude for success.
You'll also get:
Our active and thriving membership of chair designers, monthly topical calls, hot seat style business coaching, and ongoing peer support.
We continue to feature experts and monthly discussions around topics like:
- Shipping logistics
- Customer experiences
- How to create listings that sell
- How to price your chairs to make a profit
- How to build a brand that stands out
- Creative ways to market your business
- Marketing on Pinterest
- What to post on Instagram and Facebook
- Social media platform updates and new features
- What is the best post for each social media platform
- How to build an email list to sell your chairs
- Newsletter content ideas
- Creating freebies
- Etsy vs Website
- How to take professional photos & videos
- And more…
Your initial commitment to the Collective is for one year, with the option to pay in full or pay monthly. After your year is complete, you can choose to remain a member of the Collective as long as you wish with monthly maintenance dues. Many members stick around and continue to grow long after their first year.
Success Stories
"Wendy's hands-on approach is unsurpassed. She demonstrates everything that she teaches. It's convenient to be able to go back and watch the lessons over so that students can keep learning. Her welcoming teaching style makes everyone feel completely comfortable asking questions. I've learned so much and found such an uplifting creative community through the Chair Whimsy classes that I've taken."
- Lauren D.
"I'd describe Wendy's leadership style as authentic. She leads from a place of experience based on a successful business she has created. She shares both the good and the bad, what works and what hasn't worked. Her advice is genuine and sound. When you lead by sharing from a place of experience you create an authentic voice that people respond to. That's good leadership."
- Nancy S.
"Wendy is highly professional yet also very approachable. She's always very generous with her support and advice."
- Ria N.
"Wendy has this strength about her. It's unguarded. I think she knows that when she shares it, it empowers others."
- Cheryl H.
"We all appreciate each other so much and Wendy has given us such a gift of this wonderful learning and growing space to share ideas, exchange tips and just laugh and enjoy each other’s company! I’ve loved this so much! ❤️💚🩷🧡💙💜"
- Sara O.
"Wendy's social media guidance has been so beneficial, especially for understanding best practices and effective strategies."
- Kim B.
Hi! I'm Wendy Conklin, The Chair Stylist.
Hi, I'm Wendy, The Chair Stylist! I’ve helped dozens of women build and grow thriving chair upholstery businesses online, and hundreds more discover the colorful and creative pursuit of upholstery.
The Business of Chairs Collective is for those with some upholstery experience and is best suited for students who have completed my DIY Upholstery for Beginners course or similar foundational training.
If you want to make money selling chairs and bypass many of the hiccups and challenges of going it alone, the Collective is for you. Whether you’re ready to sell your very first chair, looking to grow your business, or even expand into teaching local upholstery courses yourself, your first step is applying to join our Collective. I can’t wait to meet you and hear about your dreams and goals.
–Wendy
Apply now to gain access to:
10 SELF-PACED LESSONS IN OUR LIBRARY
MONTHLY COACHING CALLS FEATURING A MIX OF:
EXPERTS
Q&A
HOT SEAT COACHING
ACTIVE AND THRIVING FACEBOOK PEER COMMUNITY
1 YEARLY IN PERSON MEET UP OPTION TO CONTINUE YOUR MEMBERSHIP AFTER YOUR FIRST YEAR COMMITMENT
You Might be Wondering...
Ready to transform your hobby
into a thriving business?
The Business of Chairs
Collective
- 10 SELF-PACED LESSONS IN OUR LIBRARY
- MONTHLY COACHING CALLS FEATURING A MIX OF:
EXPERTS
Q&A
HOT SEAT COACHING
- ACTIVE AND THRIVING FACEBOOK PEER COMMUNITY
- 1 YEARLY IN PERSON MEET UP
- OPTION TO CONTINUE YOUR MEMBERSHIP AFTER YOUR FIRST YEAR COMMITMENT
The Business of Chairs Collective
is the complete mentorship, education, and community
You need to turn your hobby into a thriving business.
MAYBE YOU JUST REALLY LOVE MAKING CHAIRS, BUT NOW YOU HAVE A HOUSE FULL OF CHAIRS AND NEED TO MAKE ROOM. WHY NOT LEARN HOW TO SELL YOUR CHAIRS?
Selling chairs could be a way to provide extra pocket money to buy special things throughout the year or go on family vacations.
Or perhaps you want to build a chair empire, and you need to know the first steps. You get to choose your own adventure!
What will be your specialty? Will you take commissions and finish custom work for clients? Will you design your own fabric for your chairs?
The sky really is the limit, friend. And best of all, you get to have this creative outlet, share it with others, and see it positively impact their lives.