Social media course
Grow Your Audience on Social Media
Learn practical strategies to grow your audience, increase visibility, and build a stronger presence on social media as a maker or small business owner.
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Learn the skills behind a stronger maker business
Practical training designed to help makers build stronger storefronts, communicate more clearly, and grow with intention.
Practical, step by step lessons
Built for busy business owners
Courses you can actually use
What it is
A structured path for makers who want more than scattered advice
Makers Academy is designed for small business owners who need practical guidance, not generic business content. It is built to help makers create stronger storefronts, position their products with more clarity, and build the kind of business that can actually last.
Instead of random tips and disconnected tutorials, the focus is on thoughtful growth, better presentation, and systems that support real momentum.
Featured courses
Start with the training that fits where you are
Explore practical courses created to help makers and small business owners manage time, grow their audience, and create content that converts.
Time management course
Time Management for Busy Business Owners
A practical course to help you manage your time, focus on what matters, and create more structure in your business without adding more stress.
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Short form video course
Create Short Form Videos and Reels
Learn how to create short form videos that feel doable, look more intentional, and help your business connect with more people online.
Sign UpWho it is for
Built for makers who are ready to take their business seriously
Emerging makers
For sellers who have strong products but need structure, confidence, and a clearer storefront.
Growing vendors
For makers who are ready to improve conversion, presentation, and customer understanding.
Small business owners
For owners who want practical education rooted in the realities of real small business operations.
Meet your instructor
Hi, I'm Lindsey
I have over 20 years of experience in instructional design and education, building training that actually changes performance. I am also the founder of Main Street Collective, where I help makers and small business owners gain visibility and sell more effectively without becoming full time marketers.
Ready to begin
Build your business with more clarity and confidence
Makers Academy is for vendors who want more than guesswork. Start building a stronger business with a structure that makes sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Shopping Main Street Collective
Find answers to common questions about our Mississippi makers, handmade gifts, vendor collections, shipping, local products, and shopping small through Main Street Collective.
What is Makers Academy?
Makers Academy is an online business education platform for handmade makers and small business owners who want practical training to grow beyond hobby-level selling and build stronger, more sustainable businesses.
Who is Makers Academy for?
Makers Academy is for handmade makers, artists, artisans, and product-based small business owners who want better time management, clearer marketing, stronger visibility, and more consistent sales.
Is Makers Academy for handmade makers specifically?
Yes. Handmade makers are at the heart of Makers Academy. It is built for people who create physical products by hand and want to turn their skills into a stronger, more growth-ready business.
What kinds of handmade makers is Makers Academy built for?
Makers Academy is designed for a wide range of handmade makers, including potters, sculptors, glass artists, fiber artists, textile artists, crocheters, knitters, weavers, woodworkers, furniture makers, blacksmiths, metal artists, jewelers, leatherworkers, soap makers, candle makers, handmade lotion and tallow makers, toy makers, paper artists, painters, and other handcrafted product businesses.
Is Makers Academy only for beginners?
No. Makers Academy is not just for first-time makers. It is also a strong fit for established handmade businesses that want better systems, stronger marketing, and more intentional growth.
Can small business owners benefit from Makers Academy even if they are not handmade makers?
Yes. Small business owners can benefit too, especially product-based businesses that need practical support with marketing, organization, content creation, and audience growth.
How can Makers Academy help makers grow beyond craft fairs and vendor markets?
Makers Academy helps makers build stronger sales and visibility outside of weekend events by improving audience growth, social media strategy, content creation, and everyday business systems.
Why was Makers Academy created?
Makers Academy was created to give handmade makers and small business owners practical business education that actually fits the realities of running a product-based business.
Which Makers Academy course should I start with?
Start with Basic Time Management if you need more structure and follow-through, Social Media Audience Growth if you need better visibility and audience-building strategy, and From Idea to Reel if video content is your biggest challenge.
Who teaches Makers Academy?
Makers Academy is taught by Lindsey Fredman, founder of Main Street Collective, with a background in education and instructional design that shapes the training approach.
Can I buy one Makers Academy course at a time?
Yes. Makers Academy is organized around individual courses, so you can start with the area that will help your business most right now, whether that is time management, social media audience growth, or short-form video.
