Personal Ramblings
As this is a personal blog about RockLove, I feel like I am entitled to ramble about my own fears about this company.
The past month I have been struggling... sales are slow off the website and Etsy (www.rocklove.etsy.com); my street fairs keep getting rained out; complicated store uploads; constant icky weather hindering photo shoots...
But now I've realized that I've hit a WALL. One we all come to before we jump the threshold of being hand-spun or potentially BIG.
And that leap is: Stores. I'm in a few stores on consignment and that's all well and dandy, but there is no cash-in-hand which allows me to go back and MAKE the merchandise said shop owner wants. And most places don't want to purchase right now with the economy down. They want to try me on for size before they take that risk (understandable) but that leaves me in a pickle.
It means that if I want pieces to sell in a store, I have to take all the financial risk in the beginning. A couple thousand dollars worth of retail merchandise PER showroom, which may in turn just sit there not selling. In my contract agreements I do have a term with some applicable shops that they must buy after the first upload... galleries for the most part work on a 60-40.
But in the long run, it's a horrible catch-22: I have to HAVE the money to spend the money to make money.
Thus. It's time for a loan. I've made it all this way without loans or credit... but I'm stuck otherwise. Ergo the freaking out this month. Because if RockLove doesn't flourish, it's debt becomes my own and suddenly I have an unsuccessful career and even more financial troubles and commitment. Yipes!
But it's TIME TIME TIME to plug my nose and take the plunge. So anchors away everyone, here we GO!
Don't forget to message me for your LJ 20% off!
And a potential Father's Day present for your favorite scallyway - Artist's Proof!
The past month I have been struggling... sales are slow off the website and Etsy (www.rocklove.etsy.com); my street fairs keep getting rained out; complicated store uploads; constant icky weather hindering photo shoots...
But now I've realized that I've hit a WALL. One we all come to before we jump the threshold of being hand-spun or potentially BIG.
And that leap is: Stores. I'm in a few stores on consignment and that's all well and dandy, but there is no cash-in-hand which allows me to go back and MAKE the merchandise said shop owner wants. And most places don't want to purchase right now with the economy down. They want to try me on for size before they take that risk (understandable) but that leaves me in a pickle.
It means that if I want pieces to sell in a store, I have to take all the financial risk in the beginning. A couple thousand dollars worth of retail merchandise PER showroom, which may in turn just sit there not selling. In my contract agreements I do have a term with some applicable shops that they must buy after the first upload... galleries for the most part work on a 60-40.
But in the long run, it's a horrible catch-22: I have to HAVE the money to spend the money to make money.
Thus. It's time for a loan. I've made it all this way without loans or credit... but I'm stuck otherwise. Ergo the freaking out this month. Because if RockLove doesn't flourish, it's debt becomes my own and suddenly I have an unsuccessful career and even more financial troubles and commitment. Yipes!
But it's TIME TIME TIME to plug my nose and take the plunge. So anchors away everyone, here we GO!
Don't forget to message me for your LJ 20% off!
And a potential Father's Day present for your favorite scallyway - Artist's Proof!