Monday, July 12, 2010

Hiring is a Talent

So I am learning that hiring employees is just as much an art as painting glassware.  I figured that three hundred and fifty responses to my one paragraph job listing meant that finding a talented artist, who was pleasant, smart, a fast learner, honest, reliable, and miraculously able to perfect an art I've been working on for years would be easy.  I'll admit it, at times I can be a little idealistic.  I have found a few talented people but training will be harder than I thought.  We'll have many glass casualties due to practice work.  It will test my inner patience and I'll have to remind myself that it takes time to get the rhythm of each design.  The hardest part is turning over control to someone else, teach them my designs, and deem them "good enough" to sell as my own.  But I'm sure it'll get easier! I have a few more interviews tomorrow and hopefully I'll pick someone by the end of the week. 

Friday, July 9, 2010

The Expansion

So here it is! A nice sweeping panorama of my new 2 room studio. I LOVE my new camera which was able to take this lovely shot, so now you have an idea of what the whole 1st room looks like with a peek into the 2nd room. I love my workspace. I think I may be one of the luckiest people on earth!
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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Most Popular

This is "Dolores" and after this spring and summer, she remains the most popular glass to date. Maybe its the balance of color, or the funky spiky flower that grabs the eye. Whatever the case, just wanted to pay tribute to Dolores, you go girl!
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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Business Decisions

So business is going well, a few reorders, my website almost done, packaging is well on its way and now I'm starting to make the "business decisions" that you fantasize about when you don't have a business. Of course they seem so much easier to make when you don't actually have to make them. But now the question is about packaging and pricing. Do I go with nicer packaging that can be displayed on shelf, or cheaper packaging that doesn't have to be displayed but is still nice enough to add value as a gift box. For my website I just need a box that is protective. For my gift shops, I need something that displays nicely. Being that I'm blessed with a right brain, all I can think about is which one looks the coolest. But my left side business brain keeps telling me to make sure I stick with what is necessary. So I have some deliberating - and some field research to do!

Good Exercise

I had quite a comical experience yesterday. It started out typical,  I went to work in a pair of jeans, cute t-shirt and completely unsupportive flats. Normally this is a fine outfit but not today. Today (well tonight) my heals are throbbing, I have dried sweat in my hair, and my back is sore. Today I got seventy five cases of glasses delivered. Seventy five cases from a delivery man who came in an 18 wheeler, which doesn't fit down my street, and whose policy is to only deliver up one flight of stairs. So after jack-knifing his truck through the parking lot, he began the unload. Since he had to be in the parking lot and not the street that meant there were two flights of stairs. One to the sidewalk, and one inside the building where the glasses should be going. Needless to say I was picking up the slack using a hand truck to take the cases from the sidewalk into the building, then off the hand truck and up the stairs to my studio. It was 80 degrees, and of course my building doesn't have air conditioning so I had to sweat it out. Yep seventy five cases of 12 glasses each up the stairs. Quite comical. Lesson: Make sure when shopping for your new business space, that you think about all the needs of your business. Whether it be an elevator, running water, air conditioning, delivery access, wide doorways, etc. I knew I'd be carrying cases, but I never thought it'd be that many. Now I just need an oven in my studio and I'll cut down on a bit of the carrying.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

A Glimpse of Sun Shining Through

So I probably experienced my most exciting two days yet of my whole business experience. Two gift shop customers have re-ordered glasses in the same week!  One sold half their inventory in one week, the other in two months. So why is this such good news?  Well, what I've learned from selling is that there are actually a fair amount of people out there who are willing to take a risk to try out your product for the first time in their store (and lots who won't). But you can't make customers buy the product from their store.  And the customers buying your products is what ultimately matters. I can't use my moderately persuasive and conversationally eloquent speeches to sell to the end person - ha - and to have the confirmation that people like my glasses enough to buy them is sooo reassuring.  Yep, I am like every other entrepreneur who constantly questions themselves. Are you sure this is good enough, do you think people will like them, are my glasses worth more than the others, and on and on. So being successful in even this very, very tiny way is important in my start up growth. Truth be told, I am very afraid to even say I am excited because it is such a small big deal that it doesn't really mean my business will be successful. But it is the small victories that mean the most to me and that keep me painting away (hand cramps and all), reading as much information as my eyes and brain can absorb, and staying up late to figure out how to best configure my website. After all this is what it's all about and I am loving it.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Packaging Makes a Difference

So yesterday I met with a new packaging designer. Finally someone who knows what they are doing! It only took 4 other packaging companies to find one that actually has multiple materials, great ideas, good designers and lots of connections. Exactly what I need.  We agreed that my glasses will be sold in sets of two (could be two different, could be two of the same) who knows. In fact it will probably be that the retail stores carry sets of 2 of the same designs, while my website allows you to choose whatever quantity you want of each design. So now I can't wait for the sketches of what they recommend! Plastic, cardboard, tins, buckets, clear windows, handles, so many options! Thank the lord I have someone connected who has lots of experience. They will structurally design the packaging first to make sure it will be protective enough for the glass, and then aesthetically design the package to look AWESOME (<-- I hope) :)  I'll keep you updated on how it goes!  In the meantime I am getting hand cramps painting and uploading content on my website!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Too long

It's been too long since I've written but I had a few personal issues that kept me from my wonderful studio far too long. Happy to say I am back on track and back at it. So back to the to-do list... After many rounds with the web designers I finally have a design I am stoked about for my new site. It only took hours of researching exactly what I wanted and a few frustrating moments to get it right. Now for the hard part - uploading the content. I have a content management system so that I'm able to upload, change, alter, change again all the things I want without having to deal with another human being. But this poses just as many complications as the too cheery ladies that you can't get past on the telephone line whenever you need something important. Lack of human interaction means no questions answered. As with most things in my job, I'm left fending for myself. Luckily I have over 5 years experience dealing with websites, however this only makes me slightly less green to the situation because as the digital world goes, everything is constantly changing. And just because you know one system doesn't mean you know them all. So my current (and ongoing) project is to set up my entire website, upload all the pictures, copy, features, categories and make decisions about programs, what to allow and not allow. FUNNNNN - completely overwhelming, challenging and totally rewarding. Just how I like it!  More to come...

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Inside a Designer's Brain

As I am working on filling out a design brief for my new ecommerce website, I am plagued with my designer brain once again. One simple question on the form elicits 99 questions in my head. Question 1 - What will the top navigation categories be named? Translation - what should the categories be named? How will people want to search for things? Is "collection" too generic? If I organize by collection, does it still make sense to have the glasses named people names from the 1930s? What designs will be in each collection? Uw uw, I just thought of a great new design! what if I put....   Oh right, back to the task; So how many collections do I have? How many do I want to have? When and how often will they be refreshed? And on and on it goes. I was up until 1 am last night trying to answer that one question. So as my first line of defense I hop on google and visit about 60 websites looking for navigation I like, what makes sense and how that could relate to my products or brand. Four hours later, a small overwhelming feeling creeps up and starts to make my eyebrows furrow in frustration... what the HECK!? Why can't I get anything done in a timely manner? I'm pretty sure I ask myself this at least once everyday. It feels like a plague of my personality that I was just not meant to deal with time, ever, at all. I'm sure everyone in my personal life would also agree :) All I wanted to do was complete this brief tonight and now my lopsided brain has made me all philosophical... Ewwwww I hate that feeling.

As I'm ready to hit the sac, I realize that although it may be frustrating to answer just that one question, I learned a very valuable business lesson. Well maybe two lessons. Lesson 1- Everything I am doing right now takes research because it is starting from scratch. And as a start-up, it is absolutely essential to do that research. You cannot plan or execute anything good in a bubble. So yes it may add time to your task completion deadline - but without it you won't be relevant.  Lesson 2- Ease up on yourself woman! It is not your personality flaw that it takes time to do research, just do it and get it over with and stop stressing about it. And that alone will make the task get done faster.

Friday, February 12, 2010

TGIF

Today I learned a little bit more about packaging. I've been working with 1 packaging company and recently a second, because I was so underwhelmed by the first company that I had to move on. I just want some fabulous packaging that will stand out from all the other  glassware packaging out there. Everyone has cylindrical cardboard tubes. I don't want to just slap a label on the same boxes everyone else has. No no no, I am way pickier than that. It has to look good on shelf, it has to be unique in the category, and it also has to double as a shipping box. I want something sturdy enough to ship in, pretty enough to display in, unique enough to stand out, and versatile enough to be able to fit several types of stemware.  So I'm thinking a challenging but not impossible task.

Well for some reason everyone is afraid to package glass. And not just glass but the forbidden word "stemware". Maybe that is why every single packaging supplier I have found doesn't have any pre-made packaging for stemware. Wine bottles - yes, perfume bottles - yes, crystal figurines, porcelain, light bulbs, vases, computer chips, test tubes and dentures - yes. But no stemware. For one thing, each stemware glass is a different size (in height and diameter) and it's lightweight so even if one were to come up with packaging there is still a custom insert that needs to be developed per the size requirements. I'm still thinking "But there is a ton of stemware out there, how is it possible there is no packaging to be foudn?" I guess when I really think about it, all the stemware providers are very large manufacturers who most likely do their own packaging, or its no big deal to have custom pieces made because they have the quantity to keep the price down. See the whole thing about packaging is the quantity you are willing to commit to. If you only want a small number - they leave you penniless. And not only do they rip you off with price per piece, but you will get really crappy service in the process because no one wants to find the end of the rainbow (for you and your packaging) if they will only find a teeny tiny pot of gold. The bottom line is that to be smart, you have to do some research up front. Find manufacturers who are willing to deal with small orders, get referrals, and don't forget to look at pre-made packaging which you can find at Michael's, AC Moore, U-Line or other shipping & packaging manufacturers before you go custom. Unfortunately for my product and sizes, nothing pre-made works for me. So onto the 2nd packaging company.  Lucky for me, the owner started as a small business and has a soft spot in his heart for ambitious and friendly entreprenuers like me. So I sent him a ton of package examples that I liked, and what was out in the market for stemware and we'll see where we end up! 

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Blizzard Thoughts

So just a quick background so you are up to speed with where I am starting - I recently moved from NYC to Philadelphia to be able to afford my own studio and the opportunity to start a business with my husband (not quite a viable option on 1 salary in NYC). So we packed up and U-Hauled it down to Philly.  The transition hasn't been easy or fun, but we are getting there. Slowly but surely. We've had dinner with a few friends, signed ourselves up for a wine class, got a puppy and our newest gig is to find our dream townhouse which, of course, must include a garage, roof deck, backyard and large kitchen that opens into the living room with a breakfast bar. I don't think we are asking for too much do you? :) 

So Scott goes to work, and with little research so do I. I found my dream studio in an old mill building with painter wash sinks, original wood beams, lots of bright sky lights and a community of artists all around me. It doesn't get any better than this. Turns out the other artists only work about once every two weeks, there is a lack of air conditioning and regular heating, there aren't any toilet paper holders, rarely any soap and a sink that sprays your entire top half when you turn it on.  But you know what?  I kind of like it that way. It gives the entire building even more character than the cracked glass, splintering wood and old school gas heaters already had. And most importantly - it looks like an artist studio. And that's the most important right? I am an artist and I certainly don't want to be holed up in a cubicle with gray carpeting stripping me of all my creative energy, even if there are toilet paper holders and AC. Plus this is a start up - I gotta rough it! So I set up my place and start painting away. I participated in the building's yearly open house and started trying (trying being the key word here) to formalize my business plans. My art? Hand painted glassware. My nemesis? Financial projections for business plans.

My first step - The Philadelphia Gift Show. This was a critical show for me - my first time ever exhibiting and getting retailer feedback about my products. I busted my butt to have tons of designs and a somewhat decent looking display. The idea is that you sell your products at wholesale and get large orders (or more than a retail customer would purchase). I got a few new accounts (1 Hallmark store and 2 other gift shops) and some great feedback about my main competitor Lolita. Turns out no one cared about how many designs I had, and my display wasn't that great, but you live and learn :) I'm sure you've seen Lolita products - they are everywhere. She, however, gets her glasses mass produced overseas. Mine are hand made by moi in the USA.  So take that. Just kidding. But seriously the biggest thing I learned was the re-emerging market for hand made goods, and the increasing loyalty for "Made in the USA" products. It was refreshing and invigorating to hear that customers didn't like dealing with large reps, that my quality was better, and that people wanted to support an emerging artist trying to make it.  I met some colorful people and decided that my initial route to overtake Lolita in the market wasn't the only option. Thank goodness because the chances of that were slim :) I needed some retail marketing gimmicks, upscale packaging and display ideas as well as a narrowed down selection of glasses that I can keep refreshing each season or at least every year.  Man I have a lot of work to do.

So I leave the gift show with several new and overwhelming questions: Is wholesale the way to go? Should I focus on retail only? What should my collections be if I narrow down my designs? What is the best way to display them, as a set of assorted glasses or a set of all the same? A lot of people paint glassware, mine is different and yes better quality, but people are buying the lesser quality and don't seem to care - so do I go even more upscale than I currently am? And what about packaging - I know that the package helps to sell the product and definitely adds value, but how much value and what kind of packaging? These are just a few of my main tasks that I need to figure out before I can move forward. Hopefully I will answer all of these questions throughout this quest :)

Today on Hudsonater (that's my dog) - she learned how to dance! Long hours of painting means lots of knots in my back, so I put a few fingers to the toes and try to loosen the muscles. Well today while jumping around Hudson decided to join in. I held up a treat and said "Dance Hudson Dance". Turns out she likes to jump and stretch too - sweet I'm not alone!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Thank Goodness for the Digital Age

So I finally gave in today to start my very own blog.  Since I was getting hand cramps and losing valuable time trying to scribe my way through a 500 page journal chronicling my business start up adventure, I decided it would be better, cheaper and faster to type rather than worry about how meticulously perfect my hand writing is on every page of my journal. Especially since I should be caring about content, not how pretty it looks. But there you go - a stark realization that I am an artist at heart - who really cares what your hand writing looks like when I'm the only one looking at it and it gets done faster when sloppy? And that is precisely the point. Here I am trying to "start" my own business and I am faced with not only the 24/7 obstacles of business start ups, but of my 24/7 personality. It is me, myself and I in this wonderful studio everyday (and night) and bouncing ideas off myself doesn't always lead to the best outcome; but usually the prettiest!  For whatever it's worth, I'll keep you updated on the trials, tribulations and triumphs of starting your own business.  Oh and by the way, my dog Hudson joins me everyday - so I'll keep you posted on her moods as well :)