Nest: Makers’ United Program
Quire designed and piloted a program to support artisan entrepreneurs, with a scalable model for national replication.
Nest is a nonprofit that supports international artisans and makers through economic development and partnership with brands.
Nest wanted to deepen its domestic work by piloting a program in Birmingham, AL to support local, often marginalized, makers and creatives.
The Brief
The challenge:
Many artisan entrepreneurs work in isolation and lack access to markets, mentorship, or business training.
The Strategy
Build a community-rooted program that honors local craft while connecting participants to national networks, audiences, and resources.
The Research:
Quire led landscape analysis, maker surveys, community conversations, and capacity-building workshops tailored to makers’ real-world needs.
THE RESULTS:
We co-developed the Makers’ United pilot and hosted a marketplace that attracted new customers and revenue for participants. By understanding the context and experience of Birmingham artisans, Nest was able to provide a singular learning opportunity that helped participants gain new audiences for their work.
The Impact:
The model scaled to 11 other cities or regions, serving 1,800+ artisans across 47 states. Makers from the Birmingham cohort went on to win pitch competitions and partner with global brands. This pilot program would also create a model for use in other cities to help makers with similar needs and challenges.
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