Not Computer Literate-Hire a Student

  Ever feel like 3rd graders know more than you do about computers?  Those of us for  whom technical things do not come easily are at a disadvantage in the technical world of computers.  The techies are at a disadvantage in our artsy world but they don't need to know how to create a one of a kind felted dress but we need to know how to effectively use computers.
  To correct my lack of computer skills I made a list of what I needed to learn-ie. downloading files, cut and paste etc. and then I hired a high school sophomore to teach me the skills I was lacking.  I offered her a price/hour for a 2 hr. session/week.  She is very computer literate and her father is a techi geek so what she didn't know he taught her and she then taught me. One on one worked so much better for me than a large class where everyone has different skills and needs.  So if you are struggling with your computer consider hiring a student-they are knowledgeable and much less expensive than a professional one on one.  Just like hiring a professional make sure that you mesh personality wise and that they can teach you what you need to learn.  Let me know how this works out for you.                                     

New Computer and Mittens

It has been several months since I last posted.  Right after my last post my computer went on the fritz and I took it in to get it fixed.  They told me it was a well known problem with the computer I had and they would need to order parts, the cost of parts to be paid for at that time, and it would take 7-10 days to get parts and 1 day to fix.  Two weeks later parts were still not in and so the wait began.  Finally after New Years the parts came in but that wasn't the problem and it was now deemed unfixable.  So I needed to get a new computer and that took a few weeks.  I now have a Toshiba Satellite that I am happy with and getting to know.  So I really don't have any excuse for not posting since getting computer in mid Jan. except procrastination.  Will do better now that I have started again.  Spent some time in Dec and Jan with my friend B. doing projects.  The pictures are of mittens that we made.  A friend gave me a pattern and I wanted to try it out so I took felted sweaters and beads to decorate the mittens when I went visiting.  They turned out to be too short but we decided to decorate them anyway to show people a few decorating ideas.  The white one is another pattern that I like much better (made that one out of fleece  to try it for size first).  I am thinking of making kits to sell at fiber events this year.  Also will make some up to sell for those that want a finished project rather than a kit to do themselves. 

BUSINESS PLAN

• What are your goals for this business?  The answers to the following questions will determine how you set up your business.  The answers need to be written down on paper or in the computer so you can review them periodically and change/modify as needed. 2.What is the description of your business? ie: "I sell hand dyed hand spun yarn"  "I sell the tools and materials for knitters, weavers and fiber artists to create hand crafted items."  3.  Is this a full time or part time business ?   4.How many shows do you want to do this 1st year?  Be realistic.  You need to consider time off from your "real job", responsibilities at home, travel/show time.  It takes me 7 days to do the SAFF show.  2 days to travel there/set up, 3 days for the show, and 2 days to travel back home (with a bit of shopping on the way home).  5.  How much time can you devote to the business ?   Decide on the number of hours your can realistically spent on administrative duties and on producing product/packaging etc  Setting up the business is a good part of your 1st year goals but include the # of shows you want to do, $ sales goal, goals of products to produce and goals of products to buy/develop/add.  Where do you want the business to be in 5 years?  6.  How are you going to finance the business?  Out of pocket until sales can off set money going out or do you need to borrow money and if so from whom (family/friends/bank)?. 7.  At the show what forms of payment are you going to accept?  Cash only. cash/checks. cash/credit cards. cash/checks/credit cards   You can start out with one form and change/add as you are comfortable/able.  8.  Are you going to do the accounting/bookwork and file tax forms yourself or do you want to have an accountant.  I keep the books and whatever other info my accountant wants and he files the tax forms.  I figure that is his business and he stays up to date on all the tax law changes so for me it is worth the money  to have him do it.  You may be more adept at this than I am but the time to decide is not the week before taxes are due to be filed.  In michigan business taxes are due the end of Feb.  9.  You need to get a state sales tax licence to sell retail and to buy wholesale.  You can go online for your state (generally  State.gov ) and find the sales tax page,etc.  You will also need a federal id number (as a single owner of your business that is generally you soc.sec.number.  10.  Product development-List your current products you want to sell and are making or have bought  ie: buttons, handdyed yarn, etc. include everything.  Next list the items you want to buy to sell or new items to make/develop ie: knitting bags in 2 sizes, felted hats, nuno felted scarfs.  11.  Marketing/Sales - When you first start out you don't have a customer base.  As you do a show for a number of years you will have repeat customers.  Do you want to send them an email to remind them of the show?  If so set out a book so they can write their email address down for you for your mailing list.  Snail mail is fine for those that don't have email . Are you interested in having a web site or blog, being on facebook and/or twitter?  How about selling online at a site like etsy or artfire?  Do you want to sell wholesale to a yarn shop, boutique, gallery?  12.  Personnel- Do you need help at the shows or can you do them alone.  If you want/need help can friends/family help out for free/small payment (with you paying for motel/gas/and their food) or do you need to hire someone and where can you find that person. ( they have to be honest as they will be handling money, and they need to be someone you can spend hours with in a car).  One possible source is a high school/college student intested in fiberart.  13.  Do you want to teach- at shows, in your hone/studio. at local yarn shop, at local community ed program?   14 Do you want to join any local/state/national fiber groups?           If you answer these questions you will have a good idea of what where you want your business to be.   Some of your answers will be in your 5 year goals/future goals rather than 1 year goals.        I had wanted to put this in list order but I seem to be having trouble doing that (ie 1-2-3 down the left side of page with writing after).  Sorry, I am working on my computer skills but the operative word is Working .                                                   

Being a Vender is Hard Work

Before we go any further let me say that being a vender is hard work.  You drive long distances-set up in the cold/rain/heat and tear down in same, have slow show days/times. Loading and unloading ,depending on the amount of display/inventory you have takes time and  is work especially if you are doing it alone. You also have the expense of travel-gas/food/lodging.  You won't get paid for all the time you put in ( you also don't get paid to drive to your regular job and I know some of the nurses who work with me in er drive 45-60 min one way). After you get home you have to unload unless everything stays in a trailer until the next show but you still have to restock at the least. But if you are passionate about your product/business it can also be very rewarding.   It is wonderful to get possitive feedback from customers/people even if they don't buy then, give them a business card to remember you and they may buy later. I often will write on the back of the card what item they were interested in or let them write on the card so they will not only have my business name but a written reminder of the item they especially liked.  Meeting people and other venders is good for exchanging ideas and getting your creative juices flowing.  It is wonderful to notice the things people are wearing that they haave made and you might get a new idea for combining colors that you might not thought of, etc.  You can also share your knowledge with  attendees, and they will remember that you were helpful and are more likely to buy from you, even if it is next year.   You will have good and very good shows if you get the right product mix, the right shows   but it may take time to get there.  You will also have shows that are not worth going back to.  It is hard to know what  shows to do and sometimes it takes a few years for it to be profitable. If at the end of the day you ask yourself "why am I doing this?" and you asnswer because "I love it and I can't not do it and be fulfilled" you will find that it is worth it.   

Life getting back on track

Sorry it has been so long since I posted-I meant to post in Oct. Spent last part of Sept and beginning of Oct sutdying and taking what should be my last recertification for my er nursing career.  SAFF was last weekend of Oct.  Got to Asheville and it was in the 70's then Sandy came along and it was in the 40's but we got out of the mountains mon am before snow hit, did run into some wind and a bit of rain on the way home,but not too bad.  Worked one day and was dressing to go to a natural dyeing class, bent over to put my sock on and felt a pull in my back.  Gave it some time and realized I wasn't going to be able to do the class so went in to ER and the dr. gave me some  muscle relaxer and pain med.  Needed a walker to get around at home, saw my dr wed and changed meds.  By Mon I couldn't move due to the pain, called a friend and she helped me out of bed and took me to er where I was admitted for 4 days.  MRI showed a large bulging disc( lumbar 5) that was pressiung on nerves.  So conservative treatment, physical therapy and let the disc go back in.  I am off till Jan 12. which is my projected return to work date.  So I will now blog at least 2-3 times/week.  

CHOOSING A BUSINESS NAME

Now you have decided you really want to become a fiber fesitival vender you need a business name.  You may already have one in mind, if so yea for you.  Sometimes tho it is a real challenge to figure out a business name.  Don't pick out a name that is too cutesy or so far out that people can't pronounce it.  Remember this is a BUSINESS.  Look at that brochure of the fiber event you went to and check out the names of venders listed.  What names do you like-ie: Susan's Fiber Shop, Marlenes Felting Madness are 2 examples of business names with the owners first name in the business name-Marr Haven Wool Farm has the name of the farm as the business name-Hooked on Felt tells the area of fiber interest this business concentrates on.   After you have choosen a name google it -you want a name that 6 other people don't have!!  This is especially important if you think you want to have a web site now or in the future and use the business name as the website name.  If someone else has that domain name you would need to choose another.  If you are going to have a blog, web page, sell online on etsy or another craft storefront it helps to have them all the name of your business.  People don't want to remember 4 different names for one person.                           This post I'll preview so it won't be discomfobulated (that's a word, right?) like the last one became.

BECOMING A FIBER FESTIVAL VENDER

Before the business plan and tax license let's start with the basics.  Do you know what a fiber festival is?  Or have you just read about them in Spin Off or on the net or been to a 5-10 vender event at a local farm?     YOUR HOMEWORK                                                                                                                           Go to a fiber festival ,with at least 50 venders if possible.                                                                        Look at booth design/displays                                                                                                                 Look at quality of products for sale-how does your product compare?                                                      Look at the quantity of product in booths and variety of items for sale.  Are you thinking of selling a number of items or just one -ie: handcrafted hand spindles vs yarn, roving, batts                                                  Look at pricing of similiar products                                                                                                         What makes your product equal to or better than what you see being sold ?                                                Do you have a product not being offered and is there a market for it?                                                     Take pictures, if allowed, and the  venders don't mind.  Take notes, trust me you won't remember everything you think you will remember.  Collect business cards and show brochure.  Check out web sites of venders you especially like.                                                                                                                                  Do you have or can you make/purchase enough product to sell at an event.  Be realastic.                         Do you have an idea of which events you would like to sell at or do you need a list of events to consider?   More in the next post.  Let me know if you have any questions or specific info you want.