Handicraft Enterprise Development
Stronger craft.
Stronger businesses.
Practical business development for Lao handicraft entrepreneurs.
Katalyst helps craft entrepreneurs connect the creativity and skill behind the product with the commercial capability needed to build a sustainable business.
From craft to enterprise
A great product is only the beginning.
Lao PDR has a rich handicraft tradition — from textiles and jewelry to natural products, pottery, souvenirs and contemporary design.
But creating a great product is only one part of building a successful business. Katalyst works with handicraft entrepreneurs to understand their customers, improve their business models, identify opportunities for growth and turn ideas into practical action.
Empowering craftpreneurs through business skills and mentoring
Katalyst signature program
EmCraft
A practical business development and mentoring program developed and delivered by Katalyst specifically for Lao handicraft entrepreneurs.
EmCraft was created under the USAID Laos Business Environment Partnership Fund matching-fund mechanism. Katalyst contributed to the program’s development and delivery, with matching support from LBE, allowing participating businesses to join the full program free of charge.
Working with the Lao Handicraft Association, EmCraft brought together entrepreneurs producing Lao silk and cotton products, jewelry, natural products, pottery, recycled-paper art, clothing and souvenirs.
More than a workshop
Real business change takes more than a single training session.
Over several months, business owners moved between practical workshops, peer mentoring, experimentation in their own businesses and reflection on what was — and wasn’t — working.
- 01Learn something.
- 02Try it in the business.
- 03Return and share what happened.
- 04Take the next step.
That cycle gave every participant space to work on real challenges with support from Katalyst and insight from other entrepreneurs facing many of the same issues.
This program makes me feel productive. I can see a picture of what I want to do, I have clear goals, and I know how to set a plan to achieve those goals.
Built around real business challenges
The whole business — not one isolated skill.
Practical tools help entrepreneurs see the business clearly, identify opportunities and decide what to do next.
Understanding the business
Step back from day-to-day operations, use the Business Model Canvas and see where change can make the greatest difference.
Growing sales
Explore customers, offers and purchasing behavior — then find practical ways to grow customer numbers, value and repeat business.
Finding opportunities to innovate
Identify low-cost and no-cost opportunities to improve products, processes, operations and the customer experience.
Managing money
Use practical tools such as the Rolling 13-Week Cashflow Plan to understand cash position and make stronger decisions.
Reaching customers digitally
Explore e-commerce, social media, online selling and digital tools that can promote and strengthen the business.
Managing people
Work through real people-management challenges with practical problem-solving tools and the experience of other entrepreneurs.
Put it into practice
Information only matters when it changes the business.
Between sessions, participants used the tools in their own businesses and came back ready to share what happened. They began recording customer numbers and purchasing behavior, developing new offers, reconsidering target customers and managing cashflow more systematically.
- New offers and promotions
- Clearer customer insight
- More systematic records
- Better cashflow decisions
A practical change
“The 10-10-10 plan has been put into practical use. I now record everything in detail. This has allowed me to know how much income there is, how many customers there are, and how much income the business will reach.”
Learning from other entrepreneurs
A community of practice.
Business owners met regularly to share progress, challenges, ideas and solutions. The mentoring sessions respected that every business was different, while creating space to learn from experience.
It also created something beyond the formal program: new relationships, new contacts and new opportunities for collaboration.
“It has broadened my perspective and made me realize that I am not the only one with problems; other people have problems as well.”
What participants told us
Practical. Connected. Energizing.
01
“After joining EmCraft, we found a way to grow and learned how to plan and analyze our business plan clearly.”
02
“This program helps me reflect on my business, create new connections, and especially create positive energy for myself and my team members.”
03
“Every knowledge in this training can be used in real life and real practice.”
04
“Thanks to EmCraft, I had an opportunity to develop and expand my connections.”
05
“After joining the training, my mindset in business has been opened wider.”
Built on sector experience
Long-term support for Lao handicraft businesses.
EmCraft built on Katalyst’s earlier work with the ILO and Lao Handicraft Association, connecting creative product expertise with the practical capabilities behind a sustainable enterprise.
Exhibition readinessPrepare producers to make more of opportunities to meet and sell to customers.
Making sales onlineBuild practical capability in digital marketing and online selling.
Business & financial planningStrengthen the commercial and financial foundations of the business.
From craft to enterprise
Start with the entrepreneur and the business they already have.
Understand the business.See clearly what is working and what needs to change.
Understand the customer.Make stronger decisions about products, markets and value.
Build commercial capability.Strengthen sales, marketing, finance and management.
Experiment and adapt.Turn ideas into action and learn from the results.
Learn from each other.Share experience and solve problems together.
Because strengthening a handicraft sector is not only about making better products. It is about building stronger businesses behind them.
Supporting handicraft and creative enterprises?
Let’s build stronger businesses behind the craft.
Katalyst designs practical enterprise-development programs with development partners, industry associations and MSME support organizations.
Practical capability. Stronger organizations. Sustainable results.