My Cottage Industry (part 4)

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m very (comically!) stubborn. I know that might be a bit if a surprise to those who know me best - some still believe I’m almost too agreeable - but it’s true. For sone reason I was the kind of girl who would pursue what I wanted… screw the torpedos and consequences be damned!

Now, while it’s not as bad as it used to be when I was a kid (thanks in large part to my mother), it’s definitely influenced some aspects of my adult life. And but always in the best of ways.

The biggest one being my late-to-the-game adoption of e-commerce.

When I was younger I used to dream if the little store front I would open every morning and close up every night. I also used to dream about my first starter-home, and brainstorm all the different ways I could make it look bigger than 900 sq ft. Unfortunately, it turns out the powers that be had different plans, and it’s looking more and more likely that neither of those things will happen until my 40’s (at the earliest and if I’m lucky).

Now, I don’t (completely) begrudge that hand I’ve got - partly because I actually still enjoy spending time with my mom, and partly because I know it’s not just me who’s feeling pangs right now.

The only thing I do begrudge, though, is the fact that I didn’t jump on the social media bandwagon when it first paraded along. The way things turned out, it would’ve definitely lead to a smoother integration into e-commerce, and I wouldn’t be dealing with some of my current hurdles I find myself struggling through.

The biggest one being logistics.

Oh shipping and logistics, how mixed are my feelings for you!

For me personally, getting the hang of shipping is one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced. It doesn’t help that right now we’re still in the era of post-pandemic transportation woes, and probably will be for a while longer.

(It’s amazing isn’t? How your existing systems seem unstoppable… until they’re stopped dead in their tracks)

Soap-box aside, it’s basically led to higher rates for various reasons, in addition to mounting concerns regarding environmental sustainability. To put it another way, shipping and transportation (for me) has been like a baptism by fire. There’s been no other way to get the hang of it except to jump into it with both feet.

Social media, on the other hand, has been surprisingly less stressful to figure out… it’s just infinitely more time consuming. I can now understand why larger companies invest so much in social media and digital marketing: it really is a full-time job now.

Honestly, this is the second biggest hurdle after logistics that I’ve been struggling to cope with recently. And for the exact opposite reasons: I have a decent enough grasp of how to make professional looking campaigns… what I’m lacking is the time to bring them together.

I didn’t realize until I started working full-time on my business, just how little of my craft would be going into… well, my crafting business. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining- just stating a fact, and fair warning for other aspiring business owners.

But despite all the drudgery work that comes with, I also find it hard to imagine going back to just a side-hustle. Because even though shipping, marketing, and everyday tech-woes, are not my cup of tea, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride and joy whenever I finally figure out the problem.

And I still love the moments when I can steal away the moments to make something new. Not just design and pattern, but actually make something new.

Drudgery aside, it is all I really want to do.

That was one of the three big reasons why I decided to rework my current systems: I need a more efficient way of running things, one that better balances my time and keeps the cash flow coming (though minor it may be compared to my last job).

Without giving too much away on my “master plan” I can tell you that I think I’m (finally!) on the right track. Slowly, but at least surely…

Oh my kingdom for an assistant! (That would certainly expedite things)

- 12/27/23