Member Articles

So, it’s OK if there’s more than one of you out there. In fact, it’s a good thing. There is room for everyone.

4.) Welcome ideas from every direction. That said, make sure you learn from your competitors. How can you do it better, or make your product stand apart? I make a point to taste test my competitors’ products when I see them on sale at local markets. Competition will hone your craft and improve your product if you let it.

Also, be open to a fresh perspective, though you won’t always know when a good idea is headed your way. When I was having trouble conveying to my graphic designer exactly what I wanted in a font for my logo, the solution arrived in a bedtime book that my daughter grabbed from a pile of hand-me-downs. I had never laid eyes on the book before, but the story of the young witch who feared she had landed in the wrong school on the first day was printed with a clear example of what I had been seeking. The next day I sent photocopied samples of the text to my designer and had my new logo not long after.

Last holiday season, I was invited by an acquaintance to participate in what could best be described as a “holiday open house,” along with several other gift vendors. When the hostess approached me to participate -- mindful that I had a new baby -- she suggested that I need not stay for the duration of the event. Instead, she volunteered to collect my order forms with payment and get them to me at a later time.

I didn’t have order forms! I had never thought of having a simple sheet listing all of my products with pricing and a place for clients’ personal (delivery) information. In that one invitation, I was presented with an idea that I still use for all my clients, direct and retail. Good ideas can come from anywhere.

Home businesses require a lot of balancing, hard work and patience with the process. The rewards, especially for moms, can be more than worth it. Hopefully, these nuggets will help if you find yourself stuck, blocked or discouraged. Help is “out there” (friends! Ideas!) or “in there” (brainstorming! Ideas!). Just take the time to tune in!