Thursday, July 21, 2011

part of the book - I don't know which chapter

I've decided that eventually, I'll write a book about my experiences opening a retail store. Some of the chapters - "what to do about parking, and how to tow gracefully," "responses when someone asks you what you paid wholesale for something so they can figure out your markup," and today's chapter "find people you trust."

Find people you trust

This can be hard, in life in general. However, having people in your industry or even just general business professionals, whether they're graphic designers, marketing professionals, accountants, a really good printer repairman, etc, I've found to be vital. I don't know how I would have made this journey without them. Well, maybe I do, it would have been not nearly as awesome and significantly harder.

First, I'm lucky because some of my biggest and most trustworthy supporters are my parents. And they've got skills! My mom has owned a business with my step-dad for a very long time and they're quite successful and have been a huge help. My mom is my go to accountant and employee problem solver. My dad owns a bead/leather supply store called Old West Leather and Beads; it's been around since 1988. He gave me a lot of great contacts, where to buy this or that and how much to pay for it.

I've also found friends at other bead stores who were willing to share. The best though, by far, is Dave at The Bead Monkey in St. Paul/Minneapolis. I contacted them about carrying some of their great project kits (I carry them, as an fyi). They're a great bead store; they have a TON of classes (many of which the Colorado Bead Company's classes find their inspiration in), they're clean and well lit and have a great team of Bead Monkeys. :D I also like to call them Bead Monkeys. I should come up with something to call Kody... bead kitten? I'm not sure, I'll work on that. I've never been to the store, but if you're ever in the St. Paul or Minneapolis area, stop in, check things out, tell them I said hello! They have a fun facebook too.

<3anne

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

a handwritten thank you note

A few weeks ago a woman named Alexa and her daughter Lilly got some little plastic pony beads from the store for Lilly to make a necklace.

I got this letter in the mail -



what a nice thing for Alexa to do! I'm glad they enjoyed their things!

Monday, July 4, 2011

YAY for independence!

First, thank you to all who have created the world that we live in. Thank you for the independence to create my own reality, including the ability to achieve my dreams.

Today, we're open. It's been slow so far. But yesterday was crazy busy. It was an awesome day. I get to meet some of best people, always so interesting. Let's see, yesterday I met a woman who wire wraps stones into chain and makes necklaces, she came in with her mom, the necklaces were lovely! I met several women who came over from the Irish Snug, they were funny, I liked them... I wanted to go back to the Snug with them for a drink, or three. :) And then I met a woman from Mead who goes into my dad's bead store in Greeley! She talked about wanting to open a bead store, it's fun, it's cool, but it's WAY harder than I thought it would be... and I have 23 years of familial experience behind me.

Today, we're open. I'm not sure for how long, at least 3p. I didn't want to miss an opportunity to get to know more people. I don't know if we'll be open on the fourth of July next year, maybe, we'll see how the rest of today goes.

Things we've been up to at the store, a picture history:

Kody made this pendant yesterday for her friend Emma - it's brown agate with jasper rounds and 21ga square copper wire



We have these great little origami stars that a woman in Virginia made out of old map pages. I love them. Apparently there are kits that have directions to make the same stars, Kody brought one in for me the other day. Here's my first go at it. Not too shabby!



Cindy started this necklace a few weeks ago at a Beads + Bordeaux night, and brought it back to show us the finished product. It's nice! I like it a LOT! Awesome job.



We got in some fabulous resin flowers earlier this week, and I combined this one (a pink rose) with a glass tile that we sell here and a picture of a pretty pink bouquet out of a wedding magazine, Bride magazine, to be exact.



Hope you're all having a safe and wonderful independence day.

Friday, July 1, 2011

something I hate - chalk signs

And I have a chalk board sign that is outside of the store when we're open. The hope is that it catches the attention of people meandering by. I hate chalk, I hate writing in chalk, it's why I didn't become an elementary school teacher. Well, that and a TON of other reasons, but hating chalk is definitely on the list.

A girlfriend of mine did the first chalk sign, and we kept it up for about four weeks. However, yesterday I decided that I should change it. It still read "NOW OPEN". We're still open, but it seems less exciting now.



I spend roughly an hour redesigning the sign, trying to get things straight, and make them legible... and finally! It looks good. I put it outside... and it starts POURING rain. The universe does not approve of my new sign apparently. Mid-sentence in speaking to a new store friend (aka - a customer) I realize it's raining and RUN outside in attempt to rescue my new sign. It doesn't really work, my chalk is running and it kind of looks like crap.

I didn't feel like redoing the sign today, so I just toss the dammed thing back outside.

A couple who is taking a motor home tour of the states comes in, buys some goods, yay goods, and when they leave I see them outside... doing what? None other than taking their pictures with my sign to commemorate their trip... I wish I would have redone it this morning. :( It's so awesome to be part of their trip though, something they're going to talk about and enjoy and share with their friends and family. YAY!