Hello, World! It's me and my...

Contemplating the steps to get a finished product to market...a bit overwhelming in this day and age of digital and social media.  

Changes in the process from past decades to today - the opportunities for getting yourself out there have increased...but the "noise" in the marketplace has increased right along with each step of "progress".

Covering all of the bases...lining all your "duckies" in a row...wanting to put forward your best foot...

It all matters as you get ready to expose yourself (and your product) to the world at large and there is certainly, absolutely a HUGE piece of your ego at stake...

These days a craftsman plays so many roles beyond the act of creating...

It isn't all black and white, is it?

Planner and developer...

Buyer and manufacturer...

Quality control and process manager...

Photographer and graphic designer...

Marketing and web design...

Store owner and shipper...

Customer service and accountant...

What do you need to get started and make your best impression?  To come across as a professional?

Business cards, website, online store, payment accounts, shipping information, price lists and promotional materials...it can feel beyond your abilities but you learn from every step.

It's all in the tiniest details...

Taking pride in your finished product means re-working your ideas over and over and, yes, over again.

When I first saw the craft project that my daughter brought home, I was taken by the intricacy in the design.  That my little one could create something so apparently complex yet beautiful was inspiring.  

As the next few weeks went by, I felt the urge to try my hand at it.  It was a special time, learning from her how to do this wonderful thing and make this complicated final product.

I created some for fun, just to see what they would look like in differing patterns, sizes and materials.  I decided to hand-craft a few for friends as gifts for their baby showers to go with the traditional booties and blankies.  

The response from the other ladies attending was surprising...lots of oohs and aahs and wows!  What stuck in my mind most was one friend's comment, "You MADE those!  They are so pretty!  You could sell them!"  Another friend asked if I could teach her students how to create them so that they could use them as decor for prom.

As I started to move from the just-for-fun mindset into entrepreneurial mode, I discovered the wonderful process of determining what a finished product should look like.  I needed to put myself into the customer's mindset...focusing on what I would want to see as an appropriate level of craftsmanship in a product I would be willing to buy myself.

It was important to not only look at the materials, but at the process.  A key element was finding ways of increasing efficiency in the process of crafting.  It was imperative that I determine a process that maintained quality but decreased production time.

Having the right tools matters as well...with a new venture, it is a challenge to even know what the "right" tools might be.  Experimentation with process and a variety of tools lead to many "dead" ends before finding what worked best for me.

www.whimsydom.com | Whimsydom on Etsy.com

Everyone needs a touch of whimsy in their life!

Entrepreneurship is an interesting journey...sometimes one that brings the unexpected.  It is not the destination that matters...the journey itself teaches...

I plan to use this blog to share my journey, my blooming business, and the lessons I am learning along the way.

This entrepreneurial journey began with a simple craft project that my young daughter brought home from school in December 2013.  Her project work inspired me...it set visions and imaginings swirling through my head...I got hooked on an idea and wanted to share my vision with others.

I do not know if Whimsydom will be successful as a business...and I don't know if it really matters one way or the other.  I am already finding unexpected value just in the process.

In such a short time, this journey has brought new experiences, new skills, new people and new types of joy into my life...that is what I think is most important.

www.whimsydom.com |  Whimsydom on Etsy.com