Your Story Is Part of Your Product
Parker Lichfield
Brand Strategist | Co-founder @ Buscadero Motorcycles
Juntos Online Learning Community
June 29, 2026
Audio Transcript
Many of our readers spend their days in the workshop, on the job, or behind the counter. If that’s you, we’ve included an audio version of this article about a YouTube video I watched recently titled, “If I started my business over, I’d avoid these three mistakes” by Parker Lichfield.
It seems relevant to many of the entrepreneurs and small business owners we’ve met in Belize, so I thought it would be worth sharing. Hope you enjoy.
Your Story Is Part of Your Product
This article isn't for everyone.
If you run a large company with an fully staffed marketing department, you probably won't find many new ideas here. But if you're a craftsman, artisan, maker, or small business owner who creates products or provides services with your own hands—or leads a small team that does—I think you'll find these ideas worth considering.
Whether you build custom furniture, craft leather goods, bake specialty foods, create unique jewelry, sew clothing, paint artwork, or produce beautiful floral arrangements, your success depends on more than the quality of what you make.
Walk through almost any night market, craft fair, or roadside stand in Belize and you'll find talented people creating beautiful products. Woodworkers, leather crafters, bakers, artists, jewelers, seamstresses, and countless others produce work that rivals anything you'd find elsewhere.
Yet … many of these businesses may never reach their full potential. It's usually not because the products or services aren't good enough. It's because too few people know the story behind them.
Recently, I watched a thoughtful video by maker and entrepreneur Parker Lichfield titled If I Started My Handmade Business Over, I'd Avoid These 3 Mistakes. While he speaks primarily to makers in North America, his message immediately made me think of entrepreneurs we’ve met in Belize. The principles he shared are just as relevant—perhaps even more so.
His advice centers on three ideas: Positioning, Pricing, and Storytelling. Individually they seem simple. Together, they can transform not only how customers view your business, but may also create a strong connection and unusual loyalty with your target customers.
Know Who You're Building For
One of the easiest mistakes to make is trying to sell to everyone. When every customer is your target customer, it’s likely no one really feels like you're speaking to them.
Think about your own business. Are you creating products for tourists looking for a souvenir that immediately reminds them of their time in Belize? For local families? For proferssional men and women? For people who appreciate handcrafted quality over mass-produced goods?
The clearer you become about who you're serving, the easier it becomes to design products they value and communicate in ways that resonate with them.
Price for the Value You Create
Many small business owners in Belize hesitate to charge what their work is really worth. They worry that customers will walk away or compare their prices to imported products that were manufactured by the thousands. And in some cases, that might be the case.
But that's not a competition a maker or artisan can—or should—try to win.
As a maker or artisan, your customers likely aren't simply paying for wood by the square foot, or leather/fabric by the yard. They're paying for your skill, your experience, your creativity, your attention to detail, and the confidence that comes from buying something made with care.
If you constantly compete on price, you'll always find someone willing to charge less.
If you compete on value, craftsmanship, and service, you attract customers who appreciate those qualities. That's a far healthier foundation for a business.
Tell Your Story
This may be the biggest opportunity for Belizean entrepreneurs. Many businesses use social media only to announce that something is for sale.
"New cutting boards available."
"Fresh bread today."
"Custom belts ready."
There's nothing wrong with those posts—but they miss the chance to build a relationship. People love seeing how things are made. Show the workshop. Show the tools. Show yourself sanding a tabletop, stitching a leather bag, decorating a cake, or applying the final finish to a piece of furniture.
Explain why you chose a particular material. Share the unique challenge you solved. Introduce the team members who help in the business. Let customers see the care that goes into every piece.
These Moments Build Trust
They create emotional connections. They remind customers they're supporting a real person—not just buying another product.
Ironically, these same posts often attract other makers who admire your techniques and become part of your community as well. You're not simply selling products. You're building a brand people remember.
Small Improvements Create Big Results
None of these ideas require expensive equipment or a large marketing budget.
A clearer understanding of your customer.
A price that reflects the value you create.
A one-minute video filmed with your phone.
A photo showing the process instead of only the finished product.
Each seems like a small step. Together, they can dramatically improve how customers perceive your business. They make it easier for people to trust you, recommend you, and become loyal customers.
Over time, they also reduce much of the stress that comes from constantly chasing sales or wondering if the price you quoted brings the win.
Steward the Gifts You've Been Given
At Juntos, we often talk about stewardship. If God has given you the ability to create beautiful products, solve problems, or serve customers well, hiding those gifts doesn't honor the Giver. Telling your story isn't about boasting. Charging a fair price isn't about greed. Building a recognizable brand isn't about seeking attention.
It's about faithfully developing the gifts, talents, and opportunities you've been entrusted with so they can benefit your family, your customers, your employees, and your community.
That's exactly the lesson we find in Jesus' Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30),our Juntos theme for 2026. We are called to develop what we've been given, not bury it.
The Bottom Line
Exceptional craftsmanship will always matter. But today's customers are frequently looking for more than a great product or service. They want to know who made it, why it was made, and why it matters. If you're a maker, artisan, or entrepreneur in Belize, here's a simple challenge:
This week, don't just make something. Tell its story. Record a short video. Share a behind-the-scenes photo. Explain why you started your business. Introduce yourself to your customers. You don't need a professional camera. You don't need perfect lighting. You don't need thousands of followers. You simply need to let people see the passion and craftsmanship that already exist behind your work.
Those small steps may become the difference between having customers who buy once—and customers who become lifelong supporters of your business.
Your Turn
We invite you to join the conversation. Your insights and experiences can encourage and equip other entrepreneurs in similar circumstances.
If you could give one piece of advice to another entrepreneur building a handmade business in Belize, what would it be?
