Making or Teaching?

Well today is much like most of my days. The ones most of my social media followers never see. They are the ones where my 'To Do" list is a mile long. There are the things I plan for the night before and then of course, something might come up that requires me to consider, do I change my current schedule to accommodate this " new thing?" or do I add it to the bottom in hopes I might get around to it?

Running a small business is NO easy task. There are all the perks people see from making money, to being "successful" and I use that term loosely because everyone's version of successful is different. But the truth is, that I struggle with all the same issues as someone just starting out, the fact is that I've just been struggling a bit longer.

From knowing how to take the idea of teaching people how to make what I just did, and then turn that into selling that product and all the other things that come down to that. I guess that's where, first of all, I'm blessed that God is giving me this chapter at this stage in my life. He has taken years of experience as a corporate trainer and allowing me to use those skills and teach moms, women and grandmom's how to do it too.

Oh but what they don't see is sometimes like the wizard of Oz. All they see is this organized person who floats into camera view each Friday Night and has all her ducks in a row. Ha, if only they could see what happens two hours before that LIVE airs. But that is the beauty of LIVES is the opportunity to ask the person you're watching a question and hoping they'll answer. My personal goal is to get through as many of those questions as possible in the time it takes me to make a wreath, so that that one person feels like they matter. All my followers and watchers matter. To thing that they find something I say or do worthy of carving out time, still blows me away. Thank you to all who do.

So in the wreath making industry right now is what I call transition time. It also means its a down time for us. Parents are busy getting their summer plans in order, moms are finalize details and the last thing she is thinking of is, "Oh you know we need a new wreath for our front door?"

No, that is probably the last thing from her mind. In fact, she won't think about her home decor until the kiddos are back in school and she can once more think of what would make her front door more inviting.

So during this transition stage is the time I tell my creatives, that you can learn more techniques, more designs and start making preparations for our busy time. It's taking that class you never had time for. It's joining a group that might help you learn more to improve your business or marketing skills. This is the time to get things ready. Sadly though most don't and simply toss in the towel. They find that during this time, since nothing is selling, they simply don't have what it takes.

But they do. They just don't often times understand how I get through the lean months. It's marketing like crazy. It's pinning almost 200 pins a day on my Pinterest page. It's posting 4 or more times on Facebook and Instagram. It's taking classes on how to improve on marketing or taking better photos or what apps might allow you to simplify your life more.

So it becomes a bit of teaching while also finding new things to make in the process. But you know I wouldn't give it up for anything. Knowing I am helping women find purpose in what they make and even for some, turn it into a small business of their own makes it all worth it.