Operating a stained glass business can be a greatly rewarding way of fulfilling not only a dream as an artist, but also one as an entrepreneur. The craft of stained glass making has its origins with the medieval artisans who sweated over their creations which vivified temples, castles, cathedrals and other buildings throughout Europe and elsewhere. Stained glass art offers artists and buyers a compelling medium steeped in fine and gilded craftsmanship that raises glass itself to rich and rarefied levels. Combining a love for the art of stained glass and the commerce of getting it to the connoisseurs will provide you with a truly special reason to leap out of bed in the morning.

You must have a good business sense if your stained glass venture is going to succeed, of course. Making sure you have the proper amount of supplies and workforce on hand is first and foremost. Choosing the right employees (if any) with the right experience to be able to render stained glass projects worthy of sale is also imperative to your success. Attracting and keeping the right kind of clientele (ones who will actually purchase your wares) is also, of course, key to keeping your business alive. You must generate a buzz and get people to, as well as talking about, your stained glass business. If you can pull of all of these things, you're most likely going to be in pretty good shape running this type of venture.

Finding relatively inexpensive stained glass dealers is a good step in the right direction. You'll want to keep costs down as much as possible, as in the running of any business. Hiring interns who are art students so that you (in most cases) don't have to pay them is another smart move that will also be like college credit for the students, to apply to their future career in art! Your student employees will also have the opportunity to test the waters, to see if they have what it takes to make a living in stained glass. Also, networking with other business owners, and more specifically, with other art dealers and stained glass business owners, will generate more leads and traffic into your door. Being located in an "arty" or advantageous area, perhaps near art dealers, galleries, college campuses, etc. if it's at all possible, is one more idea to consider.

At least one business owner blogging about his "Stained Glass Adventures" writes that the stained glass business is highly competitive and labor intensive. He also recommends working with warm glass as opposed to flat glass work, in order to expand the possibilities of what you can do in a studio setting. He says remaining open-minded and non-competitive in your thinking of the next stained glass business down the street is a very good thing--that guy is actually helping your business, he says, by increasing knowledge about the craft in the community, therefore upping the chances of more people ending up in your store!

Make sure to plan out and research your business plan thoroughly. Figure the cost of all the materials and start-up to be around 1/4 to 1/3 of the overall retail value of your business. The fleeting nature of this type of business in particular means relationships and networking must be solid, and core customers kept. People's interest in stained glass is fragile at best, and it is certainly not a "blue chip" type of industry. Most, if not all stained glass business owners get into it largely due to their love of the craft--not as a result of being shrewd profiteers, so be aware of the general market fragility, have fun, follow the above instructions and may your passion for stained glass translate into profitable customer appreciation!