Potterversity Episode 63: The Business of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Let's get down to business - in both the wizarding world and the fandom.

Abigail Kohler, adjunct lecturer at Brown University's Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship, is relatively new to Harry Potter but was quickly introduced to scholarship on the series through the Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College. In her own presentation at the 2024 conference, "From Wizard Wheezes to Etsy Empires: An Exploration of Fandom and Entrepreneurship," Abbie explored the types of businesses depicted in the books - including shops, restaurants, and publications - as well as Potter-inspired businesses created by fans.

The wizarding world seems to have many consumer goods businesses that sell products but not many service-based businesses, such as plumbing or broom repair. Businesses like the Leaky Cauldron and Honeydukes serve as thresholds for Harry to enter magical areas like Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. While commerce and wealth are often portrayed as evil in fantasy and children's media, they appear to be morally neutral in Potter, where a business can create good or bad things and their products can be used for good or evil, such as Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes items.

Fans who create their own Potter-themed businesses are often motivated by a desire to participate in the wizarding world. Before there was so much official merchandise available, fans were creating the types of products they would want to have using their own artistic skills. Abbie surveyed 46 business owners, 44 of whom were women, and was surprised to find that most did not think of themselves as entrepreneurs, a term she advocates for more small business owners to claim for themselves.

Fan businesses can also be a tool for positive change, allowing fans to support each other rather than a large corporation and a wealthy author and to reclaim their fandom for the LGBTQ+ community in the wake of the author's comments. Abbie feels that entrepreneurship can be a form of activism. She also offers some helpful tips for listeners who may be interested in starting their own business!