New Beginnings - Building up Patchwork Jane's

Come this July it will be 4 years of having my own craft business, Patchwork Jane’s Handmade Boutique. What started off as small, just for fun has turned into something big, meaningful, and time consuming. I’ve learned a lot over the last couple years, building my social media, creating ads, marketing my pages, craft shoes, orders, getting my items into two stores as well as my own online Etsy shop and orders sold through my Facebook page. It’s been crazy!! But I’ve also made mistakes, learned what works and what doesn’t and have thought “where do I want to go next?”

I started off sewing, changed to tutus, added in tutu dresses, then eventually hair accessories and stuffed owls. Now…. I’m getting a little burnt out on tutus and I’m going back to sewing. But this time in the form of handbags and zipper pouches. I’m investing in this new adventure with lots of different fabrics, interfacing, hardware, a new sewing machine (working on this one still), my gorgeous Vintage 1949 Singer for tough layers and whatever else I need for this endeavor.  I’m excited!! I’m still doing tutus but I’m venturing away from themed outfits and looking ahead to sewing and keeping things a little simpler. I haven’t decided if I will do completely away with hair accessories or just the simpler ones and focus on the fancier ones for my tutu sets and flower girl sets.

I have to focus on how to make this a consistent business vs a up and down business with a hodge podge of creations that are not reliable. I’ve learned that while having a multitude of different things is good, it can also backfire and end up costing you more time and earning less in profit. I need to have items that are consistent in that: 1. I always have materials on hand for them, 2. Be easily created in an acceptable amount of time, 3. Does not require me to keep a million items in stock, resulting in me having a huge amount of inventory in stock. Essentially I need to slim line my items.

Goals:

1.       Make a plan: Items to keep and what they require.

2.       Figure up cost to make and is the item worth keeping.

3.       Go over my pages, double check policies, prices and items.

4.       Set small goals to get through each week and 1 monthly goal.

These are a few I’m starting out with in my notebook so I can keep track of my business plan and goals. I’m also using a weekly planner, my favorite being My Happy Planner from Me & My Big Ideas. But there are several others out there; I know the Erin Condren planners are very popular as well.  So if you are working on building a new business or just working on building your up, start with a business plan and a calendar to weekly plans and goals.

Kinda