Business Challenges

I've taken this year to decide how seriously I want to pursue this business of designing and making girl's dresses. I've done some spring fairs to assess my customer base and pricing. I've put up an etsy page to test selling online. I've tried to streamline my production without losing quality. I find I'm beginning to edge toward some decisions.

But most issues remain a little fuzzy. (A bad joke.)

Feedback from the fairs is very positive. Sales are certainly reasonable. Price seems to be good. So all this is in the plus column.

Not much luck with etsy yet. People looking but not buying. So far can not depend on this as an income stream. But on the plus side it is good to have an internet site to send people to. They like the credibility it implies.

I've resisted approaching the small children's boutique for wholesaling because of pricing. Can they really sell the dresses and skirts for a price that would pay me what I need and then to cover their overhead?

Another approach I see some small manufacturers using successfully is home sales. This idea needs to be explored further. I can see the appeal in that it is possible to keep price at present level while compensating hostess with product or credit toward products. This idea has a lot of appeal, but I need a lot more research.

So amid all these thoughts and ideas I take refuge in my workroom. I sew daily. Spend time on the computer. But I do miss interaction with real live people. Another aspect where I need to find some balance. I tend to be singleminded (obsessed) with whatever project I have going at the moment to the point of ignoring anything outside of said project. For the moment when I'm working out of my home by myself, I need to occasionally push myself to take a break and smell the flowers.

This weekend I'm going to Houston to see my granddaughter, Ryanne, dance as a lamb in her first recital. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post next week. So I'll be "smelling the roses."