When Phoebe Sherman, founder and CEO of Girl Gang Craft, sat down to wrap up her books for 2024, she faced a tough decision. One that snowballed amid lingering challenges with venues and revenue from the end-of-year crafts fairs.
Letting go of her team was a difficult but necessary decision for Sherman, who built Girl Gang Craft around helping women and marginalized creatives navigate small business ownership. While she doesn’t plan to host craft fairs in the near future, she is shifting her focus to supporting creatives through resource guides and tools to help them advocate for themselves amid rising tariffs and growing fears of a recession.
Girl Gang Craft was founded in 2017 in Oakland as a means of creating a community where women and fem-owned small businesses could support one another and learn to grow their businesses. Especially during a time when the political climate, much like today’s, posed challenges for marginalized communities who rely on their creativity to make ends meet.
“The current presidency is creating a war on those who don’t have much, and that includes the creative community, women, queer people and people of color,” Sherman said.
In the East Bay, Girl Gang Craft’s past fairs have fostered a vibrant community highlighting why spaces like these are essential for creatives and small business owners.
Monica Yap, the creative behind PINBILL, is one of many makers who found a home at Girl Gang Craft. “Spaces like Girl Gang Craft allow us to express ourselves freely, without judgment,” she said. “We can create and share our art with others who are open to hearing our perspective.”
Carlee Leonhard, co-founder of Sporgy Mushrooms, which crafts gourmet mushroom products with medicinal benefits, has flourished in a space where women entrepreneurs uplift one another.
“I feel that a lot of women are either afraid to take up space or challenge the norms,” said Leonhard, reflecting on her journey in culinary science. “Even with everything going on in the political climate, I feel that it’s more important now than ever to make my voice as the owner heard.” Through Girl Gang Craft, she found not just visibility, but a platform to amplify her mission and message.
The diversity of vendors at Girl Gang Craft showcases a wide spectrum of passions, talents and causes that thrive in a space grounded in community. More than just a craft fair, it’s a celebration of what’s possible when underrepresented creatives are encouraged to take up space, share their voices and build together.
Towards the end of 2024 Sherman made another tough decision: To pause any future plans to host craft fairs in 2025. She remains uncertain about the future of Girl Gang Craft fairs, possibly even beyond this year. However, hope remains. These days Sherman channels her energy into leveraging her experience working with brands to create a course that the Girl Gang Craft community can use to optimize their revenue through social media—an essential tool in navigating the current economic landscape.
Amid fears of a looming recession and rising tariffs, Sherman believes many business owners feel stuck. According to a 2024 report by the U.S. Small Business Administration, nearly 30% of creative entrepreneurs reported declining sales due to inflation, supply chain issues and reduced consumer spending. For those manufacturing products outside the United States, potential tariff costs could make it more difficult to buy and sell at reasonable prices. At the same time, marketing art during a recession is challenging, as it’s often seen as a nonessential purchase.
Looking ahead, Sherman hopes to expand Girl Gang Craft’s digital offerings, including workshops on pricing, branding and pitching to partners, turning the platform into an educational hub for makers navigating a rapidly changing economy.
“Having a job that is creative is inherently political,” Sherman said. “What I am interested in is helping these folks have flourishing businesses so they can fight back in their own capacities.”
