I hope everyone is having some good eats and excellent holiday fun first and foremost. As a new and naive business owner for my company this year, I wanted to reflect and maybe pass on some advice to new comers who are getting into this just as I am.
When I started this back in January, I had no idea how to do taxes, sales taxes and all that jazz. I just knew I wanted to do what I love to do and make some money off of it. So I attended some semiars provided by the local city for business owners, business counselors and learned about how complicated putting together a business plan to present to the bank was. Which I have not yet done, because I'm still too scared of the rejection, lol. I did have to learn the art of organization with my receipts all year, which I had to make a nice little folder for all my tax exempt receipts, sales reciepts, etc... Which at this point in the end of the year was very helpful, and I'm not scrambling trying to organize a years worth of paperwork.
With the supplemental help of events and promotions, I was able to pay my bills all year by myself, which for anyone can be such a self fulfilling achievement. Even now that I got a regular Joe Job, I felt more accomplished making my Eclectic Visions money than I do now at my normal job.
Even if you are or aren't into the making clothes business, having shows (fashion shows, in my case) or craft shows to sell your products is the first step for introducing your items at a local level. Not many craft shows this year were successful for me, at all. But I'm glad I did them, each one is a learning experience which is always good for you (the business owner) whether positive or negative. I had 3 fashion shows this year, I met many amazing models, and networked with different photographers. Another thing I learned this year is to make sure you have your business cards on you at all times, whether you're at a craft/fashion show, or just walking around the mall on your day off. You'll never know when someone is looking for someone in your field of expertise and you don't have a card with you. You'll feel quite foolish, I know I did. lol
Goals for the New Year
For 2011, I want to branch out. Hopefully do some huge out of town craft fairs within TX like Austin or Dallas, really get my name out. I want to design new stuff, maybe even swim wear this year. I'm pretty sure there will be new fashion shows I'll get called back for this year, and I want to be ready when they do. I also want to be aggressive on magazine submissions, I'm already on one collaboration on that for a sci-fi mag in January. So I'm excited to do that, just more photoshoots, fairs, and shows. Write down your goals and meet them, nothing is unobtainable if you set your mind to it.
