Well, it's official...we're full-time #entrepreneurs, once again, whether we like it or not. At the end of November (the day after returning to work from a very relaxing and emotionally warm Thanksgiving break), I was "let go" from my day job. Anger, PANIC, of course, then the decision to embrace what was right before us: our own business! We'd been sort of lazily, warily slouching toward this goal anyway, and Fate dealt the cards for us. So...here we are running our own business again, with all its wonders, mysteries, fatiques and frights.
To begin with a validation, here's our logo: (which, of course, you see at the top of the page ...)
To begin with a validation, here's our logo: (which, of course, you see at the top of the page ...)
We had it designed a few years back when we were first toying with the notion of doing #Artfestivals, #FarmersMarkets and #Craftfairs, and both really still like it! We're quite proud of it, in fact. Gotta wonder now, though, if it and our name sufficiently speak about what we do. Does it say " #Handcrafted Decorative Concrete and Cement Art for Home, #Garden and Sanctuary?" Maybe not, so we'll work on that. A fine first example of what now keeps us up at night AND gets us up in the mornings. It's so exhilarating and exhausting all at once.
But we already knew that because, as our blog title implies, we've done this before. Many years ago, we had a reasonably successful business, designing gorgeously and cleverly packaged #stationery products and #artsupplies. All was good until our biggest account, to whom we had very hesitantly extended payment terms, went BANKRUPT. We were too small to bounce back at the time, or maybe we weren't supposed to. 20+ years have passed since then with millions of ideas that never got off the ground, or only barely. Sound familiar, anyone?
So why are we at this again? Well.......not exactly sure, other than #creativefreedom, #freedom in general, bull-headedness, and that nagging drive that and belief that "this time it's it! This is THE perfect idea and equation for #success for Us." In short, it's what is commonly referred to as our "#entrepreneurialspirit."
This time, though, (where's an emoji when we need one?), we've determined that we've got a lot of elements stacked in our favor and have hit the ground running toward success, almost without knowing it! We recently did a sort of evaluation of the likelihood of our own long-term achievement:
1. We now make our product ourselves!
We are #artisans, #crafters, #makers this time, not reliant on other suppliers (for the most part), so the output of final product is in our control. It's handmade, so it takes time, but the control feels good. Another important point to be made here is that there is definitely a huge trend and interest in handmade and #locally purdhased products. This time we're on it!
That said, we now now have reached another first hurdle of "meeting demand." Look at all this unfinished stuff that needs cured, colored and dried! In the vernacular of the #self-employed, "we'll just do it."
2. Over the course of the last 3 year of full-time employment for us both, we had inadvertently generated 18 wholesale accounts "on the side" by word of mouth, a few organized sales calls and shear repetition. Now in the three months of my unemployment, with a little more purposeful customer base development, we're up to more than 30 accounts. We even have a sales rep asking to represent us and samples sitting hopefully on the desk of a catalog company buyer Check out our customer list that still desperately needs a serious update!
3. We already have an unbelievable summer calendar lineup, including trunk shows at the Garden Gate Shop at the Missouri Botanical Garden in March, and Pathways New Age Books & Gifts in May. We have really fun events and #festivals to look forward to all year like Tower Grove Farmers Market, the Pagan Picnic, Tower Grove Pride and South Grand Fall Festival. It's seemingly endless, hopelessly overwhelming, and wildly encouraging!
4. In addition to our own (albeit rough) website, we now have our own Etsy Shop that has sold three pieces! Not overly impressive, we admit, but it's one piece per month since the forced launch of our full-time business. These little milestones count.
5. FINALLY, and probably most importantly, we're doing something we love and we're sharing it. Through our growing line of original pieces and reproductions, we create #beauty and #whimsy, original #art and #decor. We're having fun, and it shows in our work. So this time, it's for real and for the long haul. Join us, fellow Artisans and Crafters, in the celebration of the creative, entrepreneurial spirit. Best of luck to you all and always have heart that This Time it Will Work!
Tim & Curtis
3. We already have an unbelievable summer calendar lineup, including trunk shows at the Garden Gate Shop at the Missouri Botanical Garden in March, and Pathways New Age Books & Gifts in May. We have really fun events and #festivals to look forward to all year like Tower Grove Farmers Market, the Pagan Picnic, Tower Grove Pride and South Grand Fall Festival. It's seemingly endless, hopelessly overwhelming, and wildly encouraging!
4. In addition to our own (albeit rough) website, we now have our own Etsy Shop that has sold three pieces! Not overly impressive, we admit, but it's one piece per month since the forced launch of our full-time business. These little milestones count.
5. FINALLY, and probably most importantly, we're doing something we love and we're sharing it. Through our growing line of original pieces and reproductions, we create #beauty and #whimsy, original #art and #decor. We're having fun, and it shows in our work. So this time, it's for real and for the long haul. Join us, fellow Artisans and Crafters, in the celebration of the creative, entrepreneurial spirit. Best of luck to you all and always have heart that This Time it Will Work!
Tim & Curtis
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