Learn service skills and build your business at the same time

Who is this for?

• Those that are learning machine troubleshooting and professional service skills for a future retirement income, side business, full service business, or volunteer work
• Those that enjoy fixing machines and selling them for a profit
• Those that just want to see what's possible, even f you haven't started professional service training yet
• Those that are ready but don't know where to start

What will I learn?

• How to start exploring your business possibilities while you are learning professional machine service skills
• How to get the word out about the services you are offering
• How to manage machine inventory, check-in forms, and documentation
• How to invoice your customers and accept payment
• Setting up your systems and processes to spend less time on the business side and more time on machines
• Almost any aspect of business yu can think of, including different types of business structures that fit your lifestyle, personal interests, and financial needs
• While I will touch on accounting and legal matters, I am NOT an accountant or attorney and have limited advice in this area

Important to note about this program:

• Every Friday night at 8 p.m. ET we host a live Industry Night call for Q&A, continuing conversation about any aspect of business, hosting special guests, and more.
• We do NOT answer any guidance whatsoever on machine service or procedures in this program, and do not answer machine-related questions in the Facebook group or Industry Night calls. This is for business topics only.
• This program is a "living" program, which means it's always a work in progress.  Unlike our other programs, this program is largely "conversational", and new modules and lessons are being added regularly.  Feel free to suggest a topic and ask questions so that we can help you with your specific needs.
• We do offer accountability support to help you progress even when life is busy and everything feels overwhelming - this group is meant for all of us to support and be supported.
• A private Facebook group is available for support, conversation, updates, and even some fun!

You do NOT need to be enrolled in our other programs to join this program because many folks want to know what's possible as a service business before diving right in, and we FULLY support that.

That being said, we will NOT support or advocate for those that plan to try and learn solid service, repair, or restoration skills from YouTube and Facebook groups.  When you start to work  on machines that are not yours, you have a great responsibility to do right by that machine and machine owner, and information gained from these resources is not adequate.  We provide affordable programs to make sure your learn professional procedures.

Meet Spike

Spike, located in Florida, joined our program about 2.5 years ago.  He started servicing modern machines and functionally restoring vintage machines.  Spike was picked up by the local quilt shop and sent to HandQuilter for training on servicing and repairing longarm machines, and his wife decided to open a quilt shop to better service local quilters.

While Spike still supports the HandiQuilter dealer, he also decided to become. a Janome dealer to service his community.  Through our program, Spike committed to offering excellent customer service, fair and flexible service charges, and customer support not found in many local service shops.

While we don't recommend that most people start up a brick & mortar business (costly overhead), Spike and a few others in the program have been very successful in providing a much needed service in their communities.

How much does it cost?

• The first 30 days are FREE, then just $7/month until you cancel
• You must enroll yourself in this program, we do not do this automatically in any case
• If you cancel by the 29th day, your card will not be charged
• Cancellation is easy, you can do it yourself from your account
• No refunds can be given under any circumstances

This program was born from our early Industry Night sessions, which we started at the beginning of May 2024.  So many of our students asked for a program to help them understand the service industry, what a service business looks like, how to determine if it's  a good idea to start one, and help with starting and building a business.

We started testing ideas by hosting a live, virtual event on Facebook and YouTube each Friday night in a kind of "ask me anything"-style format.  As I moved into a more structured presentation that answered people's questions, it was obvious that a solid, structured program is needed to guide people in various stages of learning and business interest.

And thus, the Sewing Doc Academy Business School was born.

A sample of our early Industry Night calls

Below you will find the links to the first 4 Industry Night calls we hosted on Facebook and YouTube, to get an idea of some of the topics we talk about and how we help.  Do note that the format and structure have changed since this time, and any offers made in these videos is no longer available.  All calls now take place in Zoom inside of our program modules, and the replays are available for your viewing inside the program.

May 3, 2024 Replay

May 10, 2024 Replay

May 17, 2024 Replay

May 31, 2023 Replay - Informational session for new program (things have changed since this broadcast)

Who are you, anyway?

If you’re thinking about starting or growing a sewing machine service business, it helps to learn from someone who’s actually been there—someone who has walked the path from curious hobbyist to full-time professional.

Hi, I’m Andi Barney, and I’ve been a sewing machine technician for over 15 years. I started exactly where many of you are: at the kitchen table, driven by curiosity and a love for both sewing and fixing things. Guided by two elderly mentors, I dove headfirst into vintage machine restoration, and from there, my business began to grow.

In 2015, I became co-owner of a quilt shop and moved my service work into a public space. That’s when things really took off. Within a year, I had more business than I could handle, so my husband and his brother joined me. They focused on vintage restorations and major repairs like gear replacements, while I worked on the wave of modern machines that were coming in by the dozens.

It didn’t take long to realize there was a major gap in the industry. The need for service was overwhelming, but there was no clear way for people to learn how to do it. There were no schools or official training programs for the average sewist to learn machine maintenance or professional-level service. That’s when I began experimenting with teaching others the skills I had developed.

I tested my first in-person workshops right from my shop just to see if there was interest. Every single session sold out within a day.

In 2021, I launched Sewing Doc Academy, an online platform built to teach these skills virtually, so more people could access them no matter where they lived. Today, our program library includes:

• Vintage Sewing Machine Mastery

• Remove Your Covers (modern machine maintenance)

• Troubleshooting Like a Professional Technician

• Motor Service & Rewiring

• Basic Hook Timing

• Coming in 2025: Timing & Advanced Adjustments, Serger Maintenance, and our full Mentorship Program

We’re also launching our Certification & Credentials Program in 2025 for those who want to grow their credibility and professional standing.

In the fall of 2022, I made the tough decision to close my service shop so I could dedicate myself fully to teaching and building the Academy. It was the right move. Now, instead of helping a few people at a time in my local community, I get to help hundreds of students learn the same skills and apply them in their own towns and neighborhoods.

Our programs are designed to help home sewists learn how to service and maintain their own machines with confidence and skill. But they also offer a clear path for those who want to go further and provide services to others, whether through retirement income, a part-time business, or even full-time work.

So far, more than 1,800 students have enrolled in our service programs, and that number continues to grow.

If you’re ready to explore the world of sewing machine service, whether just for yourself or to build something bigger, you’re in the right place.

30 days FREE

Give Business School a try to explore the possibilities of starting, building, and scaling your own service business!

After 30 days, you will be charged $7 a month until you cancel.  If you cancel before 30 days, you will not be charged.

Refunds cannot be given on this subscription for any reason.