I am happy today (well, really, yesterday...). I listed my first designs. OK, they are two things that I had on my list of secondary ideas. Very similiar in nature: letterpress wood type, stamped with black fabric paint, on muslin/natural-type materials. The first is a simple travel pouch; the second is a child's apron. I am pleased with how they turned out, so I have added them to my inventory. Custom orders are an option as well. And they are also repeatable in nature - easy to list that way.
The rest of my items are moving slowly into existence. I do wish my business partner (i.e. my husband) would get his tools back that he loaned to his best friend, and do some of the finishing work. I just can't wait to see my original vision come to fruition.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
It's a mind game!
It's been 3 weeks since I last posted, and I think the one thing I have learned through all of this (not including the whole postage debacle), is that starting a new business is really a mind game. Every morning and every night I pray for God's guidance in what I do for "In A Nutshell Store". I ask for wisdom on making the next move; I ask for boldness in taking the next step; I ask for His provision over the business as a whole; I ask for Him to be in the middle of everything that I am doing. But then, as soon as I am done praying, I start beating myself up. I'm not good-enough; I'm not an artist; I stink at all things financial; I don't deserve it - oh gosh, a whole host of things that I tell myself. In a sorts, it's like a tennis game. I serve with a prayer. I hit back with a negative thought. I hit back again with new move, and I hit back again with a mistake (like I made today - I stamped a letter BACKWARDS on an item that can't be replaced...I am thinking of creative solutions so that it is not a total loss!!) But this tennis game in my mind never ends. I am determined to win one day with a point for the positive side, a decisive end to the match!!
So, for the postive things today - I created an item, and both my husband and my daughter said "I like that" without even thinking about it. So, I know that it is one for the store. And one that can be recreated easily when sold. And one that doesn't require mega-postage. And one that I actually like. I did create another item, and it got a luke-warm response, but hey, it's a start. (The third item I created, ummm, that was the one with the backwards letter.) I refuse to lose...
So, for the postive things today - I created an item, and both my husband and my daughter said "I like that" without even thinking about it. So, I know that it is one for the store. And one that can be recreated easily when sold. And one that doesn't require mega-postage. And one that I actually like. I did create another item, and it got a luke-warm response, but hey, it's a start. (The third item I created, ummm, that was the one with the backwards letter.) I refuse to lose...
Sunday, February 6, 2011
My First SALE!!
"YES!!", I thought, "I got my first sale...YIPPEE!" You would have thought that I hit the lottery, found gold, grew wings...something wonderful and great. I texted my husband, IN ALL CAPS, and told him what had happened. And not only did I sell one item, but I sold two to the same person. The angels were singing in heaven - I could hear them "Ahhhhhhh". But that is where the "heavenly" story ends.
Let's just call it a learning experience. Now it is definitely not a buyer-issue. The buyer was fine, no problems there. The items I sold were two of our cocktail recipe shaker glasses (as mentioned in a previous post), and not some of the great artwork that I invision in my mind, and that have yet to come to a sellable fruition (is that even a term??). Anyway, I was glad to have the sales - I know some people wait months for a sale, and I was prepared to do so, but I had faith they would come...and they did. I took the two glasses down to the local shipping store, and I took a box & some protective wrapping that I had, hoping that they would be able to use it. Now, I know the people at the shipping store and have used them on various other occasions, so I do believe that they will treat me right. More so, I believe that they will package my item so it will arrive safely and securely. Well, they tell me and show me that indeed my box is too small. OK, so we go with their box and their protective packaging. Then, when the box is packed, they measure it, weigh it, and ask me how I would like to ship it. Well, "What can I get that is trackable but I don't need fast shipping?" It was a price about 3 times what I had charged my customer for shipping. OK, so "What can I get that is not-trackable but can get delivery confirmation?" Nope, still too high. So, I finally land on the option of standard delivery, which is still $2.00 more than what I indeed charged the customer for shipping. When you add in the supplies needed for shipping, the actual shipping charges, the fees to list items, the fees when you sell the items, and oh, gas for the car...and compare it to the actual price that I sold the items for (including shipping), we...lost...money. Yep, I paid the customer to take those items off my hands.
OK, so it was a learning experience. I thought I had done my research in shipping charges, and obviously I had not done enough. Or perhaps the sale price of my item should have been at least a little higher. Or...there are perhaps other reasons why this first sale, although appreciated, actually lost me money. Bottom line, I've got to start somewhere, and I've definitely got somewhere to improve!! And for that, I am thankful!
Let's just call it a learning experience. Now it is definitely not a buyer-issue. The buyer was fine, no problems there. The items I sold were two of our cocktail recipe shaker glasses (as mentioned in a previous post), and not some of the great artwork that I invision in my mind, and that have yet to come to a sellable fruition (is that even a term??). Anyway, I was glad to have the sales - I know some people wait months for a sale, and I was prepared to do so, but I had faith they would come...and they did. I took the two glasses down to the local shipping store, and I took a box & some protective wrapping that I had, hoping that they would be able to use it. Now, I know the people at the shipping store and have used them on various other occasions, so I do believe that they will treat me right. More so, I believe that they will package my item so it will arrive safely and securely. Well, they tell me and show me that indeed my box is too small. OK, so we go with their box and their protective packaging. Then, when the box is packed, they measure it, weigh it, and ask me how I would like to ship it. Well, "What can I get that is trackable but I don't need fast shipping?" It was a price about 3 times what I had charged my customer for shipping. OK, so "What can I get that is not-trackable but can get delivery confirmation?" Nope, still too high. So, I finally land on the option of standard delivery, which is still $2.00 more than what I indeed charged the customer for shipping. When you add in the supplies needed for shipping, the actual shipping charges, the fees to list items, the fees when you sell the items, and oh, gas for the car...and compare it to the actual price that I sold the items for (including shipping), we...lost...money. Yep, I paid the customer to take those items off my hands.
OK, so it was a learning experience. I thought I had done my research in shipping charges, and obviously I had not done enough. Or perhaps the sale price of my item should have been at least a little higher. Or...there are perhaps other reasons why this first sale, although appreciated, actually lost me money. Bottom line, I've got to start somewhere, and I've definitely got somewhere to improve!! And for that, I am thankful!
Friday, January 28, 2011
It's official - I got business cards!!
Don't business cards still mean nowadays that you are official? You have a business card, you give a business card, you get someone else's business card - that makes it official, right? So anyway, my FREE (as previously ranted about!) business cards arrived yesterday, and I do like them. I keep looking at them over & over again, like I am going to find a spelling mistake, which my husband knows, is a pet peeve of mine. Not really a pet peeve, more like a quirk. I see spelling mistakes ALL the time, and point them out ALL the time. But now, I just someone to give them to...that's my next goal.
While waiting for my artwork to come to fruition, I have listed several things in my Etsy store. I have almost 200 acrylic CD's. They protect the top & bottom of a ream of blank CD's that we get for my day time job. We go through a lot of CD's, so needless to say, I have a lot of acrylic CD's. They don't hold music, and we can't use them for anything at work, but I can't bear to throw them away, so over time, I have collected them. I thought maybe I would sell some on Etsy. They are great for all kinds of projects - I keep hoping someone who is planning for a VBS or Children's Camp somewhere will buy some...I would give them a good deal!!
I have also listed some of our duplicate Vintage Cocktail Recipe Glass Shakers. We had 6 of them that we have duplicated through our adventures. I would really like to sell those to someone who would appreciate them. We currently have 17 different ones, so really, we don't need to keep the extras, plus we have run out of room for any more on the shelves over our family room windows. Priced to sell - if someone would like all 6, I will sell them to you for $25, plus S/H!!
OK, gonna get busy on the artwork this weekend...I can feel it! After all that is the goal, right? As I received in my fortune cookie from my wonderful Vietnamese Beef Pho Soup that I had for lunch today..."As every thread of gold is valuable, so is every moment of time." Yep, gonna get busy this weekend!
While waiting for my artwork to come to fruition, I have listed several things in my Etsy store. I have almost 200 acrylic CD's. They protect the top & bottom of a ream of blank CD's that we get for my day time job. We go through a lot of CD's, so needless to say, I have a lot of acrylic CD's. They don't hold music, and we can't use them for anything at work, but I can't bear to throw them away, so over time, I have collected them. I thought maybe I would sell some on Etsy. They are great for all kinds of projects - I keep hoping someone who is planning for a VBS or Children's Camp somewhere will buy some...I would give them a good deal!!
I have also listed some of our duplicate Vintage Cocktail Recipe Glass Shakers. We had 6 of them that we have duplicated through our adventures. I would really like to sell those to someone who would appreciate them. We currently have 17 different ones, so really, we don't need to keep the extras, plus we have run out of room for any more on the shelves over our family room windows. Priced to sell - if someone would like all 6, I will sell them to you for $25, plus S/H!!
OK, gonna get busy on the artwork this weekend...I can feel it! After all that is the goal, right? As I received in my fortune cookie from my wonderful Vietnamese Beef Pho Soup that I had for lunch today..."As every thread of gold is valuable, so is every moment of time." Yep, gonna get busy this weekend!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Where am I right now?
"Where am I right now?" I'm so glad you asked.
**So, I haven't opened my checking account yet, but it's coming...soon. I think I'm still in a little bit of a shell shock on that one.
**I've been reading about getting a Business Plan together. A part of me thinks "Why do this for my part-time, little business?" But, a part of my wants to delve into these questions a little deeper to see where it will take me. I think it will help focus me & keep me realistic. So, I will be answering some of those questions in the next few days.
**I have been keeping good track of my expenses, and so far, I am at right about $200. No income yet.
** I have been keeping good track of the stores that I am visiting for supplies, and I think that will be a help. These are the stores where I will get frames, and other found objects used in production. I would like to maybe visit them every 3 months or so. I am finding that antique stores are OK for letterpress wood type, but overpriced for everything else. I will need to stick with second-hand shoppes for frames.
**I've listed a couple of items on Etsy. One, to give it a try before I actually list my artwork. Two, to see what kind of response I will get. Three, to try & generate a little income right now. The listings show me how many views I've gotten. First, I listed my acrylic CD's, and well, today I got ONE view. Second, I listed one of our duplicates of our Cocktail Shaker Recipe Glasses. Got several views on that one right off, and then nothing. Third, I listed another duplicate of our Cocktail Shakers, & I've gotten one view on that one. So, they are not exactly flying out the door. But I will have faith & keep trying. I've got about 5 more glasses to list & they suggest listing something new everyday, so I am doing that.
**I received the rest of the letters that I needed in the mail today, so I can get started. That had been my excuse so far...but now I have all the letters. Next step, numbers and punctuation, but I don't think I need those to get going.
**The other thing I need to do is figure out how to make a suitable background for the material. This is where my husband's talent will come in...he's the woodworker, and I'm the artist. He is set on watching football tomorrow, so it may not happen...
**I've pre-made thank you tags for anything I might sell - I will attach them to the packaging before I mail out the item. See, I do anticipate making a sell at some point!
That, in a nutshell, is where I am today.
**So, I haven't opened my checking account yet, but it's coming...soon. I think I'm still in a little bit of a shell shock on that one.
**I've been reading about getting a Business Plan together. A part of me thinks "Why do this for my part-time, little business?" But, a part of my wants to delve into these questions a little deeper to see where it will take me. I think it will help focus me & keep me realistic. So, I will be answering some of those questions in the next few days.
**I have been keeping good track of my expenses, and so far, I am at right about $200. No income yet.
** I have been keeping good track of the stores that I am visiting for supplies, and I think that will be a help. These are the stores where I will get frames, and other found objects used in production. I would like to maybe visit them every 3 months or so. I am finding that antique stores are OK for letterpress wood type, but overpriced for everything else. I will need to stick with second-hand shoppes for frames.
**I've listed a couple of items on Etsy. One, to give it a try before I actually list my artwork. Two, to see what kind of response I will get. Three, to try & generate a little income right now. The listings show me how many views I've gotten. First, I listed my acrylic CD's, and well, today I got ONE view. Second, I listed one of our duplicates of our Cocktail Shaker Recipe Glasses. Got several views on that one right off, and then nothing. Third, I listed another duplicate of our Cocktail Shakers, & I've gotten one view on that one. So, they are not exactly flying out the door. But I will have faith & keep trying. I've got about 5 more glasses to list & they suggest listing something new everyday, so I am doing that.
**I received the rest of the letters that I needed in the mail today, so I can get started. That had been my excuse so far...but now I have all the letters. Next step, numbers and punctuation, but I don't think I need those to get going.
**The other thing I need to do is figure out how to make a suitable background for the material. This is where my husband's talent will come in...he's the woodworker, and I'm the artist. He is set on watching football tomorrow, so it may not happen...
**I've pre-made thank you tags for anything I might sell - I will attach them to the packaging before I mail out the item. See, I do anticipate making a sell at some point!
That, in a nutshell, is where I am today.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Financial partner?!?!
Today I decided to tackle the research into where I would like to open a checking account. I knew I wanted something accessible, but it doesn't have to be the closest bank. I think I'm really looking for something a little more personal than the "big bank in town", where we keep our personal accounts. And I wanted something that would fit my "small business" profile. So on the web, I have researched 5 banks, all having a local branch, & all have been around a while. For a small business expecting a small amount of transactions, I am finding that the biggest difference is the number of transactions allowed. Anything over the number allowed, and you get charged. I never heard of such a thing!! So if your deposits are greater than you thought, they will charge you anywhere from $.25 to $.50 a transaction, and one bank even lopps on a $5.00 charge just for going over, & then charges you the highest amount I found in the area - $.50. Well, I don't foresee me going over any of the limits on transactions, so I don't think it will be an issue, but just in case, right?!?! One thing I don't understand is hours. Banks are still very traditional in their hours. Only one of the 5 opens at 8:30 AM, the rest open at 9:00 AM. Now seeing that I have a full-time job other than the one that I am pursuing, that doesn't work. That still means I have to go out on my lunch hour to do my banking, unless I use an ATM, which I don't like to do for deposits. Only one of the 5 banks stays open until 6:00 PM everyday, so I've got to run to the bank before I pick up the kiddo, and only on Fridays if I go with any of the other banks. What?!?! But the good thing is...online banking, bill pay, and debit cards are free...mostly. OK, so this decision may be more of a gut-feeling, than a rational, thought-out one, but I'll save that for another post.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
FREE Business Cards?!?!
I thought I would start this blog out with journaling about my business start-up adventures. So far, it's gone really well. I've found ideas, gathered supplies, and begun to create a cohesive look for the future. And I know God is in this, for several reasons...one example is that I went into a fabric store to get some samples of muslin, and laying on the floor, in front of the muslin, was a 40% off coupon. Now, I already had a 40% off coupon, but my daughter was with me, so she was able to use this one. Anyway, things have gone really well. But yesterday, it was a snow day, my daughter was home from school, and I stayed home to be with her. So, I decided to take the time to order business cards. The website advertised "FREE". Now my husband & I had ordered cards from them before for his business, so I had some familiarity with their website. The cards were indeed free then, but you paid for shipping. I remember it being a couple of dollars. A second order cost a little more because we decided to not have their name on the back. A few more dollars. But yesterday, when I went to order MY business cards, they ended up being $20!! Things just added up. The designed I picked was a "premium" design, although I clicked on the "free" link. Add in a few dollars for full color, which is what attracted me to the design, and not black/white, which was the "free" part. Add in a few more dollars for my name on the back. Add in a few more dollars for "matte" finish. And finally, add in a few more dollars for shipping, 3 week shipping, the lowest & slowest offer on shipping they had. All that added up to $20 and change. I hope that I really like those business cards!
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