A Lesson Everyone Should Learn

If you know me, you might know that I love to save money. Times are tough. I don't really care who you are, everyone has been affected by the recession in some way, shape or form. With college coming up, so are a lot of expenses, some vital, some necessary, some that seem like one of the other two, the list goes on. One of the best ways to save money in college is going to be in your ID slot.

Your college ID can save you loads of money. No joke!

For example, I was in the Plato's Closet on Dawsonville Highway and saw where they give a 10% discount to Brenau, Gainesville State, and North Georgia students. I know it doesn't seem like a lot at the time but every little bit counts. Even more so if shop there a lot.

If you're the crafty type, JoAnn's has a 10% off discount card for college students. It's good on every purchase you make and doesn't expire for a year (or something like that).

I was a local thrift store and asked if they had discounts for college students. The cashier said they didn't but gave me one anyway!

Moral of the Story: It never hurts to ask. The worst they can do is say no. 

I'm eager to try this at Starbuck's and I know there are lists out there of restaurants that also give discounts.

This lesson also goes the High School students as well. JoAnn's summer program I mentioned earlier was specifically for High School students.

A Change of Plans

Everyday, I start leaning more and more towards pursuing my business for my Mentorship as opposed to Accounting. 

With this in mind, I searched for an article about the future of Small Businesses. I searched through Galileo and found one I could really sink my teeth in to.

The article I found is titled, 'But Where Did the Money Go?' and it's written by David Port.

In this article, Port interviews Karen Mills, the head of the Small Business Administration about what the SBA is really doing and if it is really helping small businesses.

The main goal of the SBA is to aid small businesses, mostly financially. They have counselors and advisers to help small businesses develop the business plans so that they can present better to banks and investors. In addition to this, they, and many intermediaries, provide microloans to small business owners.

Despite all they do for small businesses, the SBA has many critics. The large majority of their criticism come from the belief that the businesses they help aren't really 'small.' In reaction to this, Mills simply says, "This is a program for small business, it's not a program for big business masquerading as small businesses," (Port).

What I learned from this article is that, should I have trouble getting my business REALLY off the ground, there are agencies that I can turn to for help.

Work Cited

Port, David. "But Where Is The Money." Entrepreneur 38.8 (2010): 84-89. Business Source Complete. Web. 6 Dec. 2012.

Second Time Around

Dec 1, I did my second Craft Show. I felt a lot more confident going into this one, being my second time around.

This show was part of the Lighting of the Oaks program at Lanier Charter Career Academy at the Oaks in Oakwood, Georgia. Also a part of the program were performances by various groups, a Creative Christmas Tree Contest, a Gingerbread House Contest, a silent auction, and, of course, The Lighting of the Oaks.

This time my Mom and I went in together 50-50. She was selling Christmas bows while I sold my usual wares. 

I had actually set up some of my merchandise in the student run Gift Shop there. For the show, I simply moved them down the hall and set them up on my tables. 

This time was oh so different than my first Craft Show. 

There were people coming in and looking around while most of us vendors were still setting up. This really irritated me because I didn't have everything out and if they didn't see something they liked then, they would have no reason to come back and see the rest of my merchandise. It was just really unfair to everyone involved. 

Speaking of unfair things, as a performer myself, I felt uglier than pooting in church, talking and carrying on while all the different groups were singing. We were all in the same room with the performers and audience on one informal side and the Craft Show on the other informal side

I felt like there were a lot more people at this show than at my last one but, no one was buying. They said all my stuff was cute and neat and such a great idea but never bought. My Mom brought to my attention that most of the people coming through were probably the parents of those who were performing and probably didn't know that there was going to be a Craft Show going on. Needless to say, they wouldn't be prepared to spend money on all of our wonderful products.

I also REALLY disliked the set up of the tables in the space. They were basically set up in L's. We chose an L in the middle of the room. We thought we could get some good traffic this way but I soon found that I had my back to customers a good deal. I would follow my customers as they went around the table then back around as another customer came by. I spent the whole night going in circles. 

Despite all these issues/problems/concerns, we broke even and profited a tiny bit monetarily. I say it like that because another vendor told me about another show in Cornelia that takes place for three days, two weekends in a row, $30 for all six days. I feel like this show could be a really good fit and could do well for me. 

As I have said before, God takes care of his children. In more ways than one. 

Final Project Prep

If you've been following along, you'd know that I am mentoring with an Accountant. You'd also be confused by my last post about my Craft Show. Truth is, I don't know what I really want to do anymore. The rational career to choose is Accounting. People will always need someone to do their taxes and business owners will always need someone to keep their books meaning, there will always be a need for accountants. The thing I really want to do though, is pursue my business. I love being crafty and making things but, with the economy like it is, there's no guarantee. Nonetheless, I'm going to use this program to double dip, gaining experience in the Accounting field and also researching ways to better my business (and a little free advertising.)

This week, Honors Mentorship students were asked to consider technology in their field.

Q. How is technology used on a day to day basis?

A. With websites like eBay, etsy, and Pinterest, the Internet is used 24/7 to sell and promote products. It can also be used to research possible price points for your products. The Internet is also used to get in contact with possible customers through things like blogs, direct e-mail, etc. Mobile technology is also starting to emerge with the use of QR codes and smartphones.  

Q. What technology is used to communicate with other Professionals?

A. In this day and age, everything's electronic, making the simple answer email for simple inquiries, like getting in a show, etc. However, I'm old fashioned. I like to make cards and send them via snail mail as thank you notes. I recently interviewed someone for a project and am making them a card saying how honored I was to be able to interview them and thanking them for their time. Somethings just can't be said better than with a home made card.

Q. When presenting to other professionals, what do you use?
A. I believe that, while a picture is worth a thousand words, the real thing is worth so many more. When presenting my products to potential clients and customers, I use a display of my products when presenting to other professionals. If I am unable to present my products in person, I will send samples of my products as well as photos.

Q. What is your theory about the type of technology that will be used in the future?
A. I believe that the same technologies will be used with an increase in mobile technologies since, people are always on the go. 

Q. How can you imagine technology being incorporated in the profession?
A. I can imagine programs being written or software being created that allows customers to create their own versions of my products so they can see what the end product will be when placing custom orders.

Q. How will I incorporate technology into my final presentation?
A. I plan to create a PowerPoint or Prezi detailing my business plan, the implementation, and a graphical representation of the results. I will also try creating a QR to utilize mobile technologies. (I will also more than likely take advantage of the opportunity to sell my products and will have displays them.)

My First Time

Have no fear everybody. This is PG-13. I'm talking about my first craft show.

It all started when my Mom and I were at a Creative Memories representative's Open House. We were hanging out and she was telling us about all the other things she was doing and she mentioned she was holding a Craft Show the following weekend. I asked her to put me on the mailing for next time since I would have loved to participate. She looked up at me and said, "Well, do you want to do it next weekend?" I was so taken aback, my first response was 'no, thank you though.'

We went home and I started thinking about the Craft Show and my schedule and I began to realize, 'I can do this.' I emailed the representative and asked if it was too late for me to enter the show and if there was enough room for me. She said to come on down.

I got all my inventory together and started putting together my displays. 

Once I got all my displays done, I was so tired of looking at everything and working with it and, oh gosh. If it wasn't for my Mom who helped me so much and kept me going, I'm not that sure things would have been a good as they were.

We loaded up our Jeep the night before so, the next morning, we were ready to go. Our host allowed us to start setting up at 8 and that was when we were there. We got set up quickly enough and then it was a waiting game until the show 'officially' opened.

Things started SO SLOW. Oh my goodness, it was pitiful. I sold just a couple of things and was getting discouraged. My Mom tried to keep my spirits up and said, "Things will pick up after lunch." I kept that in mind and kept going. It wasn't long though until I got really discouraged.

I went to bathroom and nearly started to cry. At the rate I was going, I wasn't even going to be able to make up my $15 entrance fee. $15. I reminded myself, though, God takes care of his children, no matter how it turned out, it would be what was right for me.

I went back to selling and the lady selling next to me made a $15 purchase. I went from not even breaking even to making a profit. I was so ecstatic. Words can't even describe. I still get chills and funny feelings thinking about it. I now know that God heard me and worked through the lady selling next to me. The next purchase was $37. The most I have ever, ever sold.

Right before we closed up, I made one last sale giving a total of $60 in sales, $45 in profit. Considering my products, that's REALLY good.

Lucky for me, the other participants of the Craft Show were really supportive and helpful. They gave me lots of advice about my displays and pricing.

LESSONS LEARNED

I was so focused on getting my inventory together, I didn't think twice about promoting the event and promotion is half the battle.

My displays weren't the best they could have been when it came to my necklaces. One lady, that was also selling, pointed out if I turned the display 90 degrees, I would have more room. (Lightbulb goes off.)

Most of my product are for late teens and young women. While this particular age group  was not part of the population that came to the show, their parents were. The $37 purchase was made by our host and her sister as gifts for daughters and nieces. All of this means that you don't always have to sell your target market. You can also target those who would give them to your target market as gifts.  Oh Goodness, my fashion marketing class was really worth something.

Another thing about the $37 purchase was that a deciding factor in what the two ladies bought had to do with the recipients' school colors. I had heard before that I should make things in school colors but, this reinforced the idea. If I was doing a show in Forsyth County, then I could look up the schools in that area and their colors and make inventory for that area.

One thing I really wish I was is more outgoing. I saw a little girl, less than 18 months, coming over with her Mom. I knew I had a bracelet that would match her outfit perfectly I showed it to the little girl and tied it on her. (Good gosh she was so adorable.) She liked it so much, I gave her Mom a discount and made a sale. My point with all of this being, if I had done something similar with everyone who walked over, my sales would have tripled, meaning, I have GOT to work on my people skills.

One of the last things I learned was that, if you can, wear what you make. If you don't seem to like what you make, why should anyone else? By the end of the show, I was wearing one of my t-shirt scarves to show one it's unique feature of going through itself instead of having to tie a knot. You are your own best advertising.

With all these things in mind, I can't wait to go to another show. I'm beginning to think that maybe this is really what God wants me to do, and I couldn't be more excited.

What is Broken?

Seth Godin's Gel talk was almost as amusing as Sir Ken Robinson's TED talks. Nonetheless, he makes great points. One of the ones that struck me was the "It's not my job" category of broken. In this day and age, things are so compartmentalized. There's a department for everything and if it's not part of your department, you don'touch it. Explains why so many things are broken these days.

My experience with broken things falls under this category. Various members of my family have been received jury summons, our civic duty. They get a letter in the mail with instructions to call on a certain day at a certain time. They call only to be told to call again at a different time. So the cycle continues for a few days. All the while, they are unable to go to work should they be called in. This fails to make any sense to me. Either call them in or let them go? Why is that so hard?

I think what is broken with school falls under the "the world changed" category. The public education system was developed in the 1800's. 200 years later, we are still using the same system. To say things have changed since then would win the "Understatement of the Year" Award. It's no wonder the education system is broken. It's beyond outdated. It would be like me trying to do this assignment on one of the first PCs. Not only would it take me hours, I would send myself into a coma from banging my head into the wall so much. Thankfully, unlike the education system, PCs were updated as time went on. Things were improved upon, new things were created, some things were even removed. The same things need to happen to the education system, or else someone down the line will be their head against the wall.

My Essential Question

Like many people, I've known exactly what I wanted to do ten different times, and I'm still not wholly sure. I torn between going with my head or my heart. The logical choice would be a career in Accounting. It's a growing field and will never be hurt by the economy. The make-me-happy choice would be pursuing home business, Merritt's Marvels.

My essential question is, How do I create a successful (an profitable) home business?

I chose this question because it wasn't what I chose for my mentorship and there are days when I get a little sad about it. I try to look at is as, Well, at least I'll know how to take care of the finances of my business. Granted, if business isn't big enough, there won't be any finances to do. I really hope that I can apply all that I find in my research to my business so that it can grow. Just the thought makes me all tingly. While a little broad, I think this question can provide with all the answers I need to help my business grow, become more successful, and (hopefully) more profitable.