Secrets Revealed

Let’s get this out of the way first….

Many (many) moons ago, I promised a new website was coming.  I keep telling myself “as soon as business slows down” I will get to it. 

However…. things haven’t slowed down.  I’m crazy busy – which is kind of an awesome problem to have.

Frankly I just don’t like sitting in front of the computer when I could be cleaning making something.  I tell myself that I will do it after the kids are in bed, but then I start working on proofs, emailing clients, and sometimes (though not as often as I'd like) I get to work on New Stuff.

Now about that New Stuff….

When I turned my hobby into a business last year, I was pretty much the only one around offering personalized home décor.  But as with all great ideas, I wasn’t alone for long.  Now it seems that a new would-be competitor pops up almost weekly and each offers a lower price than the last guy.  This is great news for buyers because it not only gives them more choices, it keeps prices reasonable across the industry. But just remember this when shopping around for the best price on custom work:

Anyway - back to the New Stuff...

When I'm busy filling orders, it's easy to get away from the reason I started this:  I love creating.

In all honestly, if you've got about $300, an internet connection and some free time, you can teach yourself to do (much of) what I do.  That's why there are so many of these types of businesses on etsy, facebook and now locally as well.  And here's the other thing:  You don't even have to be creative.   Yep, that's right.  It takes zero creativity to download a pre-designed file from the internet, cut it out, and put it on a piece of wood or glass.   Though like with everything, there is a bit of a learning curve.  You will curse, threaten to throw your machine out the window, want to quit, and cry real tears over the amount of time and materials you waste while trying to learn how to do this.  

But I digress....

Creating.

That's why I started this.  So I could create.  

Pinterest and etsy is the lifeblood of many businesses like mine.  I get countless requests weekly to imitate something a client has seen online.  And while that provides a very steady level of business for me, it doesn't leave me much time to come up with my own creations.

Flattered

The best ideas are often imitated by the lazy and un-creative.  But great quality and excellent service cannot be duplicated.

Know before you buy.

It's been awhile...

I wish I had a good reason for not updating this blog or kicking off the website that I promised I was working on.  But simply put - I just haven't had time.

When I started this business last fall as a vendor at the (now closed) Distressed Nest, I was terrified of failing.  I have been crafting my whole life but I never attempted to make any money at it.  But with the encouragement of friends and family, I took a risk at an unknown shop in a so-so location with little foot traffic.  And despite all those things working against me, in 4 short months I was running a successful business and doing what I loved.

Unfortunately, that happiness was short-lived.

I knew when I had so much success in such a short time span that imitators would soon follow.  I was expecting that.  But I wasn't expecting it from people that I knew well and trusted whole-heartedly.

I can't pretend it doesn't bother me when clients contact me to tell me they see items and ideas that I have been making for months being sold by other local businesses.  Every time it happens I run through the same gamut of emotions:  hurt, anger, sadness.