Maire Loughran is a certified public accountant with fifteen years experience assisting new business owners and is a craft business owner herself.

Maire's experience includes lecturing on the topic of how to start a new business covering such basics as selection of business entity, business licenses and sales tax collection, bookkeeping and how to write a business plan. She is also a university professor teaching accounting, auditing and taxation classes.

A second-generation designer, she built her craft business from the ground floor up, writes, and lectures on the topic. She has also written two books on related topics: a user guide to Microsoft Office Accounting Professional, her preferred accounting software package due to its useful interface with eBay and PayPal and a guide to starting a home-based business.

Maire holds two MBA degrees, one in general business with an emphasis in economics, the other is in accounting.

When I was a young girl, I used to stockpile those Paz Easter Egg coloring kits to use year-round to dye the silk fabric remnants I used to make outfits for my dolls. Tiny hand-knitted sweaters and coordinating jewelry made from beads and wire gave the outfits their finishing touch.

Building on that childhood interest, as an adult I've entered craft shows and sold crafts in many different mediums from textile crafts such as shibori and batik to more decorative crafts like jewelry making and metalwork. I've even tried my hand at papermaking and candle making.

Along the way, I've helped many new businesses with their start up and have built my CPA practice around the arts/crafts business industry. As your guide, I'll give you helpful information and resources from both sides of the arts/crafts table: creative and business.