There’s a saying about eggs and baskets that also applies to business. One revenue stream is good. Six revenue streams is better. Not only do you probably make more money, but your business is naturally more resilient to shock. When all your revenue is flowing from one or two sources, any disruption to those sources is like getting your leg chopped off.So how do you diversify and build multiple revenue streams at once? With some help from our pals at Square, we spoke to the owner of Emi Ceramics, Melody Brunton, to chat everything cashflow. Melody works from a small studio on Gundungurra Land in the Wollondilly Shire in New South Wales, crafting a range of bespoke teapots, cups, bowls and other ceramics. Emi Ceramics draws on Melody’s Japanese cultural roots. The whole brand is built around the concept of mingei, which translates (roughly) as the ‘hand-crafted art of ordinary people’. Every piece is one of a kind.

"I did my first pottery lesson at The Pottery Shed in Sydney," Melody says. "And it was one of those duck-to-water moments. It kind of just worked. I decided to go full-time about five years ago, and the business has been growing ever since."

Here are some of Melody’s tips for growing a more resilient business.TRY AND BALANCE HAPPY WITH MONEY The trick with multiple revenue streams is identifying A.) which streams generate the best return, and B.) which ones actually make you happy. Ideally, there’s a 100% overlap between those two, but the real trick (as with anything) is balance. "It’s a combination of what you make, in terms of revenue, but also what sustains you," Melody says. "You don’t want to spread yourself too thin in terms of energy. I actually like saving my lessons till the end of the week. Engaging with people really recharges me." Melody personally recommends about three to four individual revenue streams – enough for a robust business, but not so many that you burn out.

NOT ALL SALES ARE THE SAME It’s easy to think of ‘sales’ as one discreet revenue stream. But you actually need to dig a bit deeper than that. Okay, you make a product. But who are you selling it to? How are you getting it out there? "I’ve got a few wholesale accounts, then there’s person-to-person sales at markets and stuff, and then there’s e-commerce," Melody says. "So even with just sales, it’s important to have that diversity." Melody uses her Square Dashboard to funnel all these revenue streams into one place. That way she can track inventory and revenue without missing a beat.THOSE WHO CAN’T SELL, TEACH Melody makes ceramic bowls, plates, cups and vases. That’s her product. But it’s not her only product. When a customer buys a handmade bowl, they’re really buying years and years of training, and skill, and knowledge, and expertise. And all those things can be sold, too. "I’ve always loved running classes, and the teaching side of things," Melody says. "Having the knowledge myself, that’s great, but it’s so satisfying to pass it on to others." Melody schedules and organises her ceramics classes online, using Square Appointments.

DON’T RELY ON ONLINE For many makers and small business owners, e-commerce is a godsend. But online isn’t everything. "Online sales are kind of the cherry on top for me because they’re so changeable. It fluctuates all the time," Melody says. "I actually think that face-to-face stuff is really important too. Going to craft markets, engaging with your customers, it’s really good market research." Melody built her website and e-commerce store with Square Online, and she uses Square Reader for all her face-to-face transactions. The two systems sync up seamlessly, so it’s easy to track sales across multiple revenue streams.STAY ORGANISED The more legs your business has, the more value you can squeeze from one tech ecosystem. If you have one platform for sales, another for web, one for accounting, and another for inventory, the whole thing gets messy real fast. ‘I’ve been a Square fangirl since day one,’ Melody laughs. "I use the Square Dashboard every day, that’s kind of my touchstone. It gives me an overview of what sales I’ve made. I book my classes with Square Appointments, and Square even tracks all my wholesale inventory stock." Another pro tip? Make sure your business software automatically feeds into your accounting software – no surprises, Square already does this. Your accountant will thank you come tax time.

PRACTICE SELF-CARE Small business and burnout are like clay and heat – too much and you’re gonna crack. Melody says one of the things she had to do was figure out which revenue streams delivered the best value, and also which would sustain her, mentally. "You need to find that balance between the two," she says. "Especially when you’re starting out, it’s so easy to want your fingers in every pie. You want to do it all – all at once. But in terms of sustainability, if you’re going to grow a brand that can sustain you over years, you need to find a way to switch between the macro and the micro. Find a way to diversify that won’t break you down."

These helpful tips were brought to you in partnership with our pals at Square. No matter the size of your small business Square has a range of tools to help you level up and thrive.