by Cristiane Roget , Sr. Correspondent AdAvenueGroup- Forbes France
Discover the Nation’s s Finest Artisans at Markets For Makers Mid Town Miami/Miami Design District and the upcoming Allapattah Artisan Marketplace, ArtBasil.org- Fresh News – for Calendar. Open-air, pop up gifting and shopping emporiums celebrate the ingenuity of independent, small businesses who channel their creative passions into one-of-a-kind designs, home goods, art and food.
Midtown Miami/FL. With so much turmoil at the top, populations continue to grapple with a 52 week ‘time out’ locally and around the globe. We have had a lot to learn during a year’s worth of ‘Groundhog Days’. An unprecedented era that has snapped society to attention in countless imperceptible, life altering ways. That final inside a restaurant meal, a heedless dance concert , a last ever handful of bar nuts, sampling perfume at Sephora ™. Whether mandated or self imposed detention, Zooming instead of dating, bad beards, and in public real life Robo Cops and police drones admonishing citizens are a matter of course.
With the specter of chronic unemployment, a coming tsunami of homelessness, an ever widening disparity between the ‘haves’ and ‘have not’s one may not notice the groundswell of resistance taking hold by individuals and ad hoc communities. These are those that also reveled in small graces. Including unforeseen time with kids or elders, culling of acquaintances from fast friends and of course heeding Marie Kondo’s sage advice, “Give it away unless it brings you joy”. Rather than following the herd many are being ‘heard’ with their pocket books and wallets. With mounting debt a new breed of entrepreneurs, armed with market savvy impeccable taste and daring do are embracing what really made America great! That is ‘pulling themselves up by the boot straps’ and finding ways to advent economic ruin by going for broke.
Evidence of the next generation of the ‘gig economy’, whether it be plying one’s trade in the affordable pre-manufactured housing movement, ride sharing, food collectives or pop-up market places, are all facets of a “less is more” approach says Kristen Connell Schwachter, Event Coordinator with Emilia Lujan of Mind Body Expo. A testament to the pursuit of a more sustainable lifestyle are events like the upcoming Allapattah Artisan Market, Markets for Makers in Miami’s Design District or the upcoming world-class 34th annual Miami Swim Week, in person July 7-14th https://fashionweekonline.com/miami/schedule. Saddling the copious city wide catwalks are pop up shops with breakout sustainable and eco friendly brands patronized by a bevy of models and trend setters
“The proliferation of start-up companies are the creation of those who not only measure themselves by how much they make, but what they do to make it,” says John Thomas Evans, former guest services director at Miami Beaches poshest property who returned from a year of prospecting the world’s finest travel destinations to jump off the corporate ladder and now runs an elite independent concierge service. Welcome the next generation of those living with conscientious intention,” says music video producer and stylist Taylor Shaw, a single mom and former Apple employee who is making fashion magic with her creative ingenuity. @taylorvshaw
The “gig” economy, has broadened its definition from the behemoths Airbnb ™, and ride sharing services Uber™ and Lyft™. “There is a robust reaction to robotic drudgery in the work place. Growing segments of self-employed, independent contractors and visionary profit based innovators are joined in a symbiotic P.C. (post Covid) collaboration. There really is no tomorrow for us and the dwindling species of flora and fauna.’ says Brandon Taylor who took logistical s 
kills honed in the military and a degree in audio engineering to found Goose Park Productions and podcast with Giovanni and Esty Benjamin of Coolpplz. Navigating a “new normal” many are plying their trade in temporary workplaces, green environments and shared spaces such as those hosted by Founder, Natalie Christensen and Team of Tampa based Markets for Makers ™ ,Panther’s Allapattah’s Black Market’s and the periodic ‘Hypefest‘ adjacent to the soon-to-open Allapattah Artisan Marketplace presided over by Miguel and Mara Tovar, just a few destinations at the forefront in Indie ‘Craft and Fashion Markets’ in Southern Florida.
Pop up market places are professionally managed and promoted. By offering a temporary accommodation to artisans , small batch manufacturers and those participating in the ‘sharing economy’ companies can engage their niche market, demonstrate and bond with them in hopes of securing an online and loyal customer base. Tribes of vendors armed with college degrees , tepid employment prospects, an abundance of marketing savvy and go-for-broke optimism have embraced a new way of working and earning.
Repudiating the illusion of job security there is an undeniable upside that comes with the unbridled freedom to pursue one’s own aspirations. The flexibility, creative freedom and empowerment derived from earning on one’s own merit is a compelling reason that embraces a very American ethos of defying the odds and self sufficiency. And then there is the current 1.8 trillion failsafe shoring up the current USA economy.
Today, millions of people gather their income from different streams and work independently. According to a February 2020 report in You Matter ™ 34% (54 million people) of the total U.S. workforce was made up of freelancers. The surge of those earning on their own terms is increasing exponentially as the economic fallout from the global pandemic continues to send shockwaves throughout the job market. The resistance in becoming a cog, wonk, bot or automaton is palatable. Whole segments of the population have set up home offices, or ventured into communities to forge income that ensues from having a passion for what they do. (https://youmatter.world/en/definition/gig-economy-definition-examples-future/
Creating niche alternative markets aimed at a targeted customer base is a viable alternative to the waning world of bricks and mortar retail outlets. The dying off of shopping malls, proliferators of mass consumption and planned obsolescence at the altar of greed, avarice are becoming a survival imperative. Or as President Biden calls ‘Neanderthal thinking’. For those not mired in recalcitrant thinking is there a better way to live? Will happier days soon be here again? Could first world top down capitalism predicated on ceaseless consumption resulting in bloated landfills and putrefying water supplies be giving way to an enlightened new normal? “Ours is a lean and mean business model bringing together the artisans, their wares and personalized service that embraces the specific tastes and desires of the customer,” says Douglas Hardin of EatUp Events.
“At Markets for Makers ™ and other similar companies curate and created immersive environments meshing live musical performances, product demonstrations, tastings, sampling and giftings. Our guests are engaged and entertained, all for the price of admission that includes a branded recyclable tote!, ” says Natalie Christensen.
Organizers of these ‘many’ ‘mini’ gatherings also shoulder the heavy lifting of licenses, liability and leases with the costs incremented among the participating vendors. Our loyal community of artisans and entrepreneurs are able to focus on sharing information , enlightening and engaging while building brand loyalty. Our guests receive deep discounts and memories with the hopes that future sales will transact online (or at the next market),” posits Natalie Christensen , Founder of Markets for Makers ™. “Simply, we are better together!”
Photo Gallery from Cole lo Curto.
Photo credits : Vanessa La Palma Swim wear, Kalindi Aromatic Jewelry, Brandon Taylor -GoosePark Productions, Jacqueline Guzman – Boca Black Box, Esty and Giovanni Benjamin -Coolpplz -Christopher @ ChrisMyth Music,Juan Echegorry, Nick Boca Black Box, Natalie Christensen -Founder Markets for Makers
READ MORE
http://artbasil.org/the-p-c-economy-invites-artisans-to-be-the-hero-of-their-story/
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Cristiane Roget
Sr. Correspondent
AdAvenueGroup/Forbes
rogetlink@AdAvenueGroup.com
eat@artbasil.test
310-220-9118
