Women in Politics

I wasn't going to write about politics in this blog. As the saying goes "never mix politics and business". However, being a woman in business, I fully support women in politics. We have entered an age where it's finally acceptable for women to hold the same position as men. To be paid the same. And, get this, even raise a family.

However, I have one stipulation. The woman must also be qualified for the job. Don't just pick a woman, because, well she's a woman. Maybe even a good looking woman.

Yes, you know where this is going. I give Govenor Palin tons of credit. She's climbed the Republican ladder farther then any other woman. But she's a prop. She's a calculated risk taken by John McCain. Why was she chosen? Because she's hot (sure, she's a good looking woman). She's a mother (hello hockey moms). And because she's.....a she.

If anyone has seen her Katie Couric interview, you'll love this sketch from Saturday Night Live

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/couric-palin-open/704042

Good luck with that on-the-job training, Governor.

My first BIG festival

In a recent post I wrote about how I was invited to vend at the Rochester Pagan Pride Day festival. I was so excited that some one thought my stuff was good enough to be sold at their festival. It was going to be my first big one, expecting almost 500 people.

Needless to say I was in a panic. How will it go? Can I handle 500 people? Will they like my stuff? Do I have enough product? I spent the previous weeks in a mad flurry making sure I was ready.

In the end, it was not what I expected. There was nowhere near 500 people. I learned that it wasn't advertised very well. And I don't know why. But it wasn't. I would guess maybe 200-300 people max. I was a little disappointed. However, for the amount of people that were there, I did pretty well on my sales.

But I do want to point out that the people I met were fantastic. The organizers worked very hard at putting together workshops and activities for the day. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming, even to us non-pagans.

But I'm sure I share their same sentiments, I wish there were more people.

It's true, you get what you pay for

On my recent business trip to Atlanta, I needed to rent a car. Of course, trying to save money I booked my rental with EZ-rent-a-car. A very no name, low budget operation. Well, it didn't take me too long to find out why. The service I recieved was horrible. The girl behind the counter couldn't be bothered. She was in a hurry to leave. She nearly charged me for the wrong reservation. And didn't even get the words "have a nice day" out of her mouth before she was packing up her stuff and heading out the door.

The car she gave me was filled with stains. Now, I rent cars often and the occasional splotch is expected. But we are talking full out stains all over the upholstry. I was mortified. I walked back in, cancelled my reservation and walked next door to Enterprise.

Normally, I would never book with Enterprise because I find them to be the most expensive. But in this case, I was getting what I was paying for. They were so friendly. I explained my situation and they were very eager to help. The gentlemen I was working with not only gave me a 10% discount, but walked me out to the car and carried my luggage. He was proffessional and courteous.

A lesson learned. Saving money is not always the best option.

Making my own stuff

As my business starts to take off, I've started looking for ways to maximize my profit, limit my overhead and just get involved. I first decided I would start to make my own bath salts. Knowing that fewer people these days take baths, I still figured it was an easy avenue to travel down. And although, there were little bumps in this road, it still turned out a little trickier then imagined. What scent shall I make? What ratio of epsom salts to sea salts should it be? How should I package it? I'm still working on all this, but so far two out of three of my scents have been well recieved.

The next venture....making my own soy wax candles. Stay tuned for this one.

I've been invited.....

I wish I could say to the white house. But not just yet. Give me at least a year for that.

It was a Sunday. My booth was set up at the Public Market downtown. My mother sat there for me selling my stuff while I had to work. Don't you hate it when work gets in the way of play? And then it happened.

My first invitation to a festival. They saw, they liked, they invited. Even though I wasn't there. Way to go mom!

So without further ado, I introduce my first ever invitation: The Rochester Pagan Pride Day Festival, Ellison Park, Sept 20, 2008 9:30 am - 6:30 pm. It's their 10th annual, so I'm hoping for a great turnout!

For more info on the festival check out: Rochester Pagan Pride 2008
For more info on my stuff and other upcoming events, chek out: Nature's Nook, New York

THE website

Can I have a drum roll please? Here it is. My first. My only. My website. Just click on the link below.


www.naturesnooknewyork.com



Check it out. Let me know what you think. Pass it around. I'm still making changes to it, so check back often!

My first 'show'

Today was my first day of real business. And I think it was a success. I set up a table at the downtown "flea" market. Laid out all my product, made it look all nice and pretty. I had business cards. Flyers. And a smile.

My mother helped out as we sat and waited.

I won't say that I sold A LOT, but I did sell some. So that in itself was a success. But the really good part...I started to get my name out. People were interested. They took my business cards. They took flyers. And they wanted me to be back next week.

So, although it's not the fountain of fortune (yet) it was a great start! And I'm happy to say, I will be back next week.

Yippeeee

My first meeting

Went...well ok.

I packed up a little bag with all I have to offer. Which, granted, isn't a lot right now. But it's a start. I typed up a price sheet with a nicely done cover letter.

Drove my happy butt over there and met with the owners. I showed them everything, told them a little bit about me and what I was hoping to accomplish.

It ended with "I think we're interested, but let us think about it and we'll email you".

Needless to say, I'm not super excited about this. I hope it comes through. But I won't be surprised if it doesn't.

Looking back I realize there are things I could have done better. As some one mentioned to me, I should of had an order form with me. So if they were interested, they could have placed the order right then and there.

I should have had all my product. I felt sort of empty.

If anything, it was a learning experience.

Things are in full swing!

Oh my! Things are really getting on their way. I've got an EIN. I filed for my sales tax authority form. I've got product. I have the phone company coming on Monday to install my business phone line.

And...

I have my first business meeting on Tuesday. I'm so excited. I've found a cute little store that might be interested in carrying my baskets.

And..

I've got another place lined up that I need to call and make an appointment to meet with the owner. This is a pilates/yoga place that also might be interested.

And..

When the phone line is all set I can then order my business cards.

Moving right along.......

It's official!!

I'm a business! That's right. The news came back from the county clerks office and Nature's Nook, New York has been accepted. Although I did get a nice personal note telling me that I could have trouble because of the previous registration. But with this letter I got a copy of the DBA filed in 1978.

So, I have the person's name, address and phone number. Maybe I'll drop this person a nice little note asking them to render the situation.

But..alas. I am good. I am official. I'm a business. Now what.....

Try and try again

Needless to say I was quite put off by the whole name thing. Not being able to use the name I want because some Joe (or Jane) Shmo used it in 1978. Blah.

However, I am thankful to those who helped with trying to come up with some other names. I'm particularly partial to the one "nature's a bitch especially when you live in a flood plain". But, alas, I thought it would not help sell my products, or any product for that matter.

So I have settled on a new name. Introducing....

Nature's Nook, New York

Does it have the ring of some majestic Garden of Eden nestled somewhere in the state of New York? No? I didn't think so either, but I still liked it and it allows me to keep Nature's Nook. I've refilled my DBA and am awaiting the final answer.....

REJECTED!!!!

That's what it said on the top of my DBA paperwork. A DBA, or "doing business as" is the form you file with the County Clerk's office to establish your business name. It makes you official. Today I got back in the mail with a big fat REJECTED stamped on top.

Why? Because in 1978 somebody started a business named Nature's Nook. The name is already taken. Of course it doesn't matter that this business no longer exists. There is no current business in this area with that name. Not that I can find. 30 years ago some one took my name and it's still on the books....I'm out of luck.

Back to the drawing board.

Home is where the business is...

And the heart. I suppose. It wasn't exactly what I wanted to do, but I've decided to start my business out of the home. A necessary evil. Why? You might ask. Or you didn't ask, but I'm going to tell you anyways.

One, it's cheaper. I don't have to pay to stock a store, pay a lease or spend money on design.

Two, I don't think anyone would lease to me anyways. I'm a start-up business. I have no major capitol backing. I'm young. I'm female. I'm...excuse, excuse, excuse. Anyways, if I start it home based and build some (hopefully) income, sales and customers then I might have an easier time finding a place to rent.

After some major brainstorming (thanks mom) I've decided to go in the gift basket route. I'll still be selling natural soap (thanks Kat) along with organic wash clothes, loofahs and pumice stones. I've found some biodegradable au-natural wrapping for the baskets.

I'll have a website. I'll target everyone and their mother, brother, rabbi, priest, monk, hairdresser, babysitter, mistress... and so on. I'll offer a la cart (meaning you don't have to buy an entire basket, just the item/s in it). I'll offer design your own (you pick it, I stick it....in a basket that is). I'll deliver (assuming it's in town).

Oh this is going to be more work then I imagined, but hopefully it will be worth it.

Update

A lot of people have been asking me what's going on with the business. So here is an update. I had found a store front I liked. I really like it. Thought it would be perfect. I filled out an application, talked with the leasing manager and did all that stuff. Now he's not returning my calls. I'm frustrated. I feel like he wasted my time and strung me along for a few weeks.

Now I am back to the drawing board. Kicking around new ideas that might work.

But I have NOT given up. And that's what's important. right?

Tourist Season Begins

And it's great for business. For years I have lived in tourist oriented cities. Without tourists, businesses in Charleston and Florida would fall and crumble. But I never thought of Fairport, NY as a tourist destination.

Guess what? I'm wrong. Fairport is a small village of about 6,000 people that sits right on the Erie Canal. During the annual Canal Days festival, over 400 people flock to this small village. Too bad my business won't be ready for this year's festival. However, all through the summer people travel the canal going from one "fair" port to another.

Recently I was told a great FREE way to advertise is with the Dock Master. Who is this mystery person? I don't know. But every boat that docks in Fairport is required to check in with the Dock Master. And when they do, they get a nice little packet telling them what's happening in town. You bet my ad will be in that nice little packet. After all, it's free and they are tourists. Tourists love to spend money.

Dressing the part

Do you pay attention to the way people dress? I do. Not in that fashion snob kind of a way. I admire all kinds of styles. But I do believe what we wear on the outside is a small reflection of who we are on the inside. Even if it's work related.

As a biologist I wore jeans and flip flops. As a gardener, I wear jeans and sneakers. No doubt I'm an outdoors kind of person. And often I get tired of wearing jeans. So when I went hunting for outdoor durable pants I found these 5.11 tactical pants. I have to admit, these are pretty cool. The description says there's extra room to stow away my handcuffs! Left over from last year's Halloween costume, of course. But seriously, they're durable and they are tough.

I think that reflects who I am on the inside, don't you?

Building a website

Many people ask me if I'm going to have a website with my store. My answer: yes.

What kind of website, they ask. My answer: I dunno

And that's the truth. I don't know the first thing about designing a website. Then I did some research and realized it's not as hard as I thought it would be. There are templates already out there. Some are a little more complicated, like here, but it does allow a little more freedom to design what you want.

For the more technically challenged, there's the WAHM shoppes estores. Full of pre-designed templates. No HTML programing required, unless it's something you want to do. Choose from over 80 themes, or do your own. It's flexible. And the best part, it's really cheap.

SCORE!!!

Reading this post title reminds me of two summers ago sitting at the beach house on Folly Beach, SC and watching Italy win the World Cup. My Italian friends were on the edge of their seats as I heard "goooooooooooooooaaaal". Marco Materazzi, the Italian center back, rushes forward, scores and the match was over.

But this isn't that type of score, this is about business. SCORE is a core of entrepreneurs who essentially have been there and done that and now offer free, confidential advice to those who want to do what they did. They are basically counselors to America's next generation of small business owners.

I met with my SCORE representative today. We talked about what SCORE can do for me, including workshops. We talked about various marketing strategies, financial strategies, and business plan strategies. It's a great wealth of information for anyone striving to own their business and I learned a lot.

I feel ready to charge ahead....like an Italian soccer, I mean football, player.

Pay it Forward

I spend a lot of time on the internet doing research. I look for new product, business help and what other people (or my competition) is doing. Every once in awhile I come across some one's blog that really interests me. Then I find myself sitting here, cup of coffee in hand, reading it instead of doing what I should be doing. But that's ok. I was reading this blog and the first thing that caught my eye was her Kiva page.

I had no idea what it was until I read her blog. Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. It's actually pretty fascinating. You lend money to people who are in serious need for some capital to better their lives, usually through starting a business. And being that I am somewhat in this same boat, I thought it fitting to me and my blog. Now, borrowing through Kiva is not for me, but should I become a successful business person, perhaps I can return the favor and help some one else out.

1st day on the job

Was...boring, exhausting, and boring. But I'm sure it'll get better. After all, it's only the beginning of the season. And it beats sitting at a desk all day analyzing numbers or writing papers that won't get published. Then again, perhaps it's not. Ask me again in a week.

Do you have a business plan?

I get that question a lot. So, enough already. I'll write the plan.

I have been spending the last two days working on a plan. I have a book I got from the library "Business plans made easy". LIARS! Big fat liars! A decent business plan is NOT easy. Ok, so the original guys behind Southwest Airlines wrote their plan on the back of a cocktail napkin, got thousands worth of venture capital and started one of the largest airline companies serving the west coast. Good for them. But I don't think that's going to work for me.

Essentially, a business plan describes what the business is and the plans for the next several years. It's important to be realistic and spell out all aspects of the business. Money, people, place, things....all of the above.

The internet is full of templates. Which does makes it easier. Just follow what some one else did and it should be a piece of cake, right?

That's what I thought. But there is research involved. You need to research the kind of market you will be it. Is it growing? You need to research the kind of money you'll need to start up. How much will it cost to get the doors open?

But in the end, I think it's a worth while exercise. I guess that's why so many people ask for the plan. So....here's your plan

I got a job

Yes, I did. Some one out there in this world felt I was worthy of hiring. For a wonderful $8 an hour! Wow, I have come so far. But hey, it's money in the pocket and I can't complain.

So what crazy people decided to employ me? A nursery. No, not babies. Plants. I get to work outside all day. I get to be around nature's beauty. And I get paid an astounding $8/hour. Who could ask for more then that?

A place to lay my product

Today I looked at a potential retail space. I used my imagination to turn it into the perfect store. It needs a paint job. It needs some homey touches. It needs some TLC. But it's a great location. Sandwiched between the library and a Curves, it also finds itself under a wellness studio, home to yoga and pilates. Hello ladies...come on in and buy something. Seriously, these places have already done the leg work for me, clients in every direction.

So, what's the problem with it? Money...money...money. That's the only thing stopping me. Some one suggested today that I need to start asking people for money. Here goes..want to give me money?

Doesn't hurt to ask, right?

My Crazy Eights

My Crazy Eights

I was tagged by The Independent Mom to post eight crazy random things about myself. Well, why not find out a little bit about the person behind the business. So, here they are!

* I want to start a business with no money.

* I have no radio in my car. Instead I listen to my own thoughts.

* I don't like naked toes. My toe nails must be painted at all times. Any color will do.

* I play underwater hockey.

* I'm addicted to LOST.

* I can drink 5 cups of coffee and still take a nap afterwards.

* I don't kill bugs in my house. Instead I practice capture and release.

* I love oreo cookies for dinner.


TAGGING RULES:

Each player starts with 8 random things about themselves.

At the end of your post, tag 8 people and include their names & links.

Those who are tagged will post about their own 8 random things, including these rules as well.

Don’t forget to leave them a comment on their blog and tell them they’ve been tagged, and to come back and read your blog for the whole story.

To join in the fun, I'm tagging (I don't know 8 people with blogs that haven't been tagged yet):

Sudstress

Front Porch Friendly

Today I visited the Fairport Village Partnership. Their goal:

Keeping Fairport Front-Porch Friendly.

Isn't that cute? Sure, but what does it mean? Well, they basically work to improve quality of life and business climate in the village.

I walked in and introduced myself to the lone guy in the office. I told him who I was and what I was doing in Fairport. He then asked me "Do you have a business plan?" I managed to squeak out a measly "no" and thought to myself, I knew this was coming.

However, we must have talked for an hour. We talked about my business and business in Fairport. Life in Rochester and more specifically life in Fairport, which is really different. We talked about existing businesses. Ones that have made it and ones that haven't. By the end of the time, he had a better understanding of who I am and my goals. And he was very supportive.

I have already invited him to my grand opening.

Finding a job

Step one: make money. I've officially been unemployed now for four days. I have to admit, I have loved it. I have loved not having to work. Not that I have filled my days with anything spectacular, but that's just it. I filled my days with things that were not work. It's like I'm on vacation.

But that doesn't pay the bills. So today, being my 32nd birthday, I applied for a job at a pizza joint. I applied to be a cashier and answer the phones. That makes me laugh. I think I'm over qualified. In some small regards this seems like the perfect job for me right now. No responsibilities. No personal investments. No thinking. Just show up and answer a few phone calls. Then go home and leave it all behind me.

Yet something tells me I won't get the job. But if I do, pizza is on me!

And so it begins

I have arrived in Rochester NY. I have closed on my new house. I have moved into my new house. All those obstacles are out of the way. So what's next? Such a good question.

Research, I suppose. Finding the right product. Finding the right store location. Registering my business. Getting the money to do all this. Well, as my mantra says:



One step at a time

Packing

I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. Why do I put myself through this? Packing is a pain. I'm working on the kitchen now and having to pack all the dishes and pots and pans and utensils and........

I just have to tell myself it's for the better. It's for the better...it's for the better....it's for the better.

Ok, back to packing

Economee in the trash???

Yes, we all know the economy has taken a nose dive. Although our illustrous-can't-spell-can't-speak leader Bush declares we are NOT in a recession. Then why is the IRS so generously giving us all money to 'boost' the economy? Can we expect Rufus the Cat here to drag the economee out of the rubbish bin?

Of course it makes me wonder, is this the best time to start a business? Are people spending less money? Well, yeah people are. And it's true that Rochester's unemployment rate has increased over the past few months. What do I say? Statistic shmatistics.

The best timing is to get in on the bottom floor. Be there in the beginning. Hoping it doesn't get any worse, then this is the beginning. I'll ride the economee wave upward which will explode when we elect our new democratic president! That's what I say.

Or this all just wishful thinking and I'll end up in the bin with the cookie.

Being yourself

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are. ~Chinese Proverb


Isn't this the truth. I was researching some new products when I ran across this proverb.

In fact I think this is perfect for those in business. How many times have you put on a that fake smile to please the person who is annoying you the most? Or shaken the hand of some one who the mere thought of touching them sends shivers down your spine? And not the good shivers if you know what I mean.

But at the end of the day, when you're done being who you think you should be, you head home and you become who you are.

So is it best to just be who you are all the time? Is that bad for business? I don't think so. Personally I believe if you can be real and if you can be you it'll build a more trusting relationship with your clients. At least maybe it'll make life less difficult.

2 weeks from now....

I've had several people ask me.....are you in NY yet?

Nope not yet. But very close. I'll be packing up the truck on the 27th and heading out the 28th. Hopefully will be in Rochester on the 29th.

That's only two weeks from now. Oh my. Only 2 weeks? I still have so much to do. Why am I wasting time blogging????

I signed up for PPP!

In an earlier post I talked about how I was going to pay for my new business. Then I cried about the cost of moving. Or really the cost of gas...good thing I don't have any children, otherwise I might have to offer my first born child for sale.

So in the course of trying to find more money, my mother suggested blog marketing. What, you mean there's money to be made in blogging? Being new to this, I certainly didn't know. But then she told me about all the money she is making and I had to check it out.

Pay to post, or just PPP, is spreading like wildflower. It's easy: they pay me for posting about stuff. All kinds of stuff. But what's really great is that I get to choose what I want to write about and when I want to write about it. Don't worry, I won't be spamming about how to buy a bride in China. But this will be stuff relevant to me and my business. And a side bonus, I might learn something. I might actually find something to write about that will help me! At least that's the idea. Make money and learn something at the same time?? What a concept!

The expense of moving

Is killing me! It amazes me just how much it costs to move. Of course this will be the...wait let me count....ummm.....12th time I have moved. Oh my!! 12 moves across 6 different cities!!! Let me take a moment here....


Ok, breathing back under control. Back to topic. Moving stinks. I think we all agree there. But the costs are even worse. I think I've broken it down correctly for a 2 day move spanning about 1,000 miles:


Rental truck: $890
Food and lodging: $170
Gas: Home equity line of credit


Yup, I think that about sums it up.

What to do in the meantime??

As much as I would like my business to just appear out of thin air, I don't live in a fairy tale world. It'll take time. It'll take work. It'll take money.

So what should I do in the meantime? I'll need a job. I've thought about going back to waiting tables. It's good money. I can work at night and have all day to do what needs to be done. But it's not easy.

There are other options. I can get a part time job in a lab some where using the skills I've acquired over the past few years.

But I have other talents too. I can write. I'm a good public speaker. I'm good at designing presentations. Maybe I should look into that. Maybe I can help others design presentations, for a fee of course. But again, that's another thing I have to market myself for.

Hmmm...what to do in the meantime.

Music soothes the savage customer

Have you ever walked into a business just to turn right around and leave because of the music being played? Seriously folks, music is important. It sets the mood and makes your customers happy. And what does a happy customer do? They buy things. And that makes business owners happy too.


Recently, I was at the Muddy Waters coffee bar in Charleston, SC with a friend when he noticed the fantastic mix of music being played. The next thing I know, he's questioning the barrister and learned it was from Pandora.com , The Music Genome Project.


This amazing website, which is free, allows you to design your own radio station. Created by a group of musicians and music-loving technologists, these music "genes capture the unique and magical musical identity of a song".


It's simple. Put in an artist, a song, or song style that fits the profile of your business and let The Music Genome do the rest. Guaranteed to please your customers.

Ladies....let's start our business

It's a new age. A time when women can actually rule the work force. Now it's not just working for "the man". Women are stepping up. They are taking risks. And many have chosen career over family or at best are looking for a challenge outside of the home. It's the dawn of "the woman".


So don't be afraid, women. There are a lot of resources out there to help us out. First, check out this quiz to see if you are ready to take on the challenge of opening your own business. I took it. It told me: "There are some areas of business ownership that you need to explore before you get started" Ummm, yeah, like I knew that already. But hey, it gave me some things to thing about.


Then when your done with the quiz, check out the rest of the website. It's called WomenOwned.com and I have found it a great resource. Right there on this site you can find advice on how to get the money, health insurance options, website design and best of all...other woman who have done this before!

I feel so empowered!

Yoga and stress

Recently I talked about how to deal with stress by the use of massage, hot baths and essential oils. Now I thought I would share with you the benefits of yoga. Yoga teaches you how to be centered through breathing, poses and concentration.


One of the main philosophies is to Be In the Moment. Let the mind and the body be in the same space. If you are focusing on your breathing or your pose, you are not worrying about other things. The best thing I find about yoga is that you don't have to spend hours a day to get the same benefits. A few moments doing a breathing technique can really help release the troubled mind.


Find yourself at work all day? No problem. Yoga can be practiced anywhere at any time. Take a moment to do a forward bend or a spinal twist. The Yoga Journal has lots of helpful hints on how to take yoga with you.




And then when your ready, go for the inversion. Ok, I haven't mastered the head stand yet, but I'm working on it. As you can see here during my latest trip to Panacea Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica. The inversion does wonders for relieving stress. It helps bring oxygenated blood to the brain, it relieves gravity's pressure on your back but most of all it almost always forces you to have mind and body in one place.....when doing a head stand I can guarantee your not thinking about what ever it was that brought you into the headstand to begin with.

Top cities to start a business

Would you believe it? Rochester NY made the top 100 cities to live and launch a business in 2008 according to CnnMoney.com The article rates cities according to the best mix of business advantage and lifestyle appeal. Ok, so it's number 80 on the list but at least it's still there.

The funny part? Charleston, SC, which is where I currently live, is rated #81. And St Petersburg, where I thought of moving, is not on the list.

Is your city on the list?

Dealing with stress

This morning I woke up not feeling like my normal self. I had a bit of a stomach ache. My head felt woozy. I have a knot in my back that you could use for bowling. And my body felt like it was steam rolled by Jolly the Green Giant.

It's called stress. And we all get it. Lucky me, I have a massage scheduled today. Currently I have insurance that pays for 52 massages a year. All I pay is $10 for the week. So if I have two massages a week, that's $10. If I don't go at all, then I pay nothing. Massage is a great way to deal with the stress of business and life.

But if you don't like people touching you or you don't have the amazing insurance, there are other ways to deal with pressure, anxiety or tension. DON'T REACH FOR THE DRUGS!

Did I say that loud enough? Before heading to the medicine cabinet try a hot bath. The warmth of the water will help ease your muscles. If you like fragrances try adding some lavender chamomile bath tea (to be sold by me soon). Put on some soft music. Maybe light a few candles. And let the stress float away with the gentle aromas of essential oils.

Advertising the business

Although it's too soon for me to do any real advertising, it's never too soon to start thinking about it. And thinking, these days, seem to be all I am doing.

How do you advertise a business? How do you get your name out there? Well there are several ways and here are just a few to get started.

1) The good ol' fashion word of mouth.
And those that know me, well, we know my mouth is anything but silent. So this is a good start. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell your neighbors. Tell your doctors. Tell your hairstylist. Tell your favorite bartender. Tell your....I think you get the picture.

2) Flyers
This old standby has not gone bye-bye. I know people scoff at printing up flyers, but it can get the job done. However, being that I'm a bit of a tree hugger (see original post) I don't want to kill too many trees. Other wise, I'll have nothing left to hug. So, here is a compromise. Print flyers only where you want them to hang. Not mass flyers that you put under people's window wipers. Oh, I hate that. The best is to find another business that shares a similar interest and ask to swap flyers. I'll hang your flyer if you hang mine. If they have a clientele you would like to see in your store then it'll be worth it.

3) The Internet
This fad is here to stay, thank you Mr. Al Gore. Blogging is a good way to get the name out. Owning a website will work too. There are lots of programs out there where you can get all kinds of traffic to your website. Surf 4 the Earth is a great traffic site that also takes an active role in environmental conservation. Or find a forum that suits your needs and shamelessly promote yourself and your site. The Independent World Community Forum is a great place to get started with lots of great people, helpful hints and some fun stuff too.

4) Buying ads
Everything mentioned so far are cheap, if not free, ways to promote your business. But if your willing to spend a few dollars you can buy an ad. Think about the kind of people you want to target and then find out what they read. Perhaps the local newspaper. Or a billboard if you really have the funds! Other media could include a small ad in a theater's handbill, a mailing circular, the radio or even on television. Hmmm, me on television? I'll have to think about that.

The "What Ifs"

What if....what if...what if....

I have a case of the 'what ifs'. What if I'm making a mistake? What if moving to Rochester is a mistake? What if starting a business is a BIG mistake? What if my business fails? What if I dive into this and realize I can't afford to pay the mortgage? What if....what if...what if...

It's not like I can take a pill and cure this sickness. I think if we didn't have that running through our heads at times we wouldn't be human. So how do I make it go away?

Well, I could listen to my doubts and scrap the whole thing. But where would that leave me? The fact is, I've made lots of mistakes in my life and am almost guaranteed to make another. But maybe, just maybe, it won't be a mistake. Maybe it will work out. Maybe it'll be the best decision I've ever made. Or maybe it won't.

Oh, the "what ifs" are painful. My head hurts.

Designing a logo

Pink Ribbons. The Golden Arches. A slightly bitten apple. You recognize each one, don't you? Whether it's a cause, a fast food restaurant or a computer conglomerate, you can see them in your head, right? That is how important a logo is. So I too wanted something that is unique, something that sticks in peoples heads, something that represented my product and something that maybe will be remembered.

My first thing was to search the web and see what other people had done. In doing this, I found numerous websites and programs that offer to design your logo for you, free. Yup, they all say free. Of course the kicker is: after you have designed the logo. You can't do anything with it unless you pay. In other words, design all you want, but unless you fork over the fees ranging from about $60 - $130 you don't get to use the logo. I wasn't about to pay.

But what this did for me was help me narrow what I wanted to do. So I fiddled with the programs, looking at what they offered for logos and the designs that are available. So it's still a good creative process.

In the end, I used Word Publisher and come up with my own. I chose the basic leaf format because it's simple and it represents nature. I found a bunch through clip art and on the web. But I had to be careful I wasn't using an already registered drawing.

Once I came up with a bunch of logo options, it was time to move on to the slogan. Now that's tough. Let's play the game again: Just do it. Can you hear me now? So easy a cave man can do it. Did you get them all? I bet you did.

There are slogan generators to. You just put in a key word and it spits back a phrase. Crap. All crap. This part I was on my own. A slogan should do two things; 1) represent the product and 2) Be catchy.

So I did my best and when all said and done, I designed four different logos with four different sayings and written in four different fonts. Sent them off to some of my friends and family and asked that they pick one.

And this is what we have:



Of course, it's subject to change.....

Finding a Product

No matter what the business is, there is always a product. In some cases the product is a person or a service. In other cases it's both (insert Elliot Spitzer joke here). But let's not confuse what my business plans are, I'm selling a product.

It's simple really. I don't have that many criteria for the product I want to sell. Except it has to be all natural, not tested on animals and not too expensive. After all, I want to be able to sell to the average Jane and Joe.

Everyone I have spoken to about this business have had some wonderful ideas on what I should sell and offer. But in the beginning I think it's important to keep things limited. Don't spread yourself too thin or you may wind up buying more then you are selling. Since I had already chosen bath and body products it was only a matter of picking which products I want to put in my store. Lucky me...I have a few connections. Two of my friends have made it an important part of their lives making natural bath products. This was a no brainer. I trust these people, I trust their integrity and I trust their product.

But even though these are friends, it's important to remember this is still a business deal. I want them to make money and be happy, but I need to do the same. And in any business transaction, it's imperative to lay it all on the line up front. Communication is the key. Don't be afraid to be candid about your needs...after all it's just business. And if you find that maintaining a friendship and a business deal is to complicated, then take your business elsewhere and save the friendship. I'm hoping this won't be the case with my friends!

So how do you find product to sell if you don't have the connections? Product that perhaps, you have never tried before. This is simple too: the Internet. Isn't the world wide web great? There are so many sites to find handmade and natural products. Etsy.com is one such place. Not to mention Ebay. Actually, there are so many sites out there I had to ask my mother to stop emailing them to me. It was too much!

Just remember to do your research. Check out the person. Don't be afraid to email them, talk to them and get a sense of who and what they are. Because in the end, that product is representing you. And you are representing them. It's a balanced relationship.

Try the product. If you aren't happy with it, you won't be able to sell it. And sometimes you just have to risk it. Every business goes through a little trial and error. It's a learning process. Just like life, we learn and we move on.

The high road is a tough road

For those of you who have been following my travels know that the road will end in Rochester, NY. Hence, the high road. As in latitude, not morals. Once I stepped upon this road I knew it would be a slow journey. But this tough?? Already?? I haven't even opened the business yet.

My first priority was to find a place to live. I armed myself with a few houses and apartments to check out and flew north. Then I grabbed my mother and dragged her all over the east side where the mix of dwellings ranged from "you've got to be kidding me" to "hey, this is nice".

I wasn't sure yet whether I wanted to own or rent but I knew I needed some place to lay my head. I've owned my own home now for over 2 years so the experience of being a home owner is not new or a dreamed up fantasy. The wins and pitfalls are well known to me. Everyone says it's better to own. For the most part I agree. I love the fact that owning mean it's mine. I can put a nail hole anywhere I want. I can paint any color I want. And since I purposefully chose a neighborhood with out a home owners association, I can plant anything I want too.

On the other hand, when something breaks I have to fix it. It's either a trip to the home improvement store or a phone call to some professional. Either way it won't be cheap. If I was renting, I could just call the land lord and magically it's fixed without an extra dime from my pocket. But I have had some rotten land lords. Ones who have ruined my things, show up unannounced while I'm only partly dressed or don't believe me when I call to say my apartment is flooded because a pipe burst. It's a risk you take when renting. The quality of your land lord.

But most of all owning a home means that it's my space. No one comes in that house unless I let them in. No coming home to find a note that the maintance man or bug guy just happened to stop by while I was out. That's a very creepy feeling, I might add. But on, the other hand, there is the convenience of renting.

Wow, the high road is full of moral dilemas.

The Nay Sayers

Negative energy can bring anyone down. And it always seems to surface when you tell some one about your idea. Especially an idea that involves money, starting a business, buying a house or anything that people think they are experts in.

And let me say this: you will encounter these people. My best advice is to listen, smile, thank them for thier suggestions and then change the topic of conversation. I was speaking to another small business owner the other day and he said it as best as I can "DO NOT listen to these people". That's right. Don't let them bring you down. Don't let them steer you away from your dream.

Surround yourself with positive energy, Yeah sayers and a good support system. With that, you can take on the world!

disclaimer: If you try to take on the world, the writer of this blog takes no resposibility, liabilty or fault for any out comes pertaining to the super human powers you think you may have that allows you to actually take on the world and its inhabitant.

How am I going to pay for it all?

I guess that's my first road block. Nay, not just a block but a brick wall. And honestly I have no idea. Recently some one asked me if I had a business plan. "A what?" Of course I said that internally so not to embarrass myself. And sadly admitted that I had no idea what a business plan was. But apparently, it lets me know just how much money I'm going to need.

My first slap of reality. I have no money and no plan to go with it.

At one point I thought I could just get a business loan. That would work right? I would waltz into a bank, pitch them my idea and be sure I had my business plan in hand. But what if that doesn't work?

This is where my Internet hobby comes in. Well, a little bit more then a hobby, perhaps a small addiction. I make money on the internet. Yes, I really do and can prove it if you don't believe me. It costs me nothing. It's free. And I've met some wonderful people.

It's the world known as GPT, or Get Paid To. You get paid for reading emails, doing surveys, signing up for free stuff and competing in contests. It's a whole BIG world out there that so many don't know exists. It does. Just waiting for me so I can make my money and support my business. Ok, that was a stretch. I probably won't support my business, but I can at least put food on the table and gas in my tank.

There are a lot of sites out there and you have to be careful. Some sites are owned by not so upright citizens, if you know what I mean. But here I list a few sites that have paid me. That are owned by honest people. That are fun to do. And did I say have paid me?

Mycashhoney

Low $5 payout and daily spelling bee makes it easy to rack up points that you can trade in for cash

Squishy Cash

A $3 sign up bonus. It's like free cash, whenever. Contests galore and an easy to use site.

CravingCash

Another one with a $3 sign up bonus. Nothing like instant money! Plus this is a great site owner and lots of contests that can help boost your earnings.

Need to know how to do it all? Click here

So there you have it. My business plan for making money includes the vast world wide web. I wonder what the bank would say to that?

The high or low road?

Many of us face this very question in our life time, however it is usually a moral dilemma. In my case, it was a literal question of where to start my business. I knew that in my present location, it was not an en devour I wanted to take on, for several reasons I won't get into here. And since they always say the most important part of any real estate is location, location, location I knew it was going to be a very important decision.

The high road would take me to Rochester, NY. Better known as my birthplace. I grew up in Penfield NY, suburbia USA, right outside the larger metropolis of Rochester. There I was familiar with the lay of the land. My parents are still there. A few childhood girlfriends remain. And many friends of the family have taken shelter against the cold winters. I knew I would have lots of moral, emotional and even physical support in Rochester, but would have to face the cold blistery winters once again. And being that I have lived in the south for 12 years now, this was a terrifying thought.

The low road would take me back to St Petersburg, Fla where I lived for five years before moving to my present location. There was sun shine. There was the ocean. There were girlfriends who I have come to love. A slightly different support group, but a support group none the less. But in Florida I would also face higher real estate and insurance prices.

The only way to solve such a dilemma is to do the research. And that is what I did. I traveled to both places. I checked out possible retail space. The price, the area, the size. I talked with people. I weighed the pros and cons of both places. But most importantly, I let my gut feelings lead me. Is this the best when it comes to starting a business? I'm sure many will tell you absolutely not. But I knew that if I was going to take on the world, it had to feel right.

In the end, the old saying "home is where the heart is" stands the test of time. And I find myself packing the sweaters to travel the high road back to Rochester NY. Now that I think about it, ever since I left that winter wonderland 12 years ago, I never did stop calling it home.

The Epiphany

Sometimes we come up with these crazy ideas. Ideas that, if looked at closer, just might work. Others are so far fetched that we slap ourselves back into reality and move on with life. Well, I had such an idea.

I, like so many other people in this world was fed up with my job. I was surrounded by incompatant laziness that made me scream into the night "How can these people get away with it?" I'm a hard worker (blaming parents here for instilling such great work ethics in me) and it was driving me nuts that these coworkers who would disappear for 2 hour lunches or not even show up for work were getting the same treatment as me. A pat on the head. And yes folks, I mean that literally. My boss would give me a pat on the head, or back, and tell me how great I was doing. I was constantly fixing their mistakes and always doing things they never got around to doing. In the four years I have been at this job I did not see one merit based pay raise. No one did. Oh, we all got our standard cost of living increase. But how does that make me any different from them? It didn't.

Finally, one day as I was sitting in my corner cubicle, I had the epiphany. I should start my own business. I was tired of working for the man. I was tired of being underpaid and underappreciated. I was tired of picking up the slack of those around me. I was tired of being blamed for things I didn't do. And I was just tired of doing all of this stuff and getting nowhere. I knew that the only way to get somewhere was to do it myself. Climb out from under that glass ceiling, grab a sledge hammer and smash it.

It didn't take me long to realize what kind of business I wanted. I knew I could not do a stay at home type thing. Otherwise I'd spend all day in my jammies, sleep late and eat oreo cookies all day. No, I needed to go somewhere. I needed a reason to really get out of bed. I knew I wanted a retail shop. What would I sell?

Any one who knows me will tell you I have been a tree hugger my entire life. My education and career has revolved around it. I live a simple life. Honestly, I don't even own a stereo. I don't have TIVO and $4 Starbucks lattes are an occasional treat rather then a daily necessity. So I knew almost immediatly I wanted to sell natural products. The stuff made of Mother Earth. This was my idea.

I have yet to slap myself back into reality.