Ruffles, Lace and Feathers OH MY! I have been working hard behind the scenes here getting ready to launch my new line on Friday, and open up my website.
URG... websites. Have any of you opened your own yet? I was going to hire someone but the cost was so high that I posted on facebook for some reccomendations. I got a lot, some suggested Etsy (which I have), others Bigcartel (have you heard of that?), some suggested the free "make your own website sites".... like www.weebly.com, I chose to actually blend the two, and once I realized that you can actually link the pages together {I am really dense when it comes to computers} I was super happy. Actually if you chose to sell on Bigcartel or Etsy you can link the pages to your site which is awesome because you don't loose your clients {or buisness cards don't have to be destroyed... YAY.}
This has been such a learning curve for me, I have literally either been sewing or reading up articles {Etsy, Socialnomics-Book, On-line resorces} to try and take myself to another level. I spoke to my dad and told him where I was at {UM IT IS CALLED A FUNK}, and he actually got me phone numbers of people in my area that could mentor me. I think that having a mentor is very important mainly because it offers you someone you can bounce your ideas off of, and someone who can tell you where you are either wasting your time or other contacts you can go to.
These are some of the steps that I have taken to Quit My Day Job:
1. Went to the bank and got a bank card for all of my {k.p.d} purchases
2. Took hubby to the bank so that we could find out where we are and how much we can afford to put away as our {saftey net}, as you all know I have two babies, and we own our house so I want to make sure that when I make my {leap of faith} that should I fall I have a little landing.
3. I have sat down and eliminated items I was really not feeling the groove in and then focused on items that I love to make over and over and over again. {hopefully}
4. I went to the library and got books out on small buisnesses, searched and web and most importantly found others that had similar companies as mine and guess what I E-MAILED THEM!! Asked their opinions!
5. Looked at pricing, how much is my time worth? Design item, make pattern, buy fabric, take pictures, edit pictures, upload to {shop} and then create the description, tags etc, sell item, package item and put stamps on it, then go to the post office. Obviously I don't want to do all that for one $5 item... So I sat down and reviewed the process.
This is just the beginning for me, and for you too... I love the handmade buisness, it is full of wonderful sweet and lushious items and all made by really wonderful people. I hope that this helps even just one of you.
If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments please leave them I love to hear from you all and I miss you so very much!!!
XOXO Kate
i wish you the very best -- one suggestion, think about insurance. You home owners will generally not cover anything if it is for a business from the home.
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