On the first Sunday of every month, Santa Barbara residents can look forward to shopping for colorful artisanal goods, handmade by women entrepreneurs of color.
That’s because Mujeres Makers Market, located in Santa Barbara, California, sets up a monthly pop-up market at the historic El Presidio de Santa Bárbara. Founded in 2021, the market has experienced incredible growth since, going from about 20 vendors at its very first market to an average of almost 70 today.
And although the market is held on a monthly basis, that doesn’t mean the work ever stops, according to cofounder and content creator Elysia Guillén.
“We’re a small team of four,” Guillén says. “This takes a lot more work than just showing up to the market.”
With the team’s hands full, the market needed smoother workflows as it grew. That’s why they turned to Jotform.
Mujeres Makers Market case study results at a glance
Streamlined operations with Jotform’s custom features
Mujeres Makers Market uses document uploading, checklists, and e-signature capabilities to handle what used to be manual, time-consuming work
Data filters in Jotform Tables help take a weight off of the team’s shoulders
Before using Jotform, the market had trouble sorting through vendor applications, but now the team can filter applicants
Easily shareable form links help Mujeres Makers Market expand its reach
Vendors are able to easily send form links to other prospective vendors, helping the market build a wide network of sellers
Originally, Mujeres Makers Market used another spreadsheet program to sort through its applicants. But the data became a nightmare to manage as the market began receiving over 100 vendor applications every month. The market also had to individually reach out to vendors to obtain required documentation, like certifications, which was stressful.
In Guillén’s words, it was “a hot mess.”
Guillén had previous experience using Jotform for surveys, so when it became clear it was time for a change, she knew Jotform could handle the work.
The market uses Jotform for vendor applications, and reviewing the influx of applicants has become a breeze thanks to Jotform’s filtering functionality. If the market wants to accept only a certain number of jewelry vendors, for example, then team members can simply filter the “Jewelry” category in their table to start the selection process.
Guillén added that Jotform handles other essential steps of the market’s operations, such as document uploads, checklists, and e-signatures. E-signature support has been especially helpful, allowing the market to ensure that vendors understand their responsibilities and requirements as market participants.
Most of all, though, Guillén said that Jotform has been instrumental in expanding the market’s reach. Vendors have been able to send the market’s application to others with easily shareable links. Because of that, Mujeres Makers Market has had applications from vendors located all across California, from San Diego to the Bay Area.
Jotform has created a community in a sense with other vendors. It’s amazing because once one person sends a link to another one . . . [it] just creates a nice web.
Elysia Guillén
Jotform’s transformational features have led to incredibly streamlined operations for Mujeres Makers Market, and the platform has allowed the team to focus on growth and serving its vast community of entrepreneurs.
“I feel like Jotform is part of our community,” Guillén said. “Not only is it making our lives easier and is giving other women opportunities, it’s also allowing us to grow and evolve as a market.”
At Jotform, we love hearing how we give time back to businesses and organizations like Mujeres Makers Market. If you’d like to share your own story with Jotform, feel free to fill out our case study request form!
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