Business Book Review

Let me preface this by saying that I'm someone who always have to have a book that I'm in the process of reading. So when I finished up a fiction book recently on a weekend away and saw this book in their bookcase, I traded out books and figured I'd give it a shot. I remember hearing about The 4 Hour Workweek a few years ago and while I was skeptical, it certainly sounded interesting if you could pull it off. So why not give it a go and see what it has to say.

I've made it to page 34 and just can't continue. I'd rather have no book to read then be forced to finish this one. Perhaps it's the author's tone, perhaps it's his arrogence, or perhaps it's because the book was published in 2007 - likely written in 2006 - and with it now being 2010 I have the benefit of knowing the financial meltdown that was about to occur. In a nutshell - from the 34 pages I've made it through - the author seems to propose a life away from the cubicle, the working 9-5 (more like 8-6!), and the 401Ks IRAs and other retirement savings vehicles. He recommends becoming one of the "new rich," living for today, and enjoying life when you're young.

Like I said, I went into this with a healthy dose of skeptism and in my 34 pages it only grew. Then again, I am someone who believes that hard work pays off or lord knows I wouldn't be doing this entrepreneurship thing. I also believe fervently in living well below your means and keeping a nice healthy cushion of savings and investments both for retirement or simply the curveballs live throws at you along the way. So while the idea of outsoucing my life and traveling the world sounds appealing, I sleep better at night knowing I actually have two dimes to rub together.

The author does bring up an interesting concept though which is perhaps explored further had I continued to read anymore. The idea that we in the US believe that work has to be all-encompassing. That if you aren't working 50+ hr weeks you really aren't working hard and haven't "earned" your money or your lifestyle. This is in contrast to the European view of work in which work is a compliment to your life but certainly not the mainstay...otherwise the French wouldn't take the entire month of August off!

In some ways my own business mimics this somewhat. My busy season - so busy I barely have time to breath and typically lose 5-10lbs because I'm just too busy to stop and eat - is about 4 months long. There's some quasi-busy time as I lead up to those months and do my best to prepare, and then the rest of the year is really pretty quiet. During those quiet months I typically feel guilty for not being busy and for having the time available to enjoy some sunshine and read on the porch. What I'm trying to make myself realize this year is that I shouldn't be guilty about the ebbs and flows in my business. I'm certainly trying to introduce new products that will take some of the seasonality out of the equation, but at it's crux, my product and its price point will always be more geared towards holiday gifting then simply an everyday purchase. I'm trying to keep in mind that the slow periods are a great time to get caught up on the rest of my life and do odd jobs around the house like paint the baseboards or fix the screen door and that I shouldn't necessarily feel bad that I'm not running around like a chicken with its head cut off....cause that'll start again about September!

Back on Track

I didn't get that part-time zoo job and given that I was upset about it for approximately 90 seconds seems to be pretty good indication of how badly I wanted the job. I honestly think I wanted to "win" the position more then I actually wanted to do the job itself. Oh, and the paycheck, I wanted that part of it too. Even though it was a measly amount, it was a measly amount more then my current paycheck. I did get my zoo volunteer assignment though and starting next week I will be in charge of the petting zoo. Ok, maybe "in charge" is a bit of a stretch - more likely I'll be trying to keep the docile animals from biting small children, explaining to hypervigilant parents that no, your kids cannot get swine flu from the zoo's one pig, and scooping poop. Luckily my dogs have already given me plenty of training in the poop scooping arena so I will undoubtably be in charge of that after just a few short volunteer sessions.

In the meantime, it's getting to be about that time of year to start thinking about holiday product photos because nothing reminds one more of the holidays then tulips blooming. I have my annual photo shoot (for products, not for me) next week so I have to spend some time this week getting everything compiled and organized.

Paying Someone Else

I'm a very hands-on person with my business. To the extent that it's my hands literally making the products that go out the door. Many would argue that that is not necessarily the best business model but at the end of the day I do love what I'm doing.

As much as I dislike paying other people to do what I believe I can do myself there are two areas I have no qualms paying someone else to oversee. The first is my accountant who I meet with once a year to get my business taxes filed. The rest of the year I keep the books up-to-date. Or let's say I at least get them done before I go in for my accountant meeting every year. But she's the one who knows the intricacy of the tax code, any changes to the tax code, and she makes sure everything gets filed and paid on time. For that I pay her a nice little sum but it's well worth it in my mind.

The other is closely related and that is with the filing of my quarterly employee paperwork. Sadly, once you have employees you have to file quarterly reports with the local gov't even if you get to the point where you don't have any employees. Thanks to the recession, I'm in the 'no employee' zone but still have to file the paperwork even if the paperwork has a big fat zero on it. Truthfully I probably could do the paperwork myself and get it filed but the honest answer is that with everything else on my plate I often forget that the quarterly files are even due until they show up in my mailbox needing my signature and a 44cent stamp. So for the sheer fact of someone else making sure I keep the gov't informed and happy I gladly pay $200/yr. It's worth it to me in terms of peace of mind.

In other news - no word yet from the zoo which I'm taking as not such a great sign since they said I'd hear "early next week" (aka - this week). Figuring since I haven't heard it likely means they've offered the job to someone else and are waiting for that person to confirm before telling everyone else thanks but no thanks. But you know what, if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen and I choose to believe that there's some other great stuff coming down the pipeline.

Friday Highlights

If you care enough here's how my day went.

1. I had the part-time job interview this morning first thing and think it went well. It's always hard to tell isn't it? I mean I felt it went well but I know I'll also be judged against the other contenders for the job so I have no idea how I did in relation. So for me I did well.

Honestly, I didn't walk out of there thinking "I WANT this job." More of a "I know I could do a great job for them and it's a worthwhile organization." There were some parts about it I liked and some parts I didn't like. So I have to put some thought over the weekend into whether, along with the impact it will have on life outside of part-time job, whether the pros outweigh the cons.

Then again I might not get the offer and then can simply volunteer at the zoo more this summer.

2. I figured out how to work my new sewing machine. Man that's a cool little machine. And I haven't even sewn my fingers together yet (though did come close once). I was just playing around with some test fabric and am already in love with the little machine. I need to pick up some extra stuff and do a couple more test runs before I try it out on the actual expensive fabric. But yeah, so far very happy with it.

3. I talked a friend into starting up the small business she's been dreaming about doing for years. I told her to just jump off the cliff. Cause at some point when everything seems to be pointing towards GO, you just have to take a deep breath and jump otherwise you'll never do it.

How was your Friday?

What Does One Wear to a Zoo Interview?

The easy answer of course is "monkey suit" - ha ha ha. I crack myself up.

A while back I happened to mention that I applied for a part-time position at my local zoo. I'm already a volunteer there and deeply believe in the mission of the zoo as they are a leader with regards to conservation and being eco-friendly in addition to just being a really cool zoo. I was playing around on Craigslist one day and happened to stumble upon a posting for a part-time marketing assistant position at the zoo so I figured what the hell and went ahead and applied.

Heard nothing, heard nothing, heard nothing...so just this morning I figured that the position did indeed go to either the former CMO of a Fortune 500 or some kid who used daddy's connections to get him/her the job. Oh well, I figured, c'est la vie. And it's not like I'm sitting around twiddling my thumbs...I've got a lot going on.

Then this afternoon I got a call from the zoo wanting to know if I'd like to come in for an interview. They even admitted that initially they had been searching for someone right out of college but given the resumes they received they realized that they might be able to get someone like me - someone who has experience and an established work ethic and is looking to "supplement" their life with a part-time job rather than merely using this job as a stepping stone for bigger and better things. Yes, there's a small part of me that feels bad for edging out that 19yr old, but them's the breaks kid.

I now have an interview Friday morning and of course am immediately vexed by whether adding yet another thing to my plate - even it is only 20 hours/week - is going to make our lives crazy. As right or wrong as this sounds, even though my business isn't crazy busy right now, I find that my days are pretty full as it's my "job" to keep house and home running smoothly. While I know it's very anti-feminist for me to say so, I actually derive a lot of pleasure from trying to keep the house in some semblance of order, try my hand at mowing the lawn from time to time, and keep the dogs happy and walked. So will adding a 20/hr week position upset the delicate balance we have going right now?

I realize these are things I can worry about after being offered the position. Step 1 is that I need to do my best to get the offer. And that means running through some mock interviews with my better half as it's been far too long since I've done any real interviewing. I also need to figure out what to wear to the interview. What does one wear to a part-time job interview at the zoo? The black pants suit that used to be my "go to" interview outfit is just a tad too conservative and over the top for this type of position I fear.

How Fast Is Too Fast?

One of the things I LOVE about running a small business is how nimble that makes me. If I get an idea in my head (like the one that requires the sewing machine which just arrived today - up next, photos of me having managed to sew my fingers together on accident) I lack any sort of patience and want.to.get.started.on.it.RIGHT NOW!!! That's one of the personality traits that didn't make me aptly suited for a large corporate environment.

Now that obviously has it's downside with regards to the fact that it perhaps doesn't allow me ample time to think through all the pros and cons, do all the necessary cost analysis, determine various marketing and distribution opportunities, etc etc. On the flip side though, I'm able to move quickly when I see a need, try to beat other folks to market, and with regards to companies that have to make buying decisions several seasons in advance - get a product to them early enough to be considered.

As an example, today I received a catalogue from a company I'm familiar with but isn't necessarily at the top of my radar for a variety of reasons. In flipping through the catalogue I realized that they're starting to reach out to areas similar then mine - and infact are currently offering a product by a direct competitor. So in the matter of 2 hours I found the name of the individual I need to send samples to, put together a sample, and put together a cover letter. It's heading out via FedEx tonight in the hopes that it arrives in time for consideration for their 2010 Holiday catalogue.

I realize that perhaps I've not been as methodical as I should have - and as I was trained in bschool - but in my mind the upside of being picked up by the catalogue outweighs any downside.

I know not everyone is like this. A good friend of mine runs a company and is much much much more thoughtful about every step she takes with her business. I sometimes am very envious of her patient approach to growing the business step-by-step. But I've also seen her miss very real opportunities simply because she didn't move quickly enough and that is something I couldn't live with. Sometimes I think that if we could combine both my impatience and her methodical approach we might have the perfect businesswoman.

What do you think? For a small business is it better to be the jackrabbit or the tortoise?

World Domination

Friday brought me one step closer to world domination. Maybe just a very very very small step, but a step closer nontheless. I found out on Friday that I was accepted into one of the city's local farmers markets.

For those not in the Pacific Northwest you may be somewhat confused. As best as I can explain it, farmers markets here have what is essentially a cult-like following by essentially everyone in the Pacific Northwest. I can't explain it any better. Almost everyone I know not only loves going to the farmers market but also really does 95% of their fruit/veggie/pasta/cheese/bread/fish/organic meats/jams/honey/other artisan goods shopping there. The farmers markets to us are not something you simply go to because it's a novelty and it brings you a step closer to a more rural way of living. It is our way of living and I wonder if they may just take away your drivers license if you refused to go. So pervasive is this thinking that many people - myself included - are part of a CSA (cooperative farming) that delivers a basket of fresh fruits and veggies to several select areas in the city throughout the week and then we ALSO visit the farmers market on top of that. Really the only time we go to the regular grocery store during the summer is to pick up staples like flour and sugar.

So now perhaps you can see why I'm so excited about getting into the market. This market had the option of applying to be an exhibitor every week or simply signing up for five markets (1 a month May - Sept). Not knowing how well my type of product might be received in a farmers market environment, I signed up for the later and should find out shortly which five markets I'll be part of.

I'm really excited. Before I sent in my application I had come up with several ideas that should be better suited for the farmers market then my traditional products and I think the price points I'm thinking about should work well for both the farmers market and given the state of the economy. In talking with a friend yesterday she mentioned that she has a 10x10 tent canopy which I need for the market that she's more than happy to let me borrow and may even have a chalkboard I can borrow to use as additional signage. If both of those things pan out then there's only a handful of small items I might need to buy to help supplement the booth but it shouldn't be more than $50.

My little hope out of all of this is that I make a little bit of money, sell some product, introduce more folks to my brand, and have fun. My big hope is that I make enough money to pay for (or at least help pay for) my summer fixed expenses. Summer is typically when I have to start dipping into the business savings in advance of the busy Fall season. If I can make enough at the markets to cover my workspace during those months that will go a long ways towards helping me out cashflow-wise come fall.

Bucolic Dreams

At first I typed in Bubonic Dreams - that is something very very different!

As for Bucolic Dreams, I'm referring to the influx of new "farmers market" folks who are coming into my workspace this month. I know I sound like the gritty jaded old general saying this, but so many of them really have no idea what they're in for. Let's put it this way. A lot of people dream of one day opening up a cute little bakery where they can serve grandma's famous apple pie. In their heads it's all very pleasant and a real "salt of the earth" change in their life that they feel has to be better then the stress of their current corporate gig. Only the reality of opening a bakery is as follows:
1. You have to get there at the crack of dawn (or earlier) to start baking
2. You have a myriad of health permits you have to obtain and abide by
3. You have to be willing and able to throw around 50lb bags of flour, sugar, etc
4. You have to enjoy being covered in egg yolk at least 70% of your day
5. You have to enjoy peeling 8000 apples a day

That's just the start of it. Not that someone shouldn't open up their apple pie bakery, but I'm astounded sometimes by the difference between the notion in someone's head and the actual reality of the situation. Yet so many people are willing to go in completely unawares.

As the farmers market folks are coming into my shared workspace, many of them have the same notion. In fact I think more than most this year as many have been downsized from the corporate world in the last year and are thinking this is a great opportunity for them to showcase that special talent they have and how hard can that really be? One gal even went ahead and bought a business from another person in my workspace. This gal not only has NO experience in this business but also has 2-3 other side businesses going on simultaniously. As the seller told me earlier in the week "Does she not realize how busy I was with the business?"

Guess I'm just surprised sometimes how often people put down money and start up companies with limited experience behind them. It'd be like me starting up a logging company. But then again, I am a fairly risk adverse entrepreneur so who I am to talk?

Then again, my new product idea does require me to use skills that are outside my area of expertise. Specifically, sewing. I ordered a sewing machine online and it should be here on Monday and I'm antsy to get started and see if this idea will actually pan out. I guess not unlike the people I mentioned above, I have an idea in my head that with the help of this trusty sewing machine I'll be able to whip up this cool little idea in no time flat. Perhaps even run an extension cord outside and make this product on my porch in the summer?

So I guess one could argue that I'm the pot calling the kettle black!

Pulling the Trigger

I finally did it. After MUCH hemming and hawing I finally put down my deposit for the one tradeshow I'll be going to this year. My first full year in business I went to four tradeshows, then three for the past two years, and now I'm down to one lowly tradeshow. I knew I had to go, I just hate spending the money, especially in an economy like this were you just don't know if buyers are going to show up or not.

In fact, a friend and fellow business owner in my industry went to a tradeshow two weeks ago and said that she basically spent the entire time listening to the crickets chirp. Not a good sign but also not completely unexpected given that the show was in Florida, a state that is apparently still in the depths of this recession (depression?), and the fact that no one from outside states really want to travel that far. The show I just signed up for is in Las Vegas and has been growing over the past few years. Even my friend said that at the Florida show people had nothing but positive things to say about the Las Vegas show.

I've done this show before - in fact I think this is going to be my third year at the show? But in years past I've always hunkered down in one specific area where more of the "luxury" products reside. My friend (same one from the Florida show) already has a booth over there and I thought it'd be fun to get a booth right next to hers so we could keep one another company inbetween talking with buyers. Upon a little more examination though I realized that basically ALL my competitors were buying booths in a section that is known as "all natural" and I feared that I strayed too far from the pack then buyers might think I wasn't all-natural simply because I wasn't in with the rest of the group. Yes, you read that right, I let group-think dictate my buying decision. Truthfully though I think I made the right decision. If the "luxury" section was right next to the "all natural" then I woudln't have been as concerned but they are literally across the convention hall from one another. So I'm taking the plunge and will try switching it up a little bit this year and see what happens in the new booth location.

Now I need to figure out where, if anywhere, I can cut costs with the show. I went back to an inline booth this year versus a corner booth and that will save me about $300. I *think* that my business credit card has enough miles to fly me there and back and my hubby just happens to need to be in Las Vegas for business that same week so I should get to stay with him which means no lodging will be on the business balancesheet. If I didn't have to be back in Seattle the day after the tradeshow I'd seriously consider making the drive to Las Vegas and just hauling all my stuff with me as it'll cost me about $500 to ship everything there and back and that's my next biggest cost associated with the show. But driving isn't an option...perhaps packing lighter should be!

I am still excited about the fact that I'm not going to the Chicago tradeshow that happens to fall a few weeks after the Las Vegas one. In the past I've gone to both but the Chicago one has been on a slow decline the last few years. Last year was horrible and a huge waste of money and I just don't want to do it again. I figure the fact that I still feel as strongly about NOT going to that show, even after all these months, proves I made the right decision in that regard.

Long Day

It's been a long long day in my workspace. Lots got accomplished which is good since I've been away for a few days helping out with some stuff back home. Most importantly however, that Canada order - the one that has been dogging me for literally months at this point - finally got picked up and on its way today. For how small the order really is, all the stress and agony almost doesn't seem worthwhile. But I know in the long run that this one small order can mean lots of bigger orders down the road. In fact, I shudder to think what would have happened to my little company if last year this Canadian company and the sister US company hadn't placed holiday orders. All my little independent stores were running scared and were too worried about the recession to really place any significant orders. But this Canada company and the US sister company really helped me out in a big way revenue-wise. So no complaining from me...in fact perhaps I should send them a fruit basket? Nevermind, it wouldn't make it past customs.

Tomorrow is an exciting day. My dayplanner simply says QuickBooks Q1. That's a lie - it also says "Give the dogs their Sentinal pills" but since that will only take a quick second the majority of the day will be devoted to QuickBooks. (Big sigh)

I am going to go check out a new - well, used - sewing machine that I spotted on Craigslist tomorrow. I need a sewing machine for my fabulous new idea - the one I mentioned before that is akin to hats for squirrels. Hopefully I can pick this sewing machine up for less then $100 and then hopefully I can figure out how to use it.

I sometimes think of what my life would be like if I worked for a real company. I'm assuming "catch up with a quarter's worth of Quickbooks" and "pick up sewing machine" would not be on my list of things to do on any given day. "Give the dogs their Sentinal pills" still would be on my list though.

Since Easter is this Sunday I leave you with my fabulous Easter eggs. If you're friends with me on Facebook then you've already seen them. Yes, I am that proud of them. I'm always too busy at Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas to really go all-out with the decorations so I did Easter up right with six super-snazzy Easter Eggs. (For my Jewish friends - I also made some kick-a$$ macaroons so that I could get all major religions covered. Sadly I didn't take any pictures of those.)