Where I’ve Been and What I’ve Been Doing
If you visit Smaller Box regularly you may have noticed the posts haven’t been as frequent and I haven’t sent out newsletters lately. Why is this?
1. I’ve been super busy with my own business
For the longest time I had been balancing my work on my clothing and accessory label with tech work. I did it because I was making tons of money doing tech work but it was also keeping me from making as much money as I knew I could be making with Ex-Boyfriend. I finally gave up tech work entirely and have been 100% focused on Ex-Boyfriend, working 60-80 hours per week along-side by business partner and husband Matt Snow.
We’ve had laser-like focus on the wholesale side of our business and started partnerships with some pretty major retailers. Our eat-sleep-breathe obsession is getting our products in just about every US mall in the in the next 12 months. This hasn’t left me much time to do anything else, which brings me to my next point…
2. I’m not sure how to write for Smaller Box these days
Most of my readers are in a different place with their entrepreneurial endeavors. A lot of my readers are running one woman shows and have no desire to be huge or build a multi-million dollar brand. I’m not disparaging that choice, but it’s not where we are with our business.
In the time since I started blogging here the questions and business situations I hear about haven’t changed and I can’t give the same answers I gave a few years ago knowing what I know now. I used to encourage everyone to make their situation work and I can’t keep doing that.
Creating a successful business requires a much steeper time and financial investment than most people are prepared to make, and that’s the real reason many businesses don’t grow or fail entirely. I can’t cheerlead the cause of starting a business with only a few hundred bucks in your spare time because it’s not something I believe in. I think it’s a road to heartache and frustration and I can’t encourage it. Yes, you do hear success stories about people who made those start up conditions work, but it’s not the norm, it’s not something you should count on.
I am hoping to still get posts in when I have the time, but at this point I really only feel like I can cover topics that are relevant to where I am with my business currently and it may be topics that aren’t relateable to hobbyists. Hopefully it will still be material that will interest some of you and maybe bring in new readers who are in the same stage with their careers that I’m in now.
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Please keep the posts coming when you can! There are plenty of resources for the hobbyists out there…however, you are one of the rare sources of no bullshit, legit insight for running a serious business. I truly value that, as that is where I’m taking my business and have made some insanely awesome, successful leaps based on some of your advice.
Totally understand the need to focus your time where it’s most critical right now…but when you do have time to post, PLEASE do. Your words of wisdom, based on your experience, are valued more than you know
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Comment by Lolafalk — September 19, 2012 @ 9:17 am
Thanks @Lolafolk
Comment by Meredith — September 19, 2012 @ 9:19 am
I completely agree with Lolafalk!!! I have the dreams for my business and I’ve learned SO MUCH since I found you earlier this year. I’m trying to “man up” and make a serious leap of faith with some things, thanks to YOU! I very much appreciate all your posts!!!
Comment by Mika — September 19, 2012 @ 10:02 am
THANK you So much for being candid!!!
I have been rethinking this very issue of late and though I don’t have a business background, I believe the problem is what’s called a business model. We “mom/solo” enterprises were sold a bill of goods that if we worked 60 hours a week, wrote a blog, had a Facebook page and tweeted, etc. if we did what we loved and were passionate about, THEN the money would follow. It doesn’t. It’s not a business model that works. It’s a pipe dream that comes true for very, very few. It’s just the way capitalism and the free market works… … But I’m hard headed:) So I’m continuing to offer my digital scans/collages but I’m cutting back on blogging (a big time waster) and I’m venturing into a different venue for my love of antique postcards: an illustrated time travel novel:)
Comment by Trishia Jacobs — September 19, 2012 @ 11:29 am
Trishia, the time invested is part of it but without a marketing plan, a business plan, a solid customer base that can support your business, capital, etc. it IS a pipe dream.
Comment by Meredith — September 19, 2012 @ 11:31 am
I am SUPER excited to get info from you on where you are right now – that’s where I am headed and need as much help as possible!
Congrats on all the success…and all that is to come!
Comment by The Pretty Peacock — September 19, 2012 @ 12:22 pm
I’m one of those women who simply wants to make a living working from home… I’m one of those women who doesn’t think about a big enterprise, or hiring even a few employees… I’m one of those women who runs a one woman show, but I want you to know…
I still find value in what you say and do here on Smaller Box.
Write what you please, share what you will, but I’m sure we can all still find value in what you have to say.
Kudos to you for making a brand and getting into major retailers as well, that’s an amazing accomplishment! Just like you said, most of us never even dream of making it that far, and you’ve done it… for real! Good for you.
Comment by DancignMooney — September 19, 2012 @ 1:05 pm
I’m with @LolaFolk – I get insights from you that are not the same rehashed info I read on other blogs. Your posts have truly added value to my business. Thank you!!
Comment by Marianne — September 19, 2012 @ 3:46 pm
How exciting for you, Meredith! Congrats on all your successes. You truly are building your dream business and that’s so amazing to see!
Comment by Andreea — September 19, 2012 @ 10:04 pm
Please keep publishing! Love your commitment to laser focus your biz. I recently joined a business bootcamp and am finally intent on taking my ‘hobby’ professional.
Comment by Lisa — September 20, 2012 @ 5:47 am
Meredith, I hope you do keep writing for Smaller Box. I think there a LOT of blogs already talking to the one-woman-show market, but there are very few blogs that aimed at indie entrepreneurs who want to make the step to the next level, and particularly for those of us who sell a physical product (as opposed to coaching — oh! how many coaches can there be in this world?!?).
The things I struggle with in growing my business are EXACTLY the things you can speak for: how to scale hand-made for serious growth; how to spot and address ineffieciences as I move from being a small maker to a larger one; how to hire employees and delegate work; how to get past that horrible catch-22 where my husband can’t cut his ‘real job’ hours until the business is making more, but the business can’t make more until he cuts his ‘real job’ hours to give us more time. I don’t have a million-dollar business *yet*, but I want to, and there are a lot of hurdles between here and there that I could really use your experience to address.
There are already too many people telling small makers how to do their thing, and too many people telling coaches how to coach. Not many people are laying it all out in plain language for those of us who want to really grow our businesses. Please continue to speak to the journey you’ve taken — for those of us looking to do the same thing, your voice is invaluable.
Comment by Stephanie — September 20, 2012 @ 5:51 am
Stephanie, I do not believe you *can* hand make all the products yourself and build a really substantial income. Unless you sell an extremely high end item that doesn’t lend to mass production and sells well enough and at a high enough price, it won’t work. If you sell a consumer good like stationery or t-shirts or soap there’s just no way. You have to either move production out to a place that specializes in producing that kind of product or hire staff in-house to produce it.
More on quitting the day job coming up
Comment by Meredith — September 20, 2012 @ 6:38 am
Meredith, I agree with you completely. I didn’t mean scaling up hand-made *by a single person* for serious growth. I meant scaling up by moving from a single person operation to a small team. But that transition is tough! There are so many variables to manage, so many elements that have to be done right, and that’s what I was meaning.
Comment by Stephanie — September 20, 2012 @ 8:43 pm
Please keep writing! There are many of us going through these same growth struggles. Many of us who never had or evolved out of the hobbyist, “little side business” frame of mind. And it is a frame of mind that has to be in place first before you update your marketing plan, your production plans, your distribution plan, etc. Rarely do biz owners at your stage talk about their struggles and learnings. We just don’t have time … but those at your stage or those who strive to be there, need to hear, need the real world this-is-what-it’s-like scoop probably even more than the hobbyist, simply because we can’t get it anywhere. And it has to come from someone who’s in the thick of it all. Write when you can but please keep dishing out your wonderfully helpful insights.
Comment by Dana — September 22, 2012 @ 5:11 am