Wow, I had a great craft show yesterday! Set up was easy, the weather was sunny, the people were very appreciative and I had fun. On a business side, I came home with a little more money than I had aimed for, I added the number of names to my mailing list that I had aimed for and I tested out a new design in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season. (It was VERY successful). All in all, I was very happy, I made all my goals for the show.
As we were packing up I was chatting with my neighbours and of course the first question was “how was the show for you?” To one side my neighbour was packing up her paintings and I couldn’t help notice that she was packing up the same number of paintings that she had come with, yet she was exuberant and thrilled with how the day had been for her. It was her very first show and her goal was simply to set up a tent and show her new large pieces. She had sold a few of the smaller works and had a lot of interest in the big (and very expensive pieces). Also she had made contact with a potential dealer and added names to her mailing list. Although she hadn’t made much money she was thrilled because she had accomplished what she came for.
This is the key to success, know what you want and what will make you happy.
You have to know WHY you’re doing what you are doing. You can’t reach a goal you haven’t set. If you haven’t defined what you consider to be success, how do you know when you are successful?
I consider my business successful because I’ve met my major goal: I get to go sailing for the winter. I have structured my business to be super busy for 8 months a year and have a lot of down time in the other 4 months. Financially I would be better off in a career job, but then I’d only have a few weeks of vacation a year and I’d be miserable. I started my company to finance my lifestyle. That’s my goal.
In my Start your Jewellery Micro-Business workshops, I begin the class by asking everyone in the room why he or she is there. The reasons are varied and always fascinating.
The most common is to recoup costs (beading and jewellery are addictive habits, and not cheap). You may not know how much you’re spending on your hobby but I’ve got a good idea and it is way more than you realize. Other reasons include earning income while staying at home with children or during retirement, or to earn money for tuition. I’ve known women who want to finance an annual vacation, pay for a backyard pool, or ultimately quit their day job and make jewellery full time. And then there are those who want the satisfaction of doing something creative that people will appreciate and love.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to goal setting. They are YOUR goals. So whether you are starting your business, heading off to a craft show, setting up an online store, creating a website or hitting the wholesale market, before you do anything, decide on why you are doing it and what you want to achieve.
Ask yourself, what outcome will make me happy?
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