Jamie's Blog

WAHM & WM Support

April 26,2006.

WAHM -Work At Home Mom, this is what I was for three years.  Now am I a WM - Working Mom?  Or a Mompreneur?  Am I a WMM?  Or, since I am not full time and I do work remote for part of the work week I guess that would make me a WAH&WMM.....oh gosh, my head hurts.

Now that I do spend part of my time outside of the home a good caregiver for my children is key.

Working Mom's, whether it is out of the home or out of an office both work - and both need caregivers or daycare, or babysitters.  Having run a business out of my home without ANY childcare help, I know it is close to impossible, and very un-fulfilling.  Working Mom's need a good support system to succeed in life and in business.

Tonight at dinner, my son brought up a Nanny we had for all of two weeks-almost 3 years ago.  I hired her when I was running the business out of my home, I was the only employee.  She seemed like the perfect fit, we Nanny shared with another family.  I liked her on site, she was soft spoken sweet and kind, very grandmotherly.  Strangely enough, my son did not like her - mind you he was four, but he liked EVERYBODY.  We ofcourse found this out later.

Week One....good

Week Two....Not so good

She decided, she needed a raise.  She thought I would cave.  Her boyfriend thought she was worth more money.  I said good-bye and spent the next 6 months without any help.  It was hell.  And Christmas was horrible - lots of TV, lots of take-out, lots of lack of sleep.  I did learn a valuable lesson though, running a business is tough, entrusting your children with someone that is not loyal or does not want to really be there - unacceptable.

Today we use a college student, part-time, she is wonderful, the kids love her.  The money we spend is well worth it.....so that in our free time we are able to spend it with our kids.  Whether you run your business in your home or out of the home, a great support system is key. 

I never worry about my children's well being while I am work.  When starting a business you have to think about these things......

Competition...we've covered this

April 25, 2006.

To pay attention to your competition or not, this is the question.  There are definitely two schools of thoughts on this subject.  Either you pay attention, or you don't.  There are pro's and con's to both also.

So, let's say you don't pay attention.....you work merrily away, you pick up sales channels, you develop new products when you feel the need.  You may go to trade shows, but only to get new sales.  You may make calls, but you work in a vacuum.  You decide that YOU know the trends best.  You decide what to do, and who to do...um, do it to, or with.  You are totally in control and you don't give a 'you know what' about anyone else.

What is wrong with this picture?

Well.....first of all it is very vain and ignorant to not pay attention to what your competition is doing.  For example, I found out a competitor was cutting their prices, slashing them to be exact.  I took this as a good sign.  Reason: they are trying to grab sales, they are scrambling to get sales.  I see this as a weakness, and I found it out by trolling different websites and realizing they had free shipping and even discounts on their products.

Secondly, they may be crawling up your backside, trying to under cut your partnerships.  Checking out their websites, talking to other people in the industry will keep you up to date on their plans, their products.  Now, don't get me wrong, it may be speculation but I have always gone with the thought, "Information is good, even if it is bad- knowing is ALWAYS better than not knowing".

You have to have your eyes and ears open at all times - do not obsess over it, but by all means be aware of it.  This will keep you one step ahead of your competition.....and your sanity.

sticky notes - everywhere

April 19, 2006.

My 3 1/2 year old loves to draw my pictures on sticky notes.  She writes her name, she asks how to spell things, she draws faces, animals...quite the artist (um, I should know).  In fact, she has been know to leave them all over the house, and for two weeks on every door in the house.  The poor  friend got quite a lecture when she tried to remove them from their designated spots.  She also leaves them around my office, on my computer, in my pocket - little pictures and what she calls 'notes'.

I thought about these notes as I was reading, Fortune Small Business Magazine, http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb// ( I am a bit behind on my reading).  Anyhoo....The Small Biz Makeover section mentions Fox Relocation Management use of sticky notes...the phone had been covered by sticky notes on which an RFM employee had scribbled data, prices, contacts. etc.  She goes on to say that all their intellectual property was lost.  Um....that would be MY desk.

The ah-ha moment struck me a little too early this morning....gave me a headache in fact.  I have a pile (yes a pile enough to make a new pad of sticky notes) on my desk.  I have contacts, new stores, new ideas, processes, phone numbers, clients, customers, press contacts, did I mention phone numbers?  So my first instinct was to run over to the office (in my pajamas of course) and put the information into a document...............ah but what document?  And who else should have access to that information? 

All of that information is so important to my business, I need to get it into the correct documents.  When my life is crazy or out of control, I find that getting my work, or desk or paperwork organized and in the correct place helps me out.  I am thinking of giving my daughter all the sticky notes so I am not tempted to use them.

Take a step back....way back

April 18, 2006.

Have you ever had a friend or confidant complain about a problem that they could not figure out?  They go on and on about it, and they just can NOT put their finger on the solution.  You, being able to stand outside of their 'circle of self-pity' can see EXACTLY what the problem is.  You are so smart, you KNOW all.  Now, can you tell them what they are doing wrong?  Probably not....

Being the business owner you need always to figure out the problem.  This is a daunting task and one that most people have trouble with.  You know there is a problem, you know you need to fix it and you KNOW the answer is there, you just can not quite put your finger on it.

Two years ago (almost to the day) we changed a major component of the way we manufactured our products.  When the discussion came up months earlier I held my ground, put my head in the sand (Ala ostrich), drew the line that could not be crossed - I refused to make the leap.  I could not see the big picture, I was being very pig headed and I was making LOTS of assumptions.  I assumed our customers would not be happy with the change, I assumed that no one would sell my products, I assumed wrong (as my uh, husband will reminds me).

Taking that leap of faith (you know the one where everyone said we told you so) taught me a valuable lesson.  I am not always right, and I can not ignore a problem.  Even though I had not solved the problem, I had to be a part of the solution (damn I hated being wrong).

I have learned my lesson, and realized that change is good....it is very good.  Channels dry up, stores close, products lose their appeal, employees leave -  it happens.  However, when one door closes, another ALWAYS opens up.  A good entrepreneur sees the next big thing, sees where to fill in the gaps -always changing, always growing - never getting comfortable or complacent -this is a successful company.

So when a problem arises that you can not solve, or a catastrophe hits your company, stand back.......maybe another step back.

Bootstrapping

April 11, 2006.

Bootstrapping - A means of finding creative ways to support a start-up business until it turns profitable. This method may include negotiating delayed payment to suppliers and advances from potential partners and customers.

After 3 + years we are still doing this.  It's amazing the resources you find you have once you start telling people what you are doing.  People in general are willing to help you out, or refer you to someone who will.  If you tell a good story and they believe in your vision - ask for help, ask for favors.  What is the worst that can happen?

Here are the ways we have bootstrapped at JPD -

• Worked out of our garage for 3 years
• First employee worked for free
• First website done for free
• Second website design, logo, brochures done for 'close to free'
• For one year our Fed Ex driver did not charge a pick up fee
• Worked while having a play date with contract employee's kids - all summer
• Free office furniture on Craig's list
• Paid almost nothing for warehouse shelves & tables from company that was sold
• Free office chair on side of road
• Friend of my husband made our lobby sign, out of scraps -  (oh ya it was free too).
• Free office furniture from my Mom's company that was moving and buying new stuff
• Re-use shipping supplies and boxes from shipments
• PR company working with us, we do all the research ourselves, in house
• New Pet Product site being worked on by family friend that is a writer.  She won't take money so we send her flowers

Now, don't get me wrong, this is not the glamorous side of running a business.  However, you have got to be creative with your spending.  Now that we rent space I am sure I can be more creative....and as my husband says, "If you don't ask the question, how will you know the answer?"

The Only Way to Win

April 8,2006.

Succeeding in business can only be done one way:

A Success Story

Having come up with a new product to sell almost three years ago, I was able to start Jamie's Painting & Design.  It was a new way to personalize a child's room and we marketed it to boutiques, then websites, then bedding catalogs.  Soon other products came on the market with a similar look, and or feel.  Sometimes they copied my themes (please don't make me go there again), other times 'same concept but different medium'.  I could not win on product alone.

Lowering our prices to get the customer back seemed like a good strategy.  We played around with the idea, but decided against it.  Reason was, if we were selling on price and our sales may have picked up for a short time - our competitors would have done the same - a price war.  Our margins now suck and our brand is losing it's integrity, it's quality and we are not making any money.  We could not afford to do this.  I could not win on price.

What did we do? Nothing.

Stay the Course

We already had great customer service, our customers are very happy.  They come back.  Our sales channels are happy, they always get their problems fixed (yes all companies have problems).  We go the extra mile, where our competition won't go.  Include a coupon in direct sales, free gift wrap, rewards to repeat customers, or just a friendly voice and kind word when they call our office.  The customer may not always be right, but we always try to make it right.  We fix problems immediately, we take blame when we screwed up, we send notes to apologize, we return calls and emails promptly.  I always try to think how would I want to be treated if I were the customer.  We won on service.  I am not saying this is easy...

Selling on Service is the only way to win in Business.

This is the way to succeed. 

My husband always tell me (usually while I am ranting about something) that if it was easy EVERYBODY would start their own business.  Not sure if that makes me feel any better....but it is so true.

Live or Memorex?

April 6, 2006.

Websters Dictionary Definition:

copy v. IMITATE: mimic, ape; REPRODUCE: duplicate,counterfeit, forge, depict, portray

That about sums it up for me.  I hate, hate, hate copying, or plagiarism as I like to call it.  Having been an artist all my life (went to art school, I have the degree to prove it I am not a stay at home crafter mom.....uh, sorry), I have been 'copied' many times over.

Copying as a Kid 

The first time that comes to mind is fourth grade, I entered a drawing contest for the cover of an organization newsletter.  Always needing constant stroking I showed a good friend......so I thought.......she copied it and entered the contest also.  Exact same drawing, I kid you not.  She won the front cover, I won third place, the back cover.  My mother would lead me to believe it is the 'highest form of a compliment........uh, ya no it isn't.

If your company reaches any level of success or you find your products in a highly visible sales channel, you are going to invite imitation.  It is human nature to copy, or to imitate another.  It sucks.  I personally (as I am sure you can tell) have no toleration for it.

Lack of Talent

However, in my humble opinion, someone that blatantly copies your business model, a product, whatever, is not very creative.  Let's face it, it's easy to copy someone else's idea.  What is harder is to guess their next great idea.  While I am on my soap box, I realize I did NOT create ceramic tiles, I only figured out a way to put personalized artwork on them, and sell them. 

When I find myself angry as all hell over a competitors disregard for my original ideas, it inspires me to create more.  I go into serious R & D and it makes me MORE creative.  I am truly inspired to push my product line to the next level.  In a sense they have helped me.  This is a hard lesson learned, but one that is necessary to succeed.

Sadly though, I am also tempted to send the culprit's my new product catalog with a note 'in case you needed some inspiration.

You are going to sell WHAT?

April 1, 2006.

When is your line complete?  When do you stop tinkering and start selling?  These are questions I have to deal with on a daily basis.  I may see a hot new designer with a great bedding design..is it a fad or is it a trend?

Any good entrepreneur has to sense when it is time to develop new products and when it is time to, well um, get off the pot.  In the beginning, when sales were slow, development was all I did.  I would research, develop, research, show people, ask opinions - not a lot going on.  However, now I find that I get an urge to do some new product development and I first must find the time and now do the research and back it up with solid numbers as to WHY we need dinosaurs or robots or horses.

I have developed a few clinkers (which sucks), some were done with other companies (even worse) and it is always so painful when something does not do well.  The owner of a large company I design products with recently told me, 'Don't fall in love with it'.  She was so correct, because I have blinders on or rose colored glasses after painting a sample(or I am totally out of it).  Everything I do I TOTALLY (yes I did just watch Valley Girl on TV) fall in love with.  I now must take a step (or seven) back to really evaluate if this idea is a good one. 

If all else fails I will make the prototype for one of my kids so I can see it all the time.  Or I can just try to convince everyone else that MY idea is good....