Hi there.
Speaker:It's Sue.
Speaker:And thanks for joining me for tips and talk day.
Speaker:These are bite-sized topics that I pull from community questions and
Speaker:things that I'm observing in the world of handmade small business.
Speaker:If you'd like to submit a topic,
Speaker:DME over on Instagram at gift biz unwrapped,
Speaker:before we get into the show today,
Speaker:I want to make sure that you know about the newest
Speaker:thing happening over here.
Speaker:It's called the gift biz bash a zoom party that turns
Speaker:into a podcast episode.
Speaker:Several weeks later,
Speaker:the party consists of a short training with Q and a
Speaker:from yours truly.
Speaker:And then an opportunity for you to give a shout out
Speaker:about your business.
Speaker:You can tell us about a promotion you currently have going
Speaker:on or share a collaboration that you're considering so that you
Speaker:can find a perfect partner for the event.
Speaker:A little bit of learning and visibility for your business.
Speaker:What could be better?
Speaker:There is a catch though spots are limited to keep the
Speaker:party to about 45 minutes or so.
Speaker:That means you should grab your spot right away.
Speaker:It's totally free to make sure you're included.
Speaker:Why not do that right now?
Speaker:Pause this episode,
Speaker:go to gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped.com forward slash bash to sign up and then come back
Speaker:and listen to the show.
Speaker:I'll see you at the bash.
Speaker:Maybe you're in the middle of one right now for time
Speaker:in your business.
Speaker:When it's not easy,
Speaker:these rough patches can appear for a number of reasons.
Speaker:You're juggling responsibilities between home working for someone else and running
Speaker:your own business,
Speaker:or you need to try something new.
Speaker:And haven't the slightest idea how to proceed.
Speaker:That could be putting up a website,
Speaker:starting your email list,
Speaker:or a host of other tech related things that has your
Speaker:eyes roll,
Speaker:or you're in a situation that makes you completely uncomfortable,
Speaker:like exhibiting at your first show or attending a chamber networking
Speaker:meeting where you'll need to get up and talk.
Speaker:These not easy times can happen at any stage in your
Speaker:handmade product business journey.
Speaker:It's not only reserved for newbies.
Speaker:And I'm here today to reset your thinking.
Speaker:When you're working through times like this,
Speaker:these are to be celebrated.
Speaker:They actually offer you a great opportunity.
Speaker:And no,
Speaker:I'm not going to give you a pep talk here about
Speaker:how you can overcome anything,
Speaker:even though you can.
Speaker:I'm also not going to get all strategic on you,
Speaker:giving you steps to get past these not easy times.
Speaker:That's not point for this episode.
Speaker:The point is for you to think differently about what these
Speaker:challenges offer you and why they're actually a great thing.
Speaker:Now, before you think I'm totally off my rocker here.
Speaker:Let me explain to be honest,
Speaker:it's not really that hard to start a business,
Speaker:depending on how you want to define it.
Speaker:At the most basic level,
Speaker:all you have to do is make some product and start
Speaker:selling. It.
Speaker:Don't think for one minute that I'm suggesting this approach,
Speaker:but for all intents and purposes,
Speaker:that's a business.
Speaker:The hard part is to stay in business.
Speaker:As you continue on from startup phase,
Speaker:all the not easy things begin to reveal themselves.
Speaker:These obstacles come up for everyone.
Speaker:If they're interested in being profitable and have a continual flow
Speaker:of orders.
Speaker:And here's where your opportunity comes in at each juncture of
Speaker:the business development path,
Speaker:a percentage of business owners turn off the path and call
Speaker:it quits.
Speaker:That means the number of businesses competing to win your customers
Speaker:dollars, get smaller and smaller as you encounter and overcome the
Speaker:not easy parts that is cause for celebration.
Speaker:Listen, you aren't doing anything to knock them off course for
Speaker:your own gain.
Speaker:They're self eliminating,
Speaker:which leaves a more open path for you.
Speaker:Think of it as a marathon before the race.
Speaker:There's a massive runners,
Speaker:all jammed together at the starting line.
Speaker:The gun goes off and the mass begins to move forward.
Speaker:Some aren't even able truly to run yet because the field
Speaker:is so crowded.
Speaker:Then as the race goes on,
Speaker:gaps begin to appear between the runners,
Speaker:the more skilled take the lead and those who are less
Speaker:experienced or didn't train start falling behind the course,
Speaker:dispersion continues to expand throughout the entire race.
Speaker:Some runners resort to walking or drop out completely.
Speaker:Now runners slow down or quit for various reasons.
Speaker:Some get injured,
Speaker:some mentally give up when it starts getting hard,
Speaker:physically some quit.
Speaker:If a cramp is insurmountable and some never took it seriously
Speaker:in the first place,
Speaker:but showed up for fun or to see how far they
Speaker:could get.
Speaker:And then there are the winners let's face it.
Speaker:Everyone who crosses the line of a marathon is a winner.
Speaker:At least in my book.
Speaker:And each of these marathon winners carried on through the not
Speaker:easy times of mental or muscle exhaustion and heat,
Speaker:thirst or injury,
Speaker:but eventually crossed the line throughout the race.
Speaker:The total number of runners got smaller and smaller.
Speaker:Same with business.
Speaker:You've heard about the high attrition rate of startups,
Speaker:depending on who you talk to nine out of 10 businesses
Speaker:close within the first 18 months,
Speaker:you can look at this two ways.
Speaker:You can be fearful of getting in the game,
Speaker:or you can say,
Speaker:great. I'm going to be that one of 10.
Speaker:And as I go along and it gets tougher,
Speaker:I'll move into spaces that have less and less friction.
Speaker:The advances with your business are like the marathon or training
Speaker:for the race.
Speaker:You set up your Etsy shop and perfect.
Speaker:Your social media posting a marathoner builds muscle and endurance.
Speaker:Each of you break away from the pack because you push
Speaker:through not easy,
Speaker:which elevates you to another level that is less populated.
Speaker:You've gone where others dare not go and get to reap
Speaker:the rewards from pushing through.
Speaker:That's why I say celebrate the not easy times they are
Speaker:surmountable. And when you get to the other side of each
Speaker:and every obstacle,
Speaker:the sun gets brighter and brighter because the clouds have separated
Speaker:and drifted away and your business becomes the shining star.
Speaker:That's a wrap.
Speaker:I'm a get to the point kind of girl.
Speaker:And this is what you can expect from these quick midweek
Speaker:sessions. Now it's your turn go out and fulfill that dream
Speaker:of yours.
Speaker:Share your handmade products with us.