Incrtalent
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2007
- Messages
- 100
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Okay, boys and girls. Let me just start with a howdy, as I have not been around for a couple of weeks. I want to just take this opportunity to confess, and to hold myself as a shining example of what NOT to do when you start a business! Despite extensive reading, expermenting, etc., etc., once I developed what I considered to be a super product/product line, I could not wait to get it out there. (That, and the fact I wanted to make some money back!) So, of course, I sent out some samples and a few brochures. The problem? I had projected what I WANTED to be able to to as what I COULD do. Eg., lotions, mists, and body butters. The plan was to do these made-to-order. The problem: I was not prepared. Yes, I had my cigar labels for my soaps. But then it seemed that things started snowballing, and for every problem I'd solve, I'd turn up five more problems. Eg., lotions, etc., need lbottles and labels, too! And I need bags for my stuff. And if I do baskets? Well, I need baskets and fill. And brochures. And order forms. And if I do soap parties? Soap party fliers. And of course, postcards for invites. And what we are going to DO at the parties. (I still haven't figured that one out, and I have three parties booking next month.) And on, and on, and on.
At this point, finding myself EXTREMELY undercapitalized, (and panicked), I have had to be EXTREMELY creative and so have been working from dawn to dusk to solve these problems and put out a professional-looking product. I was nowhere NEAR ready to come out with these and should have considered these things on the front end. So this is my little warning to all those just starting out. There is starting "small" and there is starting "small." If I had started "small" I would have stuck with soaps, and only a few of them--instead of 12. Then I would have slowly added products as these were successful and perhaps considered all these other things on the front end. Still, I'm tenacious, so I'm getting it done, but not without a lot of hard work and lost sleep! Oh, and here's one for you. I apparently have a salon interested in wholesale, (for which I have no prices and just got sample lotions, etc., made last night), and another store interested in consignment. Somebody kill me now.
At this point, finding myself EXTREMELY undercapitalized, (and panicked), I have had to be EXTREMELY creative and so have been working from dawn to dusk to solve these problems and put out a professional-looking product. I was nowhere NEAR ready to come out with these and should have considered these things on the front end. So this is my little warning to all those just starting out. There is starting "small" and there is starting "small." If I had started "small" I would have stuck with soaps, and only a few of them--instead of 12. Then I would have slowly added products as these were successful and perhaps considered all these other things on the front end. Still, I'm tenacious, so I'm getting it done, but not without a lot of hard work and lost sleep! Oh, and here's one for you. I apparently have a salon interested in wholesale, (for which I have no prices and just got sample lotions, etc., made last night), and another store interested in consignment. Somebody kill me now.