?May 5, 2022--National Small Business Week
by Karen Schwabenland About a week ago, I opened the doors to my Etsy Shop for the first time. Well, not literal doors, because it's all on line. I have a ton of inventory still to post, and I have found myself inexplicably purchasing more supplies as if I have a million dollar business. I do not. In one week I have made one single, solitary sale--and it was really exciting! I believe my clothing is its own art form. The market is out there, it just needs to find me. Last Saturday, after my shop was posted on every social media platform that I know about, I kept checking and rechecking to see how many likes I got for it. I got the usual amount. Exactly what I expected. But I could not stop myself from obsessively checking and rechecking. To the point that the Mister finally said, "Would stop checking your phone, already?" "I'm trying to see if I had any sales." "Karen, it's only been three hours. You've got to let it marinate a while." I stopped. But every time Mister got up to go into the kitchen, I surreptitiously checked again. And again and again. We were supposed to be having a date night, but it was only sitting in front of the television watching something benign. I didn't want break our unspoken rule about texting during TV time, but I found myself a social media whore, trolling every platform to see if there were any takers. The next day, I went to every related Facebook group I belong to, and posted my Etsy shop on them. Only three of them kicked me out for not following the rules. Who reads rules? I prefer to test the rules in these situations and then suffer the consequences if there are any. The good news? Six of the groups kept my post and complete strangers starting liking my shop. By Sunday night, I sank into a complete depression. Maybe this whole idea was foolhardy. I should have named the shop, Karen's Folly. Or maybe Fool's Folly. Because I am a writer, my mind went there. Karen has a negative connotation these days, and there is no alliteration in Karen's Folly. Even better, Foolhardy Folly. That is the best name I could have used. Not something limiting like, I don't know, Up Mixed Designs, I suppose? I slept fretfully, dreaming that I cut up all my inventory, sewed it into a raft, and floated out to sea on it. Then, the next day, I was scrolling through my phone, and low a behold...an email message from Etsy. I had made my first sale! What? Well, did you ever? No. I didn't. Well, shut my mouth. The rest of that day was spent in a complete scramble. I didn't even have packaging supplies. Only some vague notion of what the perfect package should look like. I had to shop, print out a mailing label, wrap it all up, pray over it, and then get to the post office before they closed for the day. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, God. Thank you, loyal shopper. Now I really am an entrepreneur. I have made one sale. It should be arriving by mail to the customer in a day or two. Oh, boy, I hope the buyer likes it. As of today, my shop has been open for five days. I am waiting for that elusive second sale. I haven't even posted some of my favorite items in the shop yet though. But, I am not hedging any bets. Better to have tried and failed than to never have loved "a tall," I always say. And if you can understand what I just wrote, then you will understand the name of my shop. Anyway, I've got a few more things up my sleeve. And speaking of sleeves, I need to go set some right about now. |
AuthorKaren Schwabenland--Keeper of a daily blog of written matter, reporter of events large and small, and charlatan extraordinaire Archives
September 2022
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