Nebraska
Digital technology is lifting up small businesses in Nebraska
84%
of small businesses are empowered by digital tools
Digitally-Empowered Small Businesses
148,141
346,324
Digitally-Empowered Small Business Employees
LIFT News
March 23, 2020
COVID-19 Policy Briefings
Stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 related policy updates with these daily briefings from the Connected Commerce Council.
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March 23, 2020
Surviving Coronavirus by the Connected Commerce Council
The spread of coronavirus has understandably left many on edge—and many small business owners wondering what, if anything, they should be doing. What can they do...
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January 9, 2020
Supporting Main Street Through Access to Digital Tools
Starting and running a small business is easier and less expensive than ever before. Digital tools and services have made once expensive business operations like...
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Digitally Empowered Small Businesses in Nebraska
Artifact Bag Co.
With Technology in Hand, An Artisan in Born
Artifact Bag Co., Omaha, NE
Website
Like many Americans, Chris Hughes had a rough 2009. The Great Recession led to a layoff and nine months of unemployment, followed by a customer-support job that provided a steady paycheck and health insurance, but no long-term career trajectory.Hughes found his motivation instead in a side passion for military collectibles and vintage apparel, which eventually triggered a business idea. He bought a vintage commercial sewing machine on Craigslist and opened an Etsy store called Artifact Bags to sell products made from vintage leather and canvas.In 2010, a fortuitous couple of tweets by a popular online writer prompted a flood of orders to the Etsy shop and convinced Hughes to build a website, tell his story and turn his side hustle into a full-fledged business, Artifact Bag Company. A decade later, he has a larger studio in Nebraska, a partner in Jeremy Vlcan, who previously spearheaded the digital advertising efforts at Bonobos and Hayneedle and a dozen employees helping create an array of products.From his first equipment purchase on Craigslist to the Etsy shop and the tweets that changed Hughes's life, technology made the dream possible. And it still does. “The reach and efficiency of digital tools opens up the world to small companies,” Vlcan saidArtifact Bag’s Etsy shop and Shopify-integrated website drive the sales, 80 percent of which occur online. Ads on Bing, Facebook, Google, and Instagram get the brand in front of precisely targeted audiences. MailChimp is another effective promotional vehicle, and tools like Dropbox, Gmail and Quickbooks support the business behind the scenes.The total digital package kept startup costs low and ensured lower operating costs going forward so Artifact Bag could compete against larger rivals. Aggressive five- and 10-year growth plans for Artifact Bag are built entirely upon digital technology, assuming Congress doesn’t undermine those plans with policies aimed at the companies that make the tools“Increased costs [for technology] would price us out,” Vlcan said. “We wouldn’t be able to reach the customers at a cost that makes our business possible.He is concerned that policymakers in Washington will make ill-informed decisions, hurting the small businesses that are vital to the economy. “Tomorrow’s titans are small businesses today. Small business have the latitude and flexibility to take chances and drive innovation.”
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