wunderlust

It's official - I can now legally use wunderlust!!!

The logo is final, but I'm still playing around with packaging ideas, tags etc - but I'm so happy that my application has been approved (after much going back & forth with legalzoom). I actually had to provide documented translations of the word WUNDER! (which by the way is German)

I need to get my butt into gear today - no more slacking and feeling "lost". I've been having brain-farts lately and I can't seem to get myself to make something. So I've decided that today is the day. I don't care what comes out of it, but I'm making something - no more excuses! The birds are chirping outside, the sun is starting to peek through the thick clouds that have been looming over the city this week, it's freakin' 40+ (F) degrees in February - what more can I ask for??

But first I need to wash my hair - seriously, I've been such a dirt bag lately and I haven't washed my hair in 3 days - it's been in a permanent pony tail (I know, I know - T.M.I) and I think my legs are a little stubbly (gross).

So I'm signing off - I obviously have some issues to sort out today ;-)

Survival of the Cutest

I was at the yarn store today (again!) and the girl who was helping told me about this very interesting article about the handmade movement that ran in the NY Times Magazine last Sunday ....

Handmade 2.0
By ROB WALKER
What are so many crochet-hook-wielding, papermaking, silversmithing handicrafters doing online? Trying to prove that the future of shopping — and of work — is all about the past... more

How to: Get Inspired

I love reading inspiring stories about entrepreneurs. Here are a few links to my favorite sources for both stories and business ideas.



Crafty Synergy is a blog dedicated to interviews with inspiring artists.

Make It is one of my favorite blogs to read. Shannon is the woman behind rifferaff. She creates beautiful silkscreened papers. She just launched her business a couple of months ago and she 's been documenting the entire process, from her frustrations with suppliers to a handful of really useful tips.

Here's a great interview with one of my personal idols Amanda Soule.

New York Magazine's Change your life series walks you through starting your own bakery, wine shop and restaurant, including details on what it really takes.

Entrepreneur is a great resource for business ideas for those of you who have the bug but haven't quite figured out what type of business to jump into.

ladieswholaunch.com
"Launching is for every woman. Whether you are launching a business, creative hobby, passion or artistic endeavor, Ladies Who Launch gives you the tools, inspiration and network of like-minded, lifestyle-oriented women to make any dream a reality, or take anything you've already launched to new heights."

How to: Retail Pricing

Here are more articles that I've come across during my research. Great reads on setting up prices in a retail environment.

Pricing and Small Retailers: Questions to Consider (6-Part Series)
"In this article, we begin with several questions for you to consider. When you address these questions for your firm, always ask yourself the rationable behind your answers: 1-Do you have an overall pricing philosophy? What is it? 2-What are the characteristics of the people who shop..." more

Start-up Nation
"Use informal focus groups, testing and even your own experiences as a consumer to figure out what might go through the minds of customers as they consider your prices. There’s a sound psychological reason..." more

The Price is Right, or Is It? Determining the Impact of Price on Sales
"Fisher notes that people tend to separate pricing into markdown pricing and regular pricing. Much of the world’s economy is transacted in markdown pricing; indeed, department stores may sell more than half their volume at..." more

Perception Of Value
"It's a common fallacy that people buy based on price. Well some do, but most people buy based on value or rather their perception of value. Many small business owners begin their business life with the thought that they will enter their market and simply offer what they have at a slightly lower price and all will be good. In truth it's not the best or even a good idea. Unless your last name is Walton and you're an heir to the Wal-Mart throne..." more

Sources:
http://retailindustry.about.com/library/uc/be/uc_be_pricing1.htm
http://www.startupnation.com/articles/1483/1/pricing-strategy-startup.asp
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=873
http://www.webpronews.com/blogtalk/2006/12/13/perception-of-value
Image from unadorned.org

November check-up

Last month I decided to do monthly check ups, to sort of help me keep myself in check. I can't believe I actually remembered to do it this month, that in itself is an accomplishment.

Do I plan to sell the stuff I make?
Last week and the week before that I was really excited about the possibility of starting a craft-related business. This week, I'm not feeling as confident about it. I had a couple of ideas storming around in my head but then thoughts of "not good enough" began to infest my mind. I'm mostly frustrated with the fact that all of the things that I enjoy making seem to take a very long time to finish. Either I live with that fact and decide to make one off items at premium prices (which I don't think I'm particularly good enough to do) or come up with a better production process and compromise some of the designs. I haven't given up on the idea, but to be perfectly honest - I'm a little less hopeful about the whole thing this week.

It's insane, but I seem to be having schedule/timing issues with crafting. I have tons of ideas floating in my head and I'm having issues prioritizing. I really want to make Christmas ornaments for my own tree but that idea totally conflicts with the need to finish the calendar (one more month to go). You would think that I have all the time in the world, but the clock ticks at an insane pace when your mind is full of I want to make... ideas!

Am I any closer to owning my own shop?
I'm happy to report that this dream is still very much alive. There are so many shops both online and brick & mortar that inspire me on a daily basis. Hillsy and I have been discussing whether starting an online shop would be a better option at this stage.

Unfortunately the concept of the shop is still evolving. I'm slowly moving away from my original idea and hoping to do something closer to my heart.

Updates since last check-up:
I have filed for a DBA and waiting to see whether NYC approves it. I'm told that it should take approx 20 business days so I should know by end of the month. If I had to do it over again, I probably would've filed the DBA on my own rather than going through legalzoom.com.

Do I plan to look for a "traditional" job? still NO

SNAFU #1: Name issue

I've decided to start a SNAFU (Situation Normal: All Fucked Up) series because I know that there will be tons along the way. I'm sure anyone starting or even just looking into starting a business can share at least 100 of them. So my first snafu has to do with naming. I just received a message from Legalzoom saying that there was an issue with the name that I've chosen. Of course the message was sort of cryptic so I don't know the full story and when I tried calling them back the queue was insane so I'm basically waiting for them to call me back - which I know won't happen anytime soon.

So my application status is "On Hold". Lovin it.

UPDATE: So they didn't call me back by the end of the day so I called the customer service number again and finally got a hold of an agent. Apparently, the call was to let me know that the name I chose could potentially be declined by New York County. The agent said that the county is very picky when it comes to names - they "prefer" names to be in English and weren't too keen on intentional misspellings. Then he continues to say that the county is more lenient with names if you choose to file for an LLC or a Corporation OR I can apply for a more standard name... HMMMMmmmm - I'm sorry but did I accidentally put DUMB as my first name and ASS as my last name on the application?

I'll let you know how this turns out! I'm truly hoping that this was just a slimeball attempt to up-sell me on the corporation and LLC application (which is just unbelievable) and hopefully the claims against New York being a picky county is bogus. Fingers crossed that my non-standard intentionally misspelled English word gets approved =)

How to: Price your Craft

I think the majority of folks who make handmade goods sell themselves short, especially in the beginning stages. So how do you price something that you've worked on for a week, poured in 3 days of love and 5 hours worth of sweat?

I'm still trying to figure this all out myself...
Although I haven't found a magic pricing formula, these expert bloggers have certainly helped shed some light on the most important things to consider when coming up with a price...

Posie Gets Cozy - Wholesale, Retail, and Beginning to Sell Your Handmades to Shops, Part I
Posie Gets Copy - Wholesale, Retail, and Beginning to Sell Your Handmades to Shops, Part II
U-handbag - Pricing your Bag

One step closer

NEWSFLASH
I filed my DBA (doing business as) application last night. I opted to use a third-party (legalzoom), hopefully the process goes smoothly. If not, I'm sure you'll hear about it shortly =)

I chose to file the DBA as a sole proprietor versus incorporating because I decided that I'm not quite there yet but wanted to make a solid move that will more than likely spur more action! So whether I decide to make & sell or go the shop route, once approved, I would be able to conduct business under a different name. I'm thinking that I would eventually change the business structure to an s-Corp - but that's way down the road.

Fictitious name will be revealed once my application gets approved - I don't want to jinx it.

How to: Statistics for the Business Plan

Completing the business plan is the biggest hurdle for most people who want to start a business. I hope I'm not alone, but it is truly one of the most daunting documents that I've ever had to work on - I'm still not done with mine. There's just something about writing a document where you need to project sales without having specific historical data, how am I supposed to know how many times Mary is going to go shopping in my shop? AND if it's not supposed to be a perfect projection then why do it in the first place? I know, I know - it's proof of concept and a necessary evil - but still!

So as you prepare to peer into the crystal ball, here are a couple of links to help with statistical data that you'll need for both demographics (target market) and for specific industry analysis.

shop.org (US internet usage, online shopper stats)
census.gov (demographics and industry stats, zip code-specific data available)
United States Department of Labor (average wage statistics - can be helpful when determining target market numbers)

100% Freedom Suffocates?

I had one of my typical breakdowns yesterday, where I spend anywhere from a couple of hours to a half of a day pouting around, head down with shoulders slumped. This sort of day is an unfortunate bi-product of leading the life that I've recently signed up for. Fortunately for me, I'm not alone in this adventure (thanks babe) and after talking about it for a couple of minutes - I had a plan of action and was feeling ten times better.

What causes the the pouting? It's an overwhelming feeling... a huge amount of pressure to BE something, a nagging voice (but sensible) that reminds me over and over again that NOT receiving a nice hunk of change every other week is somehow NOT a good idea. An overall what the hell are you doing? feeling suddenly comes over me.

I was feeling unfocused, like I was doing everything and nothing. But then another sensible voice (a real one this time) assured me that all I had to do was continue doing things that made me happy and the FOCUS part that I so long for will happen automatically, almost magically.

So, I decided to add a little bit of structure to my current schedule. Meaning, I need to be more accountable with how I spend my days so weeks just don't fly by and I'm left feeling unaccomplished. Since there are currently two front-runners to "what's next" - making things and/or opening up a shop, I decided that I need to allocate days where I spend the entire day working towards those goals. It's not like I've been sitting on my ass for the past 5 months, but the absolute freedom (if you can believe it) is actually suffocating. The fact that I can choose to spend the entire day on the computer or spend five hours embroidering a flower on an envelop or cook a three-course meal on ANY given day is too crazy for me. I hate to admit it, but I do need some sort of structure or else I feel too scattered.

So, I'm drafting a schedule that can challenge me without constraining me too much that I go completely AWOL. I plan to have "workshop" days, where I dedicate the entire day to my crafts and limit my blog postings for the day. I'll also aim to have weekly goals and daily TO DOs (which I already do but I'll create a more formalized process instead of my current sticky note method).

I was quite an organized worker-bee. So, I guess you can take me out of corporate but you can't take the corporate out of me =)

How to: Naming a business

I've been meaning to share all of my opening a shop research and links but I just haven't gotten around to it. It will be a slow process but one day I hope to transform all one billion bookmarks into useful posts! After all, this can't be my blog if it only talks about one thing!



I can't even begin to tell you how long my list is for potential store names AND I'm still adding to it every now and then. How do you decide on a name? I guess it's like naming a baby (just like how deciding to go into business is like deciding you want to have kids). Why is it such a hard task? I guess it's because the name you choose is the ultimate first impression. It really is the foundation of your brand identity. Does it sound exotic, fresh, young, or frou-frou? The name of your business is probably the first thing that a consumer will interact with, even before they step foot into your store or log onto your website - hearing the name already conjures up images and ideas. Being a consumer yourself, you know how quickly you form opinions based on a smell, a look, a color and yes... a name. Jane v. Cassandra - what images popped into your head?

I found a very useful article Naming your company Be smart and creative: Pick the right name and trademark it by Alex Frankel about naming your business and some key how-to points. Go check it out when you have some time.

I'm in no means an expert on this stuff, but here are a few tips and links that I've encountered - I hope you'll find it useful. If you have any corrections, suggestions or tips of your own - feel free to leave a comment. As I said, I'm definitely not a guru so I will certainly not be offended if my facts stand to be corrected!

1. Create a list. List out your company's core values and differentiating factors. Refer to this list as often as possible. Know exactly what you want the name to say to your consumers. This will help narrow down the possibilities even more. For instance, if you're specifically targeting males in their 30s, a gift shop named LAVENDAR & SAGE would probably not be a good idea. This seems quite obvious but my point is to keep the core objectives in mind, sometimes you fall in love with the way something sounds but it doesn't really serve your original purpose!

2. Keep a running list. I keep a soft notebook in my bag at all times, where the last couple of pages are reserved for potential names. I also created a Google Doc so I could access my list from any computer. It's better than having a word or excel doc stuck on your computer and forgetting to add something you jotted down on a post it note while you were having coffee at the café, that's now shredded into bits because you left it in your jeans pocket and your super nice boyfriend decided to surprise you by doing the laundry!

3. Unfortunately, we now also have to worry about URLs. Forget about scoring an exact match of the name that took you 6 months to come up with - every single possible word or phrase seems to be taken. So save yourself from a huge disappointment and make sure you take this into account early on in the process. Register.com or WHOIS Search (Network Solutions) are both good sources.

4. New York State Corporation and Business Identity database includes business and not for profit corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies and limited liability partnerships, as well as other miscellaneous businesses. All other entities such as general partnerships, sole proprietorships and limited liability partnerships file an assumed name certificate directly with the county clerk in each county in which the entity conducts or transacts business.

Check the DBA (doing business as) or FBN (fictitious business name) list in your local county to see whether or not someone else is using the name. I'm not 100% sure but I'm pretty sure all banks require you to file a DBA before you can open a separate account. Unfortunately I don't think there's an online DBA database available. You can file a DBA at your local county clerk (NYS County Clerks), where they will also check to see if the name is already taken. See how to register your business in New York City for details.

Other useful links:
What's in a name?
State government websites
NYC license & permits
New York Loves Small Biz
Babynames.com - I found this useful because it included origin information
Online Permit Assistance

October check-up

I should probably do a monthly check-up (or at least every other month) on where I'm at in my temporary retirement. Just because I don't talk about it, doesn't mean that I don't think about it. Communicating it here will help me put things on "paper" and although I do feel that it makes me somewhat more accountable, I don't really like to think of it in those terms. Let's just say it's simply documenting a process that will no doubt have its constant shifts, loops, bends and breaks.

Do I plan to sell the stuff I make? Both friends and family have been really supportive and have been asking whether or not I would be interested in selling what I make. It's a possibility, but I'm not sure that I have the capacity to do this (yet). I do enjoy the feeling I get when I... think of a new project, complete a project, figure out how to do something even better than the 3rd time around, make something special for someone and they know that my heart was in it... the list goes on and on. My number one fear is losing the joy I get from making things. It's really a meditative activity for me, no matter how frustrating it gets sometimes, as a whole it's really something that I look forward to. It allows me to be so "me", I can switch projects and do something completely different hour to hour. I guess it's just like cooking - one day you can be in Italy, the next day in the Philippines. I could never get bored. But once you attach a "must" or a "deadline" factor then it can turn into an entirely different beast.

My other concern is that I'm just not ready yet - meaning, I don't feel that I've been doing it long enough. I feel like I'm making a bunch of different things but haven't quite found my niche yet. However, at the rate I'm going, I am confident that it won't be long until I figure this out (fingers crossed).

Am I any closer to owning my own shop? Well, this one is a though one because there are so many factors to consider. Like, will I end up staying in NYC? It's sort of like asking are you any closer to having a baby? To me, it's not like taking a job and then deciding 5 months later it's not right for me. I've seen businesses open and close in a matter of months and that's definitely NOT something that I'm open to. It's a huge lifestyle change and I guess I'm having issues with pin pointing whether or not I'm ready for it. How do you know if you're ready for something like this? Is it one of those you just know moments like love or when you decide to start a family? Like many things in my life, the shop idea is always evolving - the concept manages to tweak itself every now and then. Right now, since I'm so into making things I'm dreaming of a shop that's fully committed to hand-crafted goods, but will people be willing to pay more for hand-made products that they can easily buy a cheaper mass-produced knock-off version from Urban Outfitters? I'm not so sure.

Do I plan to look for a "traditional" job? NO

We'll see how much of this changes next month!

Storefront image of Church Street Apothecary, SF

Opening a shop: Reading List

I'm going to spend the rest of the day reading. If I get the energy, I'll also attempt to make the Dark Chocolate Muffins.

Reading list:
Start Your Own Business
Why Women Shop (have't read this one yet, not sure if it's any good)
Specialty Shop Retailing
Cute Little Store
Retail Business Kit for Dummies

Shop Plans: Concept Board

I've been working a lot on the shop plans lately. I'm currently working on what I'm calling my "concept boards". It's a visual representation of the type of merchandise that I plan to carry in the shop. When I'm through, I plan to hold mini focus groups in my apartment with my girlfriends to get their thoughts on some of my ideas. I've also been updating a very very long spreadsheet of potential suppliers along with the product lines that I'm interested in, links to their sites if available, retail prices that I've spotted, etc. I'm discovering tons and tons of product lines out there - what did people do before the internet???

As usual, I've been avoiding the boring business plan (some would argue the most important) stuff - like profit predictions and cost analysis blah blah blah. I will get to those things, but on my own sweet time. I need to make sure that I am ONE with the bigger picture first =)

Opening a shop: Short-term goals

I found my moleskin notebook dedicated to the "shop". I love my short-term list, written back in January/February. My favorite one is - Come up with a realistic schedule to balance work, life and planning. I don't think that's an issue anymore =)

I'll have to make a couple of changes to this list. I'll share once I have Short-term Goals v2.

See you all tomorrow - thanks for reading!

Early Retirement

After quitting my last job, I decided to force myself to take some much needed time off. The old me would've jumped right into the next thing. Not one day has passed where I don't stop and think, what did I just do? Did I just make the biggest mistake of my life? And then I quickly snap out of it and realize that I'm on crack... A summer off? The time to try and do things that I haven't had the time to do? You mean that I can finally continue to teach myself how to play corny songs that I love on the guitar and pretend that I'm Jewel's long lost Filipino cousin? Dust off my sewing machine and subject my friends to homemade gifts that they'll nicely tuck away from public view? I can clean (eeerchkkkk), NO! Sorry that's where it stops.

Two of my closest friends are getting married. Lynda is getting married this December and Zandra (aka Z) just got engaged and is looking to tie the knot next spring/summer. Now that I'm not working I have no excuse - I have to help them plan. Isn't it funny how friends and family always think that you have all the time in your hands when you don't have a 9 to 5 job. Call me selfish, but I may have tons of time in my hands but I didn't exactly quit my job so I could inherit projects that no one else wants to do. (Lyn/Z - you know I'm just joking right?!?). My favorite one is how people automatically think you could whip up a website just because you have "web" in your title. In all seriousness though, I love passing along bits of information that I find on the web. So Lyn and Z, these are for you ...

My top 3 favorite sources for invitations - love love love the designs.


http://www.hellolucky.com


http://www.oliostyle.com


http://www.tgkdesigns.com

I found this great birdcage centerpiece idea for Lynda from a wonderful blog Present Past Collection written by Heather Bullard. I just discovered the blog this week, it's my latest favorite. Lynda loves anything that smells of vintage.

What another great idea (via weddingbee.com).


(image via weddingbee.com)

Three, Two ...

Hi. My name is Marichelle and I'm a changeaholic. I've been sober for 23 days.

This is a documentation of the beginning of my life, my non-corporate life, my escape from the chain gang. The following is a bit long and tedious but please bear with me. It's important to give you as much background as possible...

I've had 14 16 different jobs in total. Although I wouldn't really count the seven that I had pre-college. I guess you could say I'm the Runaway Bride of the corporate world. I guess it would also be fair to say that my career started out a little rocky. After graduating with a business management degree, I quickly landed a job at a marketing research company. After eight months, my boss decided to start his own company and lured me into joining his new company. After putting me in charge of managing the development of the company website, I fell in love with the Web and its potential. So I decided to leave him to go to Parsons and learn how to become a Web Designer - which I did. And yes, you've guessed it - the Internet crash! I get laid-off. I was fortunate enough to land a job in the international department of a major television network as a web coordinator with minimal design responsibilities. For the record - this was the best job I ever had. But even after four very successful years there - I was promoted twice and was on my way to a third one; the inevitable itch came. After much contemplation, I decided to join American Express to work on a very visible online campaign, I guess I was wowed and temporarily comatosed by the big blue box and the big green budgets. After the first month I started to get THE feeling at the pit of my stomach (quite unusual, I usually get THE feeling after eight months) but I was hoping it was just the freshman blues. After only three months, I gave my resignation and said my goodbyes to the financial district. I then reluctantly accept a great offer to work for WWD/Conde Nast - a job that unexpectedly fell on my lap. I never hid the fact that I just quit a job that I only had for three months. Much to my surprise, they were really understanding and it didn't stop them from offering me a raise and a promotion. How could I refuse that??

After less than 3 months - I decided to finally say good riddance to the corporate world. I decided to take the job at Conde Nast as my final chance. I went into it whole heartedly but said that if it didn't work out it would be my last corporate job and I've kept that promise to myself (it's been 23 days). If you haven't noticed yet, I have a tendency to grow tired of things very quickly and I have no qualms about making changes and I'm definitely not shy about pulling plugs as quickly as possible. This is both my strength and weakness. Lifeflix was born out of my fearless approach to change. Not only am I trigger happy about switching jobs and careers but in life in general ... my motto has always been "if you don't like it, just quit it" -- my ex-husband used to always tease me about this. Some could argue that I'm a coward and a quitter. That may be so, but life is too short ... why spend it doing things that you're not passionately in love with?

Like all things, this blog may only last 5 entries or maybe I'll surprise myself and beat my 4-year record.