Kickstand Kaleidoscope

Time flies when you're having fun

2012-01-31T20:46:00.001-08:00

So, I guess I broke my resolution to blog every day... In the last 7 days I've driven to and from Seattle twice, started 3 or 4 new quilt orders, painted my new store and now I'm in Long Beach, WA for a short mini vacation with my mom (what I'm actually calling a corporate retreat).

So I guess that's my long excuse.

2012-01-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

It seems I've been very distracted this week.

Photo Friday: SNOMG

2012-01-20T00:24:00.001-08:00

This week has been full of snow. 15 inches!!

Things You Forgot Are Awesome

2012-01-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

Snow Days

Like, legit snow days where you're actually stuck at home. Not adult snow days where you still have to go to work.

Dairy Queen Blizzards

Granted, eating these doesn't make me feel good afterward but they are so delicious.

Stretch Pants

I don't care that people are always saying "leggings are not pants"... they are comfy. At least I'm not wearing flowery ones like I did when I was 10.

Living Room Dance Parties

What else am I supposed to do on snow days??

2012-01-18T16:40:00.000-08:00

~~SOPA SOPA SOPA~~

Unproven Money Tip #1

2012-01-17T13:24:00.000-08:00

Today, I wrote a post for the blog Go Go Grays Harbor about the economics of buying local. Living in a small town has made it more difficult to buy local, strangely enough, but I seem to make it work. I've also been developing some not so common financial rules to live by in my head. Might as well start writing them down.

1. Stop using coupons.

Have you seen that crazy show about coupon hoarders? I can't stand it. They might be getting awesome deals, but who in the world needs 200 bottles of gatorade?! Even if it cost you only $5 for those... that's $5 you could have just kept in your bank account because you have no real need for gatorade. There, I've said it.

I realize that I am somewhat unique in this world of mass-consumption because I favor simplicity and minimalism, but I'm just saying it might be something that more people could embrace which might lead to more savings and more intentional spending.

So, my theory is that you should never buy something with a coupon. Not that you shouldn't buy things that are on sale, but you shouldn't buy them BECAUSE they are on sale. Do you eat bananas every day? Yes? Oh and they're on sale this week? Great! Do you eat Hostess Cupcakes everyday? No? They're on sale this week? Step away from the packaged sugar bomb.

I think that if you're willing to pay full-price for something, it's probably something you actually really really want and/or need.

People around my town always complain that there's nowhere to shop local, but I think that what they actually mean is that they can't find massive amounts of things they don't really need or want but are on sale.

I used to always shop in the sale section of clothing stores and I'd come home with a ton of clothes, many of which either fell apart after being washed. Or I realized I didn't even like it in the first place but can't return it because it was on sale... oi. It makes me cringe to think about the money lost in those moments. With all that money back, I could probably buy myself a new floppy hat and a boat and live the rest of my life on some beach in Mexico.

So, tip #1: No coupons. If you don't want to pay full price, don't buy it.

Music Monday: Doe Bay Sessions

2012-01-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Is it crazy that even on beautiful snowy days I can't help but think of how much I wish I was at Doe Bay?

Photo Friday: Photo Bombs and T-Shirt Quilts

2012-01-13T16:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's Friday already! What the heck did I do this week? Who knows.

Tonight I'm heading out to the Quinalt Beach Casino to check out the Grays Harbor Idol competition. I can't wait to see what these people got! Then I'm hoping for no snow this weekend so I can make it up to Seattle for the Gift Show. *Fingers Crossed*

I went to a lovely wedding last weekend and got to see some great friends, though they are total hams for the camera. It was hard to get a photo without them posing.

Photo Bomb - Do you see it?

And I was super excited this week to see one of my t-shirt quilts on Geek Crafts! This one is pretty cool, since it's made of all beer t-shirts.

Spam, You Complete Me...

2012-01-12T18:55:00.001-08:00

I recently went through my email and actually unsubscribed from a number of junk email lists that I've somehow become a part of over the years.

Here's the funny thing. Emails make me feel important and I worried that I wouldn't get any emails anymore after I unsubscribed! It's ridiculous, I know, but I finally did it.

Due to the fact that I'm also a little OCD and MUST keep my unread emails at a constant level of zero, unsubscribing actually gave me so much extra time! I no longer get distracted by unwanted emails and it turns out I still get real emails too.

Boo-ya email. I win.

Adventures in Retail: Getting Organized

2012-01-11T11:30:00.001-08:00

The work on the new business continues!

Turns out opening a business is a daunting task and because of my impatient nature, I always try to do everything at once. So, I'm constantly making short movements toward designing the interiors, buying products, setting up a POS system, networking, getting all of the licensing taken care of... and trying to get some sleep!

I'm sure my stress level will decrease once the space build out is complete, but until then I feel like I'm on pause. It can be difficult to imagine how all of the products will fit in the store without being able to work with the items in the space.

What have I done to get organized? I started an excel spreadsheet and listed EVERY item I'm looking at buying and included the minimum order number and associated prices. Seeing this all layed out where I can easily manipulate numbers has been incredibly helpful.

I also grabbed a Word doc and started dropping in pictures of the things I'm looking to buy. I'm a very visual person and this helps me to visualize the store and how much space each of these items might take up or if they all make sense together.

We are also trying to figure out a way to purchase enough but not too much. We don't want to overdue it and spend all of our money right at the gate.

We are still on track for a March opening! I will keep you up to date as things move along.

Going Paleo

2012-01-10T19:07:00.001-08:00

Today, I officially started the Paleo Diet. I've been experiencing a variety of weird symptoms lately. It might just be heartburn, but I've also been wondering if maybe I have a food intolerance. So, as much as I love Macaroni and cheese, beer and ice cream, I'm officially going Paleo.

Fun./We Are Young

2012-01-09T11:53:00.000-08:00

I'm a little bit obsessed with this song.

Photo Friday

2012-01-06T21:34:00.001-08:00

I'd like to share some photos from the week each Friday. This was a pretty short week since Ive been in Oregon for a wedding. Nevertheless, here they are!

Oregon!

2012-01-05T23:19:00.001-08:00

Kind of a crazy day, but I'm sticking to my commitment! Even if it means blogging from my phone at 11:20 pm at a bachelorette party somewhere outside of Corvallis, Oregon.

I guess that's all I have to say. See you tomorrow!

Aaaack

2012-01-04T20:40:00.000-08:00

I'd like to keep you updated on the process of opening a new store, and at this point my feelings and thought process look something like this:

From the top: my modern met, Pinterest, uranophane, etsy, trendy traveler, reason to breathe

Thoughts on Social Media Marketing

2012-01-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

I recently downloaded two new apps on my iPhone and they have quickly become addictions: Instagram and Words with Friends.

While browsing through my twitter feed, I saw someone mention that thanks to instagram, twitter and a few other networking sites - they were done with Facebook.

Individuals and businesses often start using social media outlets without realizing it's differentiating factors, or what separates each of these sites. Understanding the potential for each site can be quite helpful in deciding where to spend your time.

Facebook
This is by far the biggest and most popular social networking site. Everyone, including probably your grandmother, has a profile on here. It's incredibly easy to join, easy to navigate and incredibly addicting. I find that it's difficult to remember what life was like before I joined 7 years ago. However, over time they have made so many changes that it has made it drastically more difficult for businesses to gain new fans. Ads are expensive and, in my experience, have very little return. Many people who are your fans may never even see your posts, because they don't interact enough with your page for facebook to put your updates on their newsfeed. Facebook pages are most useful when you can get your fans talking about your company and sharing links. So as far as Facebook goes, you've got to make it interesting or your updates will go under the radar.

Twitter
This is my personal favorite. Twitter is an ongoing conversation between you and your followers. In the "twitterverse" it is the norm to "follow" people you don't actually know, but people whom you might like to know. It is most effective to have a personal twitter account where you update your followers on everything from a new product line to your thoughts on the tv show you're currently watching. People on twitter like to share and the more you share, the more people will start to notice you and respond to what you're saying. On twitter, frequency is key.

Foursquare
The world of Foursquare is a strange one. Checking into various locations in order to gain points. Points which don't actually get you anything, I might add. The strangest part is that it's kind of addicting. I love trying to beat more of my friends each week and it can be really useful if you have a business with a physical location. You can offer discounts or prizes for checking in, which will hopefully spread the word that you exist. The bad news? I think there are some feelings of dissaproval on twitter and facebook for those who constantly check in on Foursquare. Also, it's pretty easy to forget to check in and therefore forget about Foursquare altogether.

Pinterest
Ok. Not only is this site fun and addicting, but it can be very useful. You can create a network of followers and then link to the items you sell so that people can share and reshare and share some more. This is great for businesses who sell lovely looking products because it's very visual.

Instagram
This is another great site for those visual people, like myself. On twitter, I hate clicking on links to see photos. It takes too long to download and throws me off my social networking game. Instagram is so perfect because it is just like twitter, except you upload a photo. Not only that, but people can comment on the photos right there and the comments stick with your photo - rather than just being out there floating in space like they do on twitter. Instagram is also fun because of all the ways you can make your photos look more interesting.

Words with Friends
Dare I say this is a social networking device? I think this game is so successful because you get to stretch your brain by playing a game, that is basically Scrabble, and you can chat with your friends while you play. Almost like real life...

Finally, I'd like to mention that it's a good idea to connect all of your social media outlets together. Makes life a lot easier. And there are many many other sites out there which I haven't mentioned and you might find very useful. The important thing with each of them is to know their purpose and how they can be a help (or a hindrance) to you and your business.

2012: Bring It On!

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

I'm here to announce that 2012 is the year I get my s*&% together. I've made some big changes as of late (the chaos of which has caused me to neglect this blog) and now that I'm at the ripe old age of 27 (for the record I first entered 28... I don't even know my own age) I feel as though I can actually commit to committing to real live commitments.

First of all, after my travels around the country and seeing all that this lovely nation has to offer, I decided to move back to my hometown of Aberdeen, Washington. What sane, single, 20-something would do such a thing? Actually, not sure if I'm totally sane. Anyway, after living in Seattle and Portland, I realized that having a tight community is very important to me and I actually found it back in my hometown.

Which brings me to my projects for the new year:

A few friends and I have launched a blog called Go Go Grays Harbor! We got a little bit tired of hearing people complain about the area and say that there isn't anything to do so we're bound and determined to prove them wrong. We are still forming and will soon be posting daily about interesting local people, restaurants, activities and sharing some of our random thoughts and interests with people near and far. We also threw an awesome Ugly Sweater Roller Skating party just before Christmas. Since I love event planning and promotions, I'm quite excited by all of the opportunities that may stem from this project.

The bigger project coming up is my new business, a retail shop in Hoquiam, Washington. I will release more details as we move along, but I am so very excited to finally have the opportunity to create a real live space where people can visit and find awesomely awesome things to make them happy! Oh, I really can't wait! Plus, part of the space will be dedicated space to Queen B Quilts, so now people can come by any time to get started on their t-shirt quilt.

With so much happening in my life, I decided that I might as well throw daily blogging on the pile. I hope to give you all some insight into small town life as well as the process of opening a new business. I plan to share as much as possible with you to hopefully help and inspire you to take on the big projects in your life.

Resolution Time

2011-12-28T14:54:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve is fast approaching and, of course, I'm starting to think about resolutions. I actually haven't made resolutions, at least real ones, before. I think one year my resolution was to be more boring (read: stop doing so much) and by the end of the year I found myself bored. At least I succeeded, right?

This year I'm thinking of committing to daily blogging... however, I find this very scary. It seems like a daunting task. What if I run out of things to say?! On the other hand, looking at blogging as a commitment actually changes my perspective about it entirely. Committing to something actually means making a real plan to prevent failure, so I've already started making notes and thinking about my purpose in blogging and what message I want to send.

So, it looks like I have three days to make a final decision, but it's looking like a good option.

What are your New Year's resolutions?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:24:00.001-08:00

Retail Innovation

2011-12-21T22:54:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about the type of retail operation I would like to have someday and my thoughts have been all over the place and confusing. Why? Because I've been thinking that I want to do something that is new and different than any other retail shop out there.

Well, it seems that someone beat me to it! This short video is super inspiring. I love seeing what new and innovative projects people are working on... even if I thought of it first.

Check out the story about this New York store starting a retail revolution.

All I Want For Christmas

2011-12-20T10:29:00.000-08:00

It seems that this song has turned into some kind of meme. There are so many lip syncing videos to this it's ridiculous. However this is my favorite!

Nice Shirt, America

2011-11-20T15:16:00.001-08:00

Holy moly! It's been so long since I wrote here!! I'm planning to give this blog a lot more attention... starting now.

I successfully completed my 6 week road trip around the country, on the search for America's best t-shirts! One thing is for sure... this project may never have an ending. I got a lot of great photos of people in their interesting shirts, but I want MORE.

You can read all about the trip over at Nice Shirt, America and check out all of my photos on flickr.

Stumptown Coffee

2011-08-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

Social Media 102

2011-08-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

Social Marketing 102: How to be Interesting without Getting Overwhelmed from I Heart Art: Portland on Vimeo.

I just spent this morning watching this video from a workshop called "Social Media 102: How to be interesting without getting overwhelmed" hosted by I Heart Art PDX and taught by Diane Gilelland of Crafty Pod.

The video is 2 hours long, so I hope you have some spare time, but it will probably be worth it for you if you are looking to take your business and your marketing to the next level. There are a couple of things I took away from this:

1. Do what works for you (and your customers). Don't do everything just because people say you are "supposed to." The thing about social media is that it is about you. It's a very personal thing and people will see right through you if you kind of hate using twitter, but do it anyway. Basically, no half-assing it (pardon the swear) because it will probably do you more harm than good.

2. Social Media Marketing works because you get involved in a community. It is a form of permission marketing. People have to choose to listen to you and once they have chosen you, you must keep them involved! Someone asked a question about getting readers to their blog but it came out that they don't typically comment on other blogs. This made me think of the Theory of Reciprocity. Basically, you are more likely to do something nice for someone who has done something nice for you and vice versa. If you want people to comment on your blog, tweet to you, retweet your tweets, become your friend on facebook (and in real life) you should probably do the same for them.

Over the past few months, I have personally found twitter to be my new best friend. I get the most feedback and the most blog views from twitter. Facebook fans tend to be more loyal, I think, but they also tend to be absent most of the time. Plus, Facebook seems to be making some changes that makes it even harder to reach new people (anybody notice that you can't suggest to friends anymore?). Twitter just seems more social to me... but that's my two cents. Do what works for you.

Finally, I'm so intrigued by this that I would really like to talk to be IRL (in real life) about this stuff! If you are in the Portland or Seattle area (or anywhere in between) and want to meet up for an hour to chat about business stuff and grab coffee, please let me know! You can send me an email at britta.folden[at]gmail.com. I would love to take what I learn from these conversations and share it here on my blog!

The Future of Work is Now

2011-08-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

.

I like this idea of no lines between work and play. As opposed to the image of "well-rounded" as a pie divided into different slices or categories, we should probably be using a venn diagram.

As risky and as scary as it may sound to live a life where you seem to have so many things on your plate and without the security of a job with regular benefits and vacation time, it seems to me that this way of life actually has potential for building a more solid foundation and for making us all happier and better connected. In this way, we rely on each other. There are no boundaries! We should always be looking for ways to collaborate and help each other in the world. And think of the potential! If we continually move along to where we can contribute our best effort, the actual output and quality of our work over a lifetime will be much greater than if we spend our life finding ways to fill our time at a 40 hour a week job.

So, does this scare anyone? Living your life project to project is a risky thing! It probably should scare you. And maybe that isn't such a bad thing. Most likely, living on the edge of failure will actually propel you to work harder to succeed. What risks have you taken lately?

Weekend?

2011-08-08T10:00:00.001-07:00

I kind of can't believe it's Monday. I got caught up making some new things for my shop and pretty much forgot to leave the house this weekend, for the most part.

Do you ever do this? It's funny to be home in front of a sewing machine on a Saturday night, but when I'm in the mood to make something I have to do it!

I'm about to hit the road now. See you soon Seattle!

Easy?

2011-08-05T00:18:00.000-07:00

"Nobody said it was easy... but, no one ever said it would be this hard." - Coldplay

Sometimes, I get tired of hearing quotes about how simple life is when you find a way to do what you love for a living...

Really? Really?

I'm just saying, I think sometimes those statements can be misleading. If you want to be successful, you have to work hard. Is there any way around that? It might be more interesting if you can make a career at something you love, but it sure ain't easy.

Adding Value

2011-08-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

How do you increase sales? Is it by getting your message in front of more people through advertising? Maybe. Is it by offering sales and discounts? Sometimes.

Those strategies can work, but they both have a few problems.

Advertising: If you can manage to find a good website or magazine to advertise in that reaches your target market, it will probably be very expensive. And how many people actually pay attention to advertising? We see tons of ads every day (even if you don't watch TV)... how many do you remember? How often do you see an ad and decide to click on it or remember it later?

Discounts: A discount offered for a short period can cause those potential customers who are busy sitting on the fence to finally make a purchase and maybe you end up getting some good business out of it. But what happens when the sale ends? My guess is that you've just sold to a sector of people who just want a deal and they'll probably wait until your next deal to come back again.

So, what else is there to do?

What about adding value? This strategy will grab people's attention, push those fence sitters off balance and possibly help your company's image overall. There are many ways you can add value.

Increase the quality of your product. Use your creativity and change something about your product so that it actually increases in value. For instance, I offered an upgrade to a wool backing on a quilt for one lucky customer once. I got an order right away. This can come in the form of a giveaway or a limited edition of your typical product. This also provides a great excuse to share something new on your blog or through a email newsletter.

Give your customer a good experience. If you offer a service, maybe you can find a way to keep them up to date on your progress. If you sell a product online, maybe you should think about your packaging. I once ordered a camera lens from Photojojo and in the package they included a tiny green toy dinosaur. It was so random but also it made me smile. Make sure your customers get that good feeling when they think of your company.

Support other small businesses. This month, over at Queen B Quilts, I'm offering my customers a free cupcake with every order. Not only will this hopefully (fingers crossed) increase sales, but it's just fun and it gives me the opportunity to support another small business simultaneously.

What strategies have you used that have shown results?

Forget Perfection

2011-08-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

James Victore Live at AIGA SF from Hillman Curtis on Vimeo.

There is something I just love about James Victore's persona. He has a sense of clarity of thought to every word he says that I really admire. I also like that he takes risks and isn't afraid to poke fun at the idiosyncrasies of the creative process.

He touches on the idea of "perfection" as being, basically, a waste of time as well as being uninteresting.

This is one of my favorite topics and also one of my biggest personal pet peeves. As you might notice over there right above that picture of me is the quote from Chris Campbell: "the only way to train for a startup is by starting." And Victore says this in his lecture, perfection will keep you from starting new projects. I have also previously posted about an inspirational blog from Seth Godin about the fact that many of us entrepreneurs feel compelled to start our own businesses. Compelled.

For me personally, there really is no choice in the matter. I have to start things. I have to create. I love thinking about the future. I love facing challenging circumstances. I know that this is the path I have to take if I want to gain major fulfillment in my life.

Still, there is a desire for perfection. Or, maybe if you flip it around, it's actually a fear of failure and rejection. I love Victore's rebellious attitude about this, because I think that's what we all need sometimes. I dare you to spend a day thinking only radically positive thoughts about your work and taking some time to explore the weird ideas you might come up with throughout the day instead of pushing them aside, possibly forgetting about them completely.

Seems to me that starting a business is a mix of gut instinct, experimentation and commitment. When you have a good idea, go with it. Develop it. Push it to it's outer most limits. Get out of your comfort zone.

I love hearing people I admire, those who are out there achieving their goals, talk about how scary it is. About how they actually feel a little bit sick to their stomaches all of the time... and how that's when they know they're doing the right thing. It is such a great reminder in those times when you have some goal you really want but the risks seem high, that you must keep going.

And, again, forget about perfection. If you really want something, go for it. There will always be reasons to hold off until tomorrow, so just take a step in the right direction now. Yes, now.

We are All Designers Here

2011-07-31T23:22:00.000-07:00

We are all designers. And design, as defined on Wikipedia (it's legit), is: a specification of an object, manifested by an agent, intended to accomplish goals, in a particular environment, using a set of primitive components, satisfying a set of requirements, subject to constraint.

So, if we think like designers when creating our businesses, maybe we should ask these questions:

What is your object?
What is your business all about? What are you selling?

How am I involved in the creation of this object?
You probably can't do it all alone. It is important to realize your strengths and focus on those. If you really just love knitting and would rather avoid marketing all together, you may want to find ways to outsource those tasks that cost you a lot of time and cause you dissatisfaction.

What goal is it accomplishing?
Are you going into business because you need to unload all of those stuffed animals you just made? That's great! Do you want to be completely self-employed within a year? Awesome. But you should define this right away so you know where your priorities lie.

How will it be created?
This might be considered the Research & Development stage. Find your suppliers. Perfect your craft and make sure you have the right systems in place to produce the amount of items you plan to sell, according to your goals (see previous question).

What makes it functional?
How will people find your business? This is a big, big question to answer and one that will come with a lot of trial and error. The most important thing is to make sure that there is a clear path to follow from first meeting to the sale and even the delivery and feedback. It is a continual loop and you need to be conscious of every step along the way.

What is it not?
This might be one of the most important questions to ask yourself. Design is all about creating order and function in the simplest way possible. Simplify your business. Find your focus and find a way to perfect that one thing so that your customers clearly understand what it is you are trying to do.

Pumped Up Kicks

2011-07-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

I know this song is a little bit scary if you listen to the lyrics, but it's also a great motivator when you're feeling a little bit defeated in the business world.

Going to dance around to this now...

Duh.

2011-07-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

Man oh man, I have been busy! But it's a good kind of busy... I'm trying to finish up a few HUGE quilt orders while simultaneously launching my new project Nice Shirt, America.

What started as just a way to add some purpose to a cross country road trip has turned into a million new business ideas as well as a few revelations.

A comment on a previous post from Diane got me thinking. Where do I find my customers? Who are my customers? People always ask me that and I've always just said "people so obsessed with something that they have a t-shirt collection to prove it." How vague.

Still, I spent all of my time posting my links to style blogs and trying to connect with other crafters. I did the occasional ad in a high school newspaper or posted flyers around town or on some college campus, but I have to admit: I have NEVER gotten any paying business out of these efforts.

Why? Well, I think I have a few challenges. First, I offer a service. People have to feel like they are in need of this service. This can be a challenge because it's hard to reach people who have never even considered making their t-shirts into a quilt. They don't even know such a thing exists. Most of my current customers are people who have thought of this idea already and are in search of someone to accomplish it for them.

Second, my product would be considered a "luxury" item. It's a big purchase. So, my customers must really love these t-shirts. I think the economy adds to this challenge, but I'm not too worried about that at this point.

Lastly, I've always been asking myself "How do you find people with t-shirts?"

I kind of had a "duh" moment with this... and only AFTER I had started my Nice Shirt, America blog. I started the blog because I am genuinely interested in t-shirts and I wanted to talk to people on the streets about it while traveling around the country. Sounds like the best vacation ever to me. After thinking about it for a while I realized: This is it! This is how to market to people who love t-shirts... write about t-shirts. My business has very little to do with quilts, turns out. I'm pretty sure that my customers don't go to craft fairs and they don't really care about recycling (not that they *don't* care, it's just not their main motivator). They love their t-shirts! So, here I am to showcase that.

Of course, this project is an experiment. As with most marketing endeavors, it's difficult to predict the likelihood that anything will actually increase sales, but I think it's worth a try. I'll keep you updated as time goes on.

But the challenge for you: take a hard look at your product and your customers and find out who they really are.

2011-07-26T15:34:00.001-07:00

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Gotta Fight

2011-07-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

via That's Wright

Photos: Portland, Pickwick and Depoe Bay

2011-07-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

See more on Flickr

Book Club: What's Mine is Yours

2011-07-16T18:08:00.000-07:00

Today, I started reading What's Mine Is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption by Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers.

Thus far, it is very interesting especially in light of my recent interest in the idea of "free." It is definitely a little bit disturbing to hear about how wasteful our society has become in a relatively short time. I am intrigued by the idea of collaborative consumption, and it seems to be gaining popularity, especially very recently. But, we have already started encountering problems - Netflix's recent price hike comes to mind.

I'm excited to read through this book and discuss it further with peers and put a review here.

If you would like to join me in reading this book, consider buying it through this link. Not only is Amazon awesome, but (full-disclosure) I get a little kick back from you buying through this link and that will make me happy and probably motivate me to write more. So if you like me, buy this book here! Win-win-win.

Google, Ruler of the World

2011-07-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

How much do you think about your small business website's searchability?

I, for one, am constantly worrying about it. A large portion of my business comes from people who find me through web search engines like Google, so it is very important that I stay on top of my SEO strategy.

There are a few things I know for sure:

1. Search Engine Optimization is strange and kind of fascinating
2. Search Engine Optimization is really boring to actually put into use
3. Google is one Bad A mofo that won't take s*@# from anybody

Like many others, I was incredibly intimidated by the idea of implementing SEO into my website. Turns out, it's not really all that complicated. Google has even provided a nice little SEO starter guide which helped me a lot. Plus they created a cute little robot character to help lighten the blow.

How can you be scared of this?

However, as I brought up in point #2 - it's incredibly time consuming and really pretty boring. So, depending on how you value your time, you may want to delegate this task out to someone else(if you're really smart, you'll get a website designer that also knows SEO).

And I'm not kidding about that third point. Google is very strict and knows aaaaall of the tricks. Don't even try it. Do it right. Follow the rules, you rebel.

Creativity is a necessity though, because you need to differentiate yourself! What makes your hand-knit scarves (or what have you) special?

Think about it this way, if you specialized in hot pink angora wool hand-knit scarves in Portland, Oregon and you used those keywords to your advantage in your SEO... I'm betting you'd come up first in a Google search for that particular thing. You have to stop thinking about marketing to everyone and start thinking about marketing only to those people who will want to buy what you're offering.

This is where we find our power, small business leaders of America! You might think - oh I can't compete with [insert mega-giant corporation here], but you can! The key is specialization, finding your audience and maintaining a consistent message throughout your marketing efforts.

Have you found your niche yet?

A World of Free: Or, Why Don't You Just Buy Something Already?

2011-07-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

I attended I Heart Art PDX's salon discussion entitled A World of Free tonight. The discussion was led by Rebel Craft Rumble champ and blogger extraordinaire, Diane Gilleland.

The conversation was very interesting and it definitely got me thinking about "free." What is the value of the content we freely share in the blogosphere? Is this actually helping us in the long run? What is the point of all this?

While I would like to let some of this discussion sink in to my brain a bit, I do want to share a few things while it's still fresh.

I think there were two very important points made tonight.

1. What value can you create from your content (and is it measurable)?

It seems to me that most small business owners these days are blogging either because they're "supposed to" or because they honestly want to share something of themselves with their potential customers. In my experience, blogging does increase traffic (if you're aware of Google and SEO this is probably something you've thought about) and it can make you feel good as a business owner because you often get positive feedback about your posts. BUT... what is all of this effort getting you?

When I worked in non-profit fundraising, the idea of "dating" was thrown around a lot. Like, all. of. the. time. Getting people to sign on to your idea and then open their wallets is like some kind of mating ritual. The way I see it, small business ownership is the same way. Let me break it down:

-First, you have to make sure you're worthy of dating. Make yourself look good. Spray on some perfume. Pack on the make-up. Whatever you do. Look pretty. It's about quality really (i.e. does your website look good and is it easy to navigate?)

-Then, there's some flirting involved. I think this is kind of like advertising. You have to get some attention and get them to at least make eye contact and intrigue them somehow. Buy some ad space, put up fliers, get yourself out there!

-Next, they click on the link - you've got a date! Now you have to be charming. I feel like this is where blogging comes in. You've done all of this work just to get them to spend some time with you... what normally happens on a date? You discuss things - hobbies, interests, places you've traveled... mostly a bunch of random bits that are funny and cute, but really only hint at who you truly are. Just like your blog posts. You want to keep them coming back for more.

-But here's where things get sticky. At some point, you're going to have to tell this person what you need and why you're here with them. Whatever that is, you've got to figure out a way to get your point across. Most likely with your business, you want these readers to buy something from you, to hand over the dough. It's the only way the relationship can continue! If not, they can still be friends but we both know that will never work. They'll check your blog posts for a while but will eventually fall out of touch.

So, you've got the charming stuff going for you, I assume. The blog is going well, but do you have goals in place? Do you even know what you want out of this relationship? You should probably figure that out and then find a way to work it into the conversation or else you might be just wasting your time.

2. Do you recognize the distinction between community and customers in your internet world?

I have to admit, I've avoided the craft community for a long time. It's not that I don't like crafty people because I really do - they are incredibly interesting - but I grew up in a crafty househould. On weekends, we went to craft fairs and walked around gathering ideas of things to make at home. We were big DIY'ers. When I started Queen B Quilts and wanted to spread the word, I decided to do a couple of craft fairs and do you know what happened? Crafty ladies would come to my table, ask me how I make my quilts and then say "thanks!" and walk away. I know they were just going to take that info home with them and do it themselves - meanwhile, it cost me $50 and day of sitting in one place to leave with no sales.

In fact, I've been fascinated by handmade businesses for a long time. How do they survive? Who is buying this stuff? It always seems to me that they are just marketing to other crafty people who are probably just taking the idea and not buying a darn thing.

Now, I'm completely ignoring the many many benefits of being involved in a craft community, but that's beside the point. If you're marketing to people who know how to make your product, you need a better marketing plan [or maybe a new product - I'll get to that another time]. Who are your customers? Where do they hang out? What do they do on the weekend? How old are they? Do they shop online? Do they even read blogs?!?!

This is probably the most important thing you need to identify in your business plan (whether it's written down or in your head), who is buying what you're selling? Figure that out and go find them. Your product or service should be solving a problem that your customer has. Diane said tonight that she looks for "no brainer" moments, where your customer doesn't even need to think before saying "oh yeah - I'll pay for that!" What is it that you're offering that might make someone immediately pull out their credit card?

I think the key idea here is to have a clear and compelling idea and then find the people who could really use it. [side note: this could be one of those "chicken or the egg" scenarios... may need to discuss this again later] And remember that the free content you're giving out is only creating a pleasing atmosphere for your customers. It most likely isn't going to drive your sales, but it's definitely not hurting them either.

It's a complicated world out there. Hold fast!

10 Principles to Live By

2011-07-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

It really feels like Monday for me today, since I've had a friend visiting from out of town (read: lots of eating and drinking and no work).

So, I was glad to see this motivating little article today about finding integrity and authenticity at work. I find these 10 principles to be useful to everyone, whether you work in a big company or not.

Out of the 10, I'd like to highlight a few that stood out to me:

"Excellence is an unrelenting struggle, but it's also the surest route to enduring satisfaction"
This has been echoing in my head lately. Carving out your own path is rough, for sure but keeping this as a mantra has been helpful to me. It has taken me this far in life to finally have some grasp on what it means to be satisfied and what I need to get there. However, I have to constantly remind myself that it's because of this that I do what I do. Not for fame and fortune. Not because it's the easier path to take. I realize that just knowing what I want in life makes me pretty lucky. I'm not about to ignore this opportunity.

(via wit+delight)
"You need less than you think you do"
Personally, I find that owning a lot of things can be burdensome. I recently cleared out some furniture from my work space and I immediately felt more creative. Sometimes you actually need the space to think. Also, owning fewer things means that you'll have less stuff to worry about.

"Meaning isn't something you discover, it's something you create, one step at a time."
Blogging has helped me realize this, because when I look back over the things I have chosen to write down it's much easier to see the common thread running through it all. Even when I was confused or unsure about life, it still seems to fit into the grander plan.

Reading

2011-06-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a lot about supporting local economies lately... I'm still working out my thoughts, but here are some great articles.

Support Your Local Business - Invest In It

Lessons from BALLE in Bellingham

And this article about the top trends of 2011
Top 10 Trends for 2011

I would really like to get involved in some kind of community business group or city planning committee. I am completely fascinated by it all!

Cool Things

2011-06-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

via Revelment

via Knife and Saw
via Swissmiss

via againstthewoodgrain

via Wheelmen & Co.

I've Got Confidence

2011-06-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

I'm trying something new... I read this article at Inc.com of an interview with former Yahoo executive Tim Sanders. He has written a book called Today We Are Rich. He spent a period of his life in what he calls "sideways years." He wasn't necessarily moving backward in his career but he certainly wasn't moving forward.

He has some good advice in the article and I'm definitely curious to read his whole book. I think we all find ourselves lacking confidence from time to time. Especially as entreprenuers. There are so many things to deal with and it can be difficult when you feel it's just you against the world, fighting for your spot in the market.

Sanders suggests that you give more, in a charitable manner, in order to boost your sense of well being. He even gets a little bit scientific about why it's such a good thing. But the advice I'm going to try out, because it seems such a simple thing, is about media intake.

He explains that the internet is pretty much full of garbage and we should be careful about what we are filling our brains up with every day because it might have a lasting effect on our confidence and ultimately our success. His suggestion: no internet, news, facebook, twitter, email, etc. for the first 30 minutes of your day.

This is exactly what my morning is. Wake up. Grab phone. Check email. Facebook. Twitter. Repeat if necessary.

So, today I tried something new. Actually got out of bed when my alarm went off! Turned on some lovely music (Fleet Foxes). Did some yoga. Ate breakfast. Then checked my email. I definitely feel more calm and collected than usual. It's also sunny today so that might have something to do with it. Either way, I plan to try this for at least the next few weeks and see how it goes. Let me know if you do the same!

How to Decide

2011-06-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I find myself sitting in my chair staring blankly into space, trying to figure out what to do next... why are decisions so hard to make? Especially those little ones like when it's 7pm and I'm starving and just staring at my open refrigerator and I end up deciding to just go watch tv instead of eating something. It makes no sense.

Let me make a decision for you, read this article. It contains 5 tips on daily decision making. The tips are surprisingly interesting and useful. Don't overthink it.

Bounce

2011-06-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

I've decided to bring this blog back to life! So let's get started...

Do you know how well your website is doing? I have to admit, sometimes I stay up until midnight just so I can check my stats on Google Analytics (is it sad that it might be one of the most exciting parts of my day?). I'm slowly figuring out how the whole thing works, but I've been curious about the "bounce rate."

So, in a short explanation, the bounce rate is a percentage number given to you to show how many people leave your page after only visiting the main page. The lower the number, the better. Why does it matter? Because the lower your number, the higher your google search ranking and we all know that higher google ranking equals more money in your pocket. Also, the bounce rate really seems to reflect the quality of your website. If people find your site confusing and aren't sure where to go next... they probably give up.

I like to think about it in terms of a retail store or restaurant. You probably have something in mind that you are looking for when you walk through the doors. What is it? Once you're inside, do you know where to look?

I often go searching for pretty random things that sometimes can only be found in those evil big box stores... after wandering for what seems like hours sometimes, I often give up. That's what you want to avoid on your website. On my site, Queen B Quilts, people are most likely searching for t-shirt quilting services and what do they want to know? How much is this gonna cost me? So rather than hide that little detail I have the link listed at the top of the page and along the side. Don't make people go through some song and dance to get what they really want.

Gonzoblog has some tips on how to improve your bounce rate. It's good for business and it will probably greatly improve the design of your website as well! Do not overdesign - personal pet peeve of mine!

Coffee

2011-02-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

/tea talk/

Get Your Hands Dirty

2011-02-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

/miss indie/

Shut Up and Say Something

2011-02-07T22:59:00.000-08:00

we come to this world armed with curiosity
and amazement
edit the unsent letters of my life into a one word statement
yes

yes
to romantic flashlight lit dinners when you run out of candles
to handles on pillows so you can hold on to your dreams
to the underdog dog sled teams that use angry cats instead of canines
to landmines filled with confetti

to the steady hands of friends that live like surgeons
operating on our broken hearts
building pacemakers from the spare parts of mercy
we spend most of our lives figuring out what we don't want

we haunt ourselves with regret
because we almost always bet the odds
we play it safe
we waste time wondering
what if we're wrong?
what if we fail? what if we lose? what then?

well
then you're a loser

but you're not alone
there's a legion of us that have been shot down
on a long enough timeline
everyone fails

there's an entire universe made up of the unsent secret crush emails
a hollow sky filled with the lost details of what it feels like to never know
because we go about our lives never having tried
feeling justified in our 'what if' excuses

what if he, she, they, them, that, it
what if it didn't?
and I ask
what if it did?

the kid in me says yes to everything
the love in me says
shut up and say something

Shane Koyczan

Awesome

2011-02-07T22:31:00.000-08:00

This talk was equally depressing and inspiring.

Email? I'll get to it later.

2011-01-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

As I understand it, most people aren't as crazy as I am about upkeep on email inboxes. These 10 tips about email etiquette seem very useful for those who feel inundated with mail on a regular basis.

Here's to conquering email in 2011!

MySpace

2011-01-13T19:42:00.000-08:00

My unsturdy bookcase full of literary gems like Wine Trails of Washington (should probably get the Oregon version now) and Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People by Amy Sedaris.

Yes, that horse is missing a leg.

The blank canvas either represents a world of possibilities or it's a sign of my procrastination.

This picture represents how cheap I am - or rather that I spend all of my money on musical instruments.

Couch made from a moving pallet, some foam from the as-is section of IKEA, wool from the sale bin at the Pendleton outlet and some wine boxes found in my mom's garage.

Coffee table compliments of Microsoft.

Paint by numbers of the ocean, 50 cents at the B Street thrift store in Aberdeen.

Nearly complete set of Seinfeld, won at trivia night.

I'm addicted to Pendleton Wool (curtains, 2 blankets and dust ruffle. Not sure where the rug originated).

I pray every night that these shelves don't fall down.
**UPDATE** The bottom shelf did, in fact, fall down.

The biggest bathroom I have ever occupied. I could probably fit a small bed in here.

Aberdeen

2011-01-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

Oh, Hello 2011

2011-01-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking for the last 2 hours about how bored I am and that I should just go to bed and then I remembered that I have a blog that needs some attention and here I am!

Needless to say, I'm in a bit of a writing slump. I've had some good ideas of topics to write about lately but I'm feeling less than inspired. I blame the year 2011... or maybe placing blame is a bad idea - don't want to get off on the wrong foot. But, nevertheless, I feel the weight of the year ahead on my shoulders and I've been working up the courage to get started on my many projects and goals.

I've been spending the last week trying to get my new apartment in order. It's coming along slowly. I am most excited about the little office/sewing space I'm creating in one corner (it's a studio, so this work space is far from perfect) of the apartment. I'm hoping this will open the doors to inspiration and some good old-fashioned hard work.

Also, I'm debating many things in my mind as always. Mostly, as far as career and business goes, I would like to get a clear vision for the next year and possibly further in order to decide on some goals and begin the pursuit. But I'll wait until I get the desk set up...

I'm Still Here

2010-12-15T10:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been busy but it's no excuse. The good news is that I found a place to live in the CITY! So no more long commutes and country living/isolation from civilization. Lesson learned: I'm not a country dweller. I can't do it - mostly because it requires a lot of daily planning. A trip into town takes a lot of effort, so it would always require a great deal of thinking and long lists to make sure I got the most out of each trip. I also learned that my comfort level and general happiness seems to hinge on the distance between my home and a good coffee shop.

So, I'm excited to get to know my new neighborhood Foster-Powell. You'll probably find me hanging out reading some zines at Guapo Coffee or setting up my hammock at Mt. Scott Park.

It's Like Magic!

2010-11-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

I FINALLY HAVE INTERNET AT HOME!

Let's celebrate with the best song in the world.

Sun

2010-11-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

How can you not?

2010-11-07T01:55:00.000-07:00

JK asks,

"It's like, how does anyone start their own business? How is it even possible? How do they deal with the crippling fear and harsh economic realities?"

Some people believe that if you have a good job, you shouldn't start your own gig, because it's foolish to give up a job you can't easily replace.

And some people believe that if you don't have a great job, it's foolish to waste time (and the money you can ill afford to lose) starting something when you'd be a lot better off getting a great job or going to school until you do.

And both groups are missing the point.

The people who successfully start independent businesses (franchises, I think are a different thing) do it because we have no real choice in the matter. The voice in our heads won't shut up until we discover if we're right, if we can do it, if we can make something happen. This is an art, our art, and to leave it bottled up is a crime.

I guess the real question, JK, is, "How can you not do it?"

-Seth Godin

Day of Rest

2010-10-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

Working from home can often cause me to work all the time: late into the night, on weekends, at times when I'm tired but I just want to finish one... more... thing. So, today, I'm taking the day off. I put away all of my projects last night (around 11pm) and decided I wouldn't look at them for at least one day. It's been a relaxing day so far.

My life hasn't been all work though...

I went up to Seattle to see Miike Snow at the Showbox a couple of weeks ago. Concerts at the Showbox Sodo are usually a good time. I went by myself, which was a little bit weird since I've never done that before, but I enjoyed it. I really had no idea so many people were such big fans. And there seemed to be a lot of "frat boys" which surprised me even more. Nevertheless... it was great.

Emily (my roomie) and I went on a winery tour at Ponzi Winery's new location, which isn't typically open to the public. I love wineries and this one was at a beautiful location and it was a unique experience to get so close to the wine making process. We got to taste a few of their Reserve wines and had lunch with the tour group.

After the wine tour we stopped at this extremely random farm event with a little pumpking patch, a giant inflatable apple and a couple of farm animals. I really want a goat.

Influencers

2010-10-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

INFLUENCERS TRAILER from R+I creative on Vimeo.

Good News

2010-10-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

I finally discovered the library and their high speed internet (ps - Starbucks internet is horrible).

Facebook for Small Business

2010-10-14T11:49:00.001-07:00

I've been contemplating the endless possibilities of social media as a promotional and community building tool, so this case-study of a South Carolina restaurant, Bistro 17, seemed poignant.

How do you use facebook to promote your business without becoming an annoyance? I've been thinking a lot about that fine line and I'm in the process of developing my full strategy. Mostly, I'm trying to find ways to add value to my products and to the user's experience and of course, building community. It seems Bistro 17 did a really great job of choosing ways to add value to their business and that were targeted specifically towards the crowd they were looking to attract.

Profile Photo

2010-10-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

I really like the idea of blowing up a photo... but what seems cute for a 5-year-old might seem more self-absorbed in my case.

(via sfgirlbybay)

Sideways

2010-10-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

So. Crazy.

Life

2010-10-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

Lots going on here! Here's an update...

-Moved down south to the countryside of Vancouver, WA. I'm planning on moving to Portland by spring because I have quickly realized that I'm not a country girl. I love the place and the quiantness of it all, but I'm just so darn far from any form of entertainment. Knitting is only fun for so long.

-I'm busy cutting and sewing with Queen B Quilts and hoping to get my name out here in Portland. It might take some time to build that up and I might need to do some strategizing. The good news is that I should be getting some awesome photos from my recent shoot with Mike Folden Photography and also a new website, coming soon!

-I had a recent sale at a craft fair with my Hey Jude Vintage and Crafts business and I'm looking for more opportunities. I really enjoyed spending the day socializing with the other vendors and showing people what I've got! I'm also looking into becoming a vendor with a Portland vintage shop, so I'll update you soon with that information.

-I got a part-time job working with fix studio in Portland and with their furniture exhibition called Show2010. Please stop by and say hello!

-I'm blogging about music for Culturemob.com in Portland. Thus far, I have written one article! I have been a slow starter but I'm hoping to get organized enough to start researching shows and actually attending them as well so I can really dive into the music culture of the area. I am so excited about this, especially discovering new local bands as well as supporting my Seattle favorites when they travel this way.

So, that's me in a nutshell. I feel like things are really taking off and I'm so excited about it. I also really really really love Portland. It's similar to Seattle in many ways, but it's even more down to earth, creative and friendly and that makes me really happy!

Picnic?

2010-09-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

This is a fun and cute idea. Get the Urban Picnic Box from Boxsal.

Fall

2010-09-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

(via Cuba Gallery)

(via MorBCN)

(via Pete Barr-Watson)

(via po-dad)

Afraid Not to Try

2010-09-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

Should I be more stressed? I mean, I'm moving in a week. A WEEK! As of now, I have not packed. My apartment is actually in disarray as I work on multiple crafty projects and I always seem to be staying anywhere but home.

I had an interesting offer to return to work for a previous employer this week. I really really liked working at this place and the job offer wasn't so bad either. BUT... but... I'm crazy and I have decided to go ahead with my original plan to be a struggling artist and small business owner.

I used to make a point of always choosing the riskier or seemingly more challenging option but in past years it seems I have been making choices based on a need for security. It's hard to say when this change happened, but I'm putting a stop to it now.

So far, following my dreams has been really exciting, scary, strange, and confusing... and I'm barely getting started.

(via theresesennerholtshop.se)
(via bees knees)

Does Your Brand Have Influence?

2010-09-19T19:49:00.001-07:00

What is Brand Anyways? from Urban Influence on Vimeo.

I Want One!

2010-09-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

A horrible logo for only $5!

Collaborative Consumption

2010-09-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

This looks like a good one! Read more about it at swissmiss.

Ready, Set...

2010-09-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

Running a business is hard work! It has been made more difficult by the fact that I'm still working my full time job and trying to grow this business to be big enough to support myself by the 17th of September, but... whew.

I'm constantly trying to keep up with customers, update facebook, twitter, find people to work with on websites, photography, advertising, posting on craigslist and other classifieds, getting all of my paperwork and legal stuff in line, reqruiting new customers, and... oh yeah... actually making my product. It's been a hectic few weeks and I bounce between wondering if I'm actually making any progress!

I am so ready to go for this full time!

Want

2010-08-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

I've got some news. Three weeks from today I will be leaving my full-time event planning gig. It has been a really interesting experience and I have learned a lot, particularly about management - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I am very excited to see what happens next in my career and I'm sure big things lie ahead of me. But, I will definately take what I've learned here along with me wherever I go.

This train of thought was sparked by this article from inc.com: 10 Things Employees Want Most. You tell me, if you got all of the things on this list from your workplace, would you ever leave?

1. Employees want purpose.
2. Employees want goals.
3. Employees want responsibility.
4. Employees want autonomy.
5. Employees want flexibility.
6. Employees want attention.
7. Employees want opportunities for innovation.
8. Employees want open-mindedness.
9. Employees want transparency.
10. Employees want compensation.

After years of management classes in business school, I think this sums everything up very well. When it comes time for me to be a manager of my staff, I plan to post this prominently on my office wall.

From the Desk of...

2010-08-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

As you can see from my Strengthsfinder Signature Themes, I'm a bit Futuristic.

So, I'm visualizing the future in my new trailer.

My Vintage Year

2010-08-18T21:44:00.001-07:00

I know I am crazy.

But I'm also crazy for vintage travel trailers and my birthday is coming up so...

What if a bunch of people gave me a couple of bucks and I could buy this little baby!

Let's get real here. This thing costs $2000. I have officially applied to have this project hosted by Kickstarter.com but that's a bit of a process.

My plan: Buy this trailer and turn it into my craft studio/home if I become homeless for some reason. I would totally remodel the thing, paint it, throw my Queen B Quilts logo up there. It would be amazing.

So, I'm not kidding (please refer yourself here, here, here, andhere. Help me out! You can give me a really great birthday gift and hopefully it will add up to a number that will warrant me buying this cute 1955 Vintage Duggan canned ham. If I don't get at least $1400 from this fundraising effort I will return all of your hard earned money (just make sure your mailing address is correct).

Thanks guys!

Thinking Outside the Box

2010-08-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

As you may, or may not have noticed I own a t-shirt quilting business. For the last four years I have been creating custom quilts for folks and it has been really great and just the right amount of work I was willing to do in my extra time, after the full-time job was finished.

However, I started thinking that I should get more creative with this business. When I had only been targeting a very specific group of people based on the product I offered: people who don't know how to sew. So I started to think outside of the box and came up with a few new ideas, one of which finally came to fruition tonight!

I am teaching t-shirt quilting classes! The first one was at Assemble Gallery & Studio in Greenwood and I am hoping to offer these classes at other crafty locations. From there, I thought... Why not in people's homes? I am hoping to get some attention about this opportunity to host a t-shirt quilting party.

This is one of my favorite parts about business - creating something new! Brainstorming! Putting an idea out there and seeing who grabs it! I was told that my class actually gets the most interest of all the classes offered at Assemble and that it might be in the upcoming Sunset Magazine... I am OVER THE MOON about that.

The class tonight was super fun and I can't wait until the second part next week! Lovin' my life as a business owner!

The Board

2010-08-17T20:56:00.000-07:00

How do you stay motivated as a solopreneur? I've been asking myself that question because I am a people person and, quite frankly, the businesses I run very rarely involved working with others except for my customers. BUT have you considered having a Board of Directors for your freelance life? I have heard this idea... somewhere (forgot)... but many large, publicly-traded companies as well as all not-for-profit organizations have a Board of Directors to help in making decisions and so, why not your business too?

Ok, you might have to do some serious schmoozing to get some people on the board if you don't have the cash to pay them for this but I think it could be an informal group. Maybe just a few specific people you meet up with or talk to each week to discuss your new marketing or product ideas and get some feedback.

I have had a few friends ask me for business advice recently and due to the fact that I LOVE small business, I am totally psyched to help them out. Obviously it's one of my favorite subjects so why would I say no? I'm sure there are many others out there like me.

I love this idea and I'm thinking right now who I should pick. It could even be a group of other business owners that gather each week to drink coffee and talk business. I think it would be worth it. You would stay grounded and motivated (and caffienated).

Startup Quotes

2010-08-03T12:16:00.000-07:00

via Startup Quote!

A List

2010-08-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

Obviously, things have been a little crazy around here lately. I'm still limping quite a bit due to my sprained ankle and I've been all over the place trying to run my summer events. In about 2 weeks things should be slowing down again (finally!).

Here are a few things I've been reading about lately:

-When Less is More in Consumer Choice

-Are you an Early Bird Entreprenuer?

-Retail Analytics

-Researching Packaging Design for a new project I'm working on

-Finding new things to do on Friday Nights

Pirate Radio

2010-07-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

I found a movie that combines many of my favorite things: rock music, the 1960's, boats, rebels, and random dance parties. Pirate Radio is a british comedy about a station, Radio Rock, which battles the government in order to play the music they love. It is full of great music and I also love the cinematography. I also liked feeling like I was on a boat with these guys.
Since I was so impressed with the visuals, I thought I would throw some up here.

Crutchy

2010-07-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

This has been my view for nearly the last two weeks. I sprained my ankle at a wedding in Portland on the 3rd (no, not while jumping for the bouquet) and today was the first day that I found I could stand while putting my right foot flat on the floor. Still can't walk without crutches, which is mildly frustrating.
So, I'm not here to complain, just give an update. After a vacation through southern Oregon spent mostly sitting sideways in the backseat of a car, one leg on a cooler, listening to Radiolab and trying to stay cool in the 100 degree weather I have been on the couch working from my sister's home (I live in a 3rd floor apartment with no elevator).

I have spent more time staring at the tv in these last two weeks than I probably have in the last year and I'm totally caught up on all the reality drama of Bravo and Anthony Bourdain's most recent exploits.
It has been an interesting experience being so dependent on others. Acquiring food is particularly trying at times. If I'm hungry and alone, I basically have to eat standing in the kitchen since I can't carry anything while crutching along. I'm kind of wondering if there is some obvious trick to this stuff that I'm not figuring out. What do people do if they break a leg?!
I'm just thankful it only knocked me out of routine for a few weeks and not a few months.

I've Got Personality

2010-07-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

A study from the Guardian Life Index lists six characteristics of entreprenuers. It's good to know that I have similar personality traits to successful small business owners.

Collaborative
Success-oriented small business owners understand how to delegate effectively to
others within their business as well as build strong personal relationships with their management team, employees, consultants, vendors and customers. They are more
committed “to creating opportunities for others.”
Self-fulfilled
Success-oriented small business owners place a high value on the personal fulfillment
and gratification that their companies provide them, relishing the self-determination and respect that comes from being their own boss and being in control of their personal income and long-term net worth. They are more desirous of “doing something for a living that I love to do,” “being able to decide how much money I make” and “being able to have the satisfaction of creating something of value.”
Future-focused
Planning for both the short- and long-term future are key traits that characterize
success-oriented small business owners. They are more focused on cash flow and more
likely to have “a well thought out plan to run our business for years into the future” as well as “a well thought out plan to run our business day to day.”
Curious
Success-oriented small business owners are more open to learning how others run their businesses. They actively seek best practice insights regarding management, business innovation, prospecting and finding/motivating/retaining employees.
Tech-savvy
Technology is a key point of leverage for success-oriented small business owners. They more intensely value their company’s website and are significantly more likely to “rely a great deal on technology to help make our business more effective and more efficient.”
Action oriented
Finally, success-oriented small business owners are more proactive in taking initiative to build their businesses. They are more committed to “taking the business to the next level,” “differentiating ourselves from our competitors” and “having something to sell when I’m ready to retire.” They also see adversity as “a kick in the rear to help move you forward.” Not surprisingly, they are less concerned than other small business owners about the overall state of the economy.

Read the full report here or another article about it here.

Weekend!

2010-07-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted since Monday... I had no idea! Where did the week go? Well, I suppose it could have something to do with me trying to get all of my work done for my summer programs along with some side projects before my friends are in town for a long weekend.

I am so excited for this weekend! It will include kayaking, riding the Ducks, food, food and more food, rooftop bars, hilarious friends, Portland (!!), camping, and of course fireworks!

Tiny Office

2010-06-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

Speaking of Tiny Houses, how about a Tiny Office?

I think I need a job where this makes any kind of sense. At this point I don't, but someday!! I'll just have to get creative since I do not have a green thumb. Not even close.

I was thinking that maybe I should get a trailer like this for my great American road trip and deck it out with a bed and a desk.
Thanks Sunset! You always keep me focused on the important things.

Tiny House How-To

2010-06-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

NPR is offering some advice on how to get your own Tiny House. Unfortunately I don't live in Vermont, otherwise I might be spending some time learning how to build one of these masterpieces.

I also think I need to check out this web series Tiny Yellow House, specifically because they described it as Wayne's World meets This Old House. Perfect!

Queen B Quilts

2010-06-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

Business has picked up a bit for Queen B Quilts, my t-shirt quilting business adventure which I started four years ago. I haven't put much effort into advertising or sales, but have relied merely on word of mouth, facebook and my blog to get my name out there. I have had the right amount of sales for my needs and wants up until now. However, I'm considering an expansion of sorts.

Recently, I approached the store Assemble in hopes of partnering to host quilting classes at their shop. We will be offering this class (a two parter) in July. I'm really excited by this idea of teaching a group to make their own quilts, because... well, I'm a social person and quilting alone in my apartment doesn't really thrill me. Just having the class listed on their website has boosted visits to my blog and facebook sites.

So, now I'm starting to think I could really take this somewhere. I have a few ideas I would like to implement as soon as I get a second to really concentrate on this project. I don't ever want to veer away from t-shirt quilting, but I'm trying to find new ways to offer it to everyone.

Stay tuned...

Frugalista

2010-06-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

The Frugal Traveler, Matt Gross, spent a summer traveling across the US on $100 a day. I think I could do it for less, but I'm still taking notes.

Piano Man

2010-06-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

New York, you continue to impress me! Yet another take on "keys to the city" here with instalation/interactive art.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I don't think would work here in Seattle. Too many hills and rain.

Lanch Party

2010-06-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

What is the point of a "product launch" and is it right for you? Here is a useful how-to from Inc. Magazine.

Steps:
1. Determine Your Purpose
2. Scout Your Location
3. Give Your Audience a Reason To Go
4. Follow Up

They also warn that holding a product launch event isn't for everyone, especially in cases of today's super busy, triple-booked customers.

I will be taking this advice and also thinking creatively about how a re-imagined product launch might look in the era of the busy and easily distracted mentality.

McMenamins

2010-06-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

This is really exciting stuff! The McMenamins family is coming to Seattle! Well, Seattle-ish. And really I guess we do already have McMenamins' pubs here, here and here, but this is what I've been hoping for.
I frequent the Kennedy School in Portland whenever I can, so I really hope that this new renovated school they are setting up in Bothell is comparably awesome.

Post 101...

2010-06-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

... and I'm ready to hit the road.

New goal: Save up enough money to quit everything and take my life on the road for at least 3 months.

Jennifer O'Keefe has lived my dream. See her pictures of The Great American Road Trip.

Listening to: The Helio Sequence

I Need A Nap

2010-06-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

This might be the best looking and most inviting bed I've ever seen. I love small spaces, especially bedrooms where the bed is crammed in a corner. I also enjoy the messiness of the bedding and the fact that it's right up against a window. Perfect for lazy weekends and people watching.

Get Noticed

2010-06-14T11:19:00.001-07:00

7 Ideas for Generating Buzz for your Business

Sculptivate

2010-06-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

Cleverness from ROOT.

Popsicle Picnic

2010-06-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Cute idea for a Popsicle Picnic via DesignSponge.

As soon as it's warm enough to eat a popsicle in Seattle, I will do this.

Key to the City

2010-06-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

New York is having a giant scavenger hunt!

New idea: Create city wide Seattle Scavenge.

Saved!

2010-06-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

Finally! A good way to save all of the links I find without clogging up my favorites bar or frantically posting everything on this blog!
Thanks SwissMiss

Phone Phobia

2010-06-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Are you afraid of the phone? It seems we might be a new generation with a phone phobia. I don't think any official studies have been done, but I know that I don't particularly love using the phone and I've heard many friends and peers say the same.

A comment on the linked post above says that it's not fear but inefficiency that keeps them from using the phone, to which I agree. I often get phone calls where people are asking for documents to be emailed to them and then I have to get their email address (hoping I don't misspell something) and email them back anyway. I would just prefer an email in the first place. I'm also just a person who really likes to get to the point and I think email or text messaging does a nice job of that.

Another reason I prefer email or text is that it's always in my face. I mean, when people call and leave a voicemail, I sometimes delete it and then forget about it. I rarely delete emails or texts so everytime I check those, your name is still sitting there waiting for a response.

So now you know why I don't answer my phone.

Quick Starts

2010-06-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

I always seem to be in a search to define myself through a test or put myself into a category, and judging by the number of personality/temperament tests out there I think most of us are searching for definition too.

Anyway, back down to earth. Inc. has a two parter on Entrepreneur personalities! I got a little bit lost in the first part, since I'm not much of a baseball fan but part two really lays it out nicely.

I didn't take any test, but I know myself well enough to know exactly which category I fit into right away.

“Quick Starts” enjoy initiating new things. They are creative problem solvers and think laterally. Easily bored, Quick Starts tend to begin lots of projects but need help finishing any of them.

I've managed to teach myself to stop starting so many projects, but that desire is always ALWAYS there. As Lewis Carroll wrote in Through the Looking Glass, "Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

My challenge is, as always, how do I put this strength to good use? I often think this is a good skill for millionaires who don't mind losing a few bucks on a new business or at least have a few bucks to get something off the ground. How can I find a way (within my means) to put my creativity to work?

Backyard Party

2010-06-09T14:05:00.001-07:00

I keep wishing I had a backyard so I could have an outdoor party of some kind (not that the weather is cooperating either). Rachel Ray has some fun outdoor party ideas. I particularly enjoy this Backyard Rose Party idea. Maybe you could host this and invite me. :)

Wish I Was Here

2010-06-09T13:39:00.001-07:00

via random
via sfgirlbybay
via sfgirlbybay

Gadgets and the Multitasking Myth

2010-06-09T13:36:00.000-07:00

Interesting article from the NY Times: Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price